The best floating market for you depends mostly on the day of your visit. Damnoen Saduak is the famous one and opens every morning. Amphawa is an afternoon and evening market that opens only from Friday to Sunday. Taling Chan and Khlong Lat Mayom are weekend markets inside Bangkok, and Don Wai, a riverside market in Nakhon Pathom, opens daily.
Why visit a floating market?
Canals (khlong) and rivers were once the main roads of the area around Bangkok, and markets grew where boats met to trade. Go to a busy market for the classic picture of boats full of fruit, and to a smaller market to eat local food at a slower pace.
Which market for which day
| Market | Days | Hours (approximate) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damnoen Saduak | Every day | From about 07:00; best 07:00–09:00 | The classic boat scene, photos |
| Amphawa | Friday–Sunday | About 14:00–20:00 | Evening food, firefly boats |
| Don Wai (Nakhon Pathom) | Every day | About 08:00–17:00 | A weekday visit; boat trips at weekends |
| Taling Chan (Bangkok) | Saturday–Sunday | About 08:00–17:00 | A short trip from the city |
| Khlong Lat Mayom (Bangkok) | Saturday, Sunday, public holidays | About 08:00–17:00 | Local food; easy to pair with Taling Chan |
| Bang Nam Phueng (Samut Prakan) | Saturday, Sunday, public holidays | Morning; closing times vary | A weekend market in Bang Krachao |
Opening hours, prices and train times in this guide were checked in September 2026. They change, so confirm them with the market, the boat operator or your hotel before you go.
Top floating markets near Bangkok
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
This is the market on most postcards: narrow canals crowded with wooden boats selling fruit, noodles and souvenirs. It opens every day from about 07:00. The busiest and best time is 07:00–09:00, and activity winds down by about 11:00–12:00.
There is no entry fee. To see the market from the water, you can take a paddle-boat ride from one of the piers. Published prices for these rides differ a lot, so agree on the price, the number of people and the length of the ride before you get in.
Getting there: as of September 2026, public buses (route 78) and minivans leave from Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai) from about 06:00, and the ride takes about 90 minutes. Confirm the times at the terminal.
Amphawa Floating Market
Amphawa, in Samut Songkhram province, is popular with Thai visitors at weekends. It opens only from Friday to Sunday. The market runs from about 14:00 to 20:00, and some stalls open in the late morning. Boat rides run from about 13:00 to 19:00.
Firefly boats: after dark, boats take visitors along the waterways to see fireflies in the trees. As of September 2026, reported prices were about 60–80 THB per person for a seat on a shared boat and about 600 THB to hire your own boat for 1–2 hours. Confirm the price at the pier. Fireflies are seen best in the rainy season, about May to October.
Getting there: minivans run from Bangkok's bus terminals. Minivans no longer leave from Victory Monument; they moved out in 2016. Because Amphawa is an evening market, plan how you will get back to Bangkok late.
Don Wai Market
Don Wai Market is in Sam Phran district, Nakhon Pathom province, on the bank of the Tha Chin River behind the temple Wat Don Wai. As of September 2026, Thailand's official tourism directory lists it as open every day from about 08:00 to 17:00, which makes it a good choice on a weekday.
At weekends, boat trips on the river run from about 09:00 to 17:00. The 1-hour route costs about 80 THB per adult and the 1.5-hour route about 100 THB per adult.
Suan Sampran, a family-run eco-cultural venue on the same river in Sam Phran, holds the weekend Sookjai Market and runs organic workshops, so the two combine well on a Saturday or Sunday.
Taling Chan Floating Market
Taling Chan is inside Bangkok, on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River. It opens on Saturdays and Sundays from about 08:00 to 17:00 (as of September 2026). It suits travellers with one free weekend morning.
Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
Khlong Lat Mayom is also in Taling Chan district, Bangkok. It opens on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from about 08:00 to 17:00 (as of September 2026). Because it is in the same district as Taling Chan Floating Market, you can visit both markets on the same day.
Bang Nam Phueng Floating Market
Bang Nam Phueng is in Bang Krachao, in Phra Pradaeng district. Many descriptions place it in Bangkok, but it is in Samut Prakan province. The market opens only on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, from about 08:00. As of September 2026, published closing times differ, so go in the morning.
Maeklong Railway Market
The Maeklong Railway Market is not a floating market, but it fits well between Damnoen Saduak and Amphawa. Its stalls stand on the railway track. When a train comes, the vendors pull back their awnings in under two minutes, the train passes between the stalls, and then the market opens again.
The train passes through the market 8 times a day:
- Trains arrive at Maeklong at about 08:30, 11:10, 14:30 and 17:40.
- Trains leave Maeklong at about 06:20, 09:00, 11:30 and 15:30.
This schedule was current in November 2025; check it with the State Railway of Thailand.
You can also come by train from Bangkok. The line starts at Wongwian Yai and is in two sections, joined by a river ferry across the Tha Chin at Mahachai and Ban Laem. The ferry costs about 3 THB and each train section about 10 THB (Seat61, September 2026). The Seat61 guide to trains in Thailand explains the route in detail.
Combining markets in one day
Damnoen Saduak is a morning market and Amphawa an afternoon and evening market, so on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday you can see both, with the Maeklong Railway Market in between. A realistic plan:
- Leave Bangkok early and reach Damnoen Saduak between 07:00 and 09:00.
- Go on to Maeklong in time for the train that arrives at about 11:10 and the train that leaves at about 11:30.
- Have lunch, then reach Amphawa after 14:00, when the market is open.
- Stay for a firefly boat after dark, then return to Bangkok.
From Monday to Thursday Amphawa is closed, so pair Damnoen Saduak with Maeklong only, or visit Don Wai. On a weekend in Bangkok, you can visit Taling Chan and Khlong Lat Mayom on the same day.
Getting there by private car
Public transport works well for Damnoen Saduak and the Maeklong train, but a long day with three stops and a late return is easier in a car that waits for you.
Floating-market trips have no fixed fare on our price list, so message us on WhatsApp with your plan and we will send a quote. Our prices are per vehicle, not per person: a sedan takes up to 3 passengers, an SUV up to 5 and a van up to 7. Our full-day private tours are listed separately.
- You pay the driver in cash (THB) at the end of the trip. If you can only pay by card, message us and we send a PayPal payment link, with a 5% fee added.
- Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup. After that, a cancellation or change costs 25% (less than 24 h), 35% (less than 12 h) or 50% (less than 2 h) of the price, and a no-show 100%, also when you pay the driver in cash (details).
- A child seat costs 300 THB extra. An English-speaking driver can be requested when booking, subject to availability.
Arriving in Bangkok first? A transfer from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok costs 600 THB by sedan, 800 THB by SUV and 1,100 THB by van, per vehicle, one way, with expressway tolls included. Book a sedan from Suvarnabhumi to Bangkok. Pickups or drop-offs on the Thonburi side, west of the Chao Phraya, cost 100–200 THB extra.
Practical tips
- Check the day first. Amphawa is closed Monday to Thursday, and Taling Chan, Khlong Lat Mayom and Bang Nam Phueng open only at weekends (the last two also on public holidays).
- Carry cash in small notes for food and boat rides.
- Start early and protect yourself from the heat. Carry water, a hat and sunscreen.
- Agree on boat prices before you board, including how long the ride lasts.
- At Maeklong, step back when the train comes and follow the vendors' lead.
- Emergency numbers: Tourist Police 1155, police 191, ambulance 1669, fire 199.
Frequently asked questions
Which floating markets are open on a weekday? Damnoen Saduak (every morning) and Don Wai (daily, about 08:00–17:00). Amphawa opens Friday to Sunday, and Taling Chan, Khlong Lat Mayom and Bang Nam Phueng open only at weekends (the last two also on public holidays).
Is there an entry fee at Damnoen Saduak? No. You pay only for what you buy and for a paddle-boat ride if you want one.
What time does the train pass through Maeklong Railway Market? About 06:20, 08:30, 09:00, 11:10, 11:30, 14:30, 15:30 and 17:40, 8 times a day. Check with the State Railway of Thailand before you go.
When is the best time to see fireflies at Amphawa? In the rainy season, about May to October, after dark.
Can I visit Damnoen Saduak and Amphawa on the same day? Yes, from Friday to Sunday: Damnoen Saduak in the morning, Maeklong around midday and Amphawa from the afternoon.
To plan your floating-market day with a private car, message us on WhatsApp.