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Part 3: Hotels in Bangkok

If you are in Bangkok over a weekend, you have to pay a visit to the Chatuchak Weekend Market.  In fact, I’d build a trip around it for the experience.  And if you’re a bargain hunter then it’s a serious safari for you.

It is ENORMOUS and you can find everything under the sun and at great prices.  Quite apart from the shopping, the site itself is a tourist attraction because it’s so big, and the stuff you can find – like nowhere else on earth.  And did I mention great bargains?

But you should go early or late, to avoid the heat and the crowds.

It’s easy to get there – you hop on the BTS to Mo Chit, get off and it’s just through the park.  Just follow the hordes of people!

Some people approach Chatuchak with a plan…or they’re going to buy something specific.  If you’re just wandering around as a tourist, it’s good to know how the place works anyway, so check out the map here.  Here’s the little version but if you’re going please check out the detailed one in the link.

There are 15,000 stalls in 27 sections, so it’s well to be prepared and have an idea or you could be going around in circles.

It can get very close and claustrophobic and really hot, so for  your sake I hope you’re there in the cool season and there early. It can get pretty overwhelming.

It opens at 7am and closes at 6pm.  Get there before 10 if you can, or you’ll have to deal with the crowds.

In my last visit I got there at 11, which was fine, and left at 2.30 and leaving Chatuchak was like the picture below…

For orientation purposes, the clock tower is right in the middle of the market.  It’s a meeting point if anyone gets lost…there are toilets too and they really are not too terrible (but bring some tissues and wet wipes)!

There are various food and coffee stalls scattered around the place, but make sure you lug a bottle of water round with you.

While credit cards are accepted for larger purchases, cash is king.

As a guide, B23 = S$1

Here’s a small selection of what you can find at Chatuchak…

Handicrafts/Buddha artefacts

In the handicrafts section (actually it’s scattered but there are a collection of shops clustered together)

Clothing

There are so many stalls dedicated to clothes.  Blouses, pants, t-shirts.  Graphic t’s.  Trendy t’s.  Army pants.  Kids’ clothes.  Cheap shorts.  I even saw a pile of tshirts going for B20 each (less than a dollar).  There are bags, shoes, and did I mention, Tshirts?  As well as Thai fisherman pants, fine cotton tops…fleeces for B200.

This shop was AMAZING.  These croc bags were incredibly beautiful (my pics don’t do them justice).  If I wasn’t so pro-animals and if I had S$4,000, I would’ve bought the brown one. (so don’t presume the market only has cheap stuff!)

Fakery

What do you know, there’re stalls selling FAKE FRUIT.

And fake flowers.

Paper

Paper products…recycled paper, gift wrap, boxes, gauze bags, gift bags…at wholesale prices.

Jewellery/Accessories

And a very poor shot of jewellery alley…sorry, I think I was overcome by shopping fever at that point.  Cheap plastic bangles, silver jewellery, semi-precious stones…

Tribal/local

Then there’s the rustic clothing section (I don’t know how else to describe it).  I wanted one of those bags.  So fun…and B300 I think.

Home decoration

A fabulous shop selling all sorts of crystal lights, and able to custom make…and ship.  At a fraction of the price in stores here.

There was a great store I’ve bought from before that do ornate mirrorwork.  It’s relatively inexpensive and I was so busy asking about shipping I forgot to take a picture.  Yes, they ship.  Thammachat Shop, Section 8, Soi 15/2, no 431

I found great lampshades at Ann’s Living, Section 8, Soi 14/5.  Again, so busy haggling, camera stayed in bag.

Pets

I really hate the pets section.  These puppies are too young to be separated from their mommies and displayed in a loud, hot, noisy place like this.  The chocolate lab in the picture was B10,000.  There are many stalls dedicated to pet foods, dog chews (super cheap), and rows of shops selling clothes for dogs.  If you have a little dog that you like dressing up, you will LOVE the stores.  There are also stores selling ducklings and chicks…

Essential oils/soaps

Scattered all over the place are also spa shops – some nicer than others.  Nicely packaged, nicely made, with pure essential oils, to the cheaper stuff that you really shouldn’t bother with.  Candles, hand-milled soaps, reed diffusers.  There’s a fine line between the real stuff and paying extra just for the packaging I know, so use your judgment.

This shop was airconditioned and gorgeous to look at…

One of a kind

And if you’ve been wondering where on earth you’re going to find that ibex skull to complete your home decoration, why…Chatuchak of course!

Incense

Lots of incense, incense cones, coils, oils, burners, diffusers, humidifiers…if you have a garden, then I highly recommend buying the citronella incense or coils in bulk like I do.  $1 a pack of 10 and smells nice.

Foods and dried goods

In the dry goods section, you can get dried chillies and spices for very little.  I got a big bag of dried bael fruit for B25 (you boil it with pandan leaves for a delicious tea- excellent for digestion and yummy too)

And of course, the floss/ikan bilis/rice cake snacks abound too.

And the rest…

There’s so much more I haven’t covered.  I’ve been twice and I’m pretty sure I haven’t even walked past 5,000 stalls.

I’ll have to go again, in the cool season.

I’m sure there’s nothing you can’t buy (or arrange) here.  Like endangered animals.  Like made-to-order anything.

When you leave laden with shopping bags, you can always buy one of the cheap reusable bags from the peddlers.  You know, they are sturdy with zips – that way you can use it as the additional luggage you’re bound to need, and at only B150…

You may also like 3 Days in Bangkok – Part 1: Ratchaprasong

Part 3: Temples, Palaces and Where to Stay coming soon!

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