As I began planning my trip to Thailand, I kept coming across images of floating markets. They looked so romantic, harkening back to the days when travelling by canal was the only way to get around. There are several such markets within a reasonable distance for a day trip from Bangkok, I just had to choose. My time was limited in Bangkok– five days to see what I could. Too short to waste even an hour. For that reason, I chose Damnoen Saduk. It was open on weekdays, unlike most of the markets, and I could get to it easily enough with various tours. I chose a tour through Viator that was just a ride, as I was interested in making my way around the market by myself, not as a pack of tourists.
The trip cost me about $33 and included pickup and drop-off at my hotel. It seemed like a deal. A minivan met me in the lobby at 6:30 am, then took me to a hotel to meet a larger bus full of eager, but weary, travellers. Our guide explained that the drive would take about two hours. We would stop at a coconut farm on the way, where we could see the many uses of the coconut, then we would continue to the river, where we’d board long-tail boats that would take us on a 20-minute trip through the canals to the floating market.
Riding in the front of the long-tail boat, I enjoyed seeing how the Thai people lived. The simple homes were built high on stilts to avoid flooding during rainy season. The area is dry now, though, and the residents use the area for storage. Big barrels for collecting rain water fill the spaces, along with miscellaneous crates, fishing gear and tools. One wonders where they store these things when the river does rise. People fished, sat on their shady porches, women cooked outside.
The canals are busy as long-tail boats carry an endless stream of tourists toward the market. It’s easy to see that Damnoen Saduk is a tourist market, not an authentic Thai floating market. Still, I’m excited to see it and imagine how life was many years ago.
We arrive at the entrance to the market and climb rather clumsily out of the boat. We’re left to explore for 90 minutes, meeting back at an agreed upon location at 11:30 am. Other than the people working, I don’t think there are any Thai people there. English, Russian, French, Mandarin and German can all be heard. I wander a bit, then sit for lunch. I get a perfectly average chicken with basil dish and very good lime juice. It’s overpriced and mediocre, but served with a smile. And really, I take even mediocre Thai food over a lot of other food.
I sit next to the water and trade nods and smiles with two ladies on the boats. Their friendliness gives me a bit of confidence to approach people. After all, this was only my second day in Thailand and I was still a bit shy with my Thai phrases.
After my meal, I wander some more. There are a good number of boats along the canals. Several stalls also line the interior part of the market and sell dried fruit, spices, various fresh fruits, coconut sugar, and fresh juices. Tons of tourist crap is also on offer—cotton pants, t-shirts, keychains, magnets, plates with photos, art, painted fans, hats, sunglasses. It is about as authentically Thai as the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto. Men with enormous snakes offer photos for a fee. A woman with a soft, furry animal I don’t recognize offers the same. Turns out to be a flying squirrel and it is beautiful. I later find this kind of animal exploitation all over Thailand and it saddens me. The tourists eat it up, though, so it’s not going anywhere soon.
I walk around and take some photos, buy some coconut sugar (1kg for $1.30) and fruit I’ve never heard of, and find it’s time to meet our group. Turns out 90 minutes was plenty at Damnoen Saduk. I’m glad I went, but had enough by the time I left. The diesel cloud from the pick-up truck engines on the long-tail boats, along with the tourist vibe mean this market should be enjoyed in small doses. Know that going in, though, and you won’t be disappointed.
Fascinating observations and I too will pass on posing with a giant snake or flying squirrel!!! I wonder how the boat selling coconut ice cream kept it frozen??
I wondered about the ice cream myself! They sell these popsicles in metal tubes in a vat of ice water that are frozen solid, just like they came out of the freezer. I suspect however they do that, they do with the ice cream. Wonder if the water has salt in it like when you make homemade ice cream. No one has spoken English yet for me to ask!