Last Updated on December 1, 2023 by Natalia
Bangkok is home to some iconic floating markets, which means the lesser-known Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market is often overlooked by tourists. Despite this, the market is conveniently located much closer to downtown Bangkok than the more famous Amphawa Floating Market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. The market isn’t as busy with boats as you may expect, but it offers a more authentic experience whilst allowing you to avoid the hoards of tourists found at the more popular markets. If you’re looking for unique things to do then it’s definitely worth adding Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market to your Bangkok itinerary.
If you’re looking for more hidden gems to visit in Thailand then make sure to read our post on the amazing Khao Sok National Park!
How to get to Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
Public Transport
As of 2023, there is a free floating markets shuttle bus which makes it a lot easier to get to Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market using public transport. The shuttle bus departs from Bang Khun Non MRT Station, which is located on the MRT Blue Line.
If you aren’t near an MRT station on the Blue Line then you may need to take another line and then change, or do part of your journey via the BTS Skytrain. Alternatively, you can take a taxi – which we cover in the section below.
The free shuttle bus departs from exit 3 of Bang Khun Non MRT Station, and stops at Song Khlong Floating Market, Taling Chan Floating Market, Southern Bus Terminal, Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market, Flower Market Thailand, and Wat Saphan Floating Market.
Free shuttle buses only run on weekends, with departures around every 20-30 minutes from 9am until the last bus at 4.30pm. If you download the Viabus app you can search for the route ‘4 floating market shuttle bus’ to get live updates of exactly where the buses are.
Click here to find out what other apps you should download for your time in Bangkok.
As the shuttle bus is free you will only need to pay for your journey to and from Bang Khun Non Station. Public transport is cheap in Bangkok, but the price will obviously depend on where exactly you’re coming from.
The accessibility of Khlong Lat Mayom makes it one of Bangkok’s best floating markets. Although the market is located in the city’s Taling Chan District, make sure not to confuse it with the Taling Chan Floating Market.
Taxi
The Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market is around a 20-30 minute drive from downtown Bangkok, depending on traffic. In contrast, if you want to visit Amphawa Floating Market or Damnoen Saduak Floating Market then expect the journey to take around 1½-2 hours each way when you factor in traffic.
A taxi from Bangkok City Centre to the Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market should cost around 200 Baht one-way. It’s best to book your taxi through Grab as that way you know exactly how much you’ll be paying.
If you take a taxi or tuk-tuk from the street make sure to agree a price in advance, as drivers will often try to overcharge unsuspecting tourists.
As long as you have mobile data you should be able to easily book a Grab to take you from the market back to the city centre. Despite being a little way outside of the city, there are normally lots of drivers around the area – so getting back shouldn’t be a problem!
Best time to visit Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
The Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market is only open on weekends and public holidays, with opening hours between 8am and 5pm. It can get quite busy, so we recommend visiting earlier in the day so that you can explore the market when it’s quieter.
If you don’t fancy an early start then it’s a good idea to visit Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market at around lunchtime. There are plenty of food stalls selling delicious local dishes for extremely reasonable prices, so it’s ideal if you’re looking for a good value lunch!
Although the market can get quite busy at times, in our experience it was more busy with local tourists. Unfortunately it can be quite hard to avoid the crowds as the market is only open a few days a week, and so it’s regularly busy from around 10am onwards.
Boat trip at Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
One of the highlights of visiting the Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market is the chance to take a boat tour around the surrounding canals. These boat trips range from one to two hours, and should cost no more than 100 Baht per person.
Not all of the boat trips follow the same route, but you will get to see more of the floating market. Other potential stops include a temple, an orchid farm and a local homestay. If you have a preference make sure to check where you’ll be visiting before paying for your boat trip!
These tours are a nice way to see a different and much calmer side to Bangkok. With a bit of luck you may even see an Asian water monitor lizard swimming about during your boat ride.
Boat trips at the Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market don’t run always run to an exact schedule. Some boats leave on the hour but some only leave when they’re full, so you may want to take a look around and see what suits you best. If you don’t fancy waiting you can always pay more for a private tour, but make sure to agree a price in advance!
Tips for visiting Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
Food and Drink – Like many of the markets in Southeast Asia, there’s plenty of food and drink on offer at the Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market. It’s a great place to try some local dishes at an affordable price, and the food is cooked right in front of you too! It’s worth having a wander around to see what’s on offer and trying a dish or two!
Boats – If you’re hoping to see hundreds of boats and floating stalls then you’ll be disappointed. Although it’s a floating market, you may only see around 5-10 floating stalls.
We didn’t know what to expect on our visit and thought there may have been a few more boats. Despite that, we still really enjoyed the atmosphere and the boat trip around the canals, so we recommend visiting the Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market during your time in Bangkok.
Haggle – As with a number of markets in Asia, be prepared to haggle if you want the best deal and price at Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market.
Tour – Khlong Lat Mayom floating market is easy enough to visit on your own, however if you would like a tour then Get Your Guide have a number of ones that involve this place.
Click here to book your Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market tour!
Other Floating Markets in Bangkok
If you’re hoping for a busier floating market then you may want to consider visiting either the Amphawa Floating Market or the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market.
Generally speaking, both markets are a bit more touristy. They’re also further outside of Bangkok City Centre, with the journey taking around 1½-2 hours one-way.
It’s possible to arrange a floating market tour from Bangkok either in travel agencies or by booking online. We recommend booking via Klook or Get Your Guide, as you can check reviews in advance and know exactly what you’re paying for!
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market tours can start from as little as 1200 Baht through Klook, and from 1,000 Baht through Get Your Guide. These tours also include a stop at the Maeklong Railway Market, which is located alongside a railway line, as the name suggests!
Click here to book a tour to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market through Klook!
Click here to book a trip to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market on Get Your Guide’s website!
If you’d prefer to visit the Amphawa Floating Market then you can book a tour through Get Your Guide, with prices starting from 1,636 Baht. This tour also stops at the Maeklong Railway Market and includes a firefly boat tour too.
Click here to book a tour to the Amphawa Floating Market with Get Your Guide!
If you’re travelling more of Thailand then don’t miss the beautiful island of Koh Phi Phi. Check out our guide to the amazing things to do in Koh Phi Phi, as well as our post on the best places to stay on Phi Phi Island!
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