Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FLOATING MARKETS
Pictures of floating markets
(đà·làht nám)
jammed full of wooden canoes pregnant with colourful exotic fruits
have defined the official tourist profile of Thailand for decades. The idyllic scenes are as iconic as the Grand
Palace or the Reclining Buddha, but they are also almost completely contrived for, and dependent upon, foreign
and domestic tourists - roads and motorcycles have long moved Thais' daily errands onto dry ground. That said,
if you can see them for what they are, a few of Thailand's floating markets are worth a visit.
Tha Kha Floating Market
(Tha Kha, Samut Songkhram; 7am-noon, 2nd, 7th & 12th day of waxing & wan-
ing moons plus Sat & Sun) This, the most 'real' feeling floating market, is also the most difficult to reach. A
handful of vendors convene along an open rural
klorng
(canal, also spelt
khlong
) lined with coconut palms and
old wooden houses. Boat rides (20B per person, 45 minutes) can be arranged along the canal, and there are lots of
tasty snacks and fruits for sale. To get here, take one of the morning
sŏrng·tăa
·
ou
(passenger pick-up trucks,
20B, 45 minutes) from Samut Songkhram's market area.
Amphawa Floating Market
(
Click here
) The Amphawa Floating Market, located in Samut Songkhram
Province, convenes near Wat Amphawa. The emphasis is on edibles and tourist knick-knacks, and because the
market is only there on weekends and is popular with tourists from Bangkok, things can get pretty hectic.
Taling Chan Floating Market
(Khlong Bangkok Noi, Thonburi; 7am-4pm Sat & Sun) Located just outside
Bangkok on the access road to Khlong Bangkok Noi, Taling Chan looks like any other fresh-food market busy
with produce vendors from nearby farms. But the twist emerges at the canal where several floating docks serve as
informal dining rooms, and the kitchens are canoes tethered to the docks. Taling Chan is in Thonburi and can be
reached via taxi from Wongwian Yai BTS station or via air-con bus 79 (16B, 25 minutes), which makes stops on
Th Ratchadamnoen Klang. Long-tail boats from any large Bangkok pier can also be hired for a trip to Taling
Chan and the nearby Khlong Chak Phra.
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
(Damnoen Saduak, Ratcha- buri Province; 7am-noon) This 100-year-
old floating market - the country's most famous - is now essentially a floating souvenir stand filled with package
tourists. This in itself can be a fascinating insight into Thai culture, as the vast majority of tourists here are Thais,
and watching the approach to this cultural 'theme park' is instructive. But beyond the market, the residential
canals are quite peaceful and can be explored by hiring a boat (per person 100B) for a longer duration. Trips stop
at small family businesses, including a Thai candy maker, a pomelo farm and a knife crafter. Air-con bus 79, with
stops on Th Ratchadamnoen Klang, and minivans from the Victory Monument both connect to the Southern Bus
Terminal in Thonburi, from where you can find buses to Damnoen Saduak (80B, two hours, frequent from 6am to
9pm).
Don Wai Market
(Don Wai, Nakhon Pathom; 6am-6pm) Not technically a swimmer, this market claims a ri-
verbank location in Nakhon Pathom Province, having originally started in the early 20th century as a floating
market for pomelo and jackfruit growers and traders. As with many tourist attractions geared towards Thais, the
main attraction is food, including fruit, traditional sweets and
Ъèt pah·lóh
(five-spice stewed duck), which can be
consumed aboard large boats that cruise Mae Nam Nakhorn Chaisi (Nakhon Chaisi River; 60B, one hour). The
easiest way to reach Don Wai Market is to take a minibus (45B, 35 minutes) from beside Central Pinklao in
Thonburi.
