Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and Maeklong Railway Market Tour
Description
Explore Damnoen Saduak, the most popular floating market in Thailand, great for photo opportunities, food, and for giving an insight into a bygone way of life. Although the market evolved more into a tourist attraction nowadays, it’s still worth the visit for its unique atmosphere and the experience it offers. Furthermore, we'll visit Talad Rom Hoop, also known as 'Train Umbrella Market', for a unique market experience. The market literally sits on the railway track and every day customers and shopkeepers make way for the Bangkok-Maeklong train to pass. With the ringing of a warning bell followed by an announcement in Thai over the loudspeaker, the vendors pull back their awnings within seconds. Amazing!
Tour Options
Itinerary
We'll visit Thailand’s most famous floating market: Damnoen Saduak. Upon arrival, you'll board a traditional long-tail boat for a ride through the canals, offering a glimpse into life along the waterways. The Damnoen Saduak canal was commissioned in 1866 by King Rama IV to connect the Mae Klong and Tha Chin rivers and improve water transport between the Ratchaburi and Samut Sakhon provinces. Photographs of this colorful and bustling market are among the most widely featured in travel brochures about Thailand. While the market today caters largely to tourists, it still offers an unforgettable experience with its lively atmosphere, boats, and canal scenes. Please note that the total time spent on this excursion includes the drive from Bangkok, which takes approx. 1,5 hours each way, depending on traffic. Note: Damnoen Saduak is undeniably touristy these days, and while it may not feel fully authentic anymore, it remains one of the best places to experience a floating market.
Our next stop will be the amazing Mae Klong Railway Market, locally known as Talat Rom Hoop ('Market Umbrella Close'). Imagine a train going straight through a public market! The Mae Klong Railway Market has been around since 1905. Fishing was (and still is) one of the main livelihoods of the people who lived here, and the market was another way in which to sell their goods. Officials decided to build a railway in order to better deliver these goods to other provinces. The market remained, however, despite the new tracks that cut through it. We’ll stroll over the market and see the train arrive or depart before going back to Bangkok. Total time to spend here is including traveling time between Damnoen Saduak and Maeklong Railway Market and from Maeklong Railway Market back to Bangkok (approx. 1,5 hrs - depending on traffic situation).
Wat Bang Kung is famous for its small chapel that is completely enclosed within the roots of a banyan tree called Bot Prok Po. It is almost like the tree itself is the pillars of the temple and that without the roots the chapel would fall down. You can also go inside to pay respect to the Buddha image. The temple grounds once doubled as a naval fort, the site of a fierce 18th century battle between Siam and invaders from Burma. Today, the temple grounds is also a memorial to warrior heroism.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- We visit an ancient temple during the tour. Remember that temples are sacred places and you must dress appropriately. Shoulders and knees need to be covered.
- Bangkok’s traffic can be heavily congested. As our tours run on a group basis, we can wait a maximum of 10 minutes after the scheduled meeting time. After this grace period, the guide will begin the tour. If you cannot make it on time, please let us know before the tour starts. If possible, we’ll do our best to reschedule you for the next available time slot or day, though a rescheduling fee will apply. No refund will be provided in case of late arrival.
- Damnoen Saduak is undeniably touristy these days, and while it may not feel fully authentic anymore, it remains one of the best places to experience a floating market.
- Cancellations made at least 24 hours before the tour start time are eligible for a full refund. For cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance or in case of no-show, no refund will be issued.
- Our tours operate rain or shine, as tropical rain showers in Thailand usually don’t last long. If it rains heavily, we try to seek shelter and will continue as soon as the weather improves. During the rainy season, it’s a good idea to bring a raincoat or poncho. Please note cancellations due to weather are not eligible for a refund.
- The exact departure time from the meeting point will be sent to you via private message on the booking platform one day before the tour. Please check your email (including your junk/spam folder) carefully the day before your tour to avoid any delays or missed departures.
- For tours starting at 7:00 hrs, departure from the meeting point will be between 6:30 and 7:00 hrs, depending on the number of participants.
- For tours starting at 10:15 hrs, departure from the meeting point will be between 9:30 and 10:15 hrs, depending on the number of participants.
Reviews(1,674)
Paul and Pyut are excellent tour guides. Very knowledgeable. Awesome experience. I would recommend them. Paul is funny and very patient with us. Its an unforgettable experience. We are very happy. Sabai sabai!
Very good and entertaining , very mindful of what are we experiencing, good and postive attitude.
Paul was a happy man. Very accomodating. Very knowledgeable. One reason why we enjoy our trip is because of the tour guide
Great experience. Our family of four, two kids, two parents, loved it, especially the noodle soup at the floating market. Wan was an excellent guide.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're so happy your whole family had such a great time, especially enjoying the delicious noodle soup at the floating market. Wan will be delighted to hear your kind words. We hope to welcome your family back for another unforgettable adventure in Thailand!
We had an amazing experience with our tour guide, Wam! She explained everything thoroughly, was incredibly kind and sweet, and truly made our experience unforgettable. We would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting, and we would absolutely love to come back again!
Thank you for sharing your experience with us! It means so much to know Wan helped make your day so memorable. Your kind words and recommendation truly made us smile. We would be delighted to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in Thailand!
Great tour and guide! Great floating market and unique railway tour!
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're so happy to hear you enjoyed both the floating market and the unique railway market experience. Your kind words mean so much to our team. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure with WanderSiam soon!
We really enjoyed the tour, but especially our guide, "Coconut." She was very helpful, explained everything very well, accompanied us attentively, took many amazing photos, and is a sweetheart. The tour was definitely worth it because of her company that day. We highly recommend her!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that Coconut made your day so special. Her kindness, enthusiasm, and dedication to taking great care of our guests truly reflect the experience we hope to create. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we'll be sure to share your lovely words with Coconut. We look forward to welcoming you on another memorable adventure with WanderSiam.
We had the BEST tour guide ever! Her name is Kitty, like Hello Kitty. She treated us so well and went above and beyond so we could have a great time. She made sure my family and I took all the pictures we wanted and guided us safely through every place we visited. Kitty deserves an award honestly. I’m not sure if she’ll be able to read my review but if she happens to read it, I want to say thank you so much Kitty for making sure I took the picture I really really wanted to take back in November 2025 🥹🙏🏽 I recommend this tour 100% and would do it again if I go back to Thailand in the future!
Thank you so much for your amazing 5-star review! We're absolutely thrilled to hear that Kitty made your experience so special. It means a lot to us that she went above and beyond to make sure you and your family had a wonderful time, captured all the photos you wanted, and helped you feel comfortable throughout the tour. We'll definitely share your heartfelt message with Kitty—we're sure she'll be touched to know that you still remember that special photo from November 2025! Thank you for your kind recommendation and for choosing to explore Thailand with us. We truly hope to welcome you and your family back for another unforgettable adventure in the future!
This was a visit to the floating market and railway market. We were very lucky that there were only the two of us on trip, so we had the exclusive services of Paul, our guide and Maue our lady driver. Apologies if I got the spelling wrong. I visited the floating market 40 years ago when it was an actual working market and was surprised to see that now it's purely a tourist attraction and the only things on sale were souvenirs. Having said that, I suppose it's great that they managed to preserve it in some form and it's very pleasant to take a boat trip through the market stores which last time wasn't really possible. Paul was a brilliant guide. He was very cheerful, very funny, full of energy and we exchanged some interesting stories with him. The driving was also perfect. We did get to see a couple of other things which was very nice, a tree which had grown into a 400-year-old monastery building covering it with roots and branches. Also a seafood fish market. The train thing was okay but much like others I have seen in Hanoi. Expensive restaurants on the side of the tracks while you wait for a train to come past. Only downside is it's a bit of a long trek to and from, about an hour and a half each way but the car was very comfortable and air-conditioned
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. It’s wonderful to hear that Paul’s enthusiasm and storytelling made your trip so enjoyable, and we're glad the comfortable journey and special stops added to your day. Your thoughtful observations and feedback are truly appreciated. We hope your visit leaves you with lasting memories, and we'd be delighted to welcome you back to discover more of Thailand with us.
The pre-tour conversation, the pickup, and the excursion were all perfectly organized. The guide was very knowledgeable, knew the best spots for impressive photos, and provided insightful explanations throughout. It was a wonderful experience, and I’m happy to recommend both the tour and the tour operator.
Thank you for your wonderful review. We're delighted to hear that everything, from the pre-tour communication and pickup to the excursion itself, was well organized and met your expectations. It's especially rewarding to know that your guide's knowledge, local insights, and photography recommendations helped make the experience even more memorable. Thank you for your kind recommendation. We truly appreciate your support and hope to welcome you on another adventure in Thailand soon.
