Damnoen Saduak
Floating Market
in Ratchaburi is one of the
most famous tourist
attractions in Thailand.
Damnoen Saduak
Floating Market is also
well-known as Khlong Ton
Khem Floating Market.

Around 1866, King Rama IV commanded to dig Khlong Damnoen Saduak with a distance of more than 32 kilometers, connecting the Mae Klong River at Bang Nok Khwaek to the Tha Chin River at Pratunam Bang Yang.

There are several small canals, so people in Ratchaburi, Samut Songkhram, and Samut Sakhon can commute to visit each other conveniently by boat.

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market was first known as a tourist attraction in 1967 with a picture of the floating market crowded with small rowing boats which contained necessary products for living. We could see tradesmen, who dressed in dark-coloured clothes with a hat made of palm leaves like farmers, rowing boats to sell and exchange products in the period when the waterway was the main transportation route.
Nowadays tourists mingle with the market folk. Besides local products sold from the boats a variety of shops have opened along the riverside under shady roofs selling souvenirs, clothes and offering Thai massage and coffee corners.
Tourists can be part of all the action either walking along the canal buying products like noodles, Chinese Buns, Sticky Rice with Mango, drinking coconuts, fruits of the season and souvenirs like hats and bags, or do the same sitting in a boat floating along.

Drinking coconuts

Seasonal fruits

Cream pancakes

Despite being one of the top tourist attractions in Thailand, the floating market has a good and friendly, relaxed atmosphere which is worth visiting for several hours.

Except for the snake charmers nobody will ask you for money for taking pictures.

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market opens every day around 8 o'clock in the morning and is busy until lunch time.

For boat trips two options are offered, paddle boats and motor boats.
You can rent a private paddle boat for 400 Baht per hour or join a group for 50 Baht per person per hour.
Motor boats are 500 Baht per boat or 100 Baht/person.

The boat trips include an optional visit to the coconut sugar factory nearby. There you may get an interesting demonstration of the production process. You can even taste the coconut sugar and purchase this unique sugar to take home with you.

There are several other floating markets in the area. Most of them are very small.
At Eat Prasatsit Floating Market traditional ways of life can still be seen. It opens early in the morning until 8.00 am.

Under the telephone number of the Tourism Public Relations Center of Amphoe Damnoen Saduak at Tel. 032-241023 a friendly lady gives you all sorts of information, invites you to her counter near the floating market, and is ready to sell you tours to anywhere in the area.

Floating Market

Damnoen Saduak