Escape from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis and rewind back to when life was simple. On this one day trip away from Bangkok you will get to taste the colorful Damnoen Saduak floating market first hand, immerse yourself with the local culture along the canals and cycle through peaceful tracks into the fruit orchards and picturesque trails.
Seventy kilometers south-west of Bangkok the Mae Klong River spreads into a sprawling delta before reaching the Gulf of Thailand. This low-lying land is extremely fertile and over hundreds of years the Thai people have constructed an extensive network of canals to aid irrigation and navigation. The local way-of life has remained traditional, agricultural and revolves around the colourful floating markets where the fruits of the surrounding orchards are traded. Starting in Bangkok we drive south to start our bicycle exploration at Klong Lad Pli Floating market. Walking through Klong Lad Pli gives us a chance to see wooden houses perched on the edge of the canal including one that once was an opium den. We arrive at Damneon Saduak floating market, the biggest and most colourful in Thailand and a must for any visitor. Purchase just about anything from the vast array of “shops” on the river. We then embark on a long tail boat and cruise through a maze of canals cutting through various plantations. This eye-opening boat ride offers a glimpse of Thailand of old with the canal as the focal point. We get on the bikes and start a short ride to Wat Bang Kae Noi, a temple famous for its teakwood carving. The magnificent interior of the Ubosot, coronation room, is delicately carved to portray the story of Lord Buddha. Our ride takes us further into coconut plantations and fruit orchards along quiet back roads. We stop to visit a quirky temple held up by a huge banyan tree. After lunch at a riverside restaurant we continue cycling on picturesque trails. After some refreshments, explore a temple complex and a local market before starting our journey back to Bangkok to beat rush hour.