Amphawa Floating Market Travel Guide Top Things To Do
Visiting Maeklong Railway Market
One of the most interesting things to do in the area isn’t actually at the floating market itself. It’s another completely different and unique market: visiting the Maeklong Train Market. What makes the Maeklong Market distinctive is that it’s situated directly on an active railway track. The market is set up along the tracks, and vendor stalls and awnings extend over the railway. When the train approaches, the shopkeepers quickly move their goods and retract their awnings to make way for the passing train. The market is famous for its narrow aisles and stalls, and as the train passes through it leaves very little room on either side, but that doesn’t stop tourists cramming in to catch a glimpse of the train.
The train market is about a 15-minute drive away from Amphawa, so it can easily be visited before or after the market. The trains pass through the market four times a day at 8:30 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 5:40 p.m.
Street Food at Amphawa Floating Market
Once you arrive at Amphawa, you’re probably going to be hungry. Luckily, Amphawa Market is one of the best markets for street food that we’ve ever been to. Along the waterfront, you can find some traditional Thai restaurants selling all the food that you would come to expect in Thailand. However, we recommend branching out a bit because the market has some pretty unique snacks that you should try whilst here.
One of our favorites are these cheese-covered oysters with a Thai spicy green sauce. This is a combination that I’ve never seen anywhere else in Thailand, so you must get it while you’re here. Cheese isn’t a common ingredient in Thai food, but it pairs really well with the spicy sauce. You can also try crispy crab tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce, as well as other more traditional-style snacks like dumplings and deep-fried foods.
Eating Along the Canal
One of the coolest places to eat has to be alongside the canal, where you can view all the activity of the market. These places serve food straight from the boat and specialize in seafood. Unlike most other floating markets, which operate in the morning, Amphawa is actually open all day long, so it’s a good place to have a beer or two.
There are a few places selling craft beer. One stall sells a range of bottled beers from around Southeast Asia. Another stall was selling fresh beer from a keg, including a green-coloured lager.
Shopping for Local Goods
With it being a market, there are obviously a lot of opportunities for shopping. What we like about Amphawa is that there seems to be a focus on high-quality, locally made goods, whereas some other markets in Bangkok are filled wall-to-wall with cheaply made T-shirts. At Amphawa, you can find things like locally made tiger balms and oils, hand-drawn paintings and traditional Thai clothing.
Boat Trips and Evening Views
At Amphawa, you can actually get in a boat and ride down the canal and the nearby river yourself. Boat trips cost about 100 Thai Baht per person and usually last about an hour. From the canal, you get an interesting view of the market above, as well as a first-person view of what it’s like for the boat operators.
The boat ride will also take you to the Mae Klong River at the mouth of the market. Amphawa is actually a considerable ride outside of Bangkok, so you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of what life is like in rural Thailand as you ride down the river, as well as get a view of some of the beautiful Buddhist temples.
Finally, since Amphawa is one of the only floating markets that operates in the evening, it’s a beautiful place to watch the sunset, and you’ll get a completely different view of the market as it lights up at night.
