Floating Market is the first thing I have associated with Thailand; hence a trip to Bangkok would be incomplete without paying one a visit.
We booked a Damnoen Saduak Floating Market tour in a local agency for 800 Baht per person. I don't know if that's a steal or I got scammed. Hahah! But the fee seemed reasonable to me, so I gave it a go! The agent offered a hassle-free half day trip with pick up and drop off, and a longtail boat ride from a village to the market. Paddle boat rent and food are not included in the package.
Damnoen Saduak is the most popular floating market and I bet it's the most touristy of all the tourist traps in Bangkok! But honestly, I had so much fun! I think it really depends on how you look at it. There are traps for sure, but there also fun and cheap things-to-do. Here are 8 of them!
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1. Hop on a longtail boat
After almost two hours on the road, we arrived in Ratchaburi - a quaint province in Thailand where Damnoen Saduak district is located. The tour van halted in the village's boat station. From there, we hopped on a longtail boat. It's a traditional wooden boat with an engine. It looks tad slow, but little did I know, I was in for an adventure! The wooden boat swiftly took us through the narrow canals. I let a few waahhs and whoops out every time the engine roared.
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| Off to the floating market in a traditional longtail boat! |
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| My cool parents loved the thrilling longtail boat ride! |
2. Check out the stilt houses along the canal
Before we reached the market, we sailed through the residential klongs. It is a peaceful neighborhood of houses raised on stilts. What I love about this area is that despite the tourism hype of the floating market, it still showed the laid-back lifestyle of the locals.
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| the local community in Damnoen Saduak |
3. Check out the market scene
We hopped off the long tail when we arrived at the entrance of the floating market. We went through the narrow alleys lined with stalls until we reached the paddle boat station. The vibe is a little chaotic. But for a local market scene, it is vibrant and very much alive! Vendors calling out their wares. People haggling here and there!
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| vibrant market scene at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market |
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| the entrance of the floating market |
4. Ride a paddle boat
The paddle boat ride though the floating market is the highlight of this tour. The fee is unfortunately not included in the tour package. It costs 150 Baht per person, but all worth the experience. So, after paying the fees, we rode a small wooden boat and cruised in the midst of a beautiful chaos for an hour!
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| paddle boat ride |
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| Here we go! :) |
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| Boat Jam! It is best to ride the paddle boat early in the morning. |
5. Interact with the locals
Well, I have to say, the floating market is not the best place to have a genuine interaction with a local. They are in serious trading mode! But give a Sawasdee Ka, a Good Morning, or a simple greeting every now and then, and they'll surely give you their warmest Thai smile.
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| Smile and say Sawasdee Ka if your boat bumped into a local vendor's boat! |
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| The local vendors will pull your boat to their stalls and offer their goods. |
6. Check out the art
The floating market offers a variety of goodies, but what greatly caught my attention are the artworks! There are intricate wooden sculptures and awesome paintings showcasing the beauty of Thailand! Just like all the other trinkets being sold, the artworks are pretty expensive. Our tour guide advised us to negotiate until half of the item's original price if we want to buy.
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| handicrafts at Damnoen Saduak floating market |
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| Lovely artworks! |
7. Eat!
Obviously, this is my favorite part of every journey. :) I skipped breakfast that day because I know Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is a foodie haven! The price of food ranges from 25 to 50 Baht. Super cheap for super delicious and authentic Thai food! Come to think of it, where else can I get three sticks of perfectly char-grilled barbecue for 3 Dirhams in Dubai?
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| Appetizers: Spring rolls and Thai barbecue :) |
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| Dessert: Coconut ice cream! |
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| Not to mention, the glorious array of Thai fruits! |
8. Hop off the boat... and eat again!
After an hour, our journey at the klong came to an end, but the food trip did not! We hopped off the paddle boat and went to the food stalls. There, I devoured the tastiest Pad Thai I have ever eaten in my entire life! Thai noodle and rice dishes are offered at around 50 Baht. I tried my weak haggling skills and got 5 Baht off. Hahah!
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| food vendor at the floating market |
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| Capped off the tour with the tastiest plate of Pad Thai! |
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| So, that's me in my full-blown tourist mode in Damnoen Saduak Floating Market! :) |
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Check out what else did I do in Thailand by clicking on these blog posts:
Old Town Bangkok Do-It-Yourself Tour
Check out what else did I do in Thailand by clicking on these blog posts:
Old Town Bangkok Do-It-Yourself Tour
1 Blogger Comments
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