Bangkok: Rangsit Floating Market 曼谷 Rangsit 浮动市场

Located on the Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok Road (north of the city center), 5 minutes from Dream World (Theme Park) and 10 minutes from Future Park (one of Asia's largest shopping Mall). 

It's not the floating market where you expect to see traders paddle their boats selling goods. It's not a tourist destination either; thus not much visited by foreign tourists but is popular with the local Thai people.  

Inter-linked barges docked along the canal selling authentic Thai food; mainly boat noodles which is famed to be the best. 

Kuai Tiao Ruea, literally means Boat Noodle. So called because noodles were sold from paddled boats in the past. Some vendors still preserve its originality of selling noodles in their boats docked at the sides of the barges.

The Boat Noodle Story

The Mini Museum

Origin and History of Boat Noodle 

Variations and Names of Noodles

The first 2 barges housed a mini museum exhibiting the Origin and History of Boat Noodle and the Heritage of Rangsit Floating Market. Delicious and inexpensive Thai food are best tasted here, as well as experiencing the Thai way of Life. 

A Happy Thai Family 

 Can you find me a table for 4, please?

There.. at last a vacant table for 4 of us - my parents, my brother and me

"Don't take my picture na, Later i forgot how to Cook...hehehe.."

Cha Yen - Thai Signature iced Milk Tea

 Kuai Tiao Sen Lek (thin Noodle) Nam (soup version) Neua (beef)

Kuai Tiao Sen Yai ( broad Noodle) Haeng (dry version) Moo (pork)

Noodles come in different sizes, variations and served in a variety of meats. Make it clear when ordering as well as your preference in soup or dry version. If it sounds complicated, just order 'Kuai Tiao' and take what Come may! 

FREE Fresh vegetable and bean sprouts
  

Condiments, dips and sauces 

My Brother can finish a bowl within seconds!

Khanom Thuai - traditional sweet dessert of steam Coconut and Cream. Sold in a set of 2 pieces.  A MUST try Thai dessert. Yum Yum!! 

This is how You eat it 

Guess how many i ate? 

Surprisingly, there are friendly Arowanas performing teasing flipping acts like dolphins in the canals to catch your attention. But its hard to capture them in my camera.

Maybe i should buy them some fish food first? Take a packet and drop 10 baht in the Piggy. Still no luck. The Arowanas flip here flip there in the speed of lighting.

ArGhh.... Maybe i should go for a traditional Thai massage instead; at the last barge managed by the Rangsit Municipal women's group.

If you have a day to spare, do visit Rangsit. First to the floating market, then to Dream World, and ending the day with shopping at Furture Park would be just perfect. 

HOW TO GET THERE: 

Rangsit Floating market Open daily 10am-5pm 

By Car / Bus 538, 559 or 188.

Rangsit Klong 1 - Cross a bridge over a canal to this market.

Dream World  Open daily 10am -5pm (entrance 450 baht for foreigner)

Air-con bus 523 from the northern bus terminal OR bus 538 from Victory Monument. 

By taxi about 200-250B. For more info:  http://www.dreamworld-th.com/english/index.php

Future Park   Open daily10am -9pm daily  

Local buses 29, 34, 39, 59, 95, 504, 510 and 522  from Bangkok to Rangsit Future Park. $7baht in the basic non-aircon buses, $18-22baht for aircon buses.

By taxi (about 350B). You can catch most of these from the bus stop next to BTS Mo Chit station. The journey takes about 30-60 minutes.

Bangkok: Damnoen Saduak Floating Market 曼谷丹能沙都水上市場

Damnoen Saduak Market is the most famous and perhaps the biggest floating market in Thailand. It is situated at Damnoen Saduak in Ratchaburi Province which is about 105 km west of the bustling city of Bangkok. A tourist "MUST see" destination which was first open to the world in 1967.

Journey by car from Bangkok is about 2 hours drive. The best time to be there is 8am-10am as most traders have already gone home in the late mornings. Thus, you need to start your day trip as early as 6am from Bangkok. 

The 32 km Damnoen Saduak Canal covers about 200 sub-canals, but the heart of the Floating Market is around *Klong Bodhi Huk, Klong Khun Pitak and Klong Ton Kem floating markets. *Klong= canal

You can find almost everything here: from freshly cooked food, vegetables, fruits, art works, bags & accessories, handicrafts and souvenirs. And wow wow all the way to see how the vendors display their goods and do businesses.

It is an enjoyable experience but like most tourist spots, it's very 'touristy' and things are far more expensive. However, do try the food at the sides of the canal which are cheap and delicious. Do be careful with the prices (per head or per boat??) when hiring paddle boats to take you up and down the canals.  

Normally, a one day floating market tour with a travel agent would be combined with a tour to the Rose Garden as there is a cultural show at 3 pm.

Welcome to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Hire a long-tailed boat to the heart of the Market

Enjoy the Ride

Bird eye view of the Market

Naked eye view of the Market

Yummy food stalls at the sides of the canal

Traditional way of vending boat noodles

Get the price right before jumping into this boat

Cool Coconuts for Good Health

 

Fresh Tropical Fruits from the Orchard

Come Pick your Shoes 

Come Pick a Bag


Any Painting For You?

 

Extended stalls from the main marketplace

Sitting on a wooden plank with a BIG Thai Smile

Nice to see, Nice to hold, Once dropped, Considered SOLD! 

Bargain You, Bargain Me, Once confirmed, Considered SOLD!

Pick Me Pick Me... For your Office

Pick Me Pick Me... For your Bathroom

Pick Me Pick Me... For Your Garden 

Buy Me Buy Me... Take Me Home

Buy Me Buy Me... Before I'm Gone

Buy Me Buy Me... Don't Leave Me Alone

No Thai Baht? No Worry.. Money Exchange Available, 

Credit Card Accepted 

Bangkok: Cruising Chao Phraya River 曼谷:湄南河湄南河

One of my favourite things to do in Bangkok is to take the local water express boat (Chao Praya River Express) along the legendary Chao Phraya River - The main river of Thailand that runs through Bangkok and drains into the Gulf of Thailand. 

Chao Praya River Express operates a regular boat service up and down the river. Not only its cheap; it is a fun and fast way of seeing central Bangkok and stopping at tourist spots as boats come almost every 5-20 mins at designated piers.

The company's 65 fleet of express boats carry about 40,000 passengers per day (6:00am-7:30pm  daily); i.e about 14.6 million per year!! And that is about 5.3 times the population of Malaysia and 48.66 times the population of Miri!! 

On both sides of the river, you can see magnificent temples, interesting Thai homes, artistic architectural buildings, hotels, restaurants and other water transports. 

Nonthaburi Pier (N30)

Chao Praya River Express



Snap snap pictures along the way. However, you may not be able to snap all you can see with your eyes due to the passenger crowd, sitting/standing position, the speed of the boat and the limitation function(s) of your camera!!

So, these are what i can show you.

For more information on chao phraya, please check :

http://www.chaophrayaexpressboat.com/en/home/