There are quite a few famous floating markets in and around Bangkok. And almost anywhere where there is a canal or river, there will be a floating market.
The colourful scene of ladies sat in small canoes with their conical hats, baskets of fruit, vegetables and Thai food make for excellent publicity photographs. Visitors will enjoy the scene at the most popular tourist floating market.
The morning will start early to get to the market and see the sale of food and goods. The vendors of these markets have to begin early in the morning because of the daytime heat, they need to sell as much as possible before temperatures rise and spoil the goods. The most visited is the Damnoen Saduak market, because this is the one used by the tour operators and hotels.
The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is a very attractive place for tourists to see the old style and traditional way of selling and buying from small boats. You will also see traditional Thai houses, the way they live and travel by boats.
Totally chaotic, the khlongs or canals are filled with flat boats piled high with fresh produce, each jockeying for position and paddled by ladies ready to stop and bargain at a moment’s notice. It's colourful, noisy, touristy but great fun. During the long-tail boat ride to market, you’ll pass orchards, traditional teak houses and local people going about their lives. However as it has become a prime tourist attraction of the Bangkok vicinity the market has lost much of its authenticity.
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market