Chatuchak Weekend market

the best way to get there is to take either the skytrain or the subway...subway is not anywheres near sheraton so skytrain is best bet....it probably takes 25 minutes once you get to the skytrain...that can take almost as long from sheraton depending on how you get there...boat/taxi/walk...

may i warn you that the market is very hot and confusing....make sure you have a nancy chandler map of the place....i hate it...the night market is a much better take...but i guess everyone has to go the the weekend market at least once...many love it...not me!!!

how about asking all your questions on one thread...??

I would suggest taking the skytrain from the river. From the ROS you can either walk or take a water taxi or street taxi to the skytrain station at Saphan Taksin. You will take the skytrain to "Siam Center" interchange station, and then run right across the station to the opposite tracks (where the next train is usually waiting at about the same arrival time) and go all the way to Mo Chit. That is the end of the line for that skytrain route. The weekend market is a short walk right along that main street. You can't miss it. When you are done shopping, you might want to take a "METER" taxi back, if you have a lot of packages to tote along. Otherwise, hop back on the skytrain at MoChit and go back to Siam interchange, run across to the opposite track once more, and continue on to Saphan Taksin back at the river.

Weekend market is quite an experience. It is something to do at least once, just to say you have been there. It is much too hot, sticky, and crowded for me anymore. I used to go there and get caught up in the crowds and do a lot of buying. I will still go there with friends, but do not initiate the trip myself anymore. But it IS an experience!!! Take water. Wear comfy shoes. Wear light weight clothing so you don't get over heated.

And have fun shopping there!
Carol

Weekend market is one of my least favorite bangkok activities. Yes it's an experience but not one that I found a good one. I've gone twice 20 years apart and hated it both times.

If there are 2 or more of you I'd be tempted to take a meter taxi straight from the hotel - its will cost much the same as skytrain and whatever else you use if there are 2 of you. The walk to the skytrain from ROS is quite a long way. Make sure its on the meter - the taxis that wait outside the hotel will try and give you a set fare.

However you go - go early when its a bit quieter and not quite so hot!

u should go as early as possible. the market is a nightmare but u can get some great things there. I always find beautiful scarves and bags that i end up seeing in boutiques in new york for hundreds of dollars.. anyway, there are gazillion mosquitoes so make sure you are covered up (wear light cotton pants)if you are sensitive to them.

In my opinion, you must go to the weekend market. Last year I bought a beautiful (large!) painting there. It's two panels; each side is half of a buddha face. If you look closely, the whole painting is made up of tiny buddha's. Everytime I look at it i think of my adventure in that market.
however, a few suggestions - go very early. it gets unbelieveably hot and crowded. Don't plan to stay more than 3 hours. Getting a map in advance is a great idea, as one poster suggested. This way you will avoid 'wandering' too much, and getting hot and tired in the process. I was looking for decorative items for my house-silk pillows,etc. I found some beautiful things there.

dperry...did you use the nancy chandler
map to navigate the market? do you remember the area that you purchases your buddha print? it sounds interesting

I'm with Gloria- skip this market- go to the night market. The logistics at the night market are much better. Weekend market is very-VERY hot and humid. The bathroom facilities are really poor- ok for guys but for gals- well can you say ..hold it! Not many food options either. By contrast the night market is less crowded, facilites are better all around. Its at night so the heat and humidity are much less- its comfortable to walk about at the night market.

I'm not a huge fan of the night market either -- although I think it is MUCH pleasanter than the weekend one. I just find the products very touristy. For those kinds of goods, I feel the night market in Chiang Mai is by far the best of all of them.

Gloria- remember you stopped being a "tourist" a decade or so ago! But there are a lot of us out there that are tourists, and so we like the touristy things- being a tourist isn't a bad thing. I consider my self a tourist, I do the touristy things and buy a lot of the touristy items. If I were to visit a place many times then I suspect the touristy things would no longer hold much interest. Given that we like to explore new places rather than repeat visits- I suspect we will be tourists for some time to come!

Yes, the weekend market is far from the RO Sheraton, but I say go and try it. I got some GREAT deals there. Bought beautiful flatware at a flatware store for a super cheap price. Saw the EXACT same flatware at a store in Amarin Plaza Mall for nearly double. Also had a custom made jacket done in 24 hours...picked it up the next day. So give it a try. When I go, I always leave by around 11:30AM...that is leave the weekend market...as in finished shopping. At around that time tons of people are just getting there and then it's very crowded and hot. Take a hand fan if you have one. I wouldn't even attempt the place in the hot months of April/May/June. I've done it in December...the supposedly cool month...and it was blazing hot. If I were you, I'd already BE there when they open. Happy Travels!

Oh, order a map on nancychandler.net before you go to Bangkok.Don't wait until you get to BK and have to run around trying to find one. There's a detailed map of the weekend market on it which will save you a lot of time. Happy Travels!

Bill - you are 100% right! I did buy all the "touristy" things on those early trips which is why I'm not interested in them now. So for first or second timers I take back what I said -- do go to the night market in Bangkok. It's plesant and you''ll find many things at reasonable prices.

I think I may have posted on a different thread, but you can get the nancy chandler map from amazon quicker than on the direct web site if time is important. amazon will probably save at least a week of shipping time.

Stupid question - Is the BKK night market the booths set up in the Patpong area or is there a separate night market somewhere else?

It is not Patpong! Search this forum and you will get posts that give you the location/directions.

We visited at the Chatuchak Market in April. It was unbelievably hot and humid! And the crowds -- my goodness! But I'm glad we had the experience.

In regard to shopping, however, we found that the Pratunam Market had a lot of similar merchandise (minus the exotic animals, etc.) and the prices were much lower to begin with. We went back to there several times and really enjoyed it.

Unfortunately we missed the night market (long story) but we'll be sure to make it next trip!

I agree with Guenmai and the others...go in the morning when they first open if possible. We were there in Febuary when it's supposed to be cooler....yeah right. We are from Hawaii and are used to the heat and humidity so decided to go around 2:00pm...WRONG. It was unbeleivably hot under all the canvas tents by then. Next time I'll go in the morning.
Aloha!

Divediva:
No, I didn't use the nancy chandler map. We just started wandering around and came upon maps that the market provides. Plus, we had been there the previous year and remembered certain sections we liked.
We bought our painting from an artist named Sittichai purakam. His booth is in Section 7 Soi 6 of the market. Honestly, he had some exquisite paintings. Just to give you a baseline, I pad $375 for my painting. It's one of the most unique things I've ever bought. Check it out, and let me know what you thought!