Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is one of the most famous floating markets in Bangkok and Thailand. It is a great place to visit to experience the local way of trading on the river, try local street food, and buy souvenirs.
You might see similar markets in Southeast Asia such as the Cai Rang Floating Market in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta but the atmosphere and the vendors will look different between Thailand and Vietnam. If you have a chance to visit both markets, I recommend doing so to experience each side.
I visited Damnoen Saduak Floating Market as a part of the day tour that also took me to the nearby Mae Klong Railway Market. It is a part of my 5-7 Days In Bangkok Itinerary.
In this article, I will share with you how to get to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, what to do at the market, and if it is worth visiting.
Where is Damnoen Saduak Floating Market?
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is located along the historic Damnoen Saduak canal, in Ratchaburi province, about 100 km southwest of Bangkok.
Damnoen Saduak Market was originally built in the 19th century as the part of the canal network to link to the Mae Klong river for trading and transportation. Later the market transitioned to a tourist attraction in the late 20th century.
The market is packed with a network of narrow canals (klongs) with both local and tourist wooden boats. Tourist boats take tourists around the canals for sightseeing and shopping.
Local boats are piled high with tropical fruits like mangoes, coconuts, and durians, as well as vegetables, flowers, and souvenirs. Some vendors cook right on the boat, selling hot noodle soup, or pancakes.
After taking the boat ride along the canal, you can also shop and eat at one of the many wooden stilt houses, shops or restaurants lining the canal.
Some basic information of Damnoen Saduak Floating Market:
| Location | Along Damnoen Saduak canal, in Ratchaburi. |
| Opening hours | 8am to 4pm |
| Entrance Ticket | free |
| Boat ticket | Row Boat (1-5 people) – 500 baht/ boat /hour.Motor Boat (1-6 people) – 1000 baht/ boat /hour. |
| Best time to Visit | Dry season, around mid morning when all shops open. |
How to get to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
Take a guided day tour
Taking a guided tour is the easiest way to visit Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. It is located 100 km away from Bangkok and taking public buses/ trains is time consuming. The tour operator will handle all transport for you and it will include the boat ticket.
I highly recommend taking the tour that combines two markets, Damnoen Saduak Market and Mae Klong Railway Market within a day. It is not worth just traveling very far distances to just visit the floating market.
You can easily book your online from popular online travel agencies such as Viator, Klook, Get Your Guide, to find the best deals. They are a safe and convenient platform to book the tour.
The tour also includes the option to pick up at the hotel or go to the meeting point. While picking up opinions is convenient, I prefer going to the meeting point.
Firstly, it’s cheaper, and secondly, you can start on time. If you choose the pickup option, you might face delays and waiting time due to traffic and coordinating with others in your group.
Hire a private driver/ rent a car
If you have a generous budget or you travel with a group, you can consider hiring a private driver or rent a car. This will allow you to be flexible with your schedule. The ride is 1.5 to 2 hrs depending on traffic.
Take a public bus
If you are staying somewhere around Sai Tai Mai – Southern Bus Terminal, you can consider taking public buses or minivans to get to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. The bus runs every hour from 6am-6pm and the journey is around 2 hours.
The driver will often stop along the way to pick up/ drop off passengers. The bus stops somewhere within 1 km from the floating market. You can walk to the market or take a motorbike taxi.
At the market, you can explore the market by renting a boat and walking along the banks of the canal. The boat ride costs between 500-1000 baht per boat per hour. Each boat can accommodate 1-6 people.
I just find that it is easier and cheaper to take a joint group tour. The tour also takes you to nearby Mae Klong Railway Market and you don’t have to deal with navigation and transport. And remember to check the last bus back to Bangkok around 5-6pm to not miss it.
Take Train + Local Transport (More Adventurous)
It is possible to visit Damnoen Saduak Floating Market by the combination of train and local transport. I only recommend this option for experienced travelers and those families with local transport in Thailand. This is not ideal for first-timers.
If you are staying somewhere near Wongwian Yai Station in Bangkok (Near Icon Siam, the riverside, old town, Chinatown), you can get the train from Wongwian Yai Station to Maha Chai Station (1 hour ride).
From Maha Chai Station, you walk to the pier, cross the river by ferry to Ban Laem Station, then train to Mae Klong (1 hour train ride). You can explore the famous Railway Market then from Maeklong, transfer via taxi/songthaew to Damnoen Saduak (25 mins).
The total traveling time is around 3-4 hours including waiting time between trains. You have to align the train schedule well between these two train lines. There is a train every hour between Wongwian Yai and Maha Chai, but the train line between Ban Laem and Mae Klong only runs 4 times per day.
What to do at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market?
Take the boat ride along the canal
Taking a boat ride along the canal is one of the best things to do at What to do at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. You can take the row boats and motor boats. The boat ride cost around 500-1000 baht per hour per boat. If you take a guided tour, it is included in the tour.
Along the way, you will see lots of colorful tourist boats and vendor boats. Vendor boats are packed with fresh fruits, hot food, and souvenirs. There are also many shops along the canal. If you want something, the boatman will stop riding so you can buy goods and foods.
Wandering around the banks of the canal
From the pier, you can walk along the banks of the canal to explore shops and restaurants along the way. There are tables and chairs to sit, eat, and people watching. I had pad Thai and my friend had shrimp fried rice. It was a reasonable price, about 50 baht/ dish.
Eat Thai street food
You can buy food from boat vendors or at one of many restaurants along the banks of the canal near the pier. Some must try food include Boat noodles, Mango sticky rice, Grilled skewers (pork, chicken, seafood), Coconut ice cream, and tropical fruits like mangosteen, durian, and pineapple.
Shop for souvenirs
You can find usual Thai souvenirs at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. There are hand-made crafts, hats, wooden carvings, spices, and silk scarves from boat vendors or riverside stalls. Make sure to use your bargain skills to have the best prices.
Take Great Photos
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is a good spot for photographs. You can take beautiful photos with colorful boats, the vendors, and the tourists. Remember to always ask for permission if you want to take photos of a particular person or animal.
Is visiting Damnoen Saduak Floating Market worth it?
In my opinion, it is worth visiting the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market if:
- you haven’t seen something similar.
- you combine a trip to this market with the nearby Mae Klong Railway Market.
- You are curious and just want to see how the market looks.
You can skip it if you’ve already seen many floating markets around Thailand and Southeast Asiam. If you are visiting the market, make sure to wear light clothing, wear a hat, and suncream because it gets hot and humid.
Visiting the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is one of the best things to do in Bangkok for many visitors. It is touristy but offers a glimpse of the traditional trading way of locals on the river. It is also a good spot for Instagrammable photos.