How to See Thailand's Iconic Floating Markets near Bangkok

Thailand is full of speedy tuk tuks, exotic street food, beautiful temples and crazy markets - including the famous "floating" markets. The rivers of Thailand used to serve as highways, with the canals acting like streets and alleyways. These waterways are now remnants of the country's distant past when most people relied on boats to get from one place to another and would shop, barter and make conversation along the way.

With the riverside of the local's houses acting as shopfronts to the boat comers and goers, the floating stalls take market shopping to a whole new level. This can make it hard to navigate though - unless you want to risk riding a boat on the Thai rivers! Fortunately, there are great day trips from Bangkok that take you to see the highlights - Damnoen Sauak Floating Market, the Maeklong Railway Market and Amphawa Floating Market - which we detail below!

The tour will commence at either the meet up location of Century Mall or Siam Paragon - depending on what is most convenient for you and what sights you want to see. From there, you will be taken to your first stop by bus ride of approximately 90 minutes.

The most famous floating market near Bangkok and a little on the commercial side, Damnoen Saduak still has touches of the past which are important to see. You'll be able to find lots of knick knacks - from inexpensive jewellery, to wooden boats overflowing with fruit and veg, to tacky t-shirts. See how the local vendors prepare and sell their goods while perfectly keeping their balance on the makeshift boats.

The tour will take you on an electric boat ride for 60 minutes and then you'll have time to explore the markets on your own. Traditional customs of preparing mini coconut pancakes and noodles on the boat have been kept, so be sure to try some of them for your morning snack!

If shopping on a river wasn't enough, try shopping on a railway! The Maeklong Railway Market is no short of crazy - you'll get to see a live train roll through as all the vendors rush to pack up their goods, fold the roof over their stalls and pull back their awnings only as far as necessary. Join the tourists in takings photos of a train coming down what was once a busy passageway of shoppers.

Some tourists get dangerously close to the line to take a photo and many vendors merely leave centimetres between their packed up stalls and the train - that in itself is a sight!

The tour also includes a quick visit to Wat Bang Kung and ancient temple covered in vines and roots from a banyan tree that looks very Indiana Jones-esque. You'll also stop at the Thai Boxing Temple, where you'll learn the history of Muay Thai.

The last stop is the Amphawa Floating Market, famous for its delicious shellfish and various seafood cuisine. Much less commercial than Damnoen Saduak, Amphawa boasts a unique small town charm and you'll see the locals in action shopping for freshly caught fish, crab and other seafood. There's even a massage on a long-tail boat, if you're up for it!

From Amphawa you'll be returned to your starting point. You'll probably want to put your feet up after a hard day of floating around! But rest assured, the local experience will leave you itching for more culture in Bangkok.

Check out @two_coddiwompling_hodophiles and their Klook adventure at the floating markets in Thailand!

And find more tips on travelling around Bangkok here!