Bangkok Day Trip 1 - Floating Market, Batik Painting Lessons, Herbal and aroma sticks making, Thai cooking

Bangkok Day Trip 1 - to Bang Nam Phueng Floating Market, Batik Painting Lessons, herbal and aroma sticks making, Thai cooking

Bang  Nam Phueng Floating Market (28 kilometers from Bangkok; 40 minutes drive) Bang Kobua, Phra Pradaeng District, Samut Prakan, Tel. 02-819 6762

1. This is a weekend floating market with food and desserts from the local area and more than 200 shops and eateries.
2. It is located 40 minutes from Bangkok and is famous among local Thai residents.
3. You can rent bicycles (Baht 100  or US$3.50 per half day)  and hire boats to row along Klong Bang Nam Phueng

4.  Parking is available on a first-come first-serve basis
5.  Batik painting for children is available
6.  Community karaoke at the market ground

Batik Painting Lessons, Herbal and Aroma Sticks making and Thai Cooking offered in a nearby facility from the floating market (10 minutes walk from the floating market)

1.  Above activities are offered by Otop Products Company: Baam Toob-Hom whose facilities are located 10 minutes walk from the end of floating market.

2. Visitors have a choice of any or all of the following activities --- batik painting lessons, herbal sticks making or  Thai cooking. Lessons are personally conducted by the owners and their family.

3. For batik painting lessons, you will pay for the cloth you decide to use. Prices are as follows: batik making lesson - free; square size - Baht 60 per (US$2) ; triangle scarf - Baht 80 (US$2.6) ; t-shirt - Baht 180 (US$6). Once painted, you will wait for your materials to dry under the sun - square and triangle (20 minutes), t-shirs (4 hours).

4.  You can decide to take lunch at the dining facilities within the compound and cook your own food as part of the Thai cooking lesson.  Menu includes sweet and sour pineapple, pork with cashew nuts and Thai pork curry.  Cold drinks including local beers are available.  Meal is inexpensive. Full lunch for 3 persons, including drinks and free soup and dessert costs Baht 310 (approx US$11).

5. You need to reserve ahead so that painting and cooking materials can be prepared. Call owner Khun Toy at 02-8150729 or 081-8013702 who speaks English.

6. There is parking at the entrance of the facility but you still need to walk (3 minutes)  using the boardwalk/bicycle lane to reach the facility.  Author suggests that you park at the floating market and just walk to the facility.  Ask for directions from the stalls at the floating market or the tuk-tuk boys waiting at the far end of the floating market.  They know the facility well.

Dinner on your way home

1. About 7 kilometers from the floating market on your way home to Bangkok, try Rabeang Rimnum seafood restaurant located at 458 Srikuengkum Road, Phapradaeng, Samutprakan 10130; Tel. 0-2463-5642 or 0-2463-2540.
2. Restaurant is  fronting the Chao Phraya River with the good view of the Bhumibol Bridge
3. Street parking is available.
4. Do your reservations early.
5. From the restaurant, you will pass by the main street of the  Samut Prakan market on your way out to the expressway.