Amphawa Floating Market

Richard Barrow · #1 08-02-06, 09:03 PM

Most tourists follow the herd and go to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. But, there is another floating market nearby which you won't find in the Lonely Planet. As a consequence, you won't find many Westerners.

Visit Amphawa Floating Market for a more authentic experience.

www.AmphawaFloatingMarket.com

**BUCKY** · #2 12-05-08, 05:37 PM

After visiting Damnoen Saduak Floating market last month, I decided to go back to visit Amphawa to check out the floating market and the famous "firefly tour".
The difference between Damnoen Saduak and Amphawa is that the activities at Amphawa start only from the evening. So for lazy people like me who don't like waking up early during the weekends, you can go there in the evening time around 5 or 6 and still in time to take a boat tour to check out the fireflies around 7 or 8pm.
But if you're there early, you can check out the temples around Amphawa like the 200 years old Catholic Church, Bangkuung temple and Bangkae Noi Temple, etc. There's even a Thai cat "musuem" where they breed the cats there. Home stays at Amphawa is very popular now. Its almost fully booked and packed with Thai tourists during the weekend.

**BUCKY** · #3 12-05-08, 05:44 PM

For 600 baht a night, you get to stay in this type of ancient Thai style house (with no air-con, hot water but small tv with no cable) which has a toilet outside the house and get to feed the mosquitoes for free.

**BUCKY** · #4 12-05-08, 05:55 PM

You can easily join the firefly sighting tour at the Amphawa market at only 60 baht per head. The tour is more than 1 hour so make sure you already had your dinner or you can buy some snacks and beer for the trip. There are more than 1 boat services at the market but all of them are charged the same at 60 baht per head. I think they all start around 7pm and end around 10pm. I thought the trip was wonderful but I should've bring along more beer... I was quite skeptical about the fireflies too because they look like lightings on a christmas tree but.... I thought I did see some of them move in the end.... or was it just my blurry eyes from the beer?

Richard Barrow · #5 12-05-08, 05:59 PM

Thanks for sharing. I went there more than two years ago I think. Back then I didn't see any foreign tourists at all. But as my blog about the floating market has now been seen by thousands (lots of them search through google) I am wondering whether it gets to see more foreigners now.

I am interested to go back and maybe do homestay. But there has been a fair bit of bad publicity over the last year about too many people trying to cash in on the tourists and no-one regulating it. For example, so many boat tours at night that disturb the local people.

Out of interest, did the homestay include breakfast? And how did you find out about it?

I really should go back as we bought the domain www.AmphawaFloatingMarket.com

**BUCKY** · #6 12-05-08, 06:04 PM

The temples...
1) Wat Baang Khae Noi (very nice scultures on the walls and ceiling)
2) Wat Baang Khung (amazing temple inside big tree)
3) 200 years old Church (200 years old!)

**BUCKY** · #7 12-05-08, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Barrow

Thanks for sharing. I went there more than two years ago I think. Back then I didn't see any foreign tourists at all. But as my blog about the floating market has now been seen by thousands (lots of them search through google) I am wondering whether it gets to see more foreigners now.

I think if compared to Damnoen Saduak, Amphawa is still more of a local tourist spot. I didn't see many foreigners there as compared to Damnoen Saduak who came by the dozens in tour busses and vans. But it is very crowded and full of (Thai) tourists.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Barrow

I am interested to go back and maybe do homestay. But there has been a fair bit of bad publicity over the last year about too many people trying to cash in on the tourists and no-one regulating it. For example, so many boat tours at night that disturb the local people.

Yes I think more and more homestay resorts are coming up and yes, the motorboats can get quite noisy in the night. But I think they have orders that all activities should stop by 10pm.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Barrow

Out of interest, did the homestay include breakfast? And how did you find out about it?

My girlfriend found it through the local websites. The informations were in Thai and she tried several and were all booked! Mine included breakfast but its only just a simple pork porridge, bah thong gou (the chinese thing) and coffee. I thought at 600 baht with no air-con and warm water is a little pricey..... but the owner (old couple) is very nice and friendly and took time to tell us all the places of interests in Amphawa.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Barrow

I really should go back as we bought the domain www.AmphawaFloatingMarket.com

You should get your marketing guy to contact all the homestay owners in the area and charge them a fee to help them advertise!

**BUCKY** · #8 12-05-08, 06:25 PM

There's a Taksin The Great statue just beside the great tree temple and interestingly, there's a chinese looking soldier beside the statue. Check it out. Anyone knows the story? Maybe he had chinese soldiers fighting for him back then.... I was told the place was used to train Thai soldiers in the art of Muay Thai and sword fighting.

Richard Barrow · #9 12-05-08, 06:37 PM

The tour we joined they didn't have the Christian church. That must be new. I will try and make an effort. I guess it is about 90 minutes to driver there. Maybe if I go Friday it will be easier to find a place to stay. A few homestays did a comment on my blog.

**BUCKY** · #10 12-05-08, 06:38 PM

Overall, I enjoyed the trip. I'll definetly bring my relatives and friends there who're tired of the shopping malls of Bangkok and want to experience the other side of Thailand.