10 Popular Floating Markets To Visit Near Bangkok

If you are looking for a relaxing morning away from the touristy hustle bustle destinations within the city, spending your time roaming around the Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market Bangkok is highly recommended. Not just shopping, but you get a real dose of the well-revered market culture that Thailand people are very well accustomed. About 20 km away from Bangkok, this market is a short taxi ride away from Wongwian Yai BTS Skytrain Station. The preferred local floating market Bangkok prides in, Khlong lat Mayom is all about the fresh fruits and veggies that are displayed right out in front as you enter the market. As with any other floating market has, eating is the primary experience and there’s no better feeling that sitting on some tiny stools while you see a fresh cooked meal being prepared just for you. A fun little experience, boat noodles and Pad Thai are the all-time favourite dishes served here. Push your taste boundaries and try out the more eclectic dishes like kanom jeen and hoi tod. For those who are naturally gastronomically adventurous and lovers of sea food, this place offers some of the best shrimps and snakehead fish. Open on Saturdays and Sundays, the market is open early at 7 00 am and closes around 5. While you’re here don’t forget to stock up on some fresh fruit like papayas, mangoes, apples, sapodillas and more that are sure to keep you hydrated in this tropical paradise. Travel into the deeper sections to pick up on some cheap grabs including clothing and home décor items.

Popular among tourists, Damnoen Saduak Floating Merket Bangkok is one that’s meant to set your social media pages on fire. A great photo-friendly destination, you can pick up on the lively scene here as you row past the pretty flags in your little yellow boat. The market is about an hour away from the main city. The narrow canals and the small wooden houses are a sure-fire way to get your thrift shopping game on. The winding waterways are careened by the bright greens and yellows from the freshest veggies and fruits. As the place gets overcrowded, an early ride out is the best way to beat the heat and the cacophony of the throngs. As this a very touristy place, any shopping that you do must be mindful as the place attracts a sizeable number of scammers. But one of the great things about traveling so far out is that you get to see the brilliant transition that Thailand’s scenery is known for, as you make your way out of the remarkable city skyline towards the calm and quiet of the salt flats and the lush green fields. Fruit-sellers rowing their boats on the canals are a common sight here and there’s plenty of good food to keep you company on an approximately half an hour sojourn around the market.

Not one that’s on the tourist radar, Amphawa is one of the few remaining authentic Thai floating markets. The Amphawa floating market is worth the visit, not just for the shopping but for the little hidden treasures that you find along the way. Situated along the Mae Klong river in Samut Songkhram, this beautiful market allows you to get a real look into the Thai way of life. Apart from the obvious “I Love Amphawa” T-shirts, there’s a lot to shop here in the form of traditional textiles, herbal soaps, and of course juicy mangoes. The low-lying benches offer great comfort as you slurp on some boat noodles. However, if you want to get a little more cozy and comfortable there a couple of restaurants that offer great views of the canal and the bridge. As a local favourite, the market gets packed around noon. It is advised that you reach here early and head back before the afternoon sun burns out your energy. One of the must try dishes here is the coconut ice cream, that’s served in a half coconut. At the Amphawa floating market , an unmissable sight that most tourists just ignore is the Wat Bang Koong. This temple is engulfed in a tree, with just the doors and windows left open, seating a golden Buddha inside. There’s also a mini-zoo close by that houses a camel, an ostrich, deer and boars,that are sure to keep the little kids entertained. Of course there are also peacocks just strutting their plumage and giving you exactly what you asked for on your tropical vacation! You can take a long tail boat tour around the market once to get a full-fledged guided tour across the winding canals. Once you finish the market stroll, it is highly recommended that you explore the surrounding canals and rivers to catch a good breeze and wind down. Two tours are available for the tourists; the temple tour and the island tour. You could also take a private boat, but it is quite pricey.

Definitely one of the more non-commercialised markets, Taling Chan floating market Bangkok is about 12 kilometres away from the main city. If you’re feeling repulsed by the thought of having to wake up early for the sake of your wife’s shopping, then the Taling Chan floating market Bangkok is the one that would you give you some relief. The place is packed with all kinds of sweets and goodie snacks that are fun to try out. If barbecued prawns, blue crabs and fish are your thing you can’t miss the sight of little wooden boats cooking these along the canal. The stand out of the Taling Chan Floating market Bangkok are the school of huge catfish that are swimming right beneath you the whole time. Combined with the Thai musicians playing traditional music, and there’s nothing that hits the tag “Authentic Thai” better.

Also located in Samut Sanghram, this floating market can be visited along with Amphawa floating market. The added little bonus of travelling out so far is that you get a chance to truly divulge in the culture and lifestyle of countryside Thai. The lush green fields and the traditional houses along the way are a sight to behold, and makes it worthwhile for waking up in the wee hours while the sun throws a spotlight on the expansive fields. A unique feature of Tha Kha floating market Bangkok is its natural canopy. A favourite among the Tha Kha natives Pad Thai is served here in the traditional way; a bowl made of banana leaf. If you really want to avoid the crowds and beat the heat of the afternoon, then Tha Kha is the best way to live the experience of floating market Bangkok offers.

One of the smaller floating markets Bangkok has, Bang Nam Pheung is just a few small boats perched along the banks. Just few kilometres from east Bangkok, this marlet poses a slight bit of difficulty in reaching there, in that it is advised that you have your own transport vehicle. Located along the Chao Praya River, the area is mesmerizingly green and is a true representation of village life in Thailand. A complete contrast to the more touristy ones, this market gives you the photo opportunity to capture authenticity.

Home to a wealth of agriculture, Bang Khla i

s a bountiful land that is known locally as the “land of two water sources”. Vastly smaller than most other floating market Bangkok has, this place is a great way to spend time getting to know the local life and having a chat with local Thai folks. Best known for its local fish and seafood, hot off the grill whole river fish, shrimp, crab and squid are a must try at Bang Khla Floating Market Bangkok. The local specialty however is the toowa pap, a semi-sweet finger food made from locally sourced peanut, jasmine flower, pal sugar, pandan leaf and coconut. Be sure to pick up some mangoes here as the area is known to produce some of the best in the country. It is recommended that you hire a taxi for a day to get to Bang Khla as it is quite far from the city. You can combine this trip with a visit to the Khlong Suan old market.

Although one of the easier ones to get to in terms of distance, Bang Ku Wiang Floating Market Bangkok is however a pain as its timing are 04:00 to 07:00. Not at all one of the commercialized ones, this floating market Bangkok offers allows you to catch the sight of monks receiving alms. Located at the mouth of the Khlong Bang Khu Wiang, taking a taxi is highly recommended as searching around for buses in the wee hours of 4:00 am is not the best start to your day. Of course the place also offers some authentic Thai food that are served in true traditional style. You can also pick up some fresh fruits and veggies as well.

Wat Sai Floating Market Bangkok is about a half hour drive from the city center. One of the older markets, the place was a thriving gathering place for locals until the construction of new roads that dispersed the crowds to other regions. Situated oin Chom Thong, the market has recently undergone a revival and is great catch if you want to pick some local farm-fresh fruits and veggies right outside of town. It would cost around 300 baht to get there by taxi from the city center and is a great way to spend a nice refreshing morning.

Situated along the Samrong Canal, this market comes very close to not being a floating market as most of the shops are located on wooden houses along the banks. However, efforts are being made to increase water based activity. About 29 kilometers from the city centre, you can reach the pkace via a Skytrain to BTS Bearing a then a short taxi ride. Tradition Thailand is what Bang Phli is all about, It isn’t touristy as such, but these are the kind of places where you can make small talk with the locals and understand the way of life here. While here, don’t forget to visit the local temple, home to the deity Luang Pho To. If you’re in the area in October, check if you can catch the lotus throwing festival. Dating back more than 150 years, bang Phli is one of the oldest and has retained its traditional customs through the years adding more charm to the place. However that’s not to say that you won’t be able to pick up on some Thai delicacies. Fresh produce, traditional snacks and seafood are available in abundance. You can also pick up some antique-looking kitchenware that would make a great showpiece back home, something apart from the ordinary fridge magnets and T-Shirts.

As there are definitely a wide variety of floating markets Bangkok offers, it is advisable that you choose according to your preference and plan your trip wisely as many are either far off or get really crowded. However, one thing is for sure, you can never get enough of the waft of fresh seafood being grilled on small barbecues as you take a stroll through any of these markets. Each one has its own charm and delights you in its own unique way. Catch up on some shopping and try out some of the most eclectic Thai dishes while you’re at it. A great Thai vacation is always filled with the fun food stories and there’s no better way to get started than a visit to a floating market.