I've been to Bangkok a lot of times but this is my first time visiting Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. And by far, this is one of the nicest floating markets I've been to. It is literally, a "FLOATING MARKET" where people can buy goods from the sellers in the boats. When I first went to Ho Chi Minh, we are told that we will be seeing a floating market in the Mekong River but what we imagined was different from the actual floating market they have there.

We started our day very early because call time is around 8am near the entrance of Century Mall. We had a very rough day the day before and the hotel we stayed at have beds that could eat you alive. If It weren't for the tour, I'm sure we all would still be dreaming in our beds that morning. Ton, on the other hand, didn't come with us in the floating market because she already experienced it so instead she bought souvenirs and shopped for some stuff.

We are a bit early for the call time so we opt to eat breakfast first in a nearby eatery. It was just a small one but looking at it from the outside, it looks like they serve yummy Thai food. So off we go. I ordered some kind of noodles with soup while my mother ordered Tom yum early in the morning. I like how comforting noodles and soup are, pair it with Thai's chili powder and it was suddenly one of great of a meal. Soup in the morning is the best!

 There are already a lot of people in the meetup area. I'm not sure if the company that's taking us to the floating market is Klook itself or some kind of third party company. I'm guessing Klook because they gave us water bottles with Klook's label on it. People are grouped according to their nationality so we were with Filipinos all throughout the tour.

The first impression of the place was it was just okay. I mean I don't expect much because I've seen different Southeast Asian countries and I know what to expect already. There are houses nearby the river where they also sell food, coffee, and refreshments. On the main area, there are stalls of Thai food and different Bangkok souvenirs. We were escorted first to ride the boat and look for stuff we want to buy. 

Remember that this place is already a tourist destination so I am pretty sure buying stuff here is pricey compared to other places already. The process is you will ride the boat, the driver of the boat will roam you around the floating market, people from the store have this long stick with hook on it so they can pull your boat over easily when they think you want to buy something from them.

There are good shops that sell many different kinds of woods, clothing, spices, and Thai souvenirs. And while they are nice to look at, I am mostly fascinated by food vendors inside their boat. It's kinda cool because these sellers also drive their boats and when your boats are parallel with each other, you can buy food from them. Some food they sell is, of course, coconut ice cream, corn, different kinds of fruits, even chicken satay! And mind you, they are grilling the satay inside the boat as well!

The tour went on for about 1 hr to 1 hr and 30 minutes then we still have free time to eat lunch and roam around the vicinity. We bought fresh Thai iced tea (priced at 35 baht or 70 pesos at that time!) which is perfect for the weather as the weather is soooo humid and hot. We also had our lunch here which is yet again pad thai and satay.

The food is actually delicious and the price is reasonable. I liked this tour because it is different from the usual temples and pagoda sightseeing. For a change, there is something I did in Bangkok that doesn’t include temples. Not that I don't like temples but just to experience and see other stuff. It's been temples all over Southeast Asia. I wonder how we were not influenced by Buddhism and Hinduism.

 After lunch, we went back to the area where the van is parked. We waited for the others to come back then we were brought back to the city. We met up with Ton and she escorted us inside the Platinum mall for some Bangkok shopping and Big C for pasalubong shopping. Actually, one of the things I liked to do whenever I am in another country is shopping. Not that I splurge money but I like seeing local stuff because it's like seeing something new again. Like you would notice how some countries like so many spices while others are into tamarinds and other sour ingredients. It's also fun picking stuff for your own or for your loved ones. Retail therapy at its finest. LOL!

After souvenir shopping, we went back to our Airbnb to rest for a while before we eat dinner and watch Siam Niramit. My mother is into cultural shows that's why whenever I travel with her, we always watch some kind of theater play or cultural show somewhere. When we arrived in the area, the escorts are even in character too as they wear some kind of Thai clothing wit majestic headpiece.

The ticket we booked in Klook comes with a buffet dinner already so before the show, our tummies are already happy and full. The food on the other is okay. Not too fancy but there are many choices and very filling too! There's even a mini show inside the buffet area. 

I don't have photos inside the theater or hall or whatever you call it because photos and videos are not allowed but if you really want to dive in and learn more about the history of Thailand and ancient Siam, then I suggest you watch this one. The costumes are very colorful and they even have an elephant as a cast member. They have over 150 members just for the show and it really showcases the many beliefs of Thais.

So that's our activity on our first day in Bangkok. I really enjoyed this day because now I know there's more to Thailand aside from temples.

Up next is The Grand Palace and Chao Phraya Dinner Cruise. :)

Tours are booked via Klook:

Siam Niramit

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market Half Day Tour

If you don't have a Klook account yet, sign up using my link and automatically get P150 worth of Klook credits you can use to book your first adventure. ;)