There are places in the world that leave marks in the mind of the people. And Amphawa Floating Market is one such place. You will observe stark contrasts in life. From sheer opulence to absolute poverty. You will feel like you have entered another world altogether. It is a world surrounded by dense tropical vegetation. It’s kind of a place that you will not have seen before.
The Amphawa Floating Market is one of the oldest floating markets in Thailand. It attracts endless numbers of people from around the world. Its bustling, colourful and aromatic atmosphere makes the place a happening one to shop. It is more than a market. It’s a place where history, trade and culture meet. It leaves a long lasting impression on the minds of the people.
Amphawa Floating Market
In the past Amphawa was a small group of people that survived on trade and agriculture. Its floating market served as the main hub for trade and communication. It is within the Samut Songkhram province. The locals lived near the water banks to make the boat transportation easier. In earlier days people conducted their trade through boats. They made a living by selling goods and other products.
Today also the Amphawa Floating Market still maintains its unique charm. You will find wooden houses lined near the river. Tourists can witness the traditional way of life. You can witness the fireflies lighting up the night under the Lampoon trees. It creates a nostalgic, timeless atmosphere.
Things to do in Amphawa Floating Market
Shopping
This market is usually packed by tourists, especially on Friday. You get everything in the market. Right from clothes, accessories, kitchen ware to electronic gadgets like camera and bluetooth speakers. What you should not miss to shop in the market is the local souvenirs. It will remind you of the memorable trip to the market.
Food
The market is packed with food joints and ice cream parlours. On canal C you will find a wide array of culinary delights. Right from freshly caught seafood and savory snacks to traditional Thai desserts. Other items include the grilled seafood, boat sandwich and Thai dessert. You get seafood from noon till late in the evening. You cannot stop yourself from having the seafood. It is laid out on both the sides of the river. You will find huge prawns, shellfish, scallops, oysters, crabs and fish. There are endless number of restaurants as well which serve seafood. For desserts you can try the Thai caramel, caramelized crisps and egg yolk fudge balls. Other popular sweets are sweet shredded egg yolk, Mung bean dessert and coconut milk ice-cream
Boat tour
You can take a boat ride to view the beautiful Mae Klong river. The best time to book a boat ride would be at night. At this time you can watch the fireflies in cork trees. If you book a private boat it will charge 500 Baht. But otherwise the charge is 50 Baht per person. The entire trip takes around 1 hour. You will cross the river, by the temple, and the market at the river.
Ride a Bicycle
There you can rent a bicycle to take it around Amphawa Floating Market. You will get the bicycles in the “Thai Tib” station. You will also get the map to navigate the market. With the bicycle you can explore the Thai dessert museum. The bicycle is free for the first half an hour. Post that for an hour the charge is 30 baht .For 2 hours it is 120 Baht and for 3 hours it is 150 Baht.
Cruise watch fireflies
What attracts tourists is the fireflies show at night. Usually the fireflies are visible during the rainy season. From May – October it is easy to see the fireflies. If you want to watch the fireflies at night you can lease the boat. Else you can also lease a homestay nearby Amphawa Floating Market. The cost of boat rides to watch the fireflies is 60 Baht. If you lease the boat the charges are higher of about 600 Baht.
Visit the Parks
You can observe the way Thai people live. Notice the different antiques and traditional houses from the 19th century.
Best Time To Visit Amphawa Floating Market
To make your experience at Amphawa Floating Market a truly enriching one. It is best to avoid visiting the market during the morning and afternoon time when it is quite sunny. Also there are chances of rain so it is better to visit the market in the evening time. The best months to visit the market would be from November – January.
The market is open on all the days of the week and starts its daily function from 2pm to midnight. However, if you wish to get good deals you should try to be their first lucky customer. As the shopkeepers believe that their first sale will bring them good luck.
How to Reach Amphawa Floating Market?
Getting to Amphawa Floating Market is really easy. It is located in the Amphawa district of Samut Songkhram Province. This is around one hour drive from Bangkok. To reach there you can take the –
- Car: From Bangkok take the Rama 2 Road. You need to take a left first at the parallel road. Then take a right at the Samut Songkhram intersection. Cross the railway road. Then take a right turn at the traffic light. Turn left and you will reach Amphawa, Cross the high bridge and turn left into Amphawa Temple. Here you can park easily.
- Bus: You can take the bus. There are several buses that run during the day. Some of the bus numbers are 996, 3, 6, 15, 19, 30, 32, 64, 65, 82, 516 and 52.
- Taxi: To reach faster you can directly hire a taxi to reach Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. Then take a long tail boat ride.
- Tuk Tuk: You can take a personal tuk tuk to reach the destination.
