Visiting five floating markets around town (Market 5: Bueng Phraya, Wat Phraya Suren)

     One-day excursions to Bangkok’s floating markets are plentiful, but I'd like to highlight the Bueng Phraya Floating Market (also known as the Wat Phraya Suren Floating Market) today, northeast of Bangkok, near Safari World. This floating market, Bangkok's newest and most fashionable attraction, can be found on Khlong Phraya Suren, a canal that passes in front of Wat Phraya Suren, a shrine that dates back more than 120 years. The market is known for its unique blend of traditional charm and the laid-back ambiance of a canalside neighborhood, surrounded by fruit fields and lush vegetation.

     This fresh produce was made available for purchase for the first time on the floating market's opening day, 8 August 2014, with the goal of increasing its appeal as a tourist location. This not only encourages people to attend the temple and perform good deeds in the Thai tradition, but it also serves to increase income for the community, bringing life back to the waterfront area. Prior to its transformation into a bustling floating market along the Phraya Suren Canal, Wat Phraya Suren was constructed to serve as a place of prayer and merit-making.

     There are more than two hundred shops inside the market, all separated by locks. Most of these shops sell a wide selection of savory and sweet foods, including Tom Yum noodles, Pa Tiw chili paste, spicy salad, fried oysters in a hot pan, Ho Mok, Miang, grilled shrimp, fried chives, salt-grilled tilapia, Hainanese stewed pork on rice, and traditional Thai desserts like Khanom Mo Kaeng, Khanom Chan, ancient cup dessert, Lod Chong (Thai melon in coconut milk), traditional Thai snacks that are freshly made, and more. There are also many souvenir stores selling inexpensive trinkets and curios.

     Next to the parking lot, the market has organized a sheep farm in a beautiful garden with plenty of trees for shade, so that visitors can feed the sheep and take pictures. There’s a cute coffee store where you can meet adorable sheep up close and have a cup of coffee with a delicious cake. You can release birds, feed fish, pay homage to Phraya Suren, and visit the relics of five countries brought from Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Burma, and Thailand, at Phraya Suren House for personal good fortune before heading back home after a delicious meal and spending some quality time together.

     When it comes to potential routes, you have three options: (1) individual transportation, (2) the public transportation system, and (3) minibus. The market’s business hours are every Saturday and Sunday, from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.