Top Tourist Location:
Amphawa is the one of the most popular floating market near Bangkok. Located 50 km from Bangkok, this once small village has apparently been around since the mid-17th century. It’s become such a magnet for Thai weekenders that food stalls have grown from the riverbanks and stretched far into the surrounding streets. The main focus is eating seafood grilled precariously on wooden boats moored around the famous central bridge, serving an appetizing array of huge prawns, shellfish and squid. From noon until late in the evening, the smell is simply irresistible and customers flock to each side of the river all day long.
Old charming wooden shops at Amphawa all along each side of the canal sell Amphawa souvenirs, from the obvious T-shirt to lots of sweets, snacks and ice cream. In all streets radiating from the market you can find an incredible array of local foods sold from small carts during the weekend only. Most foods look familiar but some really funny, from ice cream sandwiches to alien-looking helmet crab egg salad known as Yum Magda Talay.
Once you have had enough walking around Amphawa, it’s time to cruise the Mae Khlong by longtail boat by taking one of the many longtail boats and explore the surrounding canals and rivers.
On the other side of the Mae Khlong River, Amphawa hides a surprising temple called Wat Bang Koong, which you definitely shouldn’t miss. The boat takes you first to a couple of rather small temples like golden seated buddhas, tall chedis and even small museum houses. Wat Bang Koong alone is worth the trip to Amphawa. Of course, kids and teenagers love the wacky mini zoo set on the temple grounds – a camel, an ostrich, a dozen deer and a group of boars, a couple of naughty goats and 2 beautiful peacocks happily parading around and showing off their colourful feathers to ecstatic photographers. Queues of devotees walk in and out to pay respect to the golden Buddha seated inside the temple.
Amphawa Floating Market is definitely the most attractive of all floating markets near Bangkok. It has retained its authenticity and barely on every tourist map. But Bangkokians love this place so much that past noon, it becomes almost impossible to walk through. The best way to enjoy Amphawa is to come before 10A.M. and leave soon after lunch.
Amphawa Floating Market
Opening Hours:
Friday–Sunday from 11am to 9.30pm (closed Monday–Thursday)
Location: Amphawa, Samut Songkhram 75110, Thailand
Video Tour:
Courtesy: YouTube
Location on Map:
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