Visit Hua Takhe Old Market (Bangkok)

Located in the Lat Krabang district, about fifteen minutes from Suvarnabhumi Airport, the Hua Takhe Old Market is one of the most authentic old markets in Bangkok. People go there for its peaceful atmosphere and its little touch of stepping back in time alongside a canal.

Hua Takhe Old Market has preserved its century-old wooden houses which now house shops, restaurants, cafés, artists' studios, and workshops for visitors. But contemporary artistic creation also coexists with this retro setting. The proximity of the College of Fine Arts and the King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) has greatly contributed to the neighborhood's renaissance. Since the late 2000s, students, teachers, and residents have collaborated to transform this old market into a true place of artistic expression. The wooden houses regularly host exhibitions, creative workshops, and street art works, giving Hua Takhe a unique identity among Bangkok's old markets.

History of Hua Takhe Market

This market emerged during the reign of King Rama V, in the late 19th century. The digging of the Prawet Burirom canal along which it is installed allowed the development of commerce in eastern Bangkok. At that time, Hua Takhe was an important center for river trade between Bangkok and neighboring provinces. The name Hua Takhe literally means crocodile head. It was the discovery of a young crocodile skull, still preserved today in the neighborhood's Chinese shrine, during the canal digging that gave the area this name. So don't be surprised to see heads or entire crocodiles... on murals and panels.

If Hua Takhe is off the traditional tourist paths, presenting its market as a hidden treasure that almost nobody knows is, let's say it, quite exaggerated today. So yes, it's mostly Thais who come, but even though there's obviously a peak on weekends, the Hua Takhe Old Market is frequented every day. Unlike a Klong Bang Luang Market which is very very quiet during the week.

My Tip

Come by train or at least choose to start your visit of Hua Takhe Old Market from the Hua Takhe railway station (see below how to get there), the path to reach the old market is very pretty and bucolic. You'll also cross a bit of the market village, a less frequented part, quieter but interesting.

Kayak Tour with Cats

One of the things that made Hua Takhe popular is the kayak tour offered by Si Yaek Huatakhe Café & Guesthouse. Besides the nice aspect of paddling on the canal, this tour has the particularity of being done with cats who often spontaneously board and accompany the tourist paddlers. The tours are also part of an ecological approach: if you pick up waste during your tour, you get a discount on the kayak rental (see the practical information paragraph).