Las Vegas Chinatown

Like many other cities with a Chinese population and heritage, Las Vegas has its own Chinatown area that was so designated in 1999 by Gov. Kenny Guinn of Nevada.

Located along Spring Mountain Road (the cross streets are South Valley View and South Arville), Las Vegas Chinatown consists of several large strip malls in an area that has been revived by the Asian community from the run-down neighborhood that it once was, to a thriving business community.

It’s about a mile and a half west of the Las Vegas Strip, and extends for about two and a half miles.

If it’s Asian, it’s there – Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese – with one of the Chinatown Plaza anchors being 99 Ranch Market, a supermarket chain found throughout the United States. Chinatown Plaza is the most visible section, identified by its large traditional Chinese arch entrance.

The mall itself houses a number of stores and eating establishments:

In the center of the plaza’s parking lot is a huge statue of the “Journey to the West,” a centuries-old mythological novel that was based on popular stories of the time. According to a descriptive plaque, the statue honors “Priest Xuanzang and his three disciples – an irreverent monkey, a greedy but lovable pig, and a hard-working river goblin as they go on the journey in search of Buddhist sutras.”

Next time you’re in Las Vegas, take some time to experience the city’s Chinatown area. I stop by there every once in a while and check out the availability of monkey figurines for my collection.