🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
The Nonthaburi floating markets most people know are Ko Kret or the markets along the Chao Phraya River. But over on the western side of the province, in Sai Noi district, there's a community floating market with a completely different feel — quieter, fewer crowds, and food still priced for locals. Sai Noi Floating Market sits in the grounds of Wat Sai Yai along Khlong Phra Phimon, open only on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. It's just an hour's drive out from Bangkok.
What Sai Noi Floating Market is like
The thing that makes this place stand out is that it's a genuine community market. Most of the vendors are farmers and growers from around Sai Noi who bring their own vegetables, fruit, and home cooking to set up stalls along the canal. A few still sell from boats the old-fashioned way. Nothing here is dressed up to look like a pretty floating market — instead you get the old canal-side way of life that's getting harder and harder to find in the Bangkok suburbs.
The market stretches along Khlong Phra Phimon, with a suspension bridge called Mongkhon Pracharat crossing the canal. It's a popular spot to stand and take photos because you can see the whole stretch of market and the floating food rafts below. Walking from one side to the other isn't far — you can eat and browse at an easy pace and cover the whole thing in about two hours.
- Open days — Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays only (closed on weekdays)
- Hours — roughly 8:00 AM–5:00 PM; late morning to midday is busiest with the fullest spread of food
- Location — grounds of Wat Sai Yai, along Khlong Phra Phimon, Sai Noi district, Nonthaburi
- Entry fee — none, just walk in; you only pay for food and parking
Go early
Some foods, especially fresh produce and sweets, tend to sell out fast. If you want the full spread and cooler weather, come before noon — by mid-afternoon a lot of stalls start packing up.
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Food you shouldn't miss
The charm of Sai Noi Floating Market is in the prices. Most of the food is home-style dishes made fresh and sold for a handful of baht, without the tourist markup you get at the famous floating markets. Here's a list of the dishes people tend to talk about and that you'll find here often, just to give you a sense of it.
Braised duck / old-style curries
The dish people picture when they think of Sai Noi. The braised duck simmers a long time in a dark broth until the meat is tender, eaten with hot steamed rice. Some vendors still make old-recipe curries that are hard to find in the city.
Boat noodles
Small bowls with a rich, dark broth — you eat a couple at a time to get the full flavor. A floating-market staple, sold cheap here in true community-market style.
Khanom jeen with curry sauce
Rice noodles topped with a fish curry or nam phrik sauce, with as many fresh vegetables as you like piled on. A light, filling meal that's perfect when you've been walking and need a break.
Traditional Thai sweets
Coconut custard, khanom krok, thong yip and thong yot, and steamed sticky-rice parcels — all made fresh and sold in small pieces for cheap. Grab some to snack on as you walk or take a bag home.
Garden produce
The star of a farmers' market — fresh seasonal vegetables and fruit grown by the villagers themselves, fresher and cheaper than what you'd find in the city. Easy to grab a bag to take home.
Fried and grilled snacks
Grilled pork skewers, fried fish balls, fried bananas — the usual snacks you'll find at stalls all over. Good for taking the edge off your hunger while you stroll along the canal.
The food here rotates depending on which vendors show up each week — it's not a fixed set of permanent shops, because this is a villagers' market. So if you find a vendor you love, buy it right then; next week you might not see the same one.
Add a stop at Wat Sai Yai
Since the market sits in the grounds of Wat Sai Yai, you can walk straight from the stalls into the temple. A lot of people do both in one trip — visit the floating market, then pay their respects at the temple. Wat Sai Yai is an old temple the locals hold in high regard, with a golden Buddha image to pay respects to and a shady, peaceful setting by the canal. It pairs naturally with the food walk — a full belly and a bit of merit-making in one place.
Pay respects to Luang Pho Thongkham
The Buddha image revered by the people of Sai Noi. Stop in to pay respects at Wat Sai Yai, right next to the market.
Take a canal boat ride
At certain times there are boats that take visitors along the canal and through the nearby orchards. Ask at the market first to check.
How to get to Sai Noi Floating Market
The market is on the western side of Nonthaburi, fairly far out of town. Driving yourself is the most convenient way. If you take public transport you'll need to do some transfers, since the metro doesn't reach this zone yet.
- Private car — from Bangkok take the Bang Bua Thong–Taling Chan road, then turn onto Bang Kruai–Sai Noi Road and keep going toward Wat Sai Yai. There's parking in the temple grounds.
- Metro + transfer — take the MRT Purple Line and get off around Bang Yai / Khlong Bang Phai, then grab a taxi or hired ride the rest of the way into Sai Noi.
- Allow extra time — late morning on weekends, traffic into the market can back up a bit; arrive early and parking is easier to find.
Straight talk
This isn't a big, grand-scale floating market. It's a mid-sized community market that's all about the food and a low-key atmosphere. If you come expecting the full postcard-style floating market, it might feel small. But if you want cheap eats and a genuine canal-side way of life, this place delivers.
When to go and how to prepare
- Come early — around 9:00–11:00 AM, before it gets hot, when the food is all out and the crowds are still thin
- Bring cash — many of the villagers' stalls take cash only, so small bills make things easier
- Wear comfortable shoes — you'll be walking the canal-side paths and the suspension bridge at an easy pace, eating and browsing as you go
- Come hungry — the food is cheap and there's a lot of it, so plan to eat your fill and don't fill up at home first
Plan a full day out in Nonthaburi
See the Nonthaburi travel guide →