After breakfast on the second day in Bangkok, DramaQueen had made arrangements with a local tour/driver for our day out. The first stop was Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, and it took about 1hr 30min from Novotel Platinum Hotel. This would be the 2nd time that I have visited this floating market and the experience was slightly different from the 1st time I was there. [The first visit to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market]
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is one of the famous tourist attractions in Thailand, attraction tourists from all over the world and the most prominent floating market that is featured frequently on Bangkok postcards. So it can be considered one of the must visit markets when you are in Bangkok!
This time instead of setting off from the boat, we had to rent one first. We were brought to another corner of the market where there were boats for rental at 2,000 baht for 1hr and 2,500 baht for 1hr 30min. There were 4 of us and we opted for the 1hr option, so it cost us 500 baht per person. Since the boat was rented out by the hour, it would have been cheaper if we had more people in our group.
One major difference this time round was the boat, unlike the last time when it was a sampan (manually rowed), this time it was a’ speed-boat’ version (essentially a sampan with a motor attached to it). The speed was definitely much faster and there was a bit of an adrenaline rush.
We passed by houses along the river bank, which had dogs occasionally popping their curious heads out to look out at the
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| The adorable doggies! |
It started drizzling lightly when we had set off, so there wasn’t much of a crowd that day. The waterways were pretty much clear of boats. We meandered through the waterways and were soon brought to the market area where all the souvenirs and shopping are. If you don’t know by now, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market mainly sells tacky souvenirs (e.g. t-shirts, key chains etc…) and Thai handicrafts (e.g. teak display ornaments, paintings, carvings etc…) that are overpriced just for tourists. It was (still) interesting seeing how food was prepared on board a small boat and the food/fruit vendors going from boat to boat selling their wares – a sight you will never get to see in Singapore.
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| Some of the souvenirs on sale: paintings, clothes, tea, spices, hats etc... |
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| The food corner of the floating market, where food (both piping hot and pre-prepared) and fruits are sold |
Yes, you can bargain to get a cheaper price and the shop owners are most likely to oblige, but prices here are way off the mark and you could get the same stuff elsewhere for way cheaper. So unless you really want the item, won’t be going to Chutachuk Weekend Market (or similar), and/or are happy with the price bargaining and offering, you really should go just elsewhere to buy whatever your eye’s fancy. And that is what I did on this trip, I tried my haggling skills: I managed to get a magnet for 50 baht less: one magnet cost 200 baht, so I asked if I bought 2 magnets could she charge me for like 300 baht instead of 400 baht and it was a success! I kinda convinced DramaQueen to buy the other magnet.
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| More souvenirs! Can you spot the elephant pouch? |
After seeing my attempt at haggling, DramaQueen wanted to give it a try as well. She haggled for a stack of 6 mini elephant coin pouches for 100 baht when the markup was 330-650 baht (we visited 2 stalls)! Of course, needless to say the stall owner’s face was very ‘black’ but still she sold them to DramaQueen. The reason why DramaQueen was so insistent on 100 baht was because her dad told her he saw the same at the night market near our hotel going for 100 baht. When we went to check out the night market, he was right… but it was 100 baht for 5 mini elephant coin pouches not 6! Lol
After we were done with cruising along the Damnoen Saduak River we were alighted at the same mini pier where we boarded. There we took a toilet break and soon made our way to the next destination – Safari World.
Related Posts:
- Upcoming Trip: It's time for Bangkok once again
- Bangkok 2015 Itinerary 4D/3N
- Bangkok 2015 Day 1
- Bangkok 2015 Day 2
- Bangkok 2015 Day 3
- Bangkok 2015 Day 4
- Novotel Platinum Pratunam Hotel: Superior Room
- Novotel Platinum Pratunam Hotel: Executive Privileges on the last night & breakfast at the Premier Lounge
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