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!