Top Floating Markets In And Near Bangkok To Visit In 2021

Bangkok city is known as one of the kingdoms of shopping in Thailand, where you can find a great number of shopping centers, malls, markets with a variety of goods from clothing to food. Stepping outside the city, you will encounter a new shopping experience at the famous floating markets there. If you are too tired of the haggling atmosphere at the shopping malls, come and try relaxing on a guided boat tour around the floating markets. We will provide you with information about some floating markets near Bangkok: their location, opening hours, transportation to get there and what’s good and not.

1. Damnoen Saduak

• Location: Damnoen Saduak, Damnoen Saduak District, Ratchaburi
• Opening hours: daily 7:00 – 24:00
• How to get there? To get to the market from Bangkok you have to take a bus at the Southern Bus Terminal and the journey takes about 2 hours. Another choice is the taxi. When you arrive at the market, hire a boat to take a short trip around the Damnoen Saduak.
• Floating market Bangkok boat ride price: 400-600 baht.
• What’s interesting?

This is often the number one choice of tourists when coming to visit a floating market in Thailand. Damnoen Saduak is great for photos, food, Thai handmade crafts, etc. Damnoen is big and always busy because of both the sellers and tourists. You can wander around, taste some special Damnoen Saduak floating market food such as coconut pancakes, noodles, Pad Thai and different kinds of tropical fruits sold in the boats. Many fruit sellers rowing their boat along the canals so you can have some beautiful pictures then.

• Cons: Damnoen Saduak is not simply a market as in the past, it now becomes a tourist destination and most of the activities here are for tourists. You also have to be careful of the scammers and thieves as they usually find ways to cheat on you.

2. Amphawa

• Location: Amphawa District, Samut Songkhram (50km from Bangkok)
• Opening hours: Sat to Sun,  around 9:00 – 21:00
• How to get there? Take a bus at the Southern Bus Terminal to Samut Sonkhram town, then hire a songthaew or a shared taxi for the rest of the way. You can also take a taxi directly to Amphawa. When you arrive there, take a boat tour.
• What’s interesting?

Amphawa is not as large as Damnoen Saduak but this market is more authentic. When visiting Amphawa, you will feel much more like a local market than a tourist attraction. One thing you shouldn’t miss when coming to this floating market is seafood. Squids, crabs, shrimps, shellfish, etc. are sold at reasonable prices. Many other sweets like snacks and ice-creams may satisfy your sweet tooth. It’s also a good place for homestay.

• Cons: It’s quite crowded from noon time so you’d better visit in the morning.

3. Talin Chan

• Location: Khlong Chak Phra, Talin Chan, Bangkok
• Opening hours: Sat to Sun, 8:00 – 17:00
• How to get there? Taxi is the most popular way to get there. You can also get on a BTS to Wongwian Yai Station, then ride a taxi for the rest of the way. Another way is taking the bus No.70 or No.83, past the Chao Praya river.
• What’s interesting?

This Talin Chan is fairly small and traditional. There are just enough boats to be called a floating market and there are not too many people so it still keeps the authentic feelings. Coming to this market, tourists will have a chance at the homestay as well as tours around Talin Chan, admire the beauty of Thai culture. Traveling without food is missing half of the enjoyment, so there are hundreds of dishes over 100 baht for tourists to try when wandering. They sell crafts and foot massage service on the boats, too. At the end of the day, it’s great to relax and have your feet massaged under the trees for just approximately 200 baht per hour depending on the day you come.

• Cons: Talin Chan doesn’t have the classic beauty as Amphawa and there aren’t many tourist boats active there.

4. Khlong Lat Mayom

• Opening hours: Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, 9:30 – 16:30
• How to get there? This floating market is at the same district as Taling Chan so you can follow the route to Taling Chan and take a taxi to get there.
• What’s interesting?

Khlong Lat Mayom is not like the huge touristy Damnoen Saduak or the colorful and crowded Amphawa. This small market has its own charm and authenticity of a local market. It provides a larger selection of locally grown organic products than other markets. As many other floating markets, you will have a variety of food choices here: noodles soup, oyster omelet, Pad Thai, etc. for 20 to 30 baht per plate. One interesting thing about this market is one side is dedicated to fresh veggies and fruits, while the other side sells all kinds of colorful sweets and snacks. Go further into the market where you can buy house decorations, accessories and cheap clothing.

• Cons: The canals are quite narrow and there aren’t many boats there. And you can hardly find a tourist boat to take you around.

5. Bang Nam Pheung

• Location: Bang Nam Phueng, Phra Pradaeng, Samut Prakan
• Opening hours: Sat to Sun, 7:00 – 16:00
• How to get there? You can take a taxi directly to the market or take a public bus to Phra Pradaeng, then take local transport (songthaew) to the floating market. BTS Skytrain system is also available.
• What’s interesting?

This floating market should be called a riverside market like many other floating markets in Bangkok because there are only a few boats parked along the banks. Most of the stalls stand on the solid ground. Bang Nam Pheung is small and doesn’t have many photo opportunities like Damnoen Saduak but it still has the charm that makes tourists want to visit. The stalls sell tons and tons of food as well as stuff like souvenirs, crafts, veggies, and fruits. Although the Tourism Authority of Thailand has promoted Bang Nam Pheung a lot, the market still keeps its authenticity with the vast majority of Thai tourists. You can rent a boat here to go for a paddle on the canals or take a walk under the shade of green trees for a memorable experience.

• Cons: There aren’t many boats here. Though this floating market is near Bangkok, the way to reach it is difficult. You should find a reliable driver in order to get there.

6. Bang Khu Wiang

• Location: Khlong Bang Khu Wiang. Tambon Bang Rao Nok, Amphoe Bang Kruai
• Opening hours: 4:00 – 7:00
• How to get there? You can rent a boat from Chang Pier in Bangkok and then ask to be taken to Noi-Khlong Om-Bang Khu Wiang Floating Market. Another option is to catch a boat from Wat Chalo Pier for a 45-minute ride to Bang Kruai (about 5 baht), which runs every 15 minutes from 05:00 – 20:00. From there it is a 10-minute boat ride to the market. It not, hire a taxi or a tuk-tuk to get to the market.
• What’s interesting?

If you don’t like the touristy push at Damnoen Saduak or Amphawa, Bang Khu Wiang is definitely the place you shouldn’t miss. To have the best time at this floating market, you’d better set your alarm to wake up early in the morning. Every day, monks arrive here before the break of day to receive their alms and to sell their farm-fresh produce. This action makes Bang Khu Wiang a worthwhile floating market to visit.

• Cons: You have to get up early to avoid the traffic and get the best experience here.

7. Tha Kha

• Location: Tha Kha, Amphawa, Samut Songkhram
• Opening hours: every Saturday and Sunday, 6:00 – 14:00
• How to get there? Taxi is a good way to get to the market.
• What’s interesting?

This is perhaps most likely a floating market. There are many boat vendors like the Damnoen Saduak but they mostly sell to local people. That’s why this floating market is much more peaceful than many so-called markets there. If you come on the phases of the moon, there is also a genuine farmers’ market. Boat tours are also available which will take you around the canals and you can discover some wooden houses and even a palm sugar factory. If you don’t like the crowd of a market, this Tha Kha floating market is for you.

• Cons: The way to this market is quite difficult to find.

Read more: 9 amazing night markets you shouldn’t miss in Bangkok

So above are some information everyone needs to keep in mind before visiting any floating markets near Bangkok. Most of them open only at the weekend. The ones opening on weekdays are Damnoen Saduak and Bang Khu Wiang. Hope that this article may be of great help for your journey to explore floating markets, a specialty of Thailand.