Three Bangkok Markets for different Comfort Zones

Markets are very much part of the Bangkokian lifestyle, where locals shop for fresh produce as much as they stop in for a snack. Regardless of whether you prefer painstakingly organised aisles or stepping into a puddle of unidentified liquid, there are markets for miles in this city, so come hungry.

1. Play it Safe Or Tor Kor Market

Of the three markets listed here, Or Tor Kor is the only one with a website, which gives you some indication of its modernity. In 2017 it gained fame for being listed by CNN number four on its list of the world’s best fresh markets. It’s beside Bangkok's Chatuchak weekend market and strikes you as the kind of place where BKK’s upper-middle class do their shopping. Though it’s undercover with bright lighting and immaculate displays, Or Tor Kor is as legit as any other Bangkok market, offering exotic fresh produce, an impressive seafood section and a couple of casual dining areas surrounded by a multitude of temping vendors touting everything from oyster omelettes and moo ping to noodle soups and curries. Thai snacks, curry pastes and spices are packaged up nicely here and make for wonderful souvenirs.

101 Kamphaeng Phet Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok

2. Like a Local Nang Loeng Market

The days when vendors would sell produce from wooden boats at Don Wai Floating Market are over, but it still has a prime riverfront location overlooking the Tha Chin (aka Tha Jeen) River. Don Wai is in the Nakhon Pathom province, about 30 kilometres west of Bangkok. To get there will take you around 40 (around 400 baht, or $20 AUD, in a metered taxi). Here you’ll find very few international tourists – Don Wai is truly a market for local shoppers. It can be roughly divided into a fresh produce section with neat rows of exotic fruits, vegetables and herbs; an area with snacks ranging from barbecued pork and duck tongues to coconut cakes and ice cream; and a narrow section towards the back with stalls offering everything from sun-dried razor clams to sea grapes (edible seaweed) with chilli sauce. Go hungry, take a shopping bag to pick up tropical fruit and Thai sweets, and don’t miss the duck noodle restaurant hanging over the river.

Soi Rai Khing, Sam Phran, Nakhon Pathom

3. Off the Beaten Track Don Wai Floating Market

Of the three markets listed here, Or Tor Kor is the only one with a website, which gives you some indication of its modernity. In 2017 it gained fame for being listed by CNN number four on its list of the world’s best fresh markets. It’s beside Bangkok's Chatuchak weekend market and strikes you as the kind of place where BKK’s upper-middle class do their shopping. Though it’s undercover with bright lighting and immaculate displays, Or Tor Kor is as legit as any other Bangkok market, offering exotic fresh produce, an impressive seafood section and a couple of casual dining areas surrounded by a multitude of temping vendors touting everything from oyster omelettes and moo ping to noodle soups and curries. Thai snacks, curry pastes and spices are packaged up nicely here and make for wonderful souvenirs.

101 Kamphaeng Phet Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok