🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Yakang Market sits along the Yakang canal in Bang Nak subdistrict, Mueang Narathiwat district, only about 3–4 km from the town centre. This area was once a trading port and an old economic hub of the town, exchanging goods with Pattani, Songkhla and as far as Singapore. When river trade faded, the community revived the area as a walk-and-eat market, opening officially in 2016, with its main draw being traditional sweets close to 100 years old that are made only around here.
The charm of Yakang is that it isn't a staged tourist market — it's a neighbourhood where people still genuinely live. Many vendors make sweets from recipes passed down from their grandmothers, and the prices are still local prices. You can graze your way along the canal for roughly 900 metres.
Malay folk sweets to try
The heart of Yakang Market is its old-recipe sweets. Many of the names sound confusing because they're in the local Malay dialect, but once you taste them you'll see why people travel here for them. Most cost around 5–25 THB a piece. Start with these.
Putri Riayu
A green steamed sweet coloured with pandan, made from flour, egg, milk and coconut. Soft, lightly sweet and fragrant with pandan — the first thing people think of when they mention Yakang.
Bata Buroh
A sweet filled with shredded papaya stir-fried with fish, garlic and spices, dipped in sweet coconut sauce. It's half-savoury, half-sweet and hard to find — some vendors only make it on weekends.
Due Ta Yab
Wheat flour mixed with egg and brown sugar, fried then rolled and folded at both ends, sprinkled with white sesame. Crisp outside, soft inside, sweet and fragrant with brown sugar.
Kodu
A sweet made from rice flour, grated coconut and sugar. Chewy and soft, rich and sweet with a slight saltiness — a truly local treat you'll barely find in other towns.
Komoh
A sweet of flour, coconut and sugar, with a recipe close to kodu but a different texture. It's been a snack to go with tea in the Malay community for ages.
Akoh
A flour-and-egg cake, baked or steamed, dense and softly sweet — a bit like a local honey cake. Lovely with hot tea in the afternoon.
Putu Halua
A steamed flour sweet filled with coconut and sugar. Soft and fragrant, it's a morning-to-afternoon treat locals eat with tea.
Khanom Don
One of Yakang's rarer sweets, made only by a few vendors on certain days. Soft and sweet in the old-fashioned way — if you spot it, count yourself lucky and grab one quickly.
Tip
The standout sweets like bata buroh and khanom don are usually limited in number and sell out fast. If you're coming specifically for them, arrive in the early evening just as the market opens — don't come too late.
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Savoury food: khao yam, roti, pulled tea
Yakang isn't only about sweets — southern Malay savoury dishes can fill you up for a full meal here. Khao yam is the star of the area: steamed rice tossed with budu (fermented fish sauce) along with several shredded vegetables, toasted coconut, dried shrimp and herbs, balancing sour, salty and sweet in one plate. It goes even better with fried chicken or fried fish.
- Southern khao yam — rice tossed with budu and fresh vegetables, toasted coconut, lemongrass and shredded kaffir lime leaf. Bold yet clean, it's a light meal that fills you up just right.
- Roti + curry — roti that's crisp outside and soft inside, dipped in beef massaman or chicken curry. Several roti vendors in the Yakang area make it fresh right in front of you.
- Cha chak (pulled tea) — hot milk tea brewed Malay-style and pulled into a froth, sweet and rich. The classic drink to go with roti and sweets.
- Rice with fish curry / nasi dagang — rice with southern-style fish curry; some vendors also offer Malay-style rice cooked with fish to try.
Beyond the market itself, if you want to keep eating, the town of Narathiwat has well-known spots locals actually go to — like Roti Bae Ae near the town clock tower, Yakang Phochana, and roti cafés such as Roti De Forest's Yakang branch, which opens every day until late and is a good place to settle in after walking the market.
How to get there, when it's open
Days and opening hours
Open only on Fridays and Saturdays, roughly noon to 8pm (12:00–20:00), busiest in the evening. Check the market's page before you go, as hours may shift during festivals.
Getting there
It's within the municipal area, about 3–4 km from the town centre. From the in-town market it's a few minutes by motorcycle taxi or car, and there's parking beside the market.
Budget per person
Grazing on plenty until full runs about 100–200 THB per person. Most sweets are 5–25 THB a piece, savoury dishes 30–60 THB a plate. Bring cash, as many vendors don't take transfers.
Note before you travel
Narathiwat is in Thailand's deep south border region. Before making firm plans, always check the latest news and safety advisories from the authorities. The town and market area are generally friendly, but keeping up with the current situation beforehand makes for a more relaxed trip.
Respect Muslim-Malay customs
This is a Muslim community — dress modestly and neatly, ask permission before photographing people, and avoid alcohol in the area. Greet people with a smile and you'll always get the same warmth back.
Make the most of Yakang Market
- Arrive just as the market opens in the late afternoon to early evening — the sun is gentler and the sweets are still fully stocked.
- Go for the rare sweets first (bata buroh, khanom don), then follow up with savoury dishes like khao yam and roti to fill up.
- Chat with the vendors — ask the names of the sweets and where they come from. Many will proudly tell you their grandmother's recipe.
- Bring a cloth bag or a box. Many sweets make good gifts to take home and keep for 1–2 days.
- Pair the trip with sights in town like Narathat Beach, Thaksin Ratchaniwet Palace, or the town's mosques to round out the day.
Want to plan a whole trip of eating and exploring Narathiwat? See the full city guide.
See the Narathiwat travel guide →