Today i'm going to introduce a part of my travels in Thailand earlier this year. Many travellers go to Thailand because of it's year round exotic climate and relatively affordable cost of living. Thailand has a diverse offering for travellers of all types. Whether it's the bustling Asian metropolis you're looking for, the natural scenery, or local food, Thailand has it all!

Travellers to Bangkok will enjoy the city metropolis life and have access to touristy places such as the Grand Palace. Of course, I am guilty for enjoying my time in the city and the Grand Palace is indeed somewhere I visited and wrote about before. At night, you'll also have the option to visit various night-markets, bars and night time scenic areas.

However, today we'll be putting the city life on pause, and seeing another side of Bangkok. An hour drive away from the centre of Bangkok, we arrive at the Damnoen Saduak Floating market. What Thai traditions will we see inside? Let's take a look together..

Interesting back story

How I ended up going to the floating market was quite an usual story. Originally, I was intending on visiting the Grand Palace. It was a Friday morning and I booked a taxi from the hotel reception to take me straight to the Grand Palace. When I got on the taxi, the driver told me that the Grand Palace is closed on that day, and that I should have checked before planning a trip there. He suggested that I go visit the floating market which was just 45 minutes away. He was so persuasive that I pretty much agreed on the spot.

It turns out that visiting the floating markets is actually quite difficult for those staying in central Bangkok. But I figured I should experience the more unique aspects of Thailand some more so I was determined to try it out. There are actually many floating markets around Bangkok, the closest one, Damnoen Saudak floating market is a good 1.5hr drive away.

On route, the driver was actually very enthusiastic and we chatted for most of the journey about Thailand and other interesting places to visit.

Damnoen Saduak floating market is Bangkok's most popular floating market and one of the oldest with over 100 years of history. In China, i'm used to visiting markets on land, so hearing about a market on water filled me with curiosity. I suspect you guys are probably equally as curious too.

One of the reasons there are many floating markets in Thailand is in part due to the abundance of water ways throughout the country. You'll find floating markets anywhere there is an abundance of water.

Because Thailand is a tropical country and gets very warm in the afternoon, the floating market is actually most active in the morning from around 7am to 9am. This is also the time that the locals do their shopping. After 9am, the tourist hoard takes over the market.

Next, we'll board the boats and begin our journey through this floating market. By the banks of the river, you can see these thin and long boats with sun roofs. They look like motorised versions of the punting boats from Cambridge, except with a sun roof. Let's begin !

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I thought this was a different world when I first set off on this boat ride.

The residences, houses and tools they used seemed to be untouched by the progression of technology in the last 50 years.

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I'm actually very envious of them, because despite them not having access to the modern technology of the west, they still live very fulfilling and happy lives.

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Their ancestors lived here on these houses by the river, and their stalls are actually part of their houses. It's amazing that they can come up with such a business and live contently from it.

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Damnoen Saduak floating market was originally a small canal which was gradually chiselled wider to form a transport river network. Along the banks of this river, the locals would build their houses for ease of transporting goods.

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Most houses would have this little boat garage where they would store their boats. It's like the car garages we see in more developed areas.

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Looks very traditional all round.

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The boats are actually quite fast now that they are fitted with motors. The drivers of these boats remind me of street car racers .

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Passing other boats on the canal require quite a lot of skill as the water ways are quite narrow.

The boat driver pointed towards a house just by the river and told us that is his house!

His house is just behind these trees.

What a healthy environment to be in. This apple tree caught my eye.

Let's take a look at the stalls.

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We seem to have a traffic jam of boats here.

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Living around and above the river during summer months must be quite relaxing.

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Aside from taking tourists around, these boats are actually essential to the locals for travelling in and out of their homes.

An elderly lady has her own boat full of fresh fruits and vegetables. She is more mobile and can do business anywhere along the river!

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And that wraps up today's blog on Damnoen Saduak floating market! I hoped you enjoyed this out of world experience of one of Thailand's traditional treasures. For more blogs on Thailand and travel. Don't forget to follow and comment!

今天我想带大家继续我在泰国的旅程，很多人来到曼谷，可能会乐于享受他市中心的经典景点，例如上次我们一去探索的大皇宫，，参观那些金灿灿的佛祖寺庙，晚上去夜市或者酒吧享受夜生活，欣赏繁华的夜景。但是今天我想带大家去看看不一样的曼谷，我们坐车来到了位于曼谷西南方郊区的 丹嫩沙杜艾水上市场，一起去体验一下泰国人真正的水上传统生活吧！

丹嫩沙杜艾水上市场对于住在曼谷市中心的游客来说，不是很方便去到的，但是如果来了泰国没有去探索一下当地独具特色的水上市场，就好像没有来过泰国一样，所以我下定决心再远也要去。曼谷有很多水上市场，但是大多离市区比较远，像我们今天要去的丹嫩沙杜艾水上市场就有1.5小时的车程。路上司机很热情，一直在为我们介绍泰国的特色。
丹嫩沙杜艾水上市场是曼谷最有名气也是最古老的水上集市，有超过百年的历史了。对于在中国见惯陆地上集市的我，对于水上集市充满了好奇心，我想你们也会和我一样期待。泰国拥有这样特别的集市是因为，它是一个水资源非常丰富的国家，只要有水的地方就会有水上市场。

接下来请大家和我一起坐上小船，畅游一下这热闹的水上市场吧。岸边排着一条条细长的小船，从这里上船，开始我们的水上逛街了。我来到这里的第一感决就是，这里像另一个世界一样。这里的居民，房子，他们用的东西，一切看起来都好像完全没有受到现代科技的影响，好像完全保留了50年前的样子。同时我又很羡慕他们，虽然当地居民没有受到现代社会和科技的影响，但是他们依然过得很开心。他们的祖祖代代都生活在这片土地上，他们住的屋子也是他们开的商场，他们在自己的家门口随心所欲的做着买卖的小生意，生活多惬意呀！丹嫩沙杜艾水上市场在很久以前当地人就當地人便凿开运河，把小小的河道变为运输通道，并把房子建在河两边，建成了一户户水上人家。这个是家家户户门前的停船仓库，就好像我们房子前的停车库一样。

居民在劳动中有很多智慧，在搭岸边屋子的时候，可以留了一片屋顶，为逛街的人们遮阳。喜欢哪件东西，就把船停在它边上或是上岸细细挑选，这样的感觉太惬意了！今天的水上集市就逛到这里吧，希望你们喜欢我的文章，接下来还有更多的关于泰国的旅程在等着我们！