I've only seen pictures or scenes of the floating markets in Thailand so I decided to visit one before I left for the Philippines. The tour to the famous Damnoen Saduak Floating Market costs 500 Baht (I packaged it with a visit to the Bridge Over the River Kwai). The trip took more or less an hour. Once there, you can choose between riding the boat around the Floating Market or just walking around. The boat trip costs 100-150 Baht.
I decided to take the boat trip for the experience, you don't get to shop at this kind of place everyday.
The Floating Market in Damnoen Saduak was simply chaotic. There were boats and vendors everywhere. i can't say the prices were cheaper, in fact the wares and food they sold were more expensive than in Khao San Road. But the experience was definitely worth it. I didn't buy anything since I felt that the prices for some of the goods were too expensive. One vendor was selling a coconut for 40 Baht when I could get the same one for half the price just by the port area of the boats.
Things to take note of when you go to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market:
- Bring a wide brimmed hat or umbrella. The sun was right in our faces the entire time we were their. If you don't want to sweat a pool or get sun burned, bring an umbrella or hat.
- Take loose change and bills with you.
- Haggle, haggle, haggle.
During my trip to the Floating Market, I ran into a Taiwanese solo traveler who ate lunch with me. I asked him how long he stayed, he said he stayed for two weeks and went to visit Chiang Mai. I also asked him if he has ever been to the Philippines, he said no. So I showed him some of the places I've been to back home, he was a big outdoors fan so I told him about some of the hikes and camping sites he can go to, even the places I've never been to yet. I hope he decides to visit the Philippines in one of his travels in the future. After the Floating Market, I went to Kanchanaburi to visit a famous war memorial.
