Damnoen Suduak canal in the Ratchaburi Province was dug during the reign of Rama IV to connect the provincial Taachin River to the Mekong. Now both banks of the canal are densely populated and Bangkok’s most famous floating markets is located here. Produce from nearby farms and traditional food and drink are sold from boats and from shacks along the canal banks. The attraction is the atmosphere created by the congested river traffic and the chatter of vendors touting their wares. Anantara Baan Rajprasong Bangkok, Bangkok serviced apartments offer easy access to many attractions in and around the city.

Located 109 km southwest of Bangkok the floating market can be accessed by bus and car thought not right up to the canal itself. A 15 minute walk brings visitors to the bridge overlooking the canal. A path along the right bank of the canal offers access to the shacks on the bank and the vendors in the boats. Many sightseers take an organized tour or hire a boat from the nearby pier to be among the vendors. For many visitors this is the closest they come to experiencing a traditional Thai market and to tasting many local fruits and food. A visit to the market is usually combined with a visit to the Nakhon Pathom temple that has the largest pagodas in South East Asia and the rose gardens. Coconut ice cream, fresh coconut juice, fresh local street food cooked right there, tropical fruit and the usual trinkets, cheap clothes and souvenirs are on sale here. The merchandise in the boats is also available in the shacks on the canal banks. But riding in a boat among the vendors is a once in a lifetime experience. Local people shop at the market really early in the morning while visitors need to get there between 8 to 10 am, before the sun gets too hot and the market gets too crowded for comfort. It is not a good time to visit during the monsoon as the area floods easily.

Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry. Google+