Ko Kloi Market

Ko Kloi Market is a compact, recently built market on Highway 36 in Rayong, styled around an old-Thailand theme: wooden row-shophouses set around a pond, reached over a wooden bridge at the entrance. It sits behind a PTT petrol station opposite Big C Rayong, close to Central Rayong — an easy stop rather than a destination in itself, and a different kind of place than its “floating market” nickname suggests. There’s no boat trade here; you walk the shophouse row on foot.

Food stalls make up much of what’s on offer — fried oysters (hoi thod), noodles, kanom jeen, Thai sweets, and old-style filter coffee served the traditional way. Around them are souvenir stalls, toy shops, clothing, jewellery, and handmade craft stands, plus a handful of photo-spot recreations of an old district office, vintage scales, tuk-tuks, and bicycles that lean into the nostalgic theme. Visitors feed fish and ducks in the central pond, which is as much the point of a visit as the shopping.

The pace is unhurried and family-oriented — locals treat it as an evening browse-and-eat stop rather than a working market for daily supplies, which is the honest way to set expectations if you’re picturing a wholesale seafood market or a canal full of paddling vendors.

Watch out: Opening hours aren’t fully consistent across listings — some put it at 10:00-20:00, others 09:00-18:00. Call ahead (0 3861 1021) if your visit depends on catching it right at open or close.

Parking is available at the petrol station or directly in front of the market. Entry itself is free; you only pay for food and goods. It’s a walkable, shaded browse rather than a big-ticket attraction, so an hour or so covers it comfortably.

Insider Tip: Go for an early-evening visit rather than midday — the wooden walkways have little overhead shade, and the market’s photo spots and food stalls come alive once the heat drops off in the late afternoon.

For a more historic side of the city, Rayong Old Town on Yomjinda Road and the City Pillar Shrine of Rayong are both a short drive away in the same district.