Buying authentic pad Thai from a rowboat, shopping on an active train track and hiking through the belly of a serpent aren’t typical vacation activities — that is, unless you’re spending time in and around Bangkok, Thailand.
Memorable day trips from Bangkok to the oft-photographed Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Mae Klong Railway Market (Rom Hoop Market) and the iconic Wat Sam Phran can be done individually or paired.
Or, for those like me who don’t mind long hours away from the hotel, they can all be squeezed into a single day with a private driver.
The ideal itinerary for those who want to do it all? Start with the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market in the morning, when most vendors will be present and the weather cooler; arrive at the Mae Klong Railway Market before 11 a.m.; and finish the day exploring Wat Sam Phran, affectionately known as the Dragon Temple.
Vendors selling aromatic dishes and wares of all kinds fill the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market.
Credit: 2024 Candy Krajangsri / Tourism Authority of Thailand
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
Located 50 miles from Bangkok in Ratchaburi province, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is a feast for the senses, from the sizzle of noodles frying and the aroma of ginger and garlic in the air to the chatter and clatter of commerce conducted the old-fashioned way.
While there are several floating markets nearer to Bangkok — such as Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market, some 10 miles west of the city center — Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is undoubtedly the most popular.
It's known as the original floating market, and its history can be traced back to King Rama IV’s reign in the 1860s. During that period, the king was on a mission to stimulate the local economy through trade and designed the Damnoen Saduak Canal to link the Mae Klong River with Tha Chin River. Along the branches of the Damnoen Saduak Canal and flanked by traditional villages, the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market became a bustling hub where farmers and vendors could showcase their products to the masses. To this day, local vendors row their boats from nearby villages and sell everything from hand-carved bamboo tableware, tapestries and clothing to khanom buang (crispy pancakes).
Whether you show interest or not, a vendor might hook your boat with a wooden cane and drag your boat closer so you can inspect their wares, something that I found particularly amusing and singular. Other times, you must go with your gut and act fast if you want your guide to stop long enough to browse the goods on offer. Even though I wasn’t particularly hungry at the time, I’m glad I made the split decision to buy a coconut ice cream before we passed the vendor by. Topped with roasted peanuts, a scoop of pandan sticky rice and a purple orchid, the sweet treat was one of the tastiest and best-looking snacks I had in Thailand.
Guided row boats start at $11 and longtail boats start at $55 for the first hour. While the longtail boats look cool, they are loud, reek of diesel and are bad for the environment. In my opinion, row boats offer a more serene experience on the canals for travelers (and everyone else around them).
Caption: At the Mae Klong Railway Market, shoppers peruse goods right next to the train tracks.
Credit: Credit 2024 Candy Krajangsri / Tourism Authority of ThailandMae Klong Railway Market
There’s a certain macabre thrill that comes from shopping and eating along a railroad track, a hurried feeling that at any moment you might realize a grave mistake. The chances of getting hurt here, however, are pretty slim for any level-headed traveler. While Mae Klong Railway Market is a chaotic and crowded scene, the train slows to a snail's pace upon its approach, and marketgoers have ample warning time to move back to a safe viewing area.
For me, the most exhilarating part was not the train passing, through — rather, it was the moments leading up to its approach as vendors hustled to retract their awnings and remove their merchandise from harm’s way. Whistles sounded, stalls folded away and travelers scrambled for a place to stand or sit like a frenzied game of musical chairs. Once the train passed, it was “game on” as the market sprung back to life. Awnings unfurled, buckets of coconuts and fresh seafood re-appeared, and vendors resumed business as if nothing had happened at all.
Surviving the train deserves a sweet treat, and I indulged my cravings with a handmade Thai popsicle made in an oversize stainless-steel drum. Each flavor (coffee, mango, Thai tea, watermelon, fruit punch, blue Hawaiian) is poured into a metal tube with a wooden stick and freezes in a tub filled with ice, rock salt and water. When it's time to eat, the popsicle seller will take the tube out, dunk it in warm water to release the popsicle and hand it over. It’s a neat experience and costs about 25 cents.
Trains generally arrive at Mae Klong Station daily at 8:30 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 5:40 p.m. While clients might have interest in riding the train to get a different perspective on the market, it is not advised. The train is crowded, hot, prone to delays and does not offer seat assignments. Suggest instead that travelers they pose for photos next to the caboose while the train is parked at the station.
When visiting Damnoen Saduak Floating Market in the morning, clients will likely end up at the railway market around lunchtime, and there are several open-air, sit-down restaurants near the train station. They’ll appreciate a bit of a rest after all the action and before the hour-long drive to Wat Sam Phran (or back to Bangkok).
Wat Sam Phran
Wat Sam Phran is a whimsical, 17-story Buddhist temple in Nakhon Pathom, approximately 25 miles west of Bangkok. For such an Instagram darling, the site had very few visitors and felt off the beaten path — quite the contrast from the popular markets we explored earlier in the day.
While there is much to discover here, the crown jewel is the serpent-like creature that twists its way around a pink cylindrical tower. More adventurous guests can walk through the cave-like tunnel inside of the serpent. It winds around and leads to the top of the tower, a journey referred to as the “stairway to heaven.” Each stage of heaven, according to Buddhist cosmology, is represented along the way.
An elevator makes the temple accessible to all travelers and costs a nominal fee each way. From the top, take in 360-degree views of the surroundings, including farmland and an impressive pavilion with a giant golden Buddha and a larger-than-life gong.
Modest clothing and socks are recommended as guests are expected to dress respectfully and remove their shoes upon entering the temple. There is no entrance fee, but donations are accepted and encouraged throughout the grounds.
Combining Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Mae Klong Railway Market and Wat Sam Phran into a single day allows clients with tight schedules to maximize their experience. They’ll step outside of Bangkok for an immersion into Thai tradition, and come away with a new appreciation for the simple things in life.
