Skip the tourist crowds at Damnoen Saduak! We’ve found four local Bangkok floating markets you can easily visit thanks to a free shuttle service. These markets are the real deal – think grannies cooking from wooden boats, local musicians playing on weekends, and not a tour bus in sight.
While everyone else heads to the city’s most famous floating markets, we’ve been exploring some quieter canals in western Bangkok. Thanks to a free shuttle service that started in 2023, you can now easily visit four local markets that most tourists never see.
Here’s where the shuttle takes you:
- Taling Chan: Local families grilling fresh seafood from their boats
- Song Khlong: Our favorite tiny market with weekend music sessions
- Khlong Lat Mayom: The spot Bangkok locals love for canal-side food
- Wat Saphan: A peaceful temple market with amazing home cooking
We’ve worked out the perfect route to see all four markets in one Sunday morning. The shuttle starts from Bang Khun Non MRT Station, but we’ll share our shortcut that lets you make the most of the quiet morning hours.
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If you’ve read our other articles, you’ll know we’re big fans of Bangkok’s public transport. So when we heard about this free shuttle connecting four local markets, we had to check it out!
You can visit just one market if you’re short on time, but we recommend making a day of it. Here’s how we did it: instead of starting at the MRT station, we took a Grab straight to our first stop, Taling Chan. With light Sunday morning traffic, this shortcut saved us nearly an hour – more time for eating!
Taling Chan
Just 20 minutes from central Bangkok, Taling Chan is our first stop. We got here at 8:30am on a Sunday, and except for a few boat tour operators, it felt like we’d stumbled into a regular local market.
The front section has all the usual market goodies – fresh fruit, Thai sweets, and packets of curry spices that locals actually use (at local prices!). But the fun stuff is at the back – cross the small bridge and you’ll find the floating section where all the action is.
The market starts with rows of stalls selling fresh produce, homemade juices, and packets of curry spices that locals actually use in their kitchens. What caught our eye were the carefully wrapped bundles of fresh herbs – the same ones you’ll need if you want to recreate authentic Thai dishes at home.
At the floating section, you’ll find what everyone comes here for – wooden boats doubling as kitchens. The vendors somehow manage to grill fresh seafood on tiny boat barbecues without setting anything on fire!
Grab a spot on the wooden platforms by the water and order some som tum (papaya salad) while you watch the boats go by.
Pro tip: If you’re planning to eat here, aim for around 11am. We arrived too early at 8:30am and most food vendors were still setting up. By 11:30am it gets pretty busy, but if you walk past the first cluster of eateries, you can usually find a quieter spot.
If you have time, hop on one of the boat tours (100 baht). They run alongside the eating area and take you past temples and local homes – a nice break from the market scene.
Quick essentials:
- Bring cash – no cards accepted and ATMs are rare
- Best time to visit: 11am-11:30am for food without crowds
- Must-try: Grilled prawns from the boat vendors
So what did I think: Having visited Taling Chan twice now (first in 2013), we’d say timing is everything. Our early morning visit this time meant we missed the buzz we remembered from our previous lunch-time visit. However it was nice to look around in peace and as it’s the most convenient of the four markets to reach, we’d recommend returning another day for lunch and today saving your lunch break market number 3 today, when the food stalls are in full swing.
Getting there: Either take a taxi directly from central Bangkok (fastest option), or combine BTS to Wongwian Yai Station with a short Grab ride. The free shuttle from Bang Khun Non MRT runs every 30 minutes.
Address: Village No 15 30/1 Bang Ramat Rd, Bang Ramat, Taling Chan, Bangkok
Hours: Open Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 5pm (best between 10am-2pm)
Song Khlong Floating Market
Just a quick 7-minute walk from Taling Chan, we found our surprise favorite of the day. Song Khlong is tiny compared to most floating markets, but that’s what makes it special. No tourist stalls here – it’s all about the food.
Head straight to the coffee stand on your right when you enter – the owner makes what we reckon is some of Bangkok’s best value coffee. There’s plenty of covered seating along the canal where you can sip your coffee and watch local life drift by.
We got lucky during our visit – a couple of local musicians were playing, and encouraging crowd partipcation, they even asked us to join in! This place stays pretty local – you’ll mostly see Thai families catching up over long lunches.
There are a few handicraft stalls, but trust us – you’re here for the food. The whole market is covered too, which is a blessing in Bangkok’s heat.
Quick essentials:
- Must try: Boat noodle soup and Thai iced coffee
- Best time: After 9:30am when everything’s open
- Prices: Cheaper than the bigger markets
So what did I think: This little market ended up being our favorite stop. It’s smaller and quieter than the others, which means better prices and no fighting for seats. Plus, you get to watch canal life going by while you eat – can’t beat that!
Getting there: Dead easy – just follow the signs from Taling Chan (7-minute walk) or hop on the free shuttle from Bang Khun Non MRT.
Address: Song Khlong Floating Market, Taling Chan, Bangkok 10170
Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 8am to 4pm
Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
Now this is where things get busy! Khlong Lat Mayom (also spelt Klong Lat Ma Yom) is bigger and more popular than our first two stops, and by mid-morning the place was buzzing. The smell of grilling seafood and sizzling woks hits you as soon as you arrive.
What we love about this market is how it’s laid out – instead of one long row of stalls, you’ve got little zones to explore. Allow yourself plenty of time here – I would say at least 90 minutes as there is lots to see on both sides of the road that splits the market.
We think the best bit is down by the water just under the bridge, where you’ll find boats selling fresh vegetables and others doing double duty as kitchens. We still can’t figure out how they manage to cook pad thai on a rocking boat without dropping anything in the canal!
Make sure you check out the covered food court – it’s packed with some seriously good street food. Look for the stall selling seafood pancakes, it’s not far from the boat office, we you will enjoy them! (trust us on this one).
And if you see any traditional Thai desserts, grab them – our Thai friends actually make special trips here just to buy these.
The floating market boat tours are pretty good value at 100 baht per person. These tours take you through the narrow back canals where locals still use their boats to get around.
Quick essentials:
- Must try: Coconut ice cream and Thai desserts
- Best time: Before 11am to avoid peak crowds
- Bring friends: More people = more dishes to share!
So what did I think: This is probably the most complete floating market experience of the four. It’s bigger than Song Khlong but still feels local, and there’s so much food to try you’ll wish you’d skipped breakfast. Even when it gets busy, the layout means you can always find a quiet corner. If you can only do one, do this one.
Getting there: The free shuttle from Bang Khun Non MRT Station runs every 30 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, a Grab or taxi from central Bangkok takes about 25-30 minutes.
Address: 30/1 Bang Ramat Road, Bang Ramat, Taling Chan, Bangkok 10170
Hours: Open Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 5pm (busiest 11am-2pm, but worth it for the food)
Wat Saphan Floating Market
Last stop – and it’s a peaceful one! Wat Saphan sits next to a beautiful temple (that’s what the ‘Wat’ part means), and you’ll often spot locals dropping off their morning offerings. The whole place has a much calmer vibe than our previous stops.
The market is split between regular stalls on land and floating vendors on the water. Prices here are proper local – none of that tourist markup.
Our top tip: look for the older lady selling fish cakes near the end of the food section. They’re some of the best we’ve tried in Bangkok. The Kanon Pakkaad (traditional Thai sweets) are worth hunting down too.
The best thing about Wat Saphan is the boat tour – for 100 baht you get a proper little adventure. The hour-long trip takes you to a temple and an orchid farm, and you’ll see lots of local life along the canals. It’s a nice way to end your market marathon!
The market itself isn’t huge, but it’s got everything you need – plenty of places to sit, and enough food options to keep you interested. It’s like a chilled-out version of Khlong Lat Mayom.
Quick essentials:
- Must try: Fish cakes and Thai sweets
- Boat tour: 100 baht, 1 hour
- Facilities: Clean, free toilets
So what did I think: On its own, Wat Saphan might be a bit small for a special trip. But as the final stop on our market tour, it’s perfect – quieter than the others, still great food, and that boat trip is a brilliant way to wind down. Plus, you get to see a bit of local temple life, which is always interesting.
Getting there: the easy way: Take the free shuttle from Bang Khun Non MRT or the fun way: Get the boat from Khlong Lat Mayom (100 baht, includes temple and orchid farm visits)
Address: Wat Saphan, Bang Kruai-Sai Noi Road, Bang Kruai, Nonthaburi 11130
Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 8am to 4pm (best before lunch when it’s cooler)
Getting Back to Central Bangkok
From Wat Saphan, you’ve got three easy options to get back to the city:
- Take the free shuttle back to Bang Khun Non MRT station. It runs until 4:45pm, with the last departure from Wat Saphan around 4:15pm. The journey takes about 25 minutes.
- Take the boat back to Khlong Lat Mayom, the return trip is included in your fare (100฿) – They allow you 20 minutes here and that is long enough to see most of this market.
- For a quick return, take a Grab to Bang Wa BTS station (about 80-100฿, 15 minutes) or Bang Khun Non MRT station (about 60-80฿, 10 minutes). These are your closest rail connections and both offer direct routes to central Bangkok.
For all options, we recommend heading back before 3:30pm. The markets start winding down after this, and Bangkok’s rush hour traffic can make the journey longer.
If you miss the last shuttle, Grab is always an option. A ride to central Bangkok costs around 200-300฿ depending on traffic and your destination, but splitting the fare to the nearest BTS/MRT station is more economical.
Tips for Your Floating Market Day
- Start early to beat the heat and crowds
- Bring cash – none of the markets take cards
- Wear comfortable shoes and light clothing
- Consider bringing a small fan and water bottle
- Don’t eat breakfast – you’ll want the space for market food!
- Allow about 4-5 hours to see all four markets comfortably
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