Floating markets are irresistible to both tourists and Thai people alike. Wherever there is a weekend floating market there is food. Eating by the river is such an integral part of the Thai lifestyle that you simply must try it while you are in Thailand. Taling Chan Floating Market is just a few kilometers outside Bangkok and yet still far enough away to have not been converted into a full scale tourist trap. The market has everything you need to spend a good half day at and is closer to Bangkok than some of the larger and more crowded floating markets, like Amphawa and Damoen Saduak.
At Taling Chan you can enjoy a tasty seafood lunch while sitting on the floor with locals, ride a longtail boat around the nearby canals (khlongs), do a bit of shopping, and feast on an array of foods. You can even get a foot massage under the trees for only 200 baht! Ask us about a trip to Taling Chan Floating Market and enjoy it while it still feels ‘local’ with your very own local guide.
On the riverbank you’ll see wooden boats moored alongside restaurants full of fruit, souvenirs, clothing and food. Most of these small restaurants are cooking huge prawns on small barbecues along with blue crabs and large fish, while others prepare the famous Som Tum (papaya salad) for the diners sitting at the traditional wooden platforms and low tables.
While the cooks are grilling fish on their little boats, hundreds of huge catfish permanently swarm the waters of the canal waiting for visitors to toss colorful food pellets to them. To add to the market’s atmosphere, a group of Thai traditional musicians play during the day.
The constant stream of longtail boats adds a local feel to the market. You can ride on one of these boats for a quick tour around the neighboring canals (khlongs). A longtail boat ride is a fun addition to your day trip as you’ll pass by temples and see local people living by the waterways. These canals are also home to giant monitor lizards that can be spotted swimmingly lazily through the water or sunning themselves on the riverbank.
Things to see and do at Taling Chan Floating Market
- The food! – Fresh fish, grilled snacks on sticks, quail eggs (a common street food), grilled shrimp, crabs, cockles, and even salt crusted sea bass with their mouths stuffed full of lemongrass are some of the irresistible snacks you’ll find here. A huge range of delectable desserts are on offer like crispy sweet cream crepes and caramel rice cake desserts. Don’t forget the awesome fruits like rambutan, and of course there is durian. Along with beers and drinks, Taling Chan Floating Market is a foodies paradise.
- Massages! – Enjoy an hour long foot massage for just 200 baht.
- Plants! – You could begin your own tropical garden paradise from here if only you could take them home.
- Longtail boat trips that run all the way here from Saphin Taksin BTS Station.
Important things to remember about Taling Chan Floating Market
- It’s mostly a food market, rather than just catering to tourists.
- Bring cash as there are not many vendors that accept credit cards.
- Get there before 11am. The market begins to get full after then and you might not get a table.
- If you don’t want to eat on the floor, you’ll find restaurants with tables and chairs near the railway bridge.
- Restaurants usually have an illustrated menu so ordering isn’t too difficult.
- Taling Chan Floating Market is closer to central Bangkok so you won’t need to devote the whole day to the trip. You can also take public transport all the way. As a suggestion, if you don’t have your own transportation, you can ride the BTS until the last station ‘Wongwian Yai’ then catch a taxi.
Taling Chan Floating Market is open Saturday and Sunday from 8am until 5pm.
Admission Price: Free entry.
Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market is nearby and can be done in the same day as Taling Chan Floating Market. Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market is huge and also isn’t overrun with tourists. It’s also packed with food options and offers boat rides through the canals.
