What the Floating Market Tour in Bangkok Is Actually Like

It’s not even a question whether Wat Arun or the Grand Palace is worth visiting. But when it comes to the floating market… Should you sacrifice a day to get out there?

Listen, I get it. I was just as against the idea of joining a floating market tour in Bangkok… to go on a boat ride and see some merchants rush to clear the tracks at the Maeklong Railway Market.

As a local, I never felt like they’d be worth anyone’s time.

But curiosity finally got the better of me, and I booked the tour to see what it would feel like to go with a guide instead of on my own. Yes, friend, I spent money on a tour of my own home just to tell you if it’s worth it.

In one word, yes, I enjoyed the tour and I think it was worth the price. But ONLY IF you have so much time in Bangkok that you’ve done everything else, or if you’ve been to Bangkok before.

So… have you done everything else in Bangkok? Yes? Then keep reading for the tea!

What’s Included in This Floating Market Tour

This 8-hour tour picks you up early in the morning from Swensen’s Bang Lamphu near Khaosan Road. Here are what’s included and some key points to know.

• ✅ Round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned bus
• ✅ Paddleboat ride at the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
• ✅ Visit to Maeklong Railway Market
• ✅ Free time to explore, shop, and snack
• Solo traveler friendly & safe atmosphere for women
• FREE cancellation until 24 hours before the tour, in case you change your mind!

It’s not a guided walking tour per se, but you can think of it more like a structured day trip with key highlights. You also get a bit of cultural commentary from the guide, and you can ask him any questions you have.

What You’ll Actually See On the Tour: My Full Experience

This part is what you came here for, isn’t it? I’ll go through my exact experience in detail, so you know exactly what’s in it for you and whether or not this tour is right for your trip this time.

Meeting Point + Departure From Bangkok

The tour departs from a branch of Swensen’s near Khaosan Road. I left my apartment much earlier to avoid traffic and ended up chillin’ in DOMON x Peter Cafe for a while. It was quiet and perfect.

Getting Your Trip Insured

Once it was 8:45 AM, I joined the guide and tourmates at Swensen’s. I had to put my information down to qualify for the trip insurance (included in the price of the tour). Here is exactly what they’ll need:

• You name
• Passport Number
• Date of birth
• Nationality
• Initial

You’ll also be given a cute little sticker with the guide’s name and phone number (our guide was Mr. Jeed). This will come in handy if you ever lose your way at either of the markets.

The Bus Ride from Bangkok

The bus left as soon as everyone arrived, which was at 8:59 AM in my case, impressively punctual. From here on, you have about an hour to either nap or enjoy the scenery before a toilet break.

The guide will also give you some background information on Thailand, things like how to say hello and what our culture is like, which is useful if you haven’t started using cash much.

The whole ride took about 2 hours.

Stop 1: Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

We arrived at the floating market’s parking lot at 11:19 AM.

We first followed our guide, who held a painfully purple tour company flag, to the photo spot. This is a great place to get a photo of yourself, as well as of the market.

This floating market is one of the very few remaining original ones in Thailand. It’s been around since the late 19th century, and was a bustling transportation hub.

Most other floating markets around the country were man-made, specifically to attract tourists.

This is, of course, not to say that Damnoen Saduak isn’t touristy. It very much is. In fact, it used to be so touristy that merchants took to tugging on your sleeves and pressuring you to buy their stuff.

It’s lost most of that bustling market vibe since COVID. But I prefer it right now to back then.

The Boat Ride Through the Market

After everybody’s taken their turn at the photo spot, we were led past the market straight to the pier first. You see, the market you just took a photo of is only 30% of it.

There are plenty more shops along the local canals in the area. You’ll go into a boat first to reach the local merchants. This ride is already included, so no extra cost.

The most important tip I can give you is to keep your hands off the sides of the boat.

The canal is narrow, and boats often bump into each other. The pressure can easily cut your fingers off or bruise them very badly. If you’re nervous and feel the need to grab onto something, your seat is a good option.

We spent roughly half an hour cruising along the canals, passing dozens of shops and merchant boats selling souvenirs, street snacks, desserts, and even beer.

When something catches your attention, tell the boat person, and they’ll make a stop for you to buy.

Free Time + Lunch

After the half-hour boat ride, I got off at the very same pier to meet the guide again. He gave us another full hour of free time to have lunch and explore the main market. This was more than enough time.

There are plenty of lunch options in the main cafeteria with multiple shops and on boats waiting along the canal.

If you could find yourself a boat selling boat noodles, do that for lunch. That’s how they were sold originally!

I went with the easiest choice in the cafeteria, a plate of Pad Thai, which cost 70 THB (US$2) and was delicious. Some of the pricier dishes were around 120 to 150 THB.

As for souvenirs, the shops looked simple at first glance, with clothes, elephant pants, and Thai-patterned bags.

But if you look more closely, some shops sell Tiger Balm, locally-made coconut oil, Thai tea leaves, and other useful products as well. Nothing more special than those, however.

Use the toilet at the parking lot before you get on the bus. It’s 20 THB (75 cents) to enter, but it is very well-maintained, squeaky clean, and air-conditioned. There won’t be a nice one like this at the next stop.

All our tourmates arrived back at the bus right on time, and we took off to the Maeklong Railway Market, which is around 20 minutes away.

Stop 2: Maeklong Railway Market

The next market has been around since 1901 and is famous for having a railway cut straight through it.

What’s nice is that the government never asked the locals to relocate, so the merchants continued their businesses as usual.

The only difference? They’ll have to lower their shop awnings and move their products eight times a day to make way for the train.

This gives it the nickname “Talad Rom Hoob,” which translates to “The Umbrella Pull-down Market.”

Fun fact: The district you’re in, called Maeklong, is also the hometown of the world’s first Siamese Twins, Chang and Eng Bunker.

The souvenir selections here are not as varied as those at the floating market.

What is better here, however, is the cafe scene. Look at this air-conditioned one behind me here. There are plenty of those down the tracks.

The Train Passing Through

Our tour timing (and yours, if you end up booking) was perfect for the train-viewing.

The train comes every day at 2:30 PM and 3:30 PM. We got to the market at around 1:40 PM. I had plenty of time to walk about the market, showing a new friend around and helping her buy some fruits and tea.

At around 2:15 PM, we settled in one of the cafes to wait for the train.

I recommend finding a smaller cafe with fewer seats, so you won’t have to get squeezed between too many people to get a shot of the train.

It was quite insane to see the merchants and workers clearing the tracks so quickly, and equally insane to see so many tourists lined up with so little space to stand on.

We had to be behind the red line on the pavement, which was a space about as wide as a small chair. And the train literally came that close. It was inches away from my face! 😂

The Bus Ride Back to Bangkok

The train passed the market within five minutes, despite how slowly it went.

We met back at the market entrance at 2:45 PM, got on the bus, and headed straight back to Bangkok, with another toilet break, of course.

I was back and safe at the same Swensen’s in Bangkok by 4:37 PM. That’s shorter than an average workday.

Book The Floating Market Tour If…

• You enjoy connecting with other travelers
• You don’t mind larger tour groups
• Your priority is to see the unique markets (and not to enjoy a cultural experience)

Skip The Floating Market Tour If…

• You prefer an intimate group tour and are willing to pay more for it
• You expect to get unique souvenirs there (less likely)
• You expect a deep cultural insight into these markets. (They’re just markets, only different from the ones you’re used to seeing)

For those who prefer an intimate group tour and are willing to pay more for it, you can pay US$150 each for a private version of this very same tour with the same stops.

Tips to Make the Most of Your Tour Day

• Sit on the left side of the van for the best scenery.
• At the floating market, tell the boat person to stop if you want to buy something.
• Budget: Prepare 200 THB for lunch, 200 THB for snacks, and at least 500 THB for souvenirs.
• Wear sunscreen, you’ll need it when the train comes and all the umbrellas are gone.
• Choose a smaller cafe to wait for the train, so you have fewer people to fight for a good spot.

Ready to Book? Here’s the Tour I Took

Still very sure you want to see the markets?

I booked this exact tour via GetYourGuide, and the process was as smooth and easy as always.

They gave me a clear meeting time and instructions. Our guide showed up with his own list of people coming on the tour. I didn’t even need to show him the GYG voucher.

Pickup is also available at most hotels in central Bangkok for an extra US$12. Don’t wait too long because the tour fills up fast, especially on weekends!

Other Experiences I Recommend More

As a cultural travel blogger, nothing’s a bigger dilemma to me than whether or not I should recommend a less cultural attraction for your trip.

While I do agree that the markets are interesting and unlike anything else you’ve seen, the time it takes out of your day just to see two places makes it quite a waste if you’re new to Thailand.

Check out my favorite things to do in Bangkok first. Once you’ve done most of the other things, THEN it would be time to join this tour.

And here are top foodie spots I recommend around town. These are places where you can find locals enjoying Thai food.

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