Millions of tourists flock to Thailand each year to experience one of the greatest things that this country is known for — SHOPPING! This country is such a popular shopping destination that there are so many shopping areas to consider. Any shopaholic would immediately head over to the nearest mall or the nearest flea market to shop for clothes, leather goods like bags and shoes, jewelry, accessories, etc. But aside from these common shopping areas, there is one shopping area that would definitely give you a different kind of shopping experience!

I’m actually referring to the highly famous Floating Market of Thailand – The Damnoensaduak Floating Market!

The Damnoensaduak Floating Market is located around 110 kilometers west of Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok. It is one of the most visited tourist sites in Thailand and can be found specifically in Ratchaburi province. A lot of locals recommend this place as they claim that any trip to Thailand will not be complete without seeing the floating market. It is known to be a very enticing place for tourists given that goods are sold in a very traditional manner – from small wooden paddle boats. Due to its popularity, other floating markets have sprouted all over Thailand but the Damnoensaduak Floating Market is the original.

You can get reach the floating market through a number of ways:

BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION – You can take a taxi to the Southern Bus Terminal which is located about 25 kilometers from Bangkok which could cost anywhere from 130 – 200 Thai Baht. When you reach the terminal, you can take a bus #78 that would take you to Damnoensaduak.

JOIN A TOUR – If you would like to have a hassle-free trip then you can simply book a tour. I highly suggest that you avoid booking a tour at the airport or through your hotel as the rates will turn out to be more expensive as compared to going directly to the travel agency. There are a number of travel agencies within Bangkok and you will surely find one near your hotel. They will charge you around 600 – 800 Thai Baht.

I learned my lesson the hard way as I booked my tour at the airport. I had to pay around 1, 400 Thai Baht for my tour. This fee already included the following: air conditioned ride to and from the Floating Market, English speaking guide, admission fees and lunch. But this does not include drinks and tips. Travel agencies would usually require a minimum of two persons for the tour. The tour guide met me at the lobby of my hotel in Bangkok at around 7am.

The road trip can last anywhere from one and a half to two hours depending on traffic conditions. If you can, try to schedule the trip on a weekend as traffic conditions are known to be better on weekends compared to weekdays.

If you are not part of a tour, I suggest that you ask around for a bridge that overlooks the floating market when you reach Damnoensaduak. The bridge is a 15-minute walk away from the drop-off point of the buses. From here, you can hire a boat for only around 200 – 300 Thai Baht compared to the 1000 Thai Baht that they charge at the drop-off area.

The boat ride to the floating market is a unique experience and can be quite thrilling. You will see quaint Thai houses along the river which would give you a glimpse of how the Thai people live and how they go about their everyday lives. The Damnoensaduak Canal plays an important role to these people who live along the canal. These people often use boats as their primary means of transportation when they deliver their agricultural products to the market and to the other provinces of Thailand.

When you reach the floating market, you will see a lot of vendors on paddle boats. The Floating Market is open every single day from 8am to 11am. Here, you will find a wide assortment of goods that include raw meat, fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, jewelry, accessories, souvenirs etc.

I had fun sampling the delicacies such as dried bananas, spiced tamarind, coconut candies, barbecued food and hot noodle soup. If you find anything interesting that you would like to buy then remember to practice haggling. Boatmen can sometimes agree to lower their prices by as much as 50%. But locals still prefer to go to the conventional wet markets for their needs. This is why you will notice that customers of the Floating Market are mostly tourists.

As for me, the trip to the Floating Market was an enjoyable one. It showed me another side of the colorful culture of Thailand. At the same time, it made me realize that even if we all have to make a living, it is up to us to find creative ways on how to do this just like the people of Damnoensaduak who sell their goods on paddle boats.

Posted in Thailand, Things to do

This entry was posted on Friday, August 1st, 2008 at 1:21 pm and is filed under Thailand, Things to do. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.