Bangkok is a Thai town with the finest juxtapositions. A holiday in Bangkok is where one can witness the cosmopolitan glittery life moving harmoniously with the ancient and traditional village scenes. This is the town where there is tiring and lazy traffic on one side, and the long-tail boats gliding on the canals on the other.
Some Unexplored Markets of Bangkok
Apart from being known for its world-class food scenes for those adventurous food junkies out there and the remarkable nightlife, another thing this town is known for is the ever so lively markets. But if you do not fancy crowded and thronging streets, we have the names of the ones with lesser crowds below.
All of these markets are uncommercialized and unexplored which is the best thing is about them!
1.ARTBOX Night Market
Artbox Night Market Bangkok is trend-setting among outdoor market concepts of Bangkok. The stalls of this market are made from giant metal shipping containers, which is one of its kind. This market is also called Artboxthailand and is located in Chuvit Garden. It is centrally located between the Asok and Nana BTS Skytrain Stations. There are picnic tables and benches scattered throughout the park. Live music in the evenings lends the market a rather laidback atmosphere.
How much time is needed to explore
Artbox Night Market Bangkok is a place to spend a cool and fun-filled evening and night enjoying, drinking up in bars, listening to live stage music shopping for vintage fashion, handmade accessories, funky gadgets and trendy home décor.
The weekends and evenings are the best time to visit the market when it is liveliest. Also eat the wide variety of delicious street food gourmet-style burgers, seafood sets and Thai street delicacies. Set aside at least 4 – 5 hours for a complete exploration of the entire Artbox Night Market.
Distance from Pratunam & Sukhumvit
The distance from Pratunam to Artbox Night Market Bangkok is around 7 kilometres and takes around 14 minutes to reach by road. The other taxi route is of 4.4 kilometres and takes around 17 minutes and the third route is of 4 kilometres and takes approximately 16 minutes to cover. The time range to reach Artbox Night Market Bangkok via bus is 18 minutes to 28 minutes.
The distance from Sukhumvit to Artbox Night Market Bangkok is around 6 kilometres and takes approximately 17 minutes to reach by road via taxi and around 21 minutes via the other longer route of 5 kilometres and 23 minutes via the third route of 5.4 kilometres. By bus, the journey time would be around 6 minutes.
How to Reach (Bus, Taxi, Included in City Tour), Any Tips & Suggestions
The Artbox Night Market Bangkok can be conveniently reached by BTS as it is located between Nana and Asok BTS stations. The easiest way to reach Artbox Bangkok located at Chuvit Garden is to take BTS SkyTrain to Nana station or Asok station as the park is located on Sukhumvit Road between these two busy and centrally located BTS stations.
Artbox Night Market is approximately 250 metres from Nana and 350 metres from Asok, which is within a comfortable walking distance. You can combine the nearby attractions of Bangkok along with Artbox Night Market, Bangkok, such as the Emporium and EmQuartier, Subhashok The Art Centre and Lasgam Lasor Games and plan for a quirky day trip across Bangkok.
- Amulet Market
Amulet Market is a unique market selling Buddhist amulets, totems, coins and good-luck charms. It is a bustling handicrafts bazaar where the corridors remain lined with stalls that sell thousands of sacred trinkets with the power of protection. They are believed to ward off evil of all manner both spiritual and physical. The market is thronged by locals as well as visitors who are desperately in search of a special medallion or figurine that will offer protection from the evil, bring good health and shower blessing of health, happiness and fortune.
How much time is needed to explore
Spend as much time as you want to search for that special sacred piece that might be bear incense or blessings from monks. Look for that amulet with magical potential. They might cost right from 5 baht to hundreds of baht and a lot of bargaining or haggling is essential to drive the best deal.
Also, explore the nearby side alleys that lead towards the water. You might discover yet more interesting things such as rings and amulets that might fancy your eyes. There are a variety of cheap food stalls selling delicacies that you can try. A couple of hours is needed to explore the Amulet Market in its entirety.
Distance from Pratunam & Sukhumvit
The distance from Pratunam to Amulet Market is around 7.1 kilometres and takes around 22 minutes to reach by road. The other taxi route is of 9 kilometres and takes around 24 minutes and the third route of 8 kilometres takes 26 minutes. The time range to reach Amulet Market via bus is 37 minutes to 50 minutes.
The distance from Sukhumvit to Amulet Market is around 12 kilometres and takes approximately 26 minutes to reach by road via taxi and around 32 minutes via the other longer route of 8.7 kilometres and 33 minutes via the third route of 8.6 kilometres. By bus, it takes from 45 minutes to 1 hour.
How to Reach (Bus, Taxi, Included in City Tour), Any Tips & Suggestions
The area of Amulet market is serviced by ferries from Chang Pier, Maharaj Pier and Phra Chan Tai Pier. Thus it is easy to reach this place via waterway or ferry. Via BTS, you have to go from National Stadium BTS and take exit 2 down to street level, make a U-turn, and then walk approximately 20 meters to the bus stop.
Board bus 47 and ride for a journey time of 20 – 30 minutes. You need to get off the bus in front of the Grand Palace or Sanam Luang which is the big park just across. There you will find a side street that heads left between the two. You need to walk down the alley for about 400 meters and turn right and you shall be at the beginning of the market that would be spread across the street to your right.
- China Town
This is the oldest district in Bangkok since Chinese merchants moved to this area in the early 1780s when the city was founded. The Chinatown of Bangkok is one of the largest Chinatowns in the world. It was the capital of the Rattanakosin Kingdom and was established way back in 1782. Yaowarat Road is now the core or lifeline of Chinatown that serves as its main artery and lends its name to the entire Chinatown, Bangkok, area. Thus it is often referred to as Yaowarat.
How much time is needed to explore
Chinatown of Bangkok serves as a hub of Chinese culture and has plenty of shops selling traditional goods and savoury street food. During the day, the lane is packed with crowd visiting the fascinating temples such as Wat Traimit and Wat Mangkon and exploring the colourful and bustling street life, galleries, bars and restaurants. You can spend a whole day at Chinatown visiting the various attractions and eating and drinking merrily at the shops spread across the vicinity.
Distance from Pratunam & Sukhumvit
The distance from Pratunam to Chinatown of Bangkok is around 5.7 kilometres and takes around 11 minutes to reach by road. The other taxi route is of 5.9 kilometres and takes around 11 minutes and the third route of 5.6 kilometres takes 12 minutes. The time range to reach Chinatown of Bangkok via bus can range from 24 minutes to as much as 1 hour 12 minutes.
The distance from Sukhumvit to Banglamphu is around 7.4 kilometres and takes approximately 17 minutes to reach by road via taxi and around 16 minutes via the other route of 6.8 kilometres and 11.5 kilometres. By bus, it takes from around 33 minutes to 1 hour 13 minutes.
How to Reach (Bus, Taxi, Included in City Tour), Any Tips & Suggestions
While travelling from Pratunam to Chinatown Bangkok, if you avail the nearest MRT station to reach Chinatown you need to de-board at Hua Lamphong Station and from there Chinatown would involve another 10-15 minutes of walking. From Pratunam, taxi is the most comfortable option.
The distance between these two places is approximately a bit more than 5 kilometres and takes around 20-30 minutes to reach the destination and taxi fare would be around 80 baht. Time and fare might vary according to the traffic and time of day. By bus, you can take Bus No. 73 from Pratunam to Chinatown. Ensure that the bus traverses through the destination while boarding.
From the Sukhumvit MRT or subway station, you can take a train all the way to Hua Lumpong to reach Chinatown. Alternatively, avail the BTS or Skytrain to reach Asok BTS station and walk to the Sukhumvit MRT station. From Hua Lumpong Chinatown is a short walk away. You can simply take a motorbike or taxi all the way from Sukhumvit to Chinatown.
- Tha Tian Market
The Tha Tian Market is a famous historical community market located in the Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok, Thailand. It is situated near the Grand Palace and is also close to the various other famous tourist attractions such as Wat Pho beside the Chao Phraya River. It is surrounded by a row of beautifully restored painted yellow and green shophouses. As you walk inside Tha Tien Market you will be greeted by strong aromas of dried sea goods.
How much time is needed to explore
You can easily plan a full day trip to the Tha Tian Market and combine the close-by major attractions such as the Grand Palace and the Wat Pho. Reach the Wat Arun by crossing the river.
Distance from Pratunam & Sukhumvit
The distance from Pratunam to Tha Tian Market is around 6.9 kilometres and takes around 17 minutes to reach by road. The other taxi route is of 7.2 kilometres and takes around 17 minutes and the third route of 7.8 kilometres takes 22 minutes. The time range to reach Tha Tian Market via bus is 38 minutes to 50 minutes.
The distance from Sukhumvit to Tha Tian Market is around 10 kilometres and takes approximately 19 minutes to reach by road via taxi and around 20 minutes via the other longer route of 6.5 kilometres and half an hour via the third route of 12 kilometres. By bus, it takes from half an hour to around 45 minutes.
How to Reach (Bus, Taxi, Included in City Tour), Any Tips & Suggestions
The cheapest way to travel from Pratunam Market to Tha Tian Market is to travel by bus that costs 10 – 35 baht and takes 33 minutes to reach. The quickest way to travel from Pratunam Market to Tha Tian Market is to take a taxi which costs 110 – 140 baht and takes 7 minutes to reach.
There are direct buses departing from Pantip Pratunam and arriving at Kong Salak. The bus services depart every 15 minutes and operate daily and the journey takes approximately 12 minutes to cover the same distance.
From Sukhumvit, the most comfortable way to reach to the Tha Tian Market is via BTS SkyTrain boarding from Asok station till Saphan Taksin station. You need to take the Chao Phraya express boat. Travelling by car takes about 30 to 40 minutes to travel depending on the density of traffic and time of day.
To travel from Sukhumvit to Tha Tian Market in a combination of BTS and riverboat is easiest. Via BTS travel from Ploenchit BTS Station and buy a ticket to Saphan Taksin. Take the train running towards Morchit and get off at Siam. After two stations Exit train, descend downstairs to Silom line and board the train heading towards Wongwian Yai. Get off at the Saphan Taksin Station which is about after five stations.
Exit station and walk towards the Chao Phraya River in the same direction in which the train was going to reach the Sathorn Pier from where you can take a boat to the Grand Palace to reach Tha Tian Market. Follow the crowd towards the Grand Palace and Tha Tian Market is located just beside.
- Khlong Toei Market
Khlong Toei Market is famous for being Bangkok’s biggest fresh market. This market is located on Rama IV Road near the Khlong Toei and Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre MRT stations in the Khlong Toei neighbourhood. This market is often counted as a ‘must-visit’ market in Bangkok for lovers of fresh food. Khlong Toei means ‘Pandan Leaf Canal’. Pandan Leaf is a fragrant leaf that is used to heighten the flavours of Thai sweets and freshen the air.
How much time is needed to explore
The market place is a chaotic maze of stalls and pavilions that is designed as a busy web over a huge area amidst crowded lanes. Khlong Toei Market is ideal for photography. Buy fresh fruit and vegetables and also freshly cooked hot food. Observe how locals live let the ingredients make you feel hungry. Grab an easy snack in the market.
Distance from Pratunam & Sukhumvit
The distance from Pratunam to Khlong Toei Market is around 5.4 kilometres and takes around 14 minutes to reach by road. The other taxi route is of 5.6 kilometres and takes around 17 minutes and the third route of 11 kilometres takes 23 minutes. The time range to reach Khlong Toei Market via bus is 24 – 28 minutes.
The distance from Sukhumvit to Khlong Toei Market is around 10 kilometres and takes approximately 19 minutes to reach by road via taxi and around 20 minutes via the other longer route of 6.5 kilometres and half an hour via the third route of 12 kilometres. By bus, it takes from half an hour to around 45 minutes.
How to Reach (Bus, Taxi, Included in City Tour), Any Tips & Suggestions
The cheapest way to travel from Pratunam Market to Khlong Toei Market is to take the bus which will cost 10 – 35 baht and takes approximately 40 minutes. The quickest way to travel from Pratunam Market to Khlong Toei Market is to take the taxi which costs approximately 100 – 120 baht and takes around 4 minutes.
There is also a direct bus that departs from Mbk Center and arrives at Khlong Toei Market running every 15 minutes and operates on a daily basis with a journey time of approximately 18 minutes. There is no direct train from Pratunam Market to Khlong Toei Market but there are train services that run from Ratchaprarop to Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre via Phetchaburi. This route, including the transfers, takes approximately 24 minutes of journey time.
The cheapest way to travel from Sukhumvit to Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen is to take the MRT which will cost approximately 30 – 40 baht and takes around 46 minutes. The quickest way to travel from Sukhumvit to Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen is to take the taxi which costs approximately 150 – 185 and takes approximately 14 minutes. There is no direct bus between Sukhumvit and Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen.
There is however bus services departing from Soi Sukhumvit 10 that connects Viboon College via Khok Wua Intersection opposite Lottery with a journey time of approximately 1 hour 3 minutes, including transfers. There is a direct train that departs from Sukhumvit and arrives at Bang Phai with services departing every five minutes and operating every day with a journey time of approximately 24 minutes.
I hope that the information provided was really helpful for anyone who is planning a visit to Bangkok. For more information on places to visit, things to do, the best time to visit or any other information on Thailand please visit:https://www.thailand-tourism.net/
alison luri