Amphawa Floating Market

Originally posted: January'2011
Last updated: Nil

Last year, we took a trip to Amphawa Floating Market. It was an ad-hoc event. By the time, we arrived at the scene, the sun was setting and the place was already crowded despite being a Friday. We thought the place becomes jam-packed only on weekends! Well, we were wrong. Amphawa was literally overran by groups and groups of foreign tourists led by their zealous guides.


** Amphawa Bazaar **Before we could reach the floating market, we are welcomed by streets of makeshift-stalls and pushcarts selling all kinds of traditional foods, snacks, tees, hand-made souvenirs and even potted plants.

This small alley leads to the klong where the floating market is. Fancy a big packet of crispy fish crackers for only THB20? This looks like dried shredded cuttlefish. Yummy grilled satay moo (Pork Satay).

Traditional Thai marinated foods.


** Amphawa Floating Market **
Most people come here for the floating market. Unlike the one at Damnoen Saduak which is a morning floating market. Amphawa is a day/evening floating market and it gets active mainly on Friday to Sunday.

As it can be seen from these pictures, most of the long-tail boats sell cooked foods. It is a wonderful experience, especially for the city dwellers, having a simple meal on the crowded concrete steps by the bank of the river.

Freshly BBQ scallops THB30 (lower right). Som Tam Puu Thai THB20 (lower left) - cheap and very spicy. The price of the grilled squid varies according to its size (upper left).

A wooden building seen across the river bank where we sat. Clockwise from top: 2 pics of long-tail boat vendors. A short concrete bridge spans across the klong. The 'tables* are really petite. The man in apron takes order from diners.

Picture taken from the bridge. Picture taken from the bridge. Picture taken from the bridge.



** Amphawa River Tour **
The experience will not be complete if one does not include an evening/night boat tour around Amphawa. The itinerary includes catching a glimpse of fireflies in the mangroves. I'll share more on this in my next post - Amphawa River Tour.



** Getting there **
Depending exactly where you are in Bangkok, there are several ways to reach Amphawa floating market. Most people, tourists in particular, find it easier to hop on a mini van near Victory Monument. Otherwise, the new Southern Bus Terminal and Khao San Road (if I'm not wrong) offer regular departures too.

The minivan ticketing office at Victory Monument (see map) is a short walk from the Victory Monument BTS station. A one-way-ticket to Amphawa costs THB80 (less than SGD3.50). We set off on a Friday evening, it took our van one hour to reach Mae Klong and another 10 minutes before reaching the vicinity of Amphawa floating market.

View Amphawa Floating Market in a larger map

Here are a few pictures of the small ticketing office at Victory Monument.
The ticketing office is right at the end of this lane and on the RHS. The main entrance. We bought our tickets from this counter. The same counter also serves tickets to Mae Klong and Damnoen Saduak The air-con office is rather small and crampy. If you are hungry, there is a small kiosk serving crispy puffs with different fillings. A THB160 ticket for 2 pax. This is the van that brought us to Amphawa. Another picture of the air-con mini van.