Travel blogger Holly O'Sullivan (THATraveller) gives tips on how to find your way around Bangkok's three best markets.

Flower Market (Pak Klong Talad)

Bangkok's largest wholesale and retail market for fresh flowers is located on Chak Phet Road near the Memorial Bridge in the old city. Situated directly south of Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha), the flower market is bustling with activity after midnight or at dawn (3-4 am) – that's when vendors receive their colorful (and fragrant) flowers from growers all over the country.

You will also find props and accessories for flower arrangements, vases, flower pots, ribbons, floral wire, branches, decorative leaves and bouquets, flower garlands, and floral accessories for weddings or other special occasions.

You can expect to see the following plants: roses, forget-me-nots, orchids, lilies, jasmine, chrysanthemums, gerberas, tulips, snapdragons, irises, lisianthus and delphiniums.

  • Note: During holidays like Valentine's Day, certain flowers are three to four times more expensive.
  • Opening hours: 24 hours, most popular at night

    • Chatuchak Weekend Market

    The Chatuchak Weekend Market, once accessible only to wholesalers and traders, is now a well-known tourist attraction due to its sheer size and the diverse range of food, goods and merchandise on offer.

    With over 8,000 market stalls, the market attracts over 200,000 customers on an average weekend, all searching for bargains in the labyrinth of stands. Perfect for a day trip – here you'll find:

    Jewelry, handicrafts of all kinds, furniture, plants, garden tools, pets, books, antiques and secondhand clothing.

  • Note: Most merchants do not accept credit cards, and ATMs are not always nearby.
  • Opening hours: Sat & Sun, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm, Friday 6:00 pm – 12:00 am.

    • Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

    Damnoen Saduak is Thailand's most popular floating market and a great place to discover local specialties and handicrafts. It's a 90-minute drive from Bangkok, so getting there as part of a tour is the easiest option.

    To avoid the crowds (and the heat), it is worth setting off early in the morning to experience the markets at their liveliest.

    You will be picked up from your hotel by coach and taken to the countryside, where you will then transfer to a longboat and make your way through the canals, past farmland on both sides, to the colorful vendors selling everything from fresh fruit and coconut pancakes to hand-carved toys and batik sarongs.

    Here you can find more travel guides from THATraveller and on Instagram: @holly_osullivan, there are even more great photos to see.