Walking Mahachai Old Town
Market, Ferry, Old Buildings, Tha Chin Riverside

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

Bangkok folk know Mahachai as the end of the Maeklong Railway line and a place for cheap, good seafood. But come down and walk it for real and you'll find an old riverside town on the Tha Chin that's still very much alive. The market hums from early morning, the ferries run back and forth all day, and across the water, Tha Chalom has kept its wooden houses, its shrines, and its old stories intact. The best part is that everything sits close together and within walking distance — no driving around in circles to find it.

Start at Mahachai Market on the Tha Chin River

The most natural place to start walking is Mahachai Market, the big fresh market in the middle of town that sits right on the Tha Chin River, near the city pillar shrine, Wichian Chodok Fort, and the provincial hall. It's both a fresh-seafood and a dried-goods market, with vendors hauling their wares up from the boats and trucks before dawn. There's still plenty to browse by mid-morning, but if you want the lively buzz and the freshest catch, get there before 9 a.m.

Walk through the market toward the waterfront and you'll reach the pier clock tower, the town's main landmark and the way down to the ferry. This is the heart of the old quarter — around it sit rows of old shophouses, grocery stores, an old-school coffee shop, and seafood restaurants that have been open for years.

• Fresh seafood zone — shrimp, shellfish, crab, fish, squid; prices at the source are usually lower than in Bangkok, and many stalls weigh it out in front of you.
• Dried goods & souvenir zone — shrimp paste, fish sauce, salted fish, dried shrimp, steamed mackerel in baskets, all good to take home.
• Eateries in the market — rice porridge, noodles, and old coffee shops to sit and rest before you walk on.

Cross to Tha Chalom for 3 baht a trip

The highlight of a Mahachai walk is the ferry ride across the Tha Chin River to the Tha Chalom side. The Mahachai–Tha Chalom ferry is run by the Samut Sakhon municipality and operates 24 hours a day; the fare is 3 baht a person. You can take a bicycle or motorbike across too for a small extra charge. Boats run very frequently, so there's barely any wait, and the crossing takes only a moment. On the way over you'll see the fishing boats, the floating fish traps, and the town spread along both banks of the river.

Walking Tha Chalom — old community, wooden buildings, and shrines

Tha Chalom is an old fishing community on the Tha Chin River with a piece of history worth knowing: it was the site of Thailand's very first municipal sanitary district, set up in 1905 in the reign of King Rama V. Walk into the lanes and you'll find old wooden houses, old shophouses, traditional shops, and a way of life that's still simple and unhurried.

The spot many people stop at is the Pun Tao Kong Shrine, often called the central shrine, the oldest in Samut Sakhon. It was first built as a teak-wood shrine in 1839, then rebuilt in 1913 as a tile-roofed masonry building. To this day it remains the spiritual heart of the Thai-Chinese community in this quarter.

Old buildings, the fort, and temples on the Mahachai side

Back on the Mahachai side, there are more historic stops to walk to near the market. Wichian Chodok Fort is an old fortification on the Tha Chin River, built in the reign of King Rama III; today it's been turned into a riverside park where you can stroll, catch the breeze, and watch the boats go by. Right next to it is the Samut Sakhon city pillar shrine, where you can pay your respects.

• Wichian Chodok Fort — an old fort from the reign of King Rama III on the Tha Chin River, now a riverside park, free to enter.
• Wat Pom Wichian Chotikaram — a royal temple on the Tha Chin River, beside the fort, an easy walk away.
• Wat Chetsadaram — a royal temple in the middle of Mahachai town, an important temple where locals come to pray.
• Pier clock tower — the town's landmark and the way down to the ferry.

If you want to stretch the trip beyond the town a little, the Phan Thai Norasing Shrine is also in Samut Sakhon. It honours Phan Thai Norasing, the helmsman renowned for his integrity, and holds a life-size statue of him gripping the steering oar of his boat. It's a good stop if you've got your own car.

What to eat as you walk

Mahachai is a seafood town, so whenever hunger strikes there's food all around — from the stalls in the market to the long-running shops in the old quarter. Here are the kinds of things people stop for most.

How to get to Mahachai and which way to walk

The most fun way to come is the Maeklong Railway from Wongwian Yai station, getting off at Mahachai station — a ride of about 31 kilometres, and the moment you step off you can walk straight into Mahachai Market. If you drive or take a van or bus from Bangkok, it won't take long either, since the two are right next to each other. You can walk the town on foot — there's no need for a car once you're in the centre.

• Train — the Maeklong Railway, Wongwian Yai–Mahachai leg; get off at Mahachai station and walk straight into the market. A classic ride.
• Car / van — about 30 kilometres from Bangkok, handy if you're carrying on to the Phan Thai Norasing Shrine or the salt flats.
• Suggested walking route — Mahachai Market → pier clock tower → ferry to Tha Chalom → walk the old community / shrine / street art → ferry back → Wichian Chodok Fort / city pillar shrine.