[THAILAND] Day Trip to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and Maeklong Train Station

08:00 Travel Bunny 0 Comments

https://www.klook.com/en-MY/activity/3020-floating-markets-day-tour-bangkok/The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is located in Ratchaburi Province, about 100 km (62 miles) southwest of Bangkok. Damnoen Saduak canal was constructed between 1866 and 1868 under the order of King Rama IV to link the Mae Klong River and the Tha Chin River, improving trade and transportation. The market is a maze of narrow canals filled with vendors in small wooden boats (sampans). They sell everything from fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers to local food, snacks (like boat noodles and mango sticky rice), and souvenirs.

The most popular way to experience the market is by taking a boat ride through the canals, allowing you to interact with the vendors directly from the water. We bought mango sticky rice on the boat.

After the boat ride, we spent some time walk along the canals on the land-based walkways. We tried the boat noodles at the floating market. The ideal time to visit is early in the morning, between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM. This is when the market is at its most lively with the most vendors and boats, and the weather is cooler.

Lunch at the Buffalo Amphawa. It has a nice ambiance cafe featuring rustic-chic decor. The complex has a full restaurant called Rusty Rose that serves a full menu of savory Thai and Western dishes (like roasted beef and Pad Thai). The Samut Songkhram area is famous for its Pla Too (Mackerel). We tried this local fish, the "Cat Rice" rice with fried Pla. They also have cute Pla-shaped ice cream.

If you prefer a light meal, head to The Buffalo Cafe instead. It is primarily known for its specialty coffee, desserts, and ice cream.

They even have two actual water buffaloes on the grounds!
Next we headed to Maeklong Train Station. It is close to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, making them easy to visit together. Maeklong Station is the final stop for the Maeklong Railway line, but it's famous not for the station itself, but for the incredible market that surrounds the tracks leading right up to it. Take note of train's arrival or departure time on the timetable.

It is known locally as Talat Rom Hup (which translates to "Umbrella-Closing Market"). Vendors here set up their stalls, awnings, and goods literally on and right next to the train tracks. 

Several times a day, a train approaches the station. When a train approaches, you'll hear a warning signal. The moment the warning signal sounds, vendors calmly but swiftly pull back their canvas awnings and move baskets and produce just inches away from the track. The train passes at a slow speed, practically skimming the goods, and within seconds of it passing, the vendors reposition their goods and reopen the market as if nothing happened.

It's recommended to arrive about 15-20 minutes before a scheduled time to find a good spot. We had time to stroll all the way to the Maeklong Train Station and even ordered some coconut water before the train arrived. 

The train passed us by inches away. It was an exciting experience.

And this wrapped up our day trip outside Bangkok.