Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, also known as the Bangkok Floating Market, is a well-known floating market about 80 kilometers southwest to the city of Bangkok, Thailand. Actually, Damnoen Saduak is the name of the canal where the floating market is situated. Excavated during the reign of the King Rama IV to boost the country’s economy, the canal has connected the Taachin River in Samutsakorn Province and the Mekong River in Samutsongkram Province together and once was the most important transportation method for people between the two provinces. Naturally fertile lands plus the adequate water provided by the canal, areas along the Damnoen Saduak Canal became perfect places for agriculture. Large numbers of farmers settle down here and they grow different kinds of agricultural goods, such as papayas, grapes, oranges, beans, cabbages, onions and etc. Apart from family consumption, most of these agricultural goods are brought to the nearby Damnoen Saduak Floating Market for sale.

Every morning at around 6:00 am, the routine day in the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market starts. Vendors on the floating rowing boats carrying fresh fruits, vegetables mostly from their own farms or orchards start to peddle loudly to sell their goods. Most of these vendors are local women, who like to wear a unique kind of wide brimmed straw hats and typical Thai blue cotton clothes. Usually at around 8:00am, the narrow waterway of the canal will reach its peak time and be crowded with hundreds of rowing boats. Vendors, purchasers and tourists in these boats are busy in bargaining, selling or purchasing their goods. The bustling phenomenon creates a unique scene on the floating market which has attractive thousands of visitors. Along the banks of the canals, there are many stalls selling similar goods. Visitors getting tired of the traffic jam of the boats can disembark on the right side bank and walk leisurely on the passage before these stalls. Either bargaining with the local vendors or picking up the cameras to capture the lively scene of the floating market would be a delightful experience.

Public buses from the Southern Bus Terminal in Bangkok to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market are available every 40 minutes from 06:00 am every day. The fare is around Baht 90 for one person one way.