SHOPPING & MARKETS
Finger food, cooked food, sweets, fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, all cooked in authentic wooden boats that are floating around on the quiet canal next to your table. This floating market, while situated in Bangkok, is not as crowded and chaotic as the more famous Damnoen Saduak. It’s the perfect place to get a great inside view of the daily life of river people, since this market is very popular among locals, but not known by many travellers. Thus, it’s the ideal getaway from the crowded city centre to a peaceful atmosphere with delicious food.
Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market
(คลองลัดมะยมตลาดน้ำ: open 9.30am-4.30pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays)
Wang Lang Market
(ตลาดวังหลัง: open 10am-5pm)
Snack your way through this market: Wang Lang Market is a terrific place for street food near the Grand Palace. When admiring its typical myriad of street food stalls – booths with ready-made snacks but small restaurants as well – tasting some sweet waffle coconut pancakes (khanom tungtag) and deep fried pork is an absolute must. Special treat for shopaholics: Wang Lang Market also has a shopping market with clothes and gadgets.
Chatuchak Weekend Market
(ตลาดนัดสวนจตุจักร: open 9am-6pm on Saturdays and Sundays, 6pm-12pm on Fridays)
Shop till you drop in one of the world’s largest weekend markets, offering furniture, flowers, plants, amulets, antiques, decorations, clothing and even pets. Built as a real shopping mecca with over 15.000 stalls, this frequently visited market requires a map (e.g. http://www.jjmarketmap.com/) to guide you through it.
Khlong Toey Market
(ตลาดคลองเตย: open 6am-2am)
As the largest wet market in town, Khlong Toey Market has a life of its own. The shouting vendors offering fresh fruit and vegetables, will give you a look inside the mass food distribution of Bangkok and inside the life of the locals. This is another local, traditional market for the food lovers where Thai sweets, grilled meat and dumplings are a few of the many delicacies to be consumed.
MBK - Shopping Center
(เอ็มบีเค: open 10am-10pm)
You know at what time you will arrive in one of Bangkok’s most enormous budget shopping malls, but it’s unpredictable when (or if) you’ll ever get out of there. There is nothing that you can’t find in this eight floor shopping center: clothes, handbags, electronic devices, souvenirs and even silk. The mall is well-known for its knock-offs so bargaining is a common practice.
Siam Square
(สยามสแควร์)
On the other hand, if you prefer high-end brands and names, Central World, Siam Paragon and Siam Square One are the place(s) to be. Siam Square is a famous, luxurious and modern shopping centre area in Bangkok where several delicious food courts can be found as well (e.g. Mr. Jones’ Orphanage).
