What time should I have driver pick us up for Floating Market?
 

Another question!! I want to be at the floating market really early so I can take some good pics and enjoy it before the hoardes of tourists arrive (ie buses). We will be staying at the Oriental, what time should I arrange our pickup to get there early. I don't want to be there so early that it is empty but I don't want it so packed you can't see the water.

Thanks,April

they usually want to pick you up at around 6:30 am.

Aloha!

Does 6:30 give you enough time to get there early enough though? Photography is my thing on a trip, everyone makes fun of me planning for pics but everyone wants to see my pics first thing. I do get a little carried away but oh-well......

Thanks again, April

April, I am glad you psted this question as I have been wondering the same thing!

I was thinking about leaving Bangkok by 5:30 or 6.

When will you be there?

Tamara

If you leave by 0630, you'll get to the market as it opens. This will allow you to "shop" in a mild to moderate crowd of boats. Kind of meandering from side to side, looking at the merchants and their wares.

By the time we finished our tour about 0900, the canal was a proverbial parking lot. We stood on one of the bridges, looked at the crowd and were glad we had an early start.

rat picked us up at the sheraton on our most recent floating market visit at 6:30....that was perfect and we made a 5 minute stop along the way...things were just getting going--we might have even been 30 minutes too early....you will have no problem taking pics...there is plenty of room even when the buses have arrived....make sure you go in a small paddled boat with a woman paddler and get right in the midst of the action....that is where i found the best pics....you bump into other boats and see people up close...its lots of fun....

6:30 will be perfect....on our first trip the driver got lost and we were still there in time to see plenty...and we did not leave until 8:30 that time....several years ago...

rat drove us right up to the market's edge...she parked in a lot for vendors i think....the water was 50 feet away...

5:30 would be way too early, imo...

Yes, do get an experienced driver. You know how, in the US, you begin getting "event parking" signs miles before the arena/stadium? You'll see the same phenomena at the FM. The signs for the FM begin at least 2 Kilometers before the prime spot mentioned by the previous poster.

There is a parking lot, a shed of sorts and a Kodak-moment bridge at that spot.

I think the not all food vendors are at this early hour, however, if eating on the water is something you anticipate doing.

Eurotraveler, I will be there Easter weekend and the following week, returning on April 23.

Ok, my question is answered, I will go with the 6:30 pickup and go directly to the floating market.

Thanks everyone for your tips and suggestions. This forum and it's people are the best!

April

We left at about 6:30 by road; halfway we were transferred to longboat and made the rest of the trip through the canals. The driver went on separately to park wherever and meeting up when we were ready to leave.

When we arrived a good many of the vendors were just opening, few visitors for at least 20-min. We were able to get great photos. The food vendors arrived at about when the tourists arrived. And we later got into one of the boats with a woman paddler... great photos from this angle and that "kodak moment" at the bridge is just that! Believe the sign with an arrow pointing down say "buy film here."

Great photos are the boats with the fruit, flower, hats... and as you paddle thru the canals, the display of goods along the shore.

Happy picture taking.