Price: Free
Any gardener worth their salt visiting Bangkok should visit the weekly flower and plant market held at the same place as the world-famous Chatuchak Weekend Market. The flower market is smaller than the main market but with several hundred stalls, it’s still huge by most people’s standards. It only sells plants and flowers, with some areas being wholesale only.
In the publicly accessible areas, you’ll find floral bunches and wreaths in profusion alongside orchid sprays and huge tropical blooms. All sorts of plants and blooms from the whimsical to the wondrous are on display.
In addition to an explosion of colour to please your eyes, your sense of smell will be overwhelmed by the vast array of aromas that dominate the market.
At Chatuchak Flower Market you can buy pretty much anything any greenery lover could ever want. Flowers (real and artificial), ornamental plants, bamboo, roses, jasmine, cacti, house plants and trees, fruit trees, aquatic plants, orchids, ferns, pitcher plants, succulents, begonias, pots and accessories, ornaments, garden tools and other supplies are amongst the giant range on offer. Almost everything is brought to the market by farmers from surrounding areas. As you’re buying direct from the grower, everything is usually quite cheap. You can also get snacks and drinks here as, like anywhere in Bangkok, there’s always something delicious to eat. There’s some authentic food available within the market like grilled corn cobs and grilled sweet potato. What could be fresher than grilled veggies at a flower and plant market?
Prices range from as low as 15 baht for cut flowers to a few hundred baht or more for rare specimens. Most prices however fall into the 30 – 60 baht range for an already potted plant.
While the flower market is a mid-week market and the main market is weekends only, some of the shops from the Chatuchak Weekend Market are also open on Wednesdays and Thursdays (some are open all week). It’s mainly some of the furniture and handicraft stores, but even some clothing and shoe stores are open. Ask your guide for some advice on the best ones to visit and when.
Most shoppers here are Thai locals, so Chatuchak Flower and Plant Market is not only an excellent place to buy plants and accessories but it’s also an opportunity to experience real Thai culture. Photographers will have a ball here with all the colour and variety on offer.
Things to remember on your visit to Chatuchak Flower Market
- The Chatuchak Flower and Plant Market is open only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6am to 6pm. Don’t confuse it with the Chatuchak Weekend Market.
- To get the best out of the market overall, arrive at around 9 am on Wednesday as all the stalls will be open and everything will be at its freshest. In addition to this, you’ll miss the afternoon rush and get to have a leisurely look around before it gets too hot.
- The freshest and best selection is available on Tuesdays, usually around 4 -5 pm, as traders are arriving to set up. It’s also when you’ll find the rarest and most popular plants.
- Thursdays are best for bargains as most traders have already or are still packing up to go home. You’ll get the best prices then as they don’t want to take everything home with them.
- You can reach the flower market via the MRT Subway or BTS Skytrain, ask your guide for the best way to arrive on your tour.
- Generally, if you live outside of Thailand, you won’t be able to bring plants or plant materials home so visit early in your trip and buy flowers for your hotel room!
Check out the fish market behind Chatuchak market. You’ll find an interesting marketplace for an exotic and colourful array of pet fish.
After so much shopping and wandering around, you might like to take a break and enjoy a stroll around a nearby park. The lush green space of Chatuchak Park will be a welcome relief. Queen Sirikit Park nearby often has public flower and garden displays and Wachira Benjathana Park has huge open spaces for families to enjoy.
Chatuchak Weekend Markets are the big brother of the flower market but are at their best on weekends. Ask your guide about how you can visit both! Die-hard green thumbs might also like to check out the Pak Khlong Market Flower Market.
