Welcome to Bangkok—a magical city where you can find a fascinating cocktail of traditions and modernity. 

Welcome to Bangkok—a magical city where you can find a fascinating cocktail of traditions and modernity. This pulsating metropolis offers everyone an all-around destination for culture, gastronomic escapades, dazzling nightlife, shopping sprees and all the exotic things you could possibly yearn for. If you are a shopaholic who loves to splurge on outdoor markets and gain a different perspective of Bangkok as a premier attraction at the same time, you will definitely enjoy a day at the city’s floating markets.

Floating markets offer captivating cultural experiences and a glimpse into the local way of Thai life as a contrast to the frenetic pace of the rest of the metropolis. Here you will be fascinated by boats of various shapes and sizes used by local merchants to ferry their goods. You can immerse in the local colors of Thailand--from fresh exotic fruits, homemade delicacies, to various local products being sold by charming ladies with a carefree grin and a relaxed bearing. Here are some of Bangkok's floating markets, which guarantee you a first-hand experience of that legendary Thai hospitality:

Bang Phli

Established by Chinese traders more than 150 years ago, Samut Prakan’s traditional floating market is still going strong. Unlike some other floating markets in Thailand, Bang Phli has managed to escape the pressures of tourism and remained close to its roots. Instead of finding cheap souvenirs and Western snacks, visitors enjoy traditional Thai food as well as locally produced fruit and vegetables and other products in this market. Not many Westerners make it to Bang Phli; this remains a real gem for visitors who are searching for the city’s mysterious side.

Khlong Lad Mayom 

Winner of the 2007 Thailand Tourism Award in Community Based Tourism, Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market prides itself on being a green market. Located in Taling Chan, Thonburi, Bangkok, this picture-perfect floating market attracts visitors who seek organic vegetables, freshly cooked delicacies and unique artwork and handicrafts. The land used by the market is on the edge of a coconut plantation where tourists can walk along a marked out trail and personally handpick edible wild fruits. While the other floating markets may be chaotic, Khlong Lat Mayom makes a great haven for relaxation and an opportunity to enjoy a rare floating market experience.

Taling Chan 

Located in a place called Chak Phra, the Taling Chan market sprawls on a canal linking Bangkok Noi to the north and Bangkok Yai to the south. Taling Chan makes for a nice weekend trip if you're in for a new shopping experience. A strew of canals around the market can be visited by taking a boat, which reveals small villages along its way. To complete your trip to the floating markets in Bangkok, take a quick ride at full throttle on one of the speed boats. These distinctively narrow and well-crafted wooden hulls are powered by long-tail engines, which were made famous by the chase sequences in the James Bond movie. These small yet beautiful vessels, with the canals and floating markets, are magical attractions that you just can't afford to miss when you're in the city.