Not the colourful, famous Damnoen Saduak floating market, which I personally think is a terrible tourist trap and several hours drive from Bangkok, but Taling Chan Floating Market, in Chak Pra, just over the river from Bangkok. It was set up as a floating market in late 1980’s using five wooden barges; however, was later upgraded with 6 more metal barges all connected. You will not find souvenirs here, rather it is all about food and drink. This is the perfect place to spend a long lunch of fresh fish, prawns, som tum and other foods washed down with several cold beers.
Best to arrive early in the day, by lunch they are often full, find a small table and then order, a waiter or waitress will look after you, and run to the floating boats that will cook your food fresh as you order it. The prices are very friendly and you will not see many tourists here, mainly just local thai here for a meal.
You can drive there, and park nearby, but a much more interesting prospect is to catch a long tailed boat, just negotiate with any boat along the Chao Praya River, though BTW Sky Train Station Saphan Taxsin is easy place to do this from.
Along the way you will pass by many traditional wooden houses, other river users and a temple that allows tourists to feed their catfish. You may also wish to arrange with the boat driver to stop at the famous Thai Royal Boat shed. Your long tailed boat driver will then return you to the pier where you can catch the Skytrain home. A perfect way to spend a few hours in Bangkok!
Always Restless Feet 
good bear country! miss it
beer – not bear 🙂
Haha, whoops, but you’re right, the heat really makes you feel like a lager and the availability is pretty good.
How’s the prices of goods they sell? Is the water smelly? I always wonder about it…is this the same floating market in Hangover 2? Nice post! 🙂
The prices of the food and drinks are very competitive, last time I was there I ate softshelled crab, BBQ catfish, some som tam (really spicey) several bottles of beer and the total cost was only a couple of hundred baht.
The water here is not smelly, I think Hangover 2 was the famous (and touristy) Damnoen Saduak floating markets.
Thanks a lot for the info! That’s really helpful 🙂
how much is the long tailed boat and how long is the trip? tnx
HI Berna,
I negotiated 1000 baht for the long tailed boat and we took about 3 hours, including a long lunch. (the actual market, Talang Chan is only about 30 – 40 mins away on the river)
Hi Berna,
It is not a set trip, thus you have to negotiate the price yourself. I paid 1,000 baht for the boat to take me up the river from BTS Saphan Taxsin (near the Shangri La hotel), to wait while we had lunch and then return us back to the same place. (next time I will also arrange the boat to stop at the Royal Barge Museum since it is on the way).
Hi
is it possible to negotiate coming from taling chan floating market going to chinatown? do u have any idea how much it will cost?
tnx for tip!
Hi Berna,
If you are just doing a one way trip, I suppose you could just negotiate a couple of hundred baht or so. The River Chao Praya also has river taxi’s that go up and down stopping at piers like a bus, they only cost around 7-15 baht each per person. But I dont know if they have those regular boats going from Taling Chan to the Chao Praya or not, it’s only a 20 minute ride or so. (and another 20 minute to China Town area. )
it all depends on your negotiation skills really. best of luck and remember to enjoy it as well!