Floating markets
offer visitors to Asia a fascinating and unique experience. The market activity
is colourful and friendly and offers many unusual sights. Who knows you might
even end up cuddling a snake?
Damnoen Saduak is
the most popular floating market in Thailand. It is an hour’s drive from
Bangkok and it is worth going early in the morning to catch the best of the
market, which is open daily until noon, and avoid the worst of the heat.
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| Souvenirs on sale in Damnoen Saduak floating market, Thailand. |
It is possible to
walk along the banks of the river and witness all the action from dry land, but
some of the sellers, and their produce, will be out of reach as many stalls
face the water.
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| Damnoen Saduak maret stallholder, Thailand. |
Boarding a boat
takes you right into the centre of the action and if it is busy and you sit
near the front you will have to get used to the mass of boats constantly coming
at you. There are so many sometimes that it looks like there will only be
collisions yet somehow, with a few nudges, everyone manages to move along.
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| Puppet for sale at Damnoen Saduak floating market, Thailand |
It is definitely
worth getting one of the boats as there are several canals that weave between
all the stalls and also around the river, offering the inquisitive eye a
glimpse of local village life.
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| Damnoen Saduak village houses, Thailand |
Damnoen Saduak
attracts many fruit sellers and food vendors selling noodles from the banks of
the river and banana fritters from loosely moored boats. Some amazing smells
waft around the market. Nothing is expensive making it a wonderful place to try
new things.
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| Fruit sellers at Damnoen Saduak floating market, Thailand. |
Great photos can
be taken at every turn. The fruit sellers provide huge flashes of colour, there
is a man who waves a large snake at tourists and the floating market trading is
somehow just picturesque. Combine all this activity with the movement on the
water and the human interaction and you can’t help but be bewitched by the
market.
Have you been to
Damoen Saduak? What was your favourite part? Mine was the fresh banana fritters
– yum!
