Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is located at Damnoen Saduak District, Ratchaburi Province. It is a ‘must-see’ destination, and is one of the most popular day trips from Bangkok. In the past, Damnoenssaduak was the name of the canal. It was dug in the reign of King Rama IV (1866) by the military men and the people of Ratchaburi, Samutsakorn and Samutsongkram Provinces. The canalization was directed by Phayasrisuriyawong, the minister of Defence. In those days without rivers and canals, transportation was almost motionless; King Rama IV with his great concern over the country's future economic growth, he finally had the canal dug to connect the Tacheen River in Samutsakorn Province and Maklong River in Samutsongkram Province together.
People here live densely along both sides of the canal from one end of the canal to another. The majority of these people are agriculturists. They grow several different kinds of fruit and vegetable for examples oranges, grapes, papayas, cabbages, bean, onion and etc. The land in this area is naturally fertile. Damnoensaduak Canal provides not only transportation, but also agricultural purposes. Damnoensaduak Canal provides farmers with adequate water throughout the year. More than 200 small canals were dug by local peasants; they were connected to Damnoensaduak Canal in order to get water to splash their land. These small canals also become the modes of transport to deliver their agricultural products to the markets in neighbouring provinces and Bangkok.
In 1967, The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market was first introduced to the world as a tourist attraction. It is a very attractive place for tourists to see the old style and traditional way of selling and buying fruits, vegetables, etc., from small boats. Every morning, hundreds of boats crowd the market area. Most of them are paddled by women with picturesque straw hats. Visitors can find everything from vegetables and fruits to freshly-cooked noodle and souvenirs at this lively market. Day in and day out from about 8 a.m. to about 11 a.m. the Floating Market is routinely crowded with hundreds of vendors and purchasers floating in their small rowing boats selling and buying or exchanging their goods. What they purchase are particularly food, fruit and vegetable which mostly brought from their own orchards. They usually travel on their small rowing boats. Today the long-tailed boats pushing by engine become very popular. People tend to use them instead. Anyhow because of the shortage of fuel today long-tailed boats are quite unavailable compared to a few years ago. Visitors will also see traditional Thai houses, the way they live and travel by boats, and please try riding on a small boat to experience the floating market and to see more. This is a worthwhile trip.
How to Get There
By Car
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is 109 km south of Bangkok or approximately 2 hours drive. From Bangkok, take Highway No. 4 (Phetchakasem Rd.) and turn left at Km. 80 for another 25 km. along Bangpae-Damnoen Saduak Rd.
By Bus
There are public buses both air and non air-conditioned leaving from the Southern Bus Terminal in Pinklao-Nakhonchaisi Rd. for Damnoen Saduak every 40 minutes from 06.00 hrs. onwards.
Tel . 0-2435-5031, 0-2435-1199 for air-conditioned buses
Tel. 0-2434-5557-8 for non air-conditioned buses
The most suitable time to be at the market is from 08.00-10.00 hrs, aim to get there as early as possible. The bus travels via Nakhon Pathom. Tell the bus conductor to drop you at Thanarat Bridge in Damoen Saduak.
Arriving at Damnoen Saduak, then either walk down on the passage along the canal on the right hand side that leads to the market and follows the canal, or take a taxi boat at the pier nearby or minibus to Floating Market area. Those who want to see all the three of the Floating Markets, Ton Khem, Hia Kui, and Khun Phithak may hire a long-tailed boat at the price of Baht 300 per hour to explore the backwaters and roam around the markets. It is recommended that the fare should be settled before setting out. There is a tourist office here which can arrange tours and transport. Most tour agencies also visit the Floating Market.
The visit to this market, especially noted for its fresh fruits from surrounding orchards, can be combined with a tour of the great chedi in Nakhon Pathom or Rose Garden which is on the same route, the show time at the Thai Village in the Rose- Garden is at 15.00 hrs. and admission fee is Baht 190 per person. This trip can be arranged through a travel agency or tour counter in most of the hotels in Bangkok.
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