If your time in Bangkok is limited but you still want to experience real Thai shopping at one of the floating markets in Thailand, Taling Chan Floating Market can be an easy choice. We would suggest you to visit it if you are staying in Bangkok on the weekend.
Taling Chan Floating Market is located in front of Taling Chan District Office. This floating market is close enough to the central Bangkok and getting there is easier than to any other floating market in Bangkok.
Taling Chan Floating Market is basically a small market with a handful of boats cooking food around it. A number of stalls selling household goods and clothing can be found here too, but most of the market is dedicated to food and that’s a really good thing. Be sure to go there with an empty stomach and try all the delicious food.
Once you’re at the entrance of the market, you will see stalls selling mainly plants, seeds and flowers, including orchids and bonsai trees.
Various Thai fruits, local snacks and desserts are sold there too, so you can try some of them even before reaching the floating market area.
Food at Taling Chan Floating Market
Thai La-Mood (ละมุด) or sapodilla is a sweet Thai fruit with grainy texture and black, inedible seeds in the center of it = 50 baht/kg
Thai desserts = 20 baht/box
Herb juices = 15-20 baht/bottle
The shredded coconut and palm sugar mix covered with steamed flour and coconut cream mix and later wrapped in banana leaf (Kanom Sai Sai : ขนมใส่ไส้) = 20 baht/7 pcs
In the area of floating market you will find a floating platform with traditional boats docked near it. Various foods such as grilled seafood, Som Tam (papaya salad) and noodles are cooked on these boats. Check here What to Eat at Taling Chan Floating Market, Bangkok.
The floating platform is a dining area of the floating market. People just sit on the ground of the platform and enjoy eating various delicacies there.
Here you will get a unique experience of eating food on the ground while being surrounded by the locals. However, we would recommend you to get there before 11 am, as later the market can get very crowded and most of the dining area can be occupied by local people.
Animal Release for Making Merit
You will see live fish and turtles being sold near the river as merit making by releasing a fish or another live creature to freedom is believed to be a good thing to do by Thai Buddhists. Releasing soft-shelled turtle (20 baht/pc) should bring you long life, setting pond snail free (20 baht/pc) will attract happiness, expecting good health should release climbing perch (20 baht/pc), giving a freedom to eel (10 baht/pc) should bring success in money, work & studying.
More information about the meaning of animal release in Thai Buddhism can be found here: Animal Release for Making Merit in Thailand.
Here you can buy a loaf of bread for 12 baht and feed the fish in the water. You will be surprised how big they are and how many of them can get into a small feeding area. Aquarium of fresh fish at the supermarket will look very spacious after this!
When you will get tired of shopping and eating, just relax and enjoy traditional Thai massage for as little as 200 THB per hour at the premises of the floating market.
Taling Chan Floating Market Boat Tour
For those who are interested in sightseeing, boat tours from Taling Chan Pier to the surrounding area are organized. There are few optional boat tours at Taling Chan Floating Market:
1. Boat tour visiting 3 Floating Markets
During the trip these 3 local floating markets are visited by boat:
- Taling Chan Floating Market
- Wat Saphan Floating Market
- Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
Time: Starting at 9.45 am (3 hours)
Price: 99 baht /person
2. A tour to the temple Wat Koh
This tour includes a visit to:
- Thai style house
- Temple
- A small banana and coconut plantation
Time: 1 hour
Price: 69 baht /person
3. A visit to Artist’s House at Khlong Bang Luang
Time: Starts at 1.30 pm
For more information about the Artist's House check: Khlong Bang Luang Artist House in Bangkok.
Address
Khlong Chak Phra, Khet Taling Chan, Bangkok
Opening Hours
Taling Chan Floating Market opening hours are Saturday-Sunday, from 8 am to 5 pm
The market also operates on Thai public holidays on the same opening hours as mentioned above.
How to get to Taling Chan Floating Market
1. By bus
You can take Bangkok Bus No. 79 (Air-Con Orange bus) directly to the market. The bus route passes main touristy areas such as Central World (Ratchadamri Road), Pratunam, Democracy Monument (Opposite Suksapan), Ratchadamnoen Road. Our trip from Pratunam Area to the floating market took about 45 mins.
You can easily buy a ticket from the conductor on the bus. The fare varies from 13 to 25 baht, depending on your location. Just tell them that you will go to Taling Chan and they will ensure that you got out at the correct bus stop.
For getting a bus back to the city, go to the opposite side of the Taling Chan Floating Market and get on the bus near 7-eleven. On the way back, the bus route will be a bit of different as it doesn’t go to Pratunam but stops at Ratchathewi BTS station, Siam BTS station and then gets back to Central World.
2. BTS & Taxi
You can take the BTS to Wong Wian Yai station (Exit 2) and then get a taxi to the Taling Chan Floating Market which generally costs 140-180 THB.
3. Bus & Songtaew/Walk
You can take a Bangkok Bus No. 28, 515, 159 from Victory Monument, drop off at Taling Chan Police Station and then take a songtaew at 7-eleven to Taling Chan Floating Market or just walk as the distance from there to the floating market is only 1.2 km.
4. BTS & Boat & Bus
You can take BTS to Saphan Taksin Station (Exit 2) and then take Chao Phraya Express Boat to Phra Pinklao Bridge Pier where you can take a public bus No. 79.
5. Boat & Songtaew
You can take the orange flag Chao Phraya Express Boat or Cross-River Ferry to the Wang Lung Pier (pier N10). From the pier, you can hop on one of the songtaews that loop between the pier and the Thonburi Railway Station (Bangkok Noi) or you can walk for about 1 km and then take another songtaew (red one) to Taling Chan Floating Market. Not all songtaews go to the market, make sure to ask the driver before getting on one.
6. Taxi
This is by far the fastest and easiest way to get to the Taling Chan Floating Market. The cost of the trip will depend on the place where you are staying. If you are staying around the Khao San Road area, taxi will cost you about 100-130 baht each way.
Cost for the trip to the Taling Chan Floating Market (2 persons)
Transportation (Depending)
- Bus No.79 to Taling Chan Floating Market = 17x2 persons = 34 Baht
- Bus No.79 back from Taling Chan Floating Market to Ratchatewi BTS = 17x2 persons = 34 baht
Food (Depending)
- Beef Noodle = 65 baht x2 = 130 Baht
- Fried Oyster Omelette = 40 Baht
- Snacks = 100-200 Baht
- Beverages = 50 Baht
Tips
Taling Chan Floating Market and Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market are not that far one from another and can be both visited on the same day. Even if Taling Chan Floating Market is much smaller, it gets more tourists. If the atmosphere at Taling Chan Floating Market won’t feel authentic enough, head to Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market and experience real local shopping there with even more traditional Thai foods to choose from.
In our opinion, Taling Chan Floating Market is one of Top 10 markets in Bangkok. What are the other ones? Check here: TOP 10 Best Markets in Bangkok.