Amphawa Floating Market, Bangkok

When one talks about the floating markets in Bangkok, you think of it as a tourist trap, filled with tourists from tours. The boat vendors, selling fruits, vegetables and souvenirs would be touting along the crowded waterways, and the waters has since turn into a muddy playground.

Picture this, and most of us, who are repeat travellers to Bangkok would shun away from it. This is perhaps, what the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market looks like today. One of my ex Thai colleagues painted me a different picture, and told us another Floating market - Amphawa Floating market visited by Thai tourists (ie locals), my eyes lighted up and my curiosity search began.

Unlike the over-crowded Damnoen Saduak Floating Market (about 2.5hours or 100km away from Bangkok ) that operates from the early morning, Amphawa Floating Market (about 1.5hours, and 70km from Bangkok) is an afternoon or evening market. As with my previous post, we visited both the Maeklong Railway Market and Amphawa Floating on the same day.

Amphawa Floating Market opens in the afternoon till night, Friday - Sunday, and is the most busiest after 4pm. Unlike the other day markets which you need to wake up wee hours in the morning from Bangkok and travel about 2 hours to get to the morning floating market, you can get travel from Bangkok to get here after lunch.

This is the place to visit for genuine floating market experience. The place is predominated by Thais although there seem to be an influx of independent tourists. You see few 'farangs' - the Thai word for Caucasians, over here.

You don't get onto the boats to tour the river canel although you can go on evening boating trips to see the fireflies (which I did not try). Instead, the boats are mainly for the hawker stalls, where the meal is prepared on the boat, and send it to the guests, seated at the river bank.

Most of the eateries here serve seafood along the riverside. The 'chef' prepares the food on the boat, then pass it on to the stall holders who takes orders and delivers the food to the guests who sits on steps and benches just facing the river. 

This is the real Alfresco dining experience!

It was really crowded on the Sunday afternoon when we visited, and the place is so packed with the locals that we couldn't get any seats to try the "alfresco dining".

Stroll along the sides of the river, and you see a number of quail shops, including a traditional Chinese pastry shop.

You can cross the river over the busy bridge (there are a few), with the largest and most crowded link-bridge at the cross section.

Enjoy a breeze stroll along and capture nice views along the river canel.

Rustic surrounding that you can't find in the busy city.

Night was approaching and we decide to settle for dinner in a busy restaurant. We were attracted to the BBQ seafood that was being prepared infront of the shop.

It's yummy seafood dinner at very reasonable price.

Very soon, it was nightfall, and time to make our way back to Bangkok. But before we go, I manage to take some decent pictures of the night view of Amphawa Floating Market.

Snew's Rating: 4.4 / 5

I definitely recommend this place. Although you don't get to sit on the boat to experience life on the river, the experience of walking along the riverside with quail shops and seafood eateries is more worthwhile, then being hassle by the touts of hawkers on the boat. This is a more genuine experience of a Thai then a touristy floating market hunt.

If I'm given a chance to come back, I may like to spend a night here, so that we have more time, to sample the street food, shoot picturesque photos, and not having to rush back to Bangkok.

Maeklong Railway Market, Bangkok

Maeklong Railway Market - 美功铁路市场 is no stranger to a lot of people. Travelogues featured on different TV channels, including the popular Pornsak's popular travelogue show Rail Trail - 铁路次文化 has also featured on this place, displaying how this busy market operates, in the middle of a railway track. How amazing the robust market is situated in the middle of a railway line.

I was motivated to make a trip to visit this place and in the midst of doing research on it, chanced upon a blog post that suggested that I could visit Maeklong Railway, together with the Amphawa Floating Market, as these two places are both situated in the Samut Songkram Province, and pretty near to each other. Killing two birds with one stone was definitely an added point for us make the visit.

So, we made arrangements to rent a car with driver, (who turned out to be our driver guide as well), for the day's trip. On our way, I spotted this bridge and manage to snap a quick shot.

In less than two hours, we reached Maeklong Railway Market. The market is about 70km from Bangkok city, but with the horrendous traffic in Bangkok, we were lucky that to reach the destination in 1.5hours.

When we arrived, our driver guide whizzed us through some market street, that seems like a maze to us, before getting to the Maeklong Railway Station.

We arrived at the Maeklong Railway Station to check out the train schedule. The train pass through the market 8 times a day. We were told that the train schedule timings do change, and at times, not too punctual.

As there is a little time before the next train arrives at 2.30pm, we venture through the streets. Here are some interesting sights.

Man selling a huge pancake-like biscuit.

Oh boy, I missed these old-school cakes!

I can't resist a photo of the huge durians.

Stalls set up just on the side of the railway tracks.

Notice the boy is walking on the railway track.

Notice the tourists standing by, ready with their cameras, while the locals are still happily doing their marketing.

Alright, the train is finally passing by (it was 10 minutes late), and you start to see some slow but steady action from the stall holders. Notice the stall holders holding back the poles of the tentage, just like a manual canvas retractable.

The train approaches the market in a slow and steady speed and at times, sounding horns to tourists who were just too eager to capture a good shot of the approaching train. In the midst of the commotion, I couldn't get a good shot of the approaching train. Only heads with their camera aiming on the train. What a waste!

After the train passed the market stalls, life continues on. You see the stallholders occupying the railway tracks, almost immediately.

Stall holder putting up the shade to continue her business. 

After that, all the tourists heading towards station to have a photo opportunity with the train.

As we are walking back to our vehicle, we spotted more street stalls.

A titbits stall where my peers stopped by for some buys.

There is a reason why Maeklong Railway Market is one of the most photographed venues in Thailand. It is a unique market, in the middle of an outskirt town, with trains running through it throughout the day. Definitely a sight, and an experience, not to be missed.

We paid about S$110 for a 10-hour trip, with the comfort of a vehicle and driver, at disposable for us. We started the journey at 12noon, and visited both the Maeklong Railway Market and Amphawa Floating Market. By the time we reached our hotel, it was about 9.30pm. We share the costs among the 4 of us, hence it was a still pretty affordable full day trip.

Another way to reach the Maeklong Railway Market, is to be on the train itself! Check out the blog post by Nomadic Notes on the directions. This is a cheap alternative, but you probably need a full day as it involves two train journeys and  a ferry journey. Do plan your time and directions carefully if you do choose to this DIY way.


Snew's Rating: 3.9 / 5


Continue On

Amphawa Floating Market


Related Posts

T&K Seafood @ Yaowarat, Chinatown

Holiday Inn Express, Bangkok