Why should you go there and how do you do it right?

Either you arrive early or you don't. Tha Kha is the quieter alternative to Damnoen Saduak, a canal market in the Amphawa district, where boats still sell fruit, snacks, and home-cooked food to locals. By early afternoon, the place is quiet. By midday, the best produce is gone, and with it, much of its charm. Look out for the coconut blossom sugar for which this area is famous—ladled hot into clay pots.

The market is open Saturdays from 6:00 AM to approximately 2:00 PM and Sundays from 6:00 AM to approximately 1:00 PM. It has maintained its old rhythm from the time before the weekend market and is open on the 2nd, 7th, and 12th days of the waxing and waning moon, from approximately 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM. If you can't make it on the weekend, it's best to consult a Thai lunar calendar. Admission is free. If you'd like to explore beyond the market, you can take a rowboat along the canal, passing orchards and old wooden houses.

Mae Klong is located in Samut Songkhram province, about 90 minutes to two hours from Bangkok and approximately a 15-minute drive from Amphawa, making it possible to visit both in one day. There is no direct public transport connection. The best option is to take a minivan from the southern bus station to Mae Klong and then a songthaew (shared taxi) in the morning for about 20 baht and 45 minutes. Alternatively, you can hire a driver in Amphawa. Wear shoes that you don't mind getting dirty, as the riverbanks are uneven.