How to Visit 4 Bangkok Floating Markets by Public Transport

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. While the shuttle runs from Bang Khun Non MRT Station, we recommend our shortcut to maximize your morning exploration time.

This page contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.

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.

What You’ll Find Here

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.

Food Highlights

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: Come around 11am if you want to eat. When we arrived at 8:30am, most food vendors hadn’t started cooking yet. By noon 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

Our Experience

So what did I think? Well 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.

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.

What You’ll Find Here

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 participation, they even asked us to join in! This place stays pretty local – you’ll mostly see Thai families catching up over long lunches.

Food Highlights

There are a few handicraft stalls, but trust us – you’re here for the food. The covered market provides welcome shade from Bangkok’s heat. Don’t miss the Thai Boat noodle soup and iced coffee

• Best time: After 9:30am when everything’s open
• Prices: Cheaper than the bigger markets

Our Experience

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!

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 You’ll Find Here

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!

Food Highlights

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, 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. Must try: Coconut ice cream if you haven’t already the versions here are fabulous.

Quick Essentials

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.

• Best time: Before 11am to avoid peak crowds
• Bring friends: More people = more dishes to share!

Our Experience

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.

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 making their morning offerings. The whole place has a much calmer vibe than our previous stops.

What you will find here

The market is split between regular stalls on land and floating vendors on the water. Local vendors charge authentic local prices without tourist markups.

Food Highlights

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. There is a man barbequing chicken and meats just up from the boat drop off point. These are definitely a good lunch option! 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!

This smaller market offers plenty of seating and diverse food options. Think of it as a relaxed alternative to Khlong Lat Mayom.

Quick essentials

• Must try: Fish cakes and Thai sweets
• Boat tour: 100 baht, 1 hour
• Facilities: Clean, free toilets

Our Experience

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 Back to Central Bangkok

From Wat Saphan, you’ve got three easy options to get back to the city:

1. Free Shuttle to: Bang Khun Non MRT station
   • Last departure: 4:15pm
   • Journey time: 25 minutes
2. Boat Service to Khlong Lat Mayom
   • Cost: Included in 100฿ fare
   • Journey time: 20 minutes
3. Grab Taxi to Bang Wa BTS station
   • Cost: 80-100฿
   • Journey time: 15 minutes

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

Planning a Thai adventure? Join our friendly Facebook community Thailand Awaits: Trip Planning for Beginners. Get expert advice from locals and experienced travellers, ask your questions, and discover how to make the most of your journey through Thailand.