Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and Maeklong Railway Market Tour
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Maeklong Railway Market is the one where the train runs through the stalls. Eight times a day, vendors fold back their awnings and drag their produce inches from the tracks, the train inches past with faces pressed against the carriage windows, and then everything slides straight back into place. This day trip from Bangkok pairs that spectacle with a longtail boat ride through the Damnoen Saduak canals, and you see both in a single morning.
Pickup isn’t offered — you meet at the WanderSiam office on Chao Khamrop Road, near Phlapphla Chai 2 Police Station, which is easy to reach by Grab or taxi. From there the air-conditioned van runs to Maeklong first, where you time your arrival to the train schedule. Then it’s on to Damnoen Saduak, the country’s most photographed floating market. A longtail boat ride takes you along the narrow canals where vendors paddle wooden boats loaded with mango sticky rice, boat noodles, coconut ice cream, and pad thai cooked on a charcoal burner balanced on the prow. The market leans heavily touristy these days, but the canal-side trading tradition dates back over a century and the atmosphere is still worth seeing. English-speaking guide, bottled water, and the boat ride are covered; meals and tips aren’t.
Seven to eight hours, easy difficulty, up to 15 people. The day starts early because traffic west of Bangkok gets brutal after 8am and both markets wind down by late morning. Wear breathable clothes and sunblock — the canal boat has no cover, and Maeklong gets hot by 10am. Avoid Mondays, when some Damnoen Saduak vendors take the day off.
If you only have one full day outside Bangkok, this is the efficient choice — two genuinely different market experiences in a single loop.
Itinerary
Stop
We'll visit Thailand’s most famous floating market: Damnoen Saduak. Upon arrival, you'll board a traditional long-tail boat for a ride through the canals, offering a glimpse into life along the waterways. The Damnoen Saduak canal was commissioned in 1866 by King Rama IV to connect the Mae Klong and Tha Chin rivers and improve water transport between the Ratchaburi and Samut Sakhon provinces. Photographs of this colorful and bustling market are among the most widely featured in travel brochures about Thailand. While the market today caters largely to tourists, it still offers an unforgettable experience with its lively atmosphere, boats, and canal scenes. Please note that the total time spent on this excursion includes the drive from Bangkok, which takes approx. 1,5 hours each way, depending on traffic. Note: Damnoen Saduak is undeniably touristy these days, and while it may not feel fully authentic anymore, it remains one of the best places to experience a floating market.
Stop
Our next stop will be the amazing Mae Klong Railway Market, locally known as Talat Rom Hoop ('Market Umbrella Close'). Imagine a train going straight through a public market! The Mae Klong Railway Market has been around since 1905. Fishing was (and still is) one of the main livelihoods of the people who lived here, and the market was another way in which to sell their goods. Officials decided to build a railway in order to better deliver these goods to other provinces. The market remained, however, despite the new tracks that cut through it. We’ll stroll over the market and see the train arrive or depart before going back to Bangkok. Total time to spend here is including traveling time between Damnoen Saduak and Maeklong Railway Market and from Maeklong Railway Market back to Bangkok (approx. 1,5 hrs - depending on traffic situation).
Stop
Wat Bang Kung is famous for its small chapel that is completely enclosed within the roots of a banyan tree called Bot Prok Po. It is almost like the tree itself is the pillars of the temple and that without the roots the chapel would fall down. You can also go inside to pay respect to the Buddha image. The temple grounds once doubled as a naval fort, the site of a fierce 18th century battle between Siam and invaders from Burma. Today, the temple grounds is also a memorial to warrior heroism.
Included
- English speaking guide
- One bottle of drinking water per person
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Long-tail boat ride at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
Not Included
Personal expenses; Meals; Gratuities for driver & guide (optional)
Meeting point & area
View larger map →Meeting point: Meeting point is at our office (WanderSiam) in Chao Khamrop Road, nearby Phlapphla Chai 2 Police Station and the ‘Tai Hong Kong Shrine’ (for taxi: สถานีตำรวจนครบาลพลับพลาไชย).
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