Floating Market Tours and Day Trips from Bangkok

Bangkok's floating markets are a unique attraction in Thailand that offer an unforgettable culinary-cultural experience. These markets, also known as talat nam, are a traditional form of trading, where vendors offer their produce, both fresh and cooked, aboard their boats. From fruits and vegetables to authentic Thai food dishes, there is something for everyone at these markets.

In this article, I will review the best floating market tours in Bangkok, with which you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the vibrant local culture and enjoy the most delicious food, while exploring the city's canals. There is truly a lot to see and do in Bangkok, but I assure you that the floating markets are one of the gems you can't miss.

If you book this half-day tour, your local guide will take you on a tour of the Mae Klong railroad market ("closed umbrella market"). The tour starts by taking a local train to the renowned site, then you will visit the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, considered the most famous floating market in Thailand.

This is one of the best floating market tours in Bangkok, as you will discover all the charm of Thai culture, colorful and traditional food. Images of Bangkok's floating markets have traveled the world, now you can be part of this experience yourself.

Interesting details

• Price: this tour is available from 24 euros per person.
• Duration: about 6 hours in total, approximately.
• Means of transport: you will travel aboard a bus and then on an elongated rowboat.
• Advantages of this option: you travel comfortably accompanied by an expert guide.
• Disadvantages of this option: tastings and lunch are not included.

Here I propose a tour of some of the most interesting places in Bangkok. You will visit the coconut sugar factory, where you can also appreciate the beautiful wild orchids, see the salt fields of Samut Sakhon, and listen to your guide's stories about the region's past. Then yes, the floating market of Damnoen Saduak, the most famous and picturesque in Thailand, awaits you.

The tour lasts about 6 hours in total. In the morning you will be picked up at your hotel and driven by air-conditioned bus to the Damnoen Saduak floating markets. Nowadays, this market is one of the main attractions in Bangkok, allowing you to learn about Thai culture and traditions.

Once there, you will board a long rowing boat to travel through the canals and marvel at the colors and aromas that fill the air as you pass by. You can experience all the hustle and bustle of the market and take all the pictures you want. Without a doubt, this is one of the best tours in Bangkok.

Details of interest

• Price: this tour is available from 72 euros per person.
• Duration: about 6 hours in total, approximately.
• Means of transport: you will travel aboard a comfortable air-conditioned bus and then board an elongated rowing boat.
• Advantages of this option: includes pick up and return to your accommodation.
• Disadvantages of this option: Lunch and light snacks are not included.

This is one of the best full day tours from Bangkok. It combines culture, gastronomy, scenic spots and much more. After being picked up at your hotel, you will be driven in a comfortable air-conditioned bus (essential in Thailand) to a factory where coconut sugar is produced. This is one of Thailand's most typical sweets, here you will be able to buy some traditional treats.

You will then visit the JEATH museum and the war cemetery, the Damnoen Saduak floating market and the bridge over the River Kwai, a real beauty. You will be able to see the coming and going of boats on the canals from the beautiful wooden bridge. This is the ideal place to take all the pictures you want.

You can combine a boat ride through the floating markets with some history, thanks to your specialized local guide, who will tell you everything you need to know about the Kanchanaburi region of Thailand. The tour includes a lunch of traditional Thai food at one of the many street stalls.

Details of interest

• Price: this tour is available from 68 euros per person.
• Duration: about 10 hours in total, approximately.
• Means of transport: you will travel in an air-conditioned bus and then aboard an elongated rowing boat.
• Advantages of this option: traditional Thai lunch is included.
• Disadvantages of this option: it is not suitable for people with reduced mobility and the guides usually speak only Thai and English.

This tour combines the best of Bangkok's traditional floating markets with some of the region's most beautiful temples. Sign up for this full-day excursion, and let your expert local guide take you on a journey through the back roads of Thailand to the canals of Damnern Saduak. You will enjoy a unique and different experience.

Early in the morning you will be picked up at your hotel and you will start your journey in a comfortable air-conditioned minivan. Your guide will tell you all the secrets of Thai culture, traditions, Buddha worship and much more. You will tour Bangkok's most famous floating markets, taste a traditional lunch and visit the Grand Palace of Bangkok, where the temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Keo) is also located.

This is one of the best palaces in Bangkok, so you can't miss it.

Details of interest

• Price: this tour can be obtained from 140 euros per person.
• Duration: about 10 hours in total, approximately.
• Means of transport: you will be taken aboard a comfortable air-conditioned minivan.
• Advantages of this option: includes a traditional Thai lunch.
• Disadvantages of this option: not recommended for small children, due to the duration of the tour.

Here is a full day tour, not only will you get to see the amazing floating markets of Damnoen Saduak, but you will also have the chance to walk along the canals and get lost in the picturesque village of Sampran.

This tour will take you to explore the outskirts of Bangkok, where you will learn about the history of the place and its ancient traditions. You will see how colorful fruits and vegetables are traded in the canals, and taste some of the most typical dishes of Thai cuisine. Take a cruise tour in Bangkok and participate in a guided walk through the labyrinthine streets of Sampran, where you can learn about the silk trade.

This is an unforgettable experience, ideal for adventure lovers. At Sampran you will see a sword fighting show and traditional Thai dances. You will then be taken back to your accommodation in central Bangkok for a well-deserved rest.

Details of interest

• Price: this tour is available from 106 euros per person.
• Duration: about 9 hours in total, approximately.
• Means of transport: you will be taken aboard a comfortable air-conditioned minivan.
• Advantages of this option: lunch is included.
• Disadvantages of this option: not suitable for people with reduced mobility.

This is a bike tour in the outskirts of Bangkok. You will cycle with your group through some of the highlights of the city, accompanied by a specialized local guide, you will ride to the floating market of Damnoen Saduak, undoubtedly the most important in Thailand. You will pass through the Amphawa district, where you will get a glimpse of the local culture.

Once at Damnoen Saduak, you will board a traditional long boat to cruise the canals full of merchants. You will enjoy a Thai lunch at a local restaurant. Your guide will take you to visit various Buddhist temples, such as Wat Bang Kung, more than 500 years old. You can visit the chapel that has been trapped inside the roots of a tree, called Bot Prok Po. It is one of the best and most curious temples in Bangkok.

Walk along the beautiful wooden bridges over the canals along the Mae Klong River and visit the Amphawa market. As you can see, this is a most comprehensive tour and, of course, it is one of the best bike tours in Bangkok.

Details of interest

• Price: this tour is available from €92 per person.
• Duration: about 8 hours in total, approximately.
• Means of transport: you will travel on a bicycle and then board a traditional Thai boat.
• Advantages of this option: entrance fees to the temples are included.
• Disadvantages of this option: not suitable for people with reduced mobility and the guides usually speak only Thai and English.

Here are some options that are worthwhile if you are visiting the Thai capital and that make up some of the best food tours in Bangkok, a perfect experience to get in touch with the local culture and enjoy a walk through the center of the city.

• Book a gastronomic tour by tuk tuk and, accompanied by a local guide, get to know some of the best street markets and restaurants where you can delight yourself with the most interesting dishes of Thai food.
• Book a Thai cooking class and learn all the secrets to become an expert in the art of preparing Thai dishes, the use of salty, sour, sweet, bitter and, of course, spicy.