If you’re thinking about a trip to Thailand, and have done even the smallest amount of research, I’m sure you’ve read about the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. Many years ago (and even in some parts of the country today), the floating markets were a traditional way for locals to buy and sell produce from their boats through the narrow canals.
Now, the popularity has spread and while locals are still selling goods from their boats through the same narrow canals, you get a sense that it’s very tourist-y and maybe a little less local-y. At least less than what I was anticipating. When you see shot glasses, T-shirts that read I <3 Bangkok, you know you’re in a “tourist trap.” There is still something very unique and interesting about this attraction, so would I still recommend you visit? Absolutely! Here’s some helpful tips/advice:
Get there early
If you can get there by 8:30a or 9:00a it’ll be a little cooler out which will benefit you. Most tours get you there around 9:00a in the morning. It’s pretty quiet at first and then of course as the day progresses it gets a little more hectic.
Try Some Treats
Try some treats there. Food is made fresh with real produce and delicious ingredients you can see right in front of you. No GMO garbage like in the US. I tried fried bananas and coconut ice cream. The coconut ice cream was a real treat and I highly recommend. Especially in that heat. There’s plenty of other goodies to try but I knew lunch would be included later on in this tour so I wanted to keep it light personally.
Chat with the Locals
Most of the locals are quick to give you items, take your money and move on to the next person. But, if you’re able to chat with them for a bit, do. It’ll be worthwhile. Get to know them, their products. They are very proud of what they sell. Don’t be turned off or discouraged by the pushy sales tactics here. If you aren’t interested, you can politely decline. It does get pretty exhausting after awhile walking through stall by stall and having to say no thank you to everyone. No need to be rude. If you aren’t interested, just move along.
Don’t Be Afraid to Haggle
A part of me feels bad haggling because I know they stand out in that heat day after day and work hard for their money. The other part of me remembers that I’m on a tight budget being in Thailand for 2 weeks and need to conserve as much funds as I can! All vendors have a calculator out, and will write a number down when you ask them how much. If you seem uninterested, they will quickly hand you the calculator and ask you how much baht you want to pay. It’s sort of a back-and-forth counter-offer war until one of you wins and the other gives in. Example of my friend Minhaz bargaining below with said calculator haha:
Unleash your Inner Tourist
So it’s a little kitschy here, and with those tourist-y spots come people trying to solicit just about anything for a buck, including pets. If you don’t support it, you don’t have to participate. Personally, I wanted to unleash my inner tourist and hold this adorable Lemur for 100 baht (~$3.40 USD). I mean, how could you not? So soft and cuddly:
Window Shop for what you’ll buy cheaper in the city
My advice here is to look at the goodies in the shops like the cute clothing and then make a mental note of what you’d like to buy when you’re back in the city as Bangkok will have it for much cheaper instead of this touristy area.
Exchange Currency Ahead of Time
Be sure to exchange currency in the city where the exchange rate is good, before making it out here. They know you need cash to purchase items from the stalls and boats so they will not give you a good rate for it. Also, just as a general rule, $50 bills and $100 bills are given a better exchange rate than $20s, $10s, etc.
Load up on Sunscreen and Bug Spray
This sort of goes without saying, but you’re going to be in the hot sun for hours with just a little bit of shade when you are inside the stalls looking at items. Being around water and leftover food in trash bins, creates lots of unwanted bugs. Be sure to wear a lot of bug spray and protect yourself.
Hope you enjoyed my tips for visiting the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. For more information, feel free to email me: cassandra@accent-on-travel.net.
