Amphawa

Things to see and do

Amphawa floating market

Amphawa's is probably the most popular floating market among Thais from Bangkok. It remains more obscure than the one at Damnoen Saduak among foreign travellers, but there's no doubt the market is increasingly becoming an important part of the foreign traveller trail as well. A market has ... read more
Boat trips on the Mae Khlong

The area around Amphawa floating market has become a de facto transport hub for tour boats, most of them wooden and engine powered, that bring tourists out on the Mae Khlong river. Demand for boat rides is such that on weekends the numerous boats have an adverse affect on the town's otherwise ... read more
Tha Kha floating market

The tiny village of Tha Kha is set amid fruit farms and narrow canals 11 kilometres northeast of Amphawa, and its floating market has seen consistent village gatherings for well over a century. In olden times, the dates when the market took place were based on cycles of the moon. While this ... read more
Baan Maeo Thai (House of Siamese Cats)

Located about a kilometre south of Wat Kai Bang Kung along the same road is the so-called House for Breeding and Nature of Thai Cats. It was set up by a group of serious cat lovers as a way to conserve authentic species of the famous Siamese cat. These graceful felines became a big hit among ... read more
Mae Khlong train market

Ten kilometres down the Mae Khlong river brings you to the cramped but lively provincial capital of Samut Songkhram. This non-touristy small city is home to a few old temples, some good food and lots of buses heading in all directions, but the biggest reason to come is to watch a full size ... read more
Bang Noi and Bang Nok Khwaek

Take the main road that hugs the east side of the river from Amphawa and you'll hit Bang Noi, which is actually part of Bang Khonthi, after about six kilometres, and Bang Nok Khwaek another five kilometres further north. Both of these are sleepy riverside hamlets that, like Amphawa, are clustered ... read more
Samut Songkhram Life Museum and Chaipattana Park

On the north side of the canal just east of the market, the small Samut Songkhram life museum is worth a quick peek. Within you can see senior residents of Amphawa displaying how to weave baskets, shuck meat from a coconut and pound a specific type of regional rice called khao thom. The museum ... read more
Wat Kai Bang Kung and Bang Kung Camp

Set a few kilometres north of Amphawa on the west side of the river, Wat Kai Bang Kung is one of Thailand's most unique temples. The prime attraction is an Ayutthaya-era stone ubosot that's been entirely overtaken by a few species of banyan trees, including the sacred Bodhi tree. The trees are so ... read more
Thai Dessert Museum

This new edition to Amphawa occupies a heritage building beside the Mae Khlong river and near the centre of town. Inside you'll find replicas of all sorts of Thai desserts and other snacks that look incredibly life-like. The museum is a work in progress; as of now only the names of each dessert are ... read more
Wat Amphawa Chetiyaram and Rama II Park

Amphawa town itself doesn't have much in the way of specific sights aside from the floating market, but this temple and park offer a glimpse into the town's important place in Thai history. King Rama I is arguably modern Thailand's most important historical figure owing to the fact that it was he ... read more