Beyond Bangkok Market Adventure: Railway & Floating Markets
Bangkok, Thailand
From USD 75.38
Office phone number: +66 (0) 92 906 7575
Beyond Bangkok Market Adventure: Railway & Floating Markets
Bangkok, Thailand
Culture shock rating
Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.
Low
Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.
Medium
Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.
High
You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.
Physical rating
Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.
Low
Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.
Medium
Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.
High
Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.
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Tour snapshot
Get out of town! Escape the bustle of Bangkok to visit one of the must-see sites of Thailand: a floating market! Sail the canals of Damnoen Saduak and shop for souvenirs, Thai treats and other goods from the vendors who sell their wares from boats and along the riverbank. You’ll also visit the see-it-to-believe-it Railway Market, where an active train track is a makeshift shopping strip, plus discover how to make palm sugar the old-fashioned way, from a local at their countryside plantation home.
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Highlights
- Explore the famous Damnoen Saduak floating market, where you can try delicious local treats and tasty seasonal fruits
- See local life along the water while riding a small boat through village canals
- Watch how local vendors set up shop along the tracks — and pack up when a train comes! — at the Maeklong Railway Market
- Learn how to make palm sugar, one of the key ingredients of traditional Thai cooking, at a local family-run village plantation
Local Impact: How you will help the local community by joining this tour:
- Instead of visiting one of the many palm sugar plantations that have been set up for tourists to see and learn about the process, we visit a local family at their village plantation where they make palm sugar daily throughout the year. The family has been here for generations and bringing our small groups provides some additional income for them.
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Schedule details
- Duration: 7 hours
- Meeting point:
Lobby of Lub D Siam Hostel 925/9 Rama 1 Rd. Wangmai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok.
Find the exact meeting point on Google Maps
Address in Thai for taxis: 925, 9 ถนน พระรามที่ ๑ แขวง วังใหม่ เขต ปทุมวัน กรุงเทพมหานคร 10330
- Starting time: 6.30 AM
- Ending point:
Lobby of Lub D Siam Hostel 925/9 Rama 1 Rd. Wangmai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok.
Language: English
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, private transportation during the tour, boat ride, a light snack.
Exclusions: Additional food and drink, souvenirs and personal shopping, tips/gratuities for your guide and driver.
The Damnoen Saduak floating market is one of the most popular sites to see in Thailand, and for good reason! Some call this area the Venice of the East, where vendors sell their goods from boats and stalls set up along the water's edge of this unique market.
In the mid-1800s, to help locals journeying between towns, Thai King Rama IV and his son, King Rama V, commissioned a 32-kilometre canal connecting two rivers together: the Mae Krong river and Tha Cheen River. The name of this man-made canal is Damnoen Saduak, which means "convenience journey" in Thai.
You'll start your tour with a drive by private vehicle to the railway market, about two hours from Bangkok. Please be on time for your tour! We'll need to leave at 6:30am sharp or you'll miss the excitement at the surreal railway market. And trust us, you need to see it to believe it! Vendors set up their goods along active railway tracks, with fresh produce, fabrics, cooking supplies and more all lined up a mere few inches from the track's edge (and in some cases, right on top of the tracks). You'll get to see what happens when the train comes through: vendors gather up their things and lower their canopies, and both vendors and shoppers step aside as the train travels right through the middle of the market. Once the train leaves, business resumes as though nothing had disrupted them! Between the train schedule, your guide will lead you around the market and introduce you to traditional Thai foods, from desserts to snacks to fresh fruits.
We'll then continue on a short drive to a palm sugar plantation, where we'll visit the house of a villager who still makes palm sugar the traditional way. There are a lot of coconut palm tree plantations in Thailand, and the local wisdom of making organic palm sugar from the nectar of coconut flowers has been passed down from generation to generation.
Onward, we'll board a small boat for a ride through narrow village canals, to reach the famous floating market of Damnoen Saduak — keep your camera ready as this place is a non-stop photo op. If anything catches your eye along your boat ride, let your guide know and you can stop to chat with vendors and purchase something to take home (or to eat right there!).
We'll then depart the boat and walk around to explore more of the market. You'll find a variety of Thai foods, such as seasonal tropical fruits from local orchards, as well as souvenirs, all available on both river banks.
Around noon, we'll head back to Bangkok and return you to the meeting point which is right next to BTS (Skytrain) station National Stadium. Your local guide will be happy to give you directions back to your accommodation or to other sites you should see.
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Additional information
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, private transportation during the tour, boat ride, a light snack.
Exclusions: Additional food and drink, souvenirs and personal shopping, tips/gratuities for your guide and driver.
Dress standard: Please dress casually and comfortably for walking.
Your Trip: For your Urban Adventure, you will be in a small group of a maximum of 9 people.
Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point and you must be punctual. We can wait for you no longer than 5 minutes. Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.
Additional Information: Traffic conditions may delay the return journey to Bangkok
Closure of sites: Please note, if any of the sites in the itinerary happen to be closed due to reasons beyond our control, an alternative site will be visited.
Child Policy: Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children below the age of 6 are not permitted on this tour.
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Local contact
Office phone number: +66 (0) 92 906 7575
Email address: info@bangkokurbanadventures.com
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