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Floating Market Thailand Travel

Day trip, River boat tour, Rose Garden

The Floating Market in Thailand is a popular day trip from Bangkok, taking you by bus, then by river boat to see the Floating Market, and optional Rose Garden and Thai kick boxing demo. There's a stop to see Thai Wood carvers, and local Thai fruits.

When all day trippers have been picked up at their hotels (between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m.), the hotel buses go to a central meeting point (with time for a short restroom stop), then everyone gets on one large, comfy tour bus to make the two-hour drive west of Bangkok.

The Floating Market tour is done by noon, and returns to Bangkok for lunch. The full day tour includes lunch at the Rose Garden, and an afternoon show with dancers, musicians and Thai kick boxing. Another popular tour (one to seven days) is the River Kwai and Hellfire Pass tour.


River boat tour to the Floating Market man outside river side home with banboo cages for livestock Near the Floating Market bangkok Thailand.

After the various stops along the way, day trippers transfer from the bus to one of these river boats.

Heading for the Floating Market, the boats glide along various canals, where we pass a number of homes, like this one.

The inhabitants give us scant attention, and continue with their own routines. One young lad bent close to the water, and began brushing his teeth, totally ignoring the passersby.

Floating Market Canals Lined with Boat VendorsFloating Market near bangkok thailand uses Canals as streets.

After about a 15 minute ride, we get off the river boat at the Floating Market, where we spend about an hour looking around.

The canals and traffic make a dizzying maze, though the oarsmen seem to have it sorted.

There's time to take a ride along the canal 'streets' in one of the market boats. I opted to wander the shore instead, and got a great view from the arching bridge spanning the canal.

Floating Market Canal Boat Restaurants shallow boats at the Floating market near bangkok thailand are Floating restaurants.

Lunch is included if you take the full day Floating Market rose Garden tour, though if you wanted a snack, this was a great place to indulge.

A number of different foods were prepared on these boats, over hot charcoal coals on small grills.

Boats also act as fruit and vegetable markets. A boat load of musicians playing Dixieland type music were soliciting the crowd for donations for their temple.

Canal Boat Shops Along River Canal Banks Compete withBoat Vendors some stores beside the Canal and other stores are in the Boats at the floating market Thailand.

Other merchants sell from the sheltered buildings along the canal banks, and you can shop without setting foot in a boat.


Other vendors are reached only from the water. Goods available include sandals, handbags, Tshirts and linens.

Paksing Pier Lunch stop Full Day Tour

Paksing Pier restaurant  day trip lunch stop from bangkok thailand.

The full day tour stopped for lunch at this lovely restaurant along the river, en route to the Rose Garden Theme Park.

The half-day trippers headed back to Bangkok.

The restauarant's open-sided large room was filled with many other visitors. The food was (as I always found in Thailand) excellent.

Thai Musicians Part of show on Full Day rose Garden Tour Ethnic tour show with musicians near Rose Garden, a day trip from bangkok Thailand

After admiring the last roses of the season at the Rose Garden, we headed into a large covered arena for the ethnic show.

All participants marched into and around the arena, then filed into rows of bleachers near the entrance, to 'pipe' in the rest of the troupe.

The female dancers wore long, curled finger tips, and beautiful silk gowns.

Unfortunately for still camera users, they move too fast, but camcorders would get marvellous footage.

Thai Kick Boxing Demo on Rose Garden Tour

Kick boxing in Thailand at Rose gardens arena

These kick boxers gave a demonstration in the afternoon part of the full day tour.

In Thailand, they don't say 'Thai' in front of the words 'kick boxing'. (It took me a minute to realize it was superfluous.)

I found it nearly as entertaining and interesting to watch other visitors from around the world, and how they interact with their families.

Ride an elephant Optional on rose Garden Ethnic Show Tour

tourists Ride an elephant in Thailand near floating market

In my experience

in every country where there are indiginous elephants

there are elephant rides offered to tourists.

Your decision whether to take one or not.

Me? No, thanks, but I'll wait till you're done :-)

Snake information Sign - Optional Stop on Full Day TourSnake information for poisonous snakes outside a snake show in thailand.

The guide offered to stop at this snake show, which charged a small fee.

With some trepidation, we filed into another roadside arena, where this helpful sign was posted.

It listed what to do it bitten by a snake, among other helpful tips.

Milking cobra venom at Snake Show Man holding cobra and milking cobra venom in thailand

The young man's deft handling of the snake showed he knew what he was doing.

At the end of his display, he approached the audience.

He offered various members a photo op whereby he draped this snake around their neck and shoulders.

Just the thing for the annual Christmas card photo!

The shows ends with the snake being put into a cage with a mongoose, in a supposed fight to the death.

The audience howled so loudly, he removed the snake before any bloodshed occurred.

Thai Souvenir Shopping Sun hats - Floating Market Shops offer good selectionconical bamboo hats and fabric Sun hats that are also fans in Thailand

Sun hat or hand fan?

Depends on how you open it!

These cleverly - designed hats were for sale at the Floating Market, and are very easy to pack, as they fold up to an inch or so wide, and about 8 inches long.

Also on offer are Tshirts, beaded and fabric hand bags and purses, belts, and mch more.

Thailand Travel Pictures and Information

Bangkok  photo Gallery Hellfire Pass Thailand, near Kanchanaburi. River Kwai Thailand train and bridge. Fruits in Thaiiand Gallery, with durian picture. Carvers in Thailand work with wood, fruits, vegetables. Thailand country imformation image of monk near Bangkok. Thai travel story, with image of resort along the River Kwai in Thailand. books on travel - guidebooks and literary.Travel tips Section - what to pack, wardrobe, safety, etc



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  • 2 to 3 days trip to Thailand
    Princess - February 16, 2010, 5:33 am
    Hi,

    please let me know if you have two to three days tour package to Bangkok, for 2 people.

    i would like to know the itineraries and premium. our desired date would be April 1 to 4,May 1 to 3 or June 11 to 14.

    thank you.
  • Tours Bangkok
    Karen - February 16, 2010, 8:44 am

    Hi Princess,

    While I do not book tours directly via my travel site, I did find some fares from Manila to Bangkok for the first weekend you requested.

    See if this link works for the search I did for flights :

    Find flights Manila>Bangkok


    If not, use the search box for Flights, enter your departure airport and arrivals, check the dates using the calendar, and see what comes up.

    Tours are fairly easy to arrange from your hotel, as well.

    Good luck and safe travels!
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