Boating around Thailand's Floating Market

A trip to Thailand wouldn't be complete if you skip to experience the floating market lifestyle. 

History tells us that most places in the world become populated because of the presence of water ways such as rivers and streams. 

Canoe trading and motorized canoe for rent

Being adjacent to rivers, populations ballooned because there's economic activity in the area. And that's how Thailand's floating market basically got to be realized. At first, it's not really cultural but a necessity of life to survive through easy access to trade. 
In fact, floating markets can also be found in India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Indonesia. Even in the Philippines, during the Spanish era, surviving photos give us glimpses of floating markets along a once grand and clean Pasig river. That bygone era of Philippine floating markets didn't survive somehow due to modernization and eventual demise of Pasig River system.

RAW PHONE VIDEO OF OUR BOAT TRIP

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Back to the case of Thailand, somehow, through a large Chao Praya River river system, Thailand got to preserved this kind of culture as a practical way of life for many people who converted a body of water into bustling market by the riverbank as a point for selling stuff from food to clothing to handmade goods to Thai-inspired souvenirs.

Tourists chose some fruits to eat while boating around the Floating Market

Local map of Damnoen Saduak river (for the map of the district check out below)

 This lifestyle, carried on for generations, is as an undying daily activity that continues to create tourism opportunities for locals and the government of Thailand. Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is one place you can visit if you like to experience a boat ride along a market with vendors selling their stuff. You can also be there just to observe and experience how trade is done via small boats.  

A chit chat between boat traders

How to Get There
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market (google map below) is actually outside Bangkok so if you are billeted in the capital city, you need the assistance from your hotel. We booked ourselves at Montien Riverside Hotel in Bangkok which has a dedicated hotel assistant who speaks good english. He or she will find or reserved you an English-speaking taxi driver to bring you there. Fact: The only challenge if the assistant finds you one with an comprehensible English. Expect a 100km or more than an hour drive from Bangkok to Ratchaburi province where Damnoen Saudak is located. It is the biggest floating market compared to others and the busiest, too.'Along the way, you will see interesting sites such as fields of salt, monks getting free motorbike rides, temples and more temples. 

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Enjoying the ride to the market

Fruits, flowers and veggies for sale

Tip: Before going there, ask or secure a map from the hotel. You can also use your phone's GPS to track the exact location so you can easily know if you're right in time. If you wanted to photograph a lot of boat merchants and tourists engaging in buying and selling at Damnoen Saduk,  then getting up early is a must. The floating market opens at 6:30 am and closes at 11 am. If you go there at 8pm, you will miss a lot of busy activity as vendors tend to go home and rest.  

For the Sci-Fi fans

Refreshments by the river 

Once your in Daemnon Saduk, it's goodbye metropolitan life. Once there, you'll have to rent a motorized canoe  to access the different corners of the riverbank's canal system. Along your boat tour, you will find vendors, manually rowing their own boat, selling fruits, local cuisine, softdrinks, Thai street desserts such as mango sticky rice and coconut rice dumplings, traditional farmer hats, wooden and wire sculpture souvenirs and more. There are also small temples and heritage houses to photograph. You'll also get to observe the daily routines of people's way of life beside the river. If you're lucky, you'll catch some water monitor lizards diving or swimming on water or just resting.

Elephant Rides at the Daenon Saduk Elephant Village

Once you finished touring the river system, there are restaurants located above ground where the Daemnon Saduk Elephant village is located. Elephant rides await those who wanted to explore the place with these lovely asian beasts.

LOCATION MAP