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The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is
located at Damnoen Saduak District, Ratchaburi Province. It is a
‘must-see’ destination, and is one of the most popular day trips
from Bangkok. In the past, Damnoenssaduak was the name of the
canal. It was dug in the reign of King Rama IV (1866) by the
military men and the people of Ratchaburi, Samutsakorn and
Samutsongkram Provinces.
 The canalization was directed by
Phayasrisuriyawong, the minister of Defence. In those days
without rivers and canals, transportation was almost motionless;
King Rama IV with his great concern over the country's future
economic growth, he finally had the canal dug to connect the
Tacheen River in Samutsakorn Province and Maklong River in
Samutsongkram Province together.
Damnoen Saduak Floating MarketPeople here live densely along
both sides of the canal from one end of the canal to another.
The majority of these people are agriculturists. They grow
several different kinds of fruit and vegetable for examples
oranges, grapes, papayas, cabbages, bean, onion and etc. The
land in this area is naturally fertile.
Damnoensaduak Canal
provides not only transportation, but also agricultural
purposes. Damnoensaduak Canal provides farmers with adequate
water throughout the year. More than 200 small canals were dug
by local peasants; they were connected to Damnoensaduak Canal in
order to get water to splash their land. These small canals also
become the modes of transport to deliver their agricultural
products to the markets in neighbouring provinces and Bangkok.
Nowadays Damnoensaduak is one of a provincial district of
Rajburi Province. Most people live densely along both sides of
the canal from one end of the canal to another.The majority of
this people are agriculturists. They grow several different
kinds of fruit and vegetable for examples oranges, grapes,
papayas, cabbages, bean, onion and etc. The land in this area is
naturally fertile.
Apart from providing transportation,
Damnoensaduak Canal also provides farmers with adequate water
for agricultural purposes for the whole year around. More than
200 small canals were dug by local peasants to connect with it
to get water to splatter their land. Moreover; these small
canals also become protitiouus ways of taking their agricultural
products to the markets in neighbouring provinces and Bangkok.
In 1967, The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market was first introduced
to the world as a tourist attraction. It is a very attractive
place for tourists to see the old style and traditional way of
selling and buying fruits, vegetables, etc., from small boats.
Every morning, hundreds of boats crowd the market area. Most of
them are paddled by women with picturesque straw hats. Visitors
can find everything from vegetables and fruits to freshly-cooked
noodle and souvenirs at this lively market.
Day in and day out
from about 8 a.m. to about 11 a.m. the Floating Market is
routinely crowded with hundreds of vendors and purchasers
floating in their small rowing boats selling and buying or
exchanging their goods. What they purchase are particularly
food, fruit and vegetable which mostly brought from their own
orchards. They usually travel on their small rowing boats.
Today
the long-tailed boats pushing by engine become very popular.
People tend to use them instead. Anyhow because of the shortage
of fuel today long-tailed boats are quite unavailable compared
to a few years ago. Visitors will also see traditional Thai
houses, the way they live and travel by boats, and please try
riding on a small boat to experience the floating market and to
see more. This is a worthwhile trip.
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
How to Get There
By Car: Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is 109 km south of
Bangkok or approximately 2 hours drive. From Bangkok, take
Highway No. 4 (Phetchakasem Rd.) and turn left at Km. 80 for
another 25 km. along Bangpae-Damnoen Saduak Rd.
By Bus: There are public buses both air and non air-conditioned
leaving from the Southern Bus Terminal in Pinklao-Nakhonchaisi
Rd. for Damnoen Saduak every 40 minutes from 06.00 hrs. onwards.
Tel . 0-2435-5031, 0-2435-1199 for air-conditioned buses
Tel. 0-2434-5557-8 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 0-2434-5557-8
end_of_the_skype_highlighting for non air-conditioned buses
 The most suitable time to be at the market is from 08.00-10.00
hrs, aim to get there as early as possible. The bus travels via
Nakhon Pathom. Tell the bus conductor to drop you at Thanarat
Bridge in Damoen Saduak.
Arriving at Damnoen Saduak, then either walk down on the passage
along the canal on the right hand side that leads to the market
and follows the canal, or take a taxi boat at the pier nearby or
minibus to Floating Market area. Those who want to see all the
three of the Floating Markets, Ton Khem, Hia Kui, and Khun
Phithak may hire a long-tailed boat at the price of Baht 300 per
hour to explore the backwaters and roam around the markets. It
is recommended that the fare should be settled before setting
out. There is a tourist office here which can arrange tours and
transport. Most tour agencies also visit the Floating Market.
The visit to this market, especially noted for its fresh fruits
from surrounding orchards, can be combined with a tour of the
great chedi in Nakhon Pathom or Rose Garden which is on the same
route, the show time at the Thai Village in the Rose- Garden is
at 15.00 hrs. and admission fee is Baht 190 per person. This
trip can be arranged through a travel agency or tour counter in
most of the hotels in Bangkok.
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