If you are planning a trip to Bangkok, one of the stops on your trip must be a floating market. These are a grand sight, and a ritual that has remained, for the most part, unchanged for centuries. Marketers pack their boats with everything from fresh fruit to actual hot cooked meals. You can find gems, silk and souvenirs. This is a busy and bustling experience, so be ready to be solicited by the many peddlers.

 

While there is the highly populated and tourist packed Damnoen Saduak, which was made famous by being featured in James Bond films and has resorted to supposedly hiring people to play the part of locals for tourism sake, there are also less famous, and more authentic, markets that allow you to see the tradition take place. If you are visiting during the right time of year you can witness the Tha Kha, which is located near its popular counterpart, thought it’s only in operation 6 days out of the month. These days are determined by the lunar calendar. Other authentic markets include The Taling Chan and The Bang Khu Wiang, but check with your guide or travel agent because these markets have odd hours, or may only be open on the weekend.

 

If you want to experience the amazing scenery and locals along the waterways, The Khlongs, Bangkok’s canals, offer you a one of a kind tour that is guided by one of the straw-hatted women, who are expert navigators, through the canals that lead to the markets. Most visitor’s who choose to take The Khlong tour, opt for a lengthy trip through the smaller canals along the way so that they can witness the daily lives of the natives, and take in as much of the breathtaking, though sometimes dingy, landscape as possible. Along the way you find boats filled with different offerings, all trying to make their living selling to passers by. Don’t forget your camera on this trip; you are likely to find some of the most tropical landscape you will ever encounter.

 

Whether you choose to take a river taxi, bus, or tuk-tuk, the floating markets are a tradition that can not be ignored on a trip to Bangkok. “The earlier the better” is the motto among visitors who want to get a look at the authenticism of the ritual, for the waterways very quickly become packed with people. Some of the markets open at 0400 and close by 0700, so this is not an experience for the late riser.

As always, use common sense when dealing with marketers. Unfortunately, there are some who try to exploit unknowing tourist. Never buy gems that are going to be worth a fortune when you trade them in. If this was the truth they would not be selling them to you for a cheap price. If it doesn’t make sense, it is most likely a scam. Be smart, but enjoy the experience of The Floating Market, for it is truly one of the most amazing looks at Bangkok ritual and tradition.