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All you need to know to visit Amphawa
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อัมพวา
Central Thailand
78 km from Bangkok
Province of Samut Songkhram
Central Thailand
78 km from Bangkok
Province of Samut Songkhram
Budget
Recomm. stay
2 jours minimum
Visits
Practical guide to go and visit Amphawa
The floating market of Amphawa takes place from Friday to Sunday and starts at 12:00 but it's really at the end of the afternoon that it starts to become alive. It is especially an interesting market by night. Then he takes all its charm with the illuminated wooden shops along the canal.The boats present are mostly small kitchens of restaurants on the water and offer Pad Thai, grilled shrimp, fried rice and other dishes. The real market is more land in the street perpendicular to the main canal. In the shops on both sides, you can also go shopping and buy souvenirs, clothes, paintings ect .. or ask at a bar or restaurant. The market can be visited by feet, no need to take a boat tour, the shopping take place on land or in the numerous shops. And if you want to take a boat, wait for the night fireflies vist ( also called fai flies by some Thai ). The tour lasts one hour and costs 60 THB.
Accommodations in Amphawa
I highly recommend you to sleep in Amphawa at least one night on the weekend, ideally on the floating market canal. There are several very nice homestays like my favorite Baan Rak at the end of the canal. But I have spotted others accommodations that you will find in the section ''Find room''. In Amphawa but also Bang Kongthi next door. Prefer to stay on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, on other days of the week, Amphawa floating market does not take place. Besides the homestays, you will of course also find hotels and guestouses more or less distant from the canal.Find accommodation in Amphawa
My recommandations
People often ask me what accommodations I recommend in Thailand, here are my recommandations in Amphawa.
Practical information about Amphawa
At the end of the main channel, there are many homestays possibilities whose prices vary are usually around 1500 - 2500 THB per night. Probably the best plan for those who want to sleep in the area and not go back to Bangkok wuithin the day. There are alos there are other accommodations with different class bungalows or rooms at the edge of the water whether in Amphawa or Bang Khonthi.To come, there are regular vans from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal (lines 78 or 996 - 70 THB). There are also minivans to Amphawa from Pinklao in Bangkok.
How to go to Amphawa ?
To go to Amphawa, there are passengers vans leaving every hour from Sai Tai Mai Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal (lines 78 and 996, price 70 THB). There are also vans to Amphawa from Pinklao. They are more numerous on weekends. You can also take passenger vans to Samut Songkhram from Mo Chit Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal departing every hour. Then Mae Klong (or Samut Songkram), a neighboring town located 9km from Amphawa known for its market on the railway, blue songtaews number 333 leave from the 7 Eleven next to the railway market (GPS: 13.407850, 100.000562) or blue bus number 333 leaves from next to the Bus Terminal. They will take you to Amphawa for 10 baht. The journey takes about 20 minutes. From Damnoen Saduak, back on the main road 325, you can catch the blue songthaew number 467, it will drop you at the crossroads leading to Amphawa (15 minutes, 15 THB). You will then have a 1 kilometer walk to go to Amphawa floating Market (or can catch blue ongthaew or blue bus 333 if you don't want to walk).How to get around in Amphawa ?
Once you are in Amphawa, you can visit the market by walking. On the canal, it will be easy to find a boat tour. During the day, boat operator generally offer the 5 temples tour for 50 baht and in the evening the fireflies tour for 60 baht. But you can also hire a boat just for you and define a personalized program. To see the other floating markets around like Damnoen Saduak or Tha Kha, you will have to hire a taxi (do not expect he uses the meter), a motorcycle taxi or a tuk-tuk. Ask your hotel or go to the Amphawa floating market parking lot to find one. There is a motorcycle taxi station, just in front of the parking lot entrance. It is also there that you can catch the blue songthaews or buses number 333 which go to Mae Klong and its famous railway market (or Samut Songkhram, it is the other name of the city) in a way (10 THB) and the nearby floating market of Bang Noi (10 THB) in the other direction. By going on the nearby main road number 325, by walking or with blue songthaew or bus 333, you can also catch the blue songthaew 467 which can drop you at the beginning of the road leading to Damnoen Saduak floating market (20 minutes - 10 THB) . Tell the driver or other passengers that you are going to 'Damnoen' to be sure it stop at the right place. There will then be a 1.5 km walk to the floating market. But the best way to discover the floating markets in the area is to rent a tuk-tuk driver for the morning and do everything with him. It will be much more convenient !My practical videos about Amphawa
Other places to see in Amphawa
Wat Bang Kung
Amazing temple whose walls are besieged in the roots of a tree. Its very simple building houses a golden Buddha image and a few mural paintings which are still visible on some parts of the wall. This is the most famous temple in Amphawa province.
Tha Kha Floating Market
This small floating market 5 km from the very famous Damnoen Saduak floating market is much smaller and less visited. It takes place ona few hundred meters long canal but is more traditional and quiet.
Bang Noi floating market
Another floating market, about 5 kilometers from Amphawa, it is quieter and in my opinion less interesting but maybe nice in the morning when Amphawa really comes alive in the evening. Even though in the morning, I would rather advice you to go to Tha Kha little floating market.
Wat Chulamanee
An interesting temple that can be part of the tours offered by the boat tours from Amphawa. The point that marked me the most was its hall nicely decorated with gilding. It is not the most interesting temple in Thailand but can be worth a quick detour.
Ban Bang Phlap Community
This small rural community, 4 kilometers from Amphawa, lives mainly from the land and water, which allows locals to cultivate without pesticides succulent pomelos and coconut trees from which they make a lot of things including coconut sugar. Cycling here is very pleasant !
Weather & climate in Amphawa
Amphawa has a tropical savanna climate. There are three seasons: the warm season, the rainy season and the cold season, although the temperatures remain quite high. The rainy season begins with the arrival of the south-west monsoon in mid-May. September is the most raining month of the year. The rainy season lasts until October, when the dry, cool northeast monsoon takes over until February.The best moment to go to Amphawa is in November, December, January and February. The least favorable months, due to the monsoon, are from June to September until mid-October. September is the month when it rains the most, there can be some flash floods in some parts of the city.
When to go to Amphawa ?
How to ask in Thai to go to Amphawa ?
I want to go to Amphawa / Yak paï ti Amphawa.Where is Amphawa ? / Amphawa you ti naï ?
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