Floating Market, Bangkok

i was out in bangkok in june there and have wrote a few things up for ideas to do, check the links if you wish. i will be writing more soon i'll post more links up when i get them written.

http://www.squidoo.com/cobra-show-thailand

http://www.squidoo.com/thailands-must-visit-markets

FLOATING MARKET IS AWAY FROM BKK AROUND 100 KMS. I WAS TOLD FROM MY FRIENDS WHO TRAVELED TO BANGKOK THAT IT'S UNSAFE FOR LADIES AND FAMILY THAT HAVE CHILDREN BECAUSE HOTEL STAFF AND TAXI DRIVER JOIN TOGETHER TO CHEAT THE TOURISTS. EVEN IN MAIN TOURIST ROADS SUCH AS SILOM OR SUKHUMWIT FAMOUNS DOWNTOWN AREA. THERE ARE SO MANY STRANGERS APPROACH AND ASK YOU TO GO TO FAMOUS TOURIST PLACE SUCH AS GRAND PALACE WITH LOW PRICE VEHICLE BUT THEY WILL TAKE YOU TO THE DOOR THAT ALWAYS CLOSE FOREVER (MANY DOORS AT THE GRAND PALACE) OR TELL YOU THAT NOW IT'S BREAKING TIME OR THERE'S ROYAL FUNCTION INSIDE SO THEY TRY TO TAKE YOU TO THE PLACE THAT DON'T EXPECT TO VISIT. TRICICLE--THREE WHELL CAR TAXI IS ALSO CHEATING GANG IN FRONT OF GRAND PALACE. IT'S REALLY SPOIL OUR HOLIDAY. SO I CHECKED AND FOUND INFORMATION FROM TOURISM OF THAILAND'S WEBSITE--WWW.TOURISMTHAILNAD.ORG THEN GO TO SECTION CALLED "TRAVEL DEAL" http://www.tourismthailand.org/travel-deals/tours/
THEN I WENT TO THE FLOATING MARKET AND ROSE GARDEN ON PRIVATE TOUR AS I'M A LADY WITH ONE TRAVEL AGENY THERE. I FOUND IT'S SO COMFORTABLE BECAUSE I CAN LEFT MY HOTEL NOT TOO EARLY AND GOT BACK TO HOTEL FASTER THAN JOIN TOUR EVEN PRICE IS FEW DOLLAR MORE EXPENSIVE BUT IT'S WORTH IT. THE TOUR IS TRUSTWORTHY. TOUR GUIDE IS ABLE TO SPEAK CLEAR ENGLISH AND ALSO KNOWLEDGEABLE. VEHICLE IS BRAND NEW AND DRIVE SAFELY. SO I DO RECOMMEND IF ANYONE NEEDS SAFTY AND TRUST GO TO THAILAND'S WEBSITE YOU WON'T BE MOODY AND ENJOY YOUR STAY THERE.

LUCY

For those who don't like super famous "Damnern Saduak Floating Market" because it's way too touristy and everything seems to be overpriced for foreign visitors. This could be alternative option to experience other floating market.

Buying-selling activities are active only weekends at Talingchan floating market. Located along "Klong BangKhunSri" (BangKhunSri canal .. but some call "Klong Chakphra") This area is full of orchards. Fruits will be sold during weekends here from early morning from 7:00 AM until afternoon around 2:00 PM. There're also local restaurants, stalls, orchid market around.

Sight seeing boat can be hired there. It will take you to see around fruits orchards, orchid farms, etc which will take about 2 hours. Price for adults is about 70 Baht+ and children for 40 Baht+ each.

Or longer trip (3 hours) they will take you to see snake farm, visit famous temple there. Adults 120 Baht+ and children for 60 Baht+

Last option is "dinner tour" which takes you to visit local people there and their houses. Include dinner with host. This would take around 4 hours. Boat leaves at 4:00 PM and comes back around 8:00 PM : Adults 200 Baht +and 100 Baht+ for children. But only with 40 passengers minimum. Advance booking is required.

All these you can contact one of them at the market. Some agencies avatiable there

I have to agree with other comments. You may as well walk down the streets of Bankok - it would be just as romantic. Got conned big time by "Taxi" driver who took us to the exact place we didn't want to go. Cost us 2000 Baht each when we got there. Boat driver stopped at every handicraft stall along the way so we could say "no thanks" to about a hundred ladies.

Watch the Taxi drivers. Ours wanted 6000 baht when we got back to Bangkok after taking us to tailors and jewellery factory. would not take no for an answer. then wouldn't take us back to our hotel because of alleged traffic jam. We refused to pay the 6000 baht and created a bit of a scene. In hindsight, I should have gone to the tourist police - apparently they would have sorted it out for me real quick.

In fact I hated Thailand. I have travelled through Indonesia heaps and I must say that Thailand did nothing for me. I have taken home no good memories. Decided to cut my three week Thailand holiday short by 2 weeks and bought a ticket to Bali. Cost us over a thousand dollars but it was worth every cent to get out of Thailand.

If you have 1 day free in Bangkok but you just wanna take 1 day tour, you can go for Floating Market. Many travel agent offer this tour. Last year I joint half day tour. They picked me up at the hostel around 7 am, and they sent back to hostel arround 2-3 pm.
It costs approx 500-600 bath.

I would strongly suggest for you to experience the floating markets first thing in the morning. Be there early to catch all the 'authentic' action. Everything that happens after 9am on the water, is only an act for the tourists. Also remember to hire one of the smaller longtail boats, otherwise you will be restricted as to where you can go at the market.

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The so called Floating Market ended up with more like a view of floating tourists.

The place is crawling with tourists on paddle boat along the man-made canal with almost next-to-nothing of the floating markets where the locals will peddle with food, fruits or produce to other locals or tourists. At most, you can see a couple of real paddle boat selling meats, dessert or drinks to other boat paddlers.

On both sides of the canal's banks, all shops are selling clothing, hats and other tourist items. There are scattered shops selling food and drinks.

This is one place where you can afford to give it a miss if you are short on time.

The floating markets is really made for the tourists and it was fun, I enjoyed the experience and the locals seem to enjoy the experience too. You make a purchase as the canoes pass each other and it is fun, you can barter on the spot. If you look around you can see that this where people actually live in these houses on stilts a good cultural experience, and buy something to support the thriving market.