Pattaya Floating Market has been a riverside attraction in Pattaya that was established in the year 2008 to display and showcase the beautiful ancient Thai riverside living community and authentic ways of life. Visiting this place, you will get to enjoy the local culture and local products from four major regions of Thailand.
A trip to Pattaya is incomplete without a tour of its famous floating market. The Pattaya Floating Market is one of the biggest spectacles in Thailand, where hundreds of vendors park their boats on the water, selling a multitude of items that are unique to Thailand and Pattaya. The market is divided into four distinct sections- north, south, central and north-east- where each zone displays, sells and curates different aspects of Thai life and culture.
Guests and visitors during the Thailand trip can visit this market rent out a boat with a driver and explore the famous Pattaya floating market. Apart from being a market for souvenirs and utilities, the Pattaya floating market is also a center of art and culture. Here, you can check out some incredible specimens of local architecture, museums, and even art exhibitions and performances. This is also one of the best places to sample the local cuisine of Thailand from the many food shops that are there.
• Indulge in a once in a lifetime opportunity to paddle through the 100000 square kilometer river market that is packed with more than 114 shops and water vendors.
• Get to shop souvenirs from a wide range of traditional stalls and relish delectable local snacks from many eateries.
• Come across beautiful wood carvings, traditional Thai apparel, handmade clocks and much more.
• Indulge in being a part of the cultural shows to get a dose of the unique and amazing Thai Tradition.
The easiest way to reach Pattaya Floating Market is by hiring a private cab or a Blue Cab that will not only take you to the floating market but give you a tour of all the important attractions in Pattaya.
However, if you are looking for a relatively cheaper travel option, then you can hitch a ride on a songthaew, which is a white baht bus, which departs from the south side of the Sukhumvit Highway. From there, it is a 5km journey to the Pattaya Floating Market that costs about 10-20 THB.
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The best time to visit the Pattaya Floating Market is between November and March, which is the winter season in Pattaya. The dry tropical climate of Thailand will allow you to enjoy the gifts of the floating market and its views without the heat of summer and the storms of monsoon hampering your plans.
The market remains crowded through most part of the day, but that shouldn’t stop you from having a good time. If you are interested in photography and sightseeing, you must visit during the sunset hours to catch the beautiful light in the market.
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Places to Eat in Pattaya Floating Market
1. Street food at the Pattaya Floating Market: It is impossible to avoid the local food found at the Pattaya Floating Market. Of the 114 stalls in the market, a lot of them sell a variety of local curries, soups, snacks and delicacies. You can get all the authentic local Thai food you have been looking for, all in one place.
2. Red Coral Lounge: Head to the Red Coral Lounge that is posh and luxurious for a meal, in contrast to the local street food in the premises of the floating market. It is an incredibly beautiful eatery with a sweeping view of the surrounding water and landscape, facing the sunset. It is a casual dining place where you can enjoy pastries, chocolates, cocktails, snacks and much more.
3. Poo Pen: Thai cuisine is incomplete without its seafood, and one of the best places where you can taste the seafood is in Poo Pen. They source their produce locally every morning, which means every dish is as fresh as possible and tastes equally delicious.
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1. Make sure you travel light when you are in the market. The more belongings you have on your person, the more chances you have of losing them. You are also likely to buy more stuff at the market, so keep your belongings to a minimum to keep track of them.
2. Since it is a floating market located on the water, you must wear waterproof shoes and keep your belongings in bags that are waterproof.
3. The people of Pattaya are very particular about their cleanliness, so visitors are not allowed to litter.
4. The best way to tour the market is by hiring a boat that is operated by a local man, even though there are wooden walkways between the shops.
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Enjoy delicious exotic Thai cuisines including local Pattaya delicacies from a number of restaurants that serve you exclusive and buffet meals. You can also enjoy the famous Barbecued Crocodile on one of the floating stalls.
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Get into the vibe of Pattaya with locals dancing in their folk dance with a uniform. This traditional showcase will make you more touched with this place. Moreover, you can wear a dress and join them. A picture with all the artists and dancers will make your visit to Pattaya memorable
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You can enjoy a thrilling and adventurous Zipline tour in the Pattaya floating market and watch the colorful floating stalls from above. There are a number of ziplining operators in the market whom you can book a ride via both online and offline modes. Watching the boats passing under you in the giant bazaar is worth a watch.
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Although there are separate wooden pathways all over the market, still an entertaining boat ride in the floating market is unmatched. There are different types of boats you can opt for a ride. A separate 4-seater or a large Boat-bus, you can tour in any of your preferences. But it is recommended to bargain and settle on the time period of the ride from the operator before you board on the tour.
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Let loose your shopping wishes and take away some nice souvenirs for your home and friends. The Pattaya floating market is famous for its wooden handicraft and handmade clothes. Make sure you bargain with the shopkeepers as they may ask for a much higher price.
Take out some moments to feed fruits and seeds to the parrots sitting in their cage. It is beautiful to watch them eat the food gracefully without hurting the visitor.
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Nothing can be more entertaining than a monkey doing jaw-dropping tricks in front of you. You can watch the trainer making the monkey go around you and do juggling with balls and other stunts.
Pattaya is famous for many things including its beaches, culture and food. It is one of the most sought-after holiday destinations in Thailand because of the pristine white beaches and sparkling blue waters. It is also a centre of a rich and vibrant culture which is represented through its delicious local food, colourful architecture and religious relics.
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Unique souvenirs
Handicrafts
Handmade wooden toys
Wall clocks
Thai silks
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The Pattaya Floating Market is located right in the heart of the city, in Pattaya. The market, which is spread over an area of 100,000 square metres, is on Sukhumvit Road on your way to Sattahip, which is quite close to the famous Pattaya Underwater World.
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Because of the popularity of the route between Bangkok to Pattaya, there are several transport options available.
By road: One of the most common ways to ferry between Bangkok and Pattaya is by bus. There are AC buses that leave from the Eastern, Northern and Southern Bus Terminal in Pattaya at frequent intervals. The journey to Pattaya takes approximately 2 hours, depending on the route your bus takes and the traffic, and costs around 20-115 THB.
You can also hire minivans, taxis and private cars, which are available in abundance in Bangkok. By train: Travelling to Pattaya from Bangkok by train is one of the cheapest and most convenient ways to travel between the two cities. There are several local train services with trains scheduled at frequent intervals to take you from Bangkok to Pattaya. Although these trains only have 3rd class seating facilities, it is a pleasant 2-hour journey to Pattaya that costs around 20-30 THB.
By flight: While the U-Tapao airport is the closest airport to Pattaya, located in Sattahip, the most convenient airport you can access while travelling to Pattaya is the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok. U-Tapao airport is not a very busy airport and has limited connectivity, which is why the most feasible option is to travel to Pattaya from the airport in Bangkok via a bus or a hired taxi.
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If you are hiring a taxi from Pattaya to Bangkok, it should cost you around 1500 THB. This is the official rate for hiring a taxi by the metre to travel from one city to the other. However, you can also negotiate the price. If your hotel or your tour organizers are arranging for the taxi, then you might also get an additional discount.
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Yes, the floating market in Pattaya is definitely worth a visit as you will get to enjoy the unique Thai feeling, shop loads of traditional elements and beautiful souvenirs, and relish the best of Thai seafood as well as knicks and knacks.
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