Markets you should not miss in Bangkok

Bangkok has some of the best and biggest markets in the world. If you like vibrant atmosphere and walking around looking at all types of strange and beautiful things, the following markets will be your cup of tea.

1. Chatuchak Market

Chatuchak Weekend Market is the mother of all markets, and a real MUST when visiting Bangkok.  It is one of the biggest weekend market in the world, covering more than one km, consisting of a whopping 15,000 booths selling just about anything you can imaging from every corner of Thailand.

Chatuchak market has been in Bangkok for decades and one of the well known tourist attractions in Thailand. It is popular among both local Thais, foreigners living in Bangkok and tourists. You should come here and have a look even if you are not a big shopper. It is great fun, but can also be a very hot and humid experience.

The market is divided into 27 sections, and you can find things like wood carvings, clay handicrafts, local souvenirs from every part of Thailand, Buddhist amulets, wooden furniture, hand made decorated flowers, ceramic wares, Chinese wares, garden plants, stones, trendy fashions, silk, hill-tribe outfits, paintings of local painters, fluffy dogs, handbags, shoes, jewellery and fashionable Thai design of all sort – All at a cheap price! It really is spectacular!

We like the art-section of Chatuchak the best. It is great fun to walk between all the beautiful and fantastic art and paintings made by talented local artists. Often you can see artists working on their next painting or piece of hancrafted jewellery right there.

You can also eat and drink at nice small cafes and restaurants, or grab something along the way.

If you shop too much, or very large things, TNT and DHL are there and are more than happy to pack and ship your stuff back to your home.With a price of course~

If you go to Chatuchak Market you MUST try the Strawberry and Yoghurt (the right picture). It is so delicious!

It is very easy to feel a bit “lost” at Chatuchak, because it is soooo big and there are soooo many people. Find a map if you can (there are guards handing them out), otherwise just go out and explore.

Of course the usual tactics in crowded areas apply. Keep a close watch on any valuables. Chatuchak has been known to host a few eager pickpockets, and having your wallet hanging out of your back-pocket is probably not the wisest thing to do. 

If you are there with friends or family, decide where to meet up if you get away from each other. Half the fun is however to get a little lost, then you can come across some unexpected things that you never knew you needed.

Don’t underestimate how big this market is. Wear your most comfortable shoes and remember to drink plenty of water, as it is easy to become dehydrated.

• When: Saturdays and Sundays, 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• What to get there: Well, basically just about everything you can imagine.
• How to get there: Sky train to Mo Chit station, or the underground to Chatuchak station, and follow the stream of people.
• Webpage: http://www.chatuchak.org/

 

2. Pak Klong Talat Flower Market

The vivid and colorful Flower Market (Pak Klong Talat) is a beautiful and lovely smelling market.

Chillies in all sizes and colors.

It is such a nice and vibrant market to visit, full of colors and lovely smell! Here you can find all kinds of flowers, vegetables and fruits.

A woman making beautiful flower garlands.

Though the market is open 24 hours, it is busiest before dawn, when boats and trucks arrive with flowers from all over Thailand. Here both consumers and wholesale buyers come to buy flowers and vegetables. Many local florists come to the market early in the morning to stock up on flowers to sell in their shops the following day. Also the poor who make a living out of stringing and selling flower garlands on the streets, buy sacks of jasmine and marigold flowers here.

Orchids (left) and Chrysanthemums (right).

The market has a long history, all the way back to the reign of Rama I (1782-1809) when it was a floating market here. Later it changed into a fish market, before it became the kind of market it is today. It has been a flower market for over 60 years.

Orchids in all kinds of colors.

• When: 24 hours every day, but it is busiest in the evening.
• What to get there: Mainly flowers, but also vegetables and fruits.
• How to get there: The Flower Market is located on Chakphet Road. Take a taxi or use the river Express Boat to Saphan Phut station. From there it is a short walk.

 

3. Klongsan Market

The vibrant and busy Klongsan Plaza Market is where the local Thais go for shopping after they finish off at work, so don`t expect to meet that many other tourists or to find typical tourist souvenirs here.

The area where this market is located actually used to be a train station.

Here you will find everything from trendy clothes, shoes, jewelery, jeans, accessories….., basically everything you might need for a new look. Very few tourists know about this market, which is a lucky thing because that means they are likely to be charging Thai prices.

You will also find many stands selling food, drinks and snacks here.

In this market, there is a giant Buddhist monk (not a real one but a statue). Here they also sell amulets that will protect you and give you a long and happy life.

• When: Every day from 7 am. to 10 pm.
• What to get there: Everything from clothing, jewellery and shoes and cheap prices.
• How to get there: Take a boat on Chao Phraya River and leave at Klong San Pier. And you’ll be in the market.

 

4. Klong Toey Fresh Market

The Klong Toey Market supplies Bangkok with half its fresh food. This market also sells wholesale and retail appliances, and you will find all kinds of meat, fish, seafood, fruits, vegetables, herbs, but also clothes, shoes, clocks etc.

Piles of vegetables of all sorts!

Fruit sellers.

Crabs

The fish were still alive when he put them out. You can not get any fresher fish!

And the food they sell here is REALLY fresh! The fish and crabs are still alive when they are delivered to the market, so they kill the fish when you buy it, the same goes for the chickens.

A truck load of pineapples!

It is great fun to walk around at this market, even if you don`t plan to buy anything. The market is huge, and super busy with local Thais stocking up on fresh food.

• When: Every day from 6 am. to 2 am.
• What to get there: All fresh food, fruits, vegetables and herbs you can imagine, plus clothes, clocks, shoes….well, basically everything.
• How to get there: MRT Subway to Klong Toei station, and walk out of Exit 1. When you come out, take right, and follow Rama 4 Road east about 10 minutes, and the Klong Toey Market will be on your right hand side. You can`t miss it, it is so huge!

 

5. Farmers Market

The Bangkok Farmers Market is not only a market but a whole organisation working together with and for organic farmers all over Thailand. They have built a platform and community in Bangkok, with focus on Healthy Living, and bringing people together. They also do Yoga, and give back to the communities through education, charity work and community programs in Thailand.

Every first and third weekend each month they arrange Farmers Market at a particular place/ shopping mall in Bangkok, where farmers, food producers and artist come together to sell their organic products like fruits, vegetables, food, drinks, beauty products, clothes, jewellery and so much more.

It is a great place to walk around and try different local specialties when it comes to food and snacks. It is so nice to see that Thailand has started to put a focus on organic products and cherish local producers.

Would you like some worm tea maybe?

Cute home-made toys~

Of course we had to buy this one, home-made chocolate! It was super-good!! You should really try it yourself~

• When: Every 1st & 3rd Weekend of the Month, from 11 am. – 7 pm.
• What to get there: Food, snacks, drinks, jewellery, clothes, shoes…..all sorts of organic made things, everything locally made in Thailand.
• How to get there: It is located different places around Bangkok (mostly inside shopping malls), but usually it is close to a Sky train station.
• Facebook page (the best place to find out when the next Farmers Market is going to be, and where): https://www.facebook.com/bkkfm

 

6. Pratunam Market

This is a kind of indoor market, but there also booths out in the alleys and streets around Pratunam. At this Market you will find clothes, shoes and accessorizes like jewellery, handbags and sunglasses, everything at wholesale prices. You can basically find all the knick-knacks you can ever imagine! It sure is a shopping bonanza!

Shopping bonanza at Pratunam Market!

Dresses at Pratunam Market.

Tons of handbags at Pratunam.

Fancy a quote to put on your wall, or maybe a mask?

Mobile phone covers in all different sizes and colors. As well as tons of hair ribbons, also with a big green bow.

It is fun to walk around at Pratunam Market, and you can do some real bargains at super low prices.  It is located in a popular tourist area, so here you will see a mix of locals and foreigners. It’s a nice  market to buy gifts, but also to shop clothes (if you can find your size) and shoes for yourself. And it is also fun to watch the Thai girls and boys go shopping-crazy!

• When: Every day 7 am. to 7 pm. (although I noticed that they start to close their booths at around 5-6 p.m). But then the next door Baiyoke Night Market opens (from 5 p.m. to Midnight), so just walk over to the next street and continue to shop. Shop til you drop!
• What to get there: Clothes, shoes, jewelery, sunglasses, and all thinkable knick-knacks, useful and not so useful.
• How to get there: Take the Sky Train to Chit Lom station, and walk from there. Follow Chid Lom Rd., till you get to Petchburi Rd which you cross and take a left. Walk on Petchburi Rd till you reach Ratchaprarop Rd., and take a right on Ratchaprarop Rd and you will be right at the Pratunam Market.

 

Markets are a big part of the daily life in Bangkok, as they are the main places where people do their shopping. There are sooooo many markets in Bangkok, but these are part of my favorite ones. They are not typical tourist markets, so here you can shop along with the local Thai people while they are doing their daily shopping. Even if you are not a big shopper yourself, it’s great just to walk around the markets experiencing the atmosphere, and get an authentic look at Bangkoks daily life.

If you are looking for more shopping in Bangkok, I have written The 10 Most Exciting Shopping Malls in Bangkok. And if you are looking for delicious Food~ Where to find the Best authentic Thai food in Bangkok.

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Where To Stay In Bangkok

Bangkok offers a wide selection of accommodation for all budgets, and you will have plenty of choice when it comes to finding the right place to stay. Bangkok is pretty cheap when it comes to accommodation, so you can do some really good deals and get five stars hotels dirt cheap compared to other places in the world.

Below are some of the best accommodation options in Bangkok, including the address and price. We have stayed at all of these four hotels.

1. Dusit Thani Hotel Bangkok

We love this hotel, and will highly recommend it. Dusit Thani is one of the classic and legend hotels in Bangkok, being the first five start hotel in the city. So everybody knows where it is, especially all taxi drivers and tuk-tuk drivers, so it is easy to find.

• Address: 946 Rama IV Road, Silom, Bangrak, Bang Rak, 10500 Bangkok, Thailand
• Price Range: From about 100 USD 

 

2. Hotel Muse Bangkok

It is a great and unique boutique hotel, perfectly located in the center of Bangkok.

• Address: 55/555 Soi Langsuan, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
• Price Range: From about 110 USD

 

3. Lohas Suites Sukhumvit

The Lohas Suites Sukhumvit is an apartment hotel with small and large apartments with fully equipped kitchen and bathroom. It is a great hotel if you want to have a bigger room, and have kids. We particularly loved the roof top swimming pool and gym. The location is great with lots of restaurants, shops and shopping malls close by.

• Address: 75, Sukhumvit Soi 2, Klongtoey, Sukhumvit, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
• Price Range: From 45 USD

 

4. Hotel Icon

Hotel Icon is a brand new hotel which opened on July 2014. It is very modern and have big comfortable rooms. The roof top swimming pool is great. It is located in the same street as Lohas Suites.

• Address: No.49 Sukhumvit Road Soi 2, Sukhumvit, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
• Price Range: From 40 USD