I just dont have the time to talked about my Bangkok trip for now. I just feel like to blog about my day trip to Maeklong Train Market in Samut Songkram, Thailand.
I got to know this province while I was searching about Amphawa floating market. Its the smaller scale market and less tourist too. The famous one, Damnoen Saduak also in this province too, just next to Amphawa. I just want to go to Amphawa because its open on Friday to Sunday from afternoon till night. But not too late night, I guess. My flight back to KL was on Saturday, 2020pm. I've planned on Saturday morning, I want to go to Chatucak Market the whole day. So, I met with Jimmy, a CS Indonesian guy currently living his student life in Melaka during a gathering in Rangnam. He asked me about the train market in Samut Songkram. I said, I wanna go to the Amphawa floating market which is in Samut Songkram too. So, we teamed up to go there on Friday, 2 July 2010.
9.00 am. - Met Jimmy at BTS Wongwian Yai Station. Walked to the Thaksin Monument to go the local train station - Wongwian Yai Station. It's a bit tricky to find the station because it was really hidden. Do not confused with the BTS. They got the same name but different stations.
Wongwian Yai Station - local train
From here, we took the train to Mahacai station. The train took almost one hour or one and a half hour to reached. No worry, you'll only have to go off at the last station. You can sleep all the way there. You'll see the houses located really close to the train track. So, no peek-a-boo stuff okay. Or you might end up like headless Chucky. I was so lucky to have Asian look. In Thailand, the locals can have free rides on trains and buses. So, on my trip, we got the local fare - which is FREE. Please, don't envy us. And Jimmy, can speak a little Thai. Yeah, we got some advantage here. For falangs, it's all about 10THB.
Mahacai Station
When you arrive at the Mahacai Station, you'll be in the centre of wet market. Walk out from the station and find the pier. I couldn't get the pier's name. As long as you see boats there, you're in the correct place. Please mind that there is no one speaks English here. At the pier, you could say you want to go to Banlaem Station. Or get some Thai to write these places name in Thai. Its easier for you to talk to them. Or you could just print my pictures out for your guidance.
Banlaem Station
All the train has a time table. Dont worry, you'll get the train every hour. You can have your breakfast/lunch here while waiting your train. There are a few shops selling food. Oh, don' t forget the bun ice-cream. There is sticky rice under those creamy ice cream and corn as a topping. yummy.
Jimmy with his Bun Ice-cream.
From this Banlaem Station, get a ticket to Maeklong Station. The journey took about 1 hour. At first, we got our local fare again. I was talking to Jimmy (quite loud, actually, the train was not full hehe) the ticket officer overheard us and he said we need to pay because we are foreigners. So, we paid 10THB. This train ride a bit crazy. The train was moving forward on the track and at the same time it was swaying slowly from left and right. I felt nausea and i just chose to sleep. And again, the train would take up about 1 hour journey. When you arrive at the station, again, you'll be in the market. This time, it's a dry market. Walk out from there and you'll see the market the other side. Check the time table first before you leave the station. You wouldn't want to miss the train. The train will leave the station maybe in an hour or lesser so you'll have ample time to walk around, lunch and shop, visit the market. Maybe, after the train market, you could go to Amphawa floating market for food or anthing else there. If you are here on Friday - Sunday. Take a bus and pay 10THB and get off at the school which is on a bridge. Walk about 15 minutes and you are there. There is minivan going back to Bangkok in front of the Amphawa floating market cost you 80THB. The last trip is at 7pm. If you want to overnight here, there are a few guesthouses. You can check it out in the market itself.
I just spent 23THB for going to Market Train and Amphawa. And THB80 using minivan back to Bangkok. Click here for the Maeklong Train Market video.
