HOW TO: MAEKLONG AND AMPHAWA FLOATING MARKET
The Maeklong train market is a daily event. The Amphawa Floating Market operates Sunday afternoons into the evening. It's relatively easy to combine these two sites into a single Sunday day trip starting at Maeklong, heading to Amphawa, and then returning to Bangkok. There's not much to Maeklong - it has one amazing, incredibly unique feature with the train passing through six times a day, however, it's important to time your arrival around the train schedule. Amphawa was a pleasant surprise - for the market weary southeast Asia traveler this market actually feels authentic. During the early part of the afternoon there's quite a few tourists in the area, although not an overwhelming amount. As evening approaches the market begins to feel even more local. On a future visit, I'd consider booking a room at one of the hotels along the river that cuts through the floating market.
CLICK OR TAP PHOTOS TO ENGLARGE
CLICK OR TAP PHOTOS TO ENGLARGE
Maeklong Train Market
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Amphawa Floating Market
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REACHING MAEKLONG
The easiest way is to catch a minibus from Victory Monument. The minibus costs ~ 70 Baht and leaves from the 5 o'clock position.
Or...you could arrive by train, on the train that passes through the market. This is complicated, long, and not worth the effort given that train departure times may change without notice. But...if you still want to do this, here's how. First, take the BTS Silom line to Wangwan Yai station. From here it's about a twenty minute walk to Wang Wan Yai Railway Station (you'll want to make sure Google maps is working or else you'll be cutting through some neighborhoods). Google train departures from this station the day before.
The Wang Wan Yai train takes an hour to reach its terminus at Mahachai Railway Station. After disembarking start walking to the engine / front of the train (continuing in the direction the train traveled). This leads to Setthakit 1 Road, turn left, and you'll reach Mahachai Pier. Two ferries constantly go back and forth across the Tha Chin river so it will take less than ten minutes to cross.
On the other side of the river, walk through the ferry arrival area until you reach a street. Turn right and it's about a ten minute walk to Ban Laem Railway Station. As of February 2015 trains leave Ban Laem for Maeklong at 8:05, 12:05, and 16:40. You'll need to wake up very early to catch the 8:05. If for some reason the train schedule has changed turn around and take the ferry back to Mahachai. Minibuses and vans along Setthakit 1 Road can take you to Maeklong. I've spent hours Googling and searching for the Ban Laem to Maeklong train schedule with no luck. This train takes an hour and forty minutes to travel less than 40K!!!
If arriving by Maeklong via train it will take over four hours. If arriving by Maeklong via minibus it will take an hour and a half depending how soon the minibus fills at Victory Monument. Costs are about the same. Your call.
The easiest way is to catch a minibus from Victory Monument. The minibus costs ~ 70 Baht and leaves from the 5 o'clock position.
Or...you could arrive by train, on the train that passes through the market. This is complicated, long, and not worth the effort given that train departure times may change without notice. But...if you still want to do this, here's how. First, take the BTS Silom line to Wangwan Yai station. From here it's about a twenty minute walk to Wang Wan Yai Railway Station (you'll want to make sure Google maps is working or else you'll be cutting through some neighborhoods). Google train departures from this station the day before.
The Wang Wan Yai train takes an hour to reach its terminus at Mahachai Railway Station. After disembarking start walking to the engine / front of the train (continuing in the direction the train traveled). This leads to Setthakit 1 Road, turn left, and you'll reach Mahachai Pier. Two ferries constantly go back and forth across the Tha Chin river so it will take less than ten minutes to cross.
On the other side of the river, walk through the ferry arrival area until you reach a street. Turn right and it's about a ten minute walk to Ban Laem Railway Station. As of February 2015 trains leave Ban Laem for Maeklong at 8:05, 12:05, and 16:40. You'll need to wake up very early to catch the 8:05. If for some reason the train schedule has changed turn around and take the ferry back to Mahachai. Minibuses and vans along Setthakit 1 Road can take you to Maeklong. I've spent hours Googling and searching for the Ban Laem to Maeklong train schedule with no luck. This train takes an hour and forty minutes to travel less than 40K!!!
If arriving by Maeklong via train it will take over four hours. If arriving by Maeklong via minibus it will take an hour and a half depending how soon the minibus fills at Victory Monument. Costs are about the same. Your call.
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MAEKLONG MARKET LOGISTICS
The minibus drop off is on the far / opposite side of the market from the railway tracks. It takes a while to get oriented and find the tracks. There's a few smaller markets to pass through before you start to cross railway tracks. There's not too many dining options other than street food and if you arrive early you'll be milling around with not much to do. Trains pass through the market six times a day. As of February 2015 arrivals into Maeklong from Ban Laem occur at 9:45, 13:45, and 18:22. Departures from Maeklong to Ban Laem occur at 6:20, 10:20, and 14:30. |
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If you target the 13:45, midday train, everything will be calm until 13:30 when tour buses start to show up and then pandemonium breaks out. It's not as bad on a weekday, however, on a weekend it seems like there's a few more organized trips combining Maeklong and Amphawa.
The best place to stake out a location is near stalls with the rolling wheels. Other stalls may just be baskets and you'll miss the full effect - watch the video to see. An alarm will sound and the stall owners begin to pack up. The pack up is a bit anticlimactic, however, from the stall owners perspective it's probably best they aren't caught by surprise. After the 13:45 passes through it's a forty-five minute wait before the train returns to Ban Laem and passes through the market again.
The best place to stake out a location is near stalls with the rolling wheels. Other stalls may just be baskets and you'll miss the full effect - watch the video to see. An alarm will sound and the stall owners begin to pack up. The pack up is a bit anticlimactic, however, from the stall owners perspective it's probably best they aren't caught by surprise. After the 13:45 passes through it's a forty-five minute wait before the train returns to Ban Laem and passes through the market again.
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HOP IN A SONGTHAEW TO AMPHAWA
There are a few areas around Maeklong with Songthaews lined up and ready to go. The cost is 100 Baht for the entire ride, thus the more people that go the cheaper the cost. If you are traveling alone you may want to try and find other people heading to Amphawa. Most, if not all, the tourists at Maeklong are on their way to Amphawa so its easy to join up with others. If you decide not to continue to Amphawa or its not a Sunday return to the minibus area for a ride back to Bangkok. The minibuses head to a few different areas in Bangkok so be sure to board the right one. The cost is the same for the return - 70 baht - and they don't leave until they are full. |
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AMPHAWA LOGISTICS
The songthaew may drop you off near, but not at, the market. Whatever you do, do not hop on one of the boats to take you to the floating market - when you are quoted a 500 baht per person ride, it should be obvious what's happening. The market is near the river so where ever you are start walking and eventually you'll reach the market. A river cuts through the market making for tight space walking around the stalls. Once you reach the market, at that point take a boat right. It should be about 50 Baht (I think) and its a forty minute ride. The first five minutes pass through the market then boat circles through a few estuaries before returning.
The songthaew may drop you off near, but not at, the market. Whatever you do, do not hop on one of the boats to take you to the floating market - when you are quoted a 500 baht per person ride, it should be obvious what's happening. The market is near the river so where ever you are start walking and eventually you'll reach the market. A river cuts through the market making for tight space walking around the stalls. Once you reach the market, at that point take a boat right. It should be about 50 Baht (I think) and its a forty minute ride. The first five minutes pass through the market then boat circles through a few estuaries before returning.
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The highlight of the market is dining along the shore line and having your meal cooked from one of the boats. It feels a bit touristy but its pretty unique and there are quite a few Thais doing the same thing. The items for sale seemed slightly more upscale and artsy than the normal junk found at the night markets.
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RETURN TO BANGKOK
The return can become a little messy because everyone who is doing this as a day trip starts to head back around five or six.
There's two minibus stations back on the main road. There's also large buses passing by on the way to Bangkok. The issue with the minibuses is that with bad traffic in Bangkok departure times become unpredictable and you have no idea how many people are waiting in front of you. If you see a songthaew, it may actually be worth the effort to ride back to Maeklong, and catch a minibus or bus from there - there will certainly be less people heading to Bangkok. With delays and traffic, even if your minibus is scheduled to depart at six, you may not arrive in Bangkok until nine.
If I had to do this over again though, I'd spend the night in Maeklong. Leave the big bags behind in Bangkok and pack light. The boat ride through Amphawa revealed many nice B&B's and Boutique hotels I did not realize existed. The Amphawa market also seems to pick up heading into the evening. There were stalls just setting up as we were leaving and more locals were starting to pour in. Amphawa seemed like a very chill environment to unwind at the end of the weekend. Spending the night, also means you can watch a later (with fewer tourists present) train at Maeklong.
The return can become a little messy because everyone who is doing this as a day trip starts to head back around five or six.
There's two minibus stations back on the main road. There's also large buses passing by on the way to Bangkok. The issue with the minibuses is that with bad traffic in Bangkok departure times become unpredictable and you have no idea how many people are waiting in front of you. If you see a songthaew, it may actually be worth the effort to ride back to Maeklong, and catch a minibus or bus from there - there will certainly be less people heading to Bangkok. With delays and traffic, even if your minibus is scheduled to depart at six, you may not arrive in Bangkok until nine.
If I had to do this over again though, I'd spend the night in Maeklong. Leave the big bags behind in Bangkok and pack light. The boat ride through Amphawa revealed many nice B&B's and Boutique hotels I did not realize existed. The Amphawa market also seems to pick up heading into the evening. There were stalls just setting up as we were leaving and more locals were starting to pour in. Amphawa seemed like a very chill environment to unwind at the end of the weekend. Spending the night, also means you can watch a later (with fewer tourists present) train at Maeklong.