Guide To The Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market in Bangkok

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One of the most exciting things to do in Bangkok is to check out the floating markets. There’s nowhere more authentic and charismatic than the winding canals where vendors yell from wooden, long-tail boats, selling their produce to those on land or in other boats.

The smell of incense and jasmine waft up my nostrils as soon as we enter the Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market. It’s pretty and calming, much like the rest of the villages on this side of the canal.

The smell of roasting BBQ pork guides us deep into the riverside market, and the sounds of sizzling meat on the grill and the yells of locals bartering prices fill my ears.

Flags stretch across the canals, tied to the thatched roofs covering the markets. It’s the side of Bangkok that you’ve got to see.

But what is it like visiting the Khlong Lat Mayom and how do you get there? Here is everything you need to know!

What is the most famous floating market in Bangkok?

If you ask any tour operator what is the most famous market, they will say Damnoen Saduak Floating Market or Amphawa Floating Market.

These markets are for only foreigners and are tailored towards western culture, but if you want the authenticity of a local market culture…ask the locals.

If you ask the locals which market they like the best, they will say probably say Khlong Lat Mayom.

What is a Floating Market?

A floating market is exactly what it says on the tin, it’s a market that floats…well, on boats. In Bangkok, there are several winding canals that meander around the small neighborhoods outside the city center.

The canals were once the main form of transport in the city before bridges were made, and were how traders got from neighborhood to neighborhood selling their goods.

Not much has changed today. Locals still use the canals as a way to get around, and also to sell produce from their traditional long-tail wooden boats.

You can find people selling everything from ceramics to houseware goods to fresh fruits and vegetables to street food from the tiny wooden boats in Bangkok’s canals.

But these markets don’t just pop up anywhere. There are a few dedicated spots for vendors to sell their goods from their boats, otherwise known as floating markets.

What It’s Like Visiting Khlong Lat Mayom

The floating markets are only about 30 minutes from Bangkok on the Thonburi side of…