🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Koh Kret is easier to eat your way around than you'd think. The main market sits around Wat Poramaiyikawat, on the pier side where most people land, and it's a stretch of narrow walkways lined with food — savory and sweet, one stall after another for what feels like a kilometre. Most stalls open roughly 8am to 5pm and it's busiest on Saturdays, Sundays and long weekends. If you'd rather walk without the crush, come on a weekday or before noon.
How to cross over
The ferry leaves from Wat Sanam Nuea pier (beside Wat Sanam Nuea in Pak Kret) and the fare is just a few baht each. The crossing is only about 2–3 minutes. Bring cash and small notes, because most stalls on the island only take cash.
9 best bites, ranked by what to try first
Krathong-leaf fish cakes (tod man nor kala)
The island's most famous dish — fish cakes mixed with nor kala (a local plant in the ginger-galangal family), which gives them a crunchy bite and a distinct aroma. Well-known stalls like Nong Faed fry them fresh and hot, and the queues are long. The dipping sauce leans sweet, and they're easy to keep eating until you lose count.
Mon-recipe khao chae
Chilled rice in cool flower-scented water, eaten with side dishes like sweet shredded pork-and-shrimp paste balls, stuffed sweet peppers, and stuffed fried shallots. It's a hot-weather dish that's genuinely rooted in Mon culture. A famous spot like Khao Chae Khun Daeng is the original people travel out to the island for.
Palace-style Thai sweets — thong yip, thong yot, foi thong
Koh Kret is an old hub for Thai sweets, with several palace-style dessert shops in a row — thong yip, thong yot, foi thong, met khanun and luk chup, hand-shaped on the spot and easy on the wallet. Grab some to eat as you walk or take home as a gift.
Deep-fried flowers (dok mai tod)
Flowers and vegetables in a crisp batter, served hot with a sweet-and-spicy dip. It's a snack you'll find around the front of Wat Poramaiyikawat — crunchy outside, soft inside, and easy to munch on as you walk.
Mon sweets — khanom kuan and home-style treats
Local Mon sweets that are hard to find in the city — chewy khanom kuan, red sticky rice, and old-recipe sweets. Ask the vendors which ones they make themselves to get the real homemade taste.
Rice-and-curry / made-to-order riverside — Krua Khun Nit
If you want to sit down for a proper meal by the river, Krua Khun Nit is a Thai restaurant with a riverside view. Dishes like banana-blossom salad with fresh shrimp, herb-fried pickled fish, and fried snakehead fish rice with chili paste — prices are friendly, from the low tens to the mid hundreds of baht.
Boat noodles / riverside noodles
As you walk there are riverside noodle shops to rest your legs. The broth is rich, it's warm and light, and it won't fill you up too much — a good break before you move on to more sweets.
Coconut ice cream / drinks in clay cups
A cooling island dessert — old-style coconut ice cream with toppings, and cold drinks that some shops serve in clay cups made on the island. Prices start around 25 baht, they photograph well, and you're supporting the local pottery at the same time.
Snacks to take home — rice crackers / thong muan
Before you head back there are dry snacks to carry home — rice crackers, thong muan rolls, and crisp coconut-garlic bites. They pack easily and keep for a while, so unlike fresh food there's no rush to eat them.
How to get your money's worth
Don't rush into a big plate at the first stall — walk around and look first, because Koh Kret food is about grazing a little from many vendors. A budget of around 200–300 baht per person lets you sample a lot and still get full. Save room for the krathong-leaf fish cakes and the khao chae.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Nonthaburi food tour or cooking class
Half a day with a local who knows the lanes — or cooking a dish yourself — teaches you more than just eating. Book ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
Walking around the island without getting lost
Koh Kret isn't big — if you only do the market zone around Wat Poramaiyikawat, it takes about half a day to cover. But if you want to see the real Mon community life around the island, you can rent a bicycle or walk the loop along the edge. Along the way there are pottery kilns and potters' houses worth stopping at.
- The zone in front of Wat Poramaiyikawat — the main eating area, with savory and sweet stalls in a long row. Start your walk here.
- The riverside walkway — restaurants and cafés along the river, good for sitting down for a proper meal.
- The pottery community (Mon ceramics) — see the kilns and buy pottery as a gift, easy to pair with eating.
When to go
The Koh Kret market is mainly lively on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. On weekdays many stalls are closed or only partly open. If you're set on doing the full food walk, come on a Saturday or Sunday, arrive mid-morning before noon to catch the fried snacks hot and beat the harsh sun. Khao chae shows up most often during the hot season.
Straight talk
On weekdays the island is fairly quiet and not every stall is open. If you come and find a lot of shops closed, don't be too disappointed — walk along the riverside, find a restaurant to sit and eat with a view, and you'll still get that Mon-community-on-the-Chao-Phraya feel.
Plan a full day on Koh Kret and around Nonthaburi
See the Nonthaburi guide →