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11 Less Known Markets In Bangkok That Are The Locals’ Best Kept Secrets

Melissa Teo — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 16:37:39 +0000

It is no secret that Bangkok is a night market paradise that has something for everyone. Even if you aren’t a diehard shopaholic, Bangkok’s night market scene has everything from food to entertainment to services, making it a versatile destination that should be at the top of everyone’s itinerary.

While many people tend to patronise the more common markets such as Chatuchak Weekend Market, Pratunam Market and Palladium Night Market, Bangkok is home to a plethora of other night markets that are less explored and frequented by tourists.

For the full local experience and significantly smaller crowds, here is a list of 11 less known night markets in Bangkok that you can visit on your next trip to the land of smiles.

CAMP VINTAGE FLEA MARKET

If you want to pop some tags but you only have 20 dollars in your pocket, you can head on over to Camp Vintage Flea Market to go thrift shopping. Not only is this place a vintage paradise, but it is also a very artsy spot to snap some great photos for the gram. We also love how they decorate the place with repurposed planes and other air crafts to go with the vintage theme.

The Camp Vintage Flea Market
482 Kamphaeng Phet Soi 1, Bangkok, Thailand
Tue to Thu: 11am – 10pm
Fri to Sun: 11am – 11.45pm

CHANG CHUI BANGKOK PLANE MARKET

The term ‘”chui” refers to being disorganised in the Thai language but do not be deceived by its name—the huge lifestyle space is a one-stop destination for everything art-related. Think fashion apparel stalls, concept cafes, food trucks and a vintage cinema for the film buffs. There even is an old aeroplane right smack in the middle of ChangChui market—yes, that is how massive this night market is.

460/8 Sirindhorn Road
Bangpld, Bangkok
10700 Thailand
Tel: +66 81817 2888
Tue to Sun: 4pm – 11pm

HUAI KHWANG NIGHT MARKET

Huai Khwang Night Market is just a short walk away from Huai Khwang MRT station, which makes it very convenient and accessible. Do not expect rows of tented stalls like what you usually see at night markets in Bangkok; the stalls here are mostly located within buildings along a long winding road and to us, it seemed more like a row of shophouses that function like night market stalls.

Soi Pracha Rat Bamphen
Khwaeng Din Daeng, Din Daeng
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Daily: 24-hours

HUA MUM NIGHT MARKET

Hua Mum Night Market is considered a hidden gem because most foreigners probably don’t know about it nor wouldn’t discover it on their own—and evidently, that is its main draw. This under-the-radar localised market is not as congested as the other popular tourist attractions and you can shop for absolutely everything such as handcrafted handbags, customised keyrings as well as trendy apparel.

They are also famous for their Seafood Hunks who will provide you with some live entertainment as you enjoy your seafood!

11 Kaset-Nawamin Rd
Lat Phrao, Bangkok 10230
Closed on Mondays
Tue to Sun: 6pm – 12am

INDY NIGHT MARKET DAO KHANONG

Indy Night Market is heavily frequented by the locals and while it is pretty far out from central Bangkok, the place is well worth the trip down! As the market is catered mostly to the locals, things here are also significantly cheaper as compared to other night markets out there.

Suk Sawat Road
Khwaeng Chom Thong, Khet Chom Thong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10150
Daily: 6pm – 12am

Photo Credit: agentdeclan

LIAB DUAN NIGHT MARKET

Liab Duan Night Market is a massive, overflowing market that is a shopaholics paradise for both men and women alike. Aside from that, they even sell pet accessories, homeware and collectables. Do keep a lookout for the massive transformers that are standing in the middle of the market; it makes for a pretty cool picture for the gram!

Thanon Rarm Intra
Khwaeng Tha Raeng
Khet Bang Khen, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10220
Daily: 6pm to 1am

Photo Credit: Hirolink43

MALI MARKET

Mali Market is more catered to kids and kids at heart. Here, you’ll be able to find old school games and rides that’ll bring you back to your childhood days. Aside from that, they have the usual stalls that sell clothes, accessories and food, making it an all-rounded market that your whole family will love.

111 Moo 5 Pak Kret 39 Pak Kret District
Nonthaburi 11120
Daily: 5pm – 12am

Photo Credit: Bangkok Info Guide

PATPONG NIGHT MARKET

Patpong Night Market has made a name for itself with its sheer number of counterfeit goods. The night market is jam-packed with tourists and visitors so do be prepared for some massive crowds! It is important to note that the bazaar is located in a red-light district, hence it isn’t necessarily the most children-friendly area.

Phat Pong 2 Alley
Khwaeng Suriya Wong, Khet Bang Rak
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10500, Thailand
Mon to Sat: 6pm – 1am
Sun: 6pm – 12am

RAMKHAMHAENG NIGHT MARKET

For all you broke university students who are in Bangkok for a holiday, we suggest that you pay a visit to Ramkhamhaeng University Night Market to get a feel of how the local university students shop. As the market is catered mostly to youths, you can expect some super cheap bargains as well as clothes, accessories and shoes that are tailored to a younger crowd.

2345/1 Ramkhamhaeng Road
Khwaeng Hua Mak, Khet Bang Kapi
Bangkok, Thailand 10240
Thu to Tue: 4pm – 11pm
(Closed on Wednesdays)

SAI TAI MAI CENTER NIGHT MARKET

Sai Tai Mai is another night market that only the locals know about and everything here is dirt cheap. The sprawling space will keep you occupied for hours and there is plenty to see, do and buy for people of all ages. The market is a little inaccessible by public transport so you’ll need to take a Grab or taxi down.

8 Borommaratchachonnani Road
Khwaeng Chim Phli, Khet Taling Chan
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10170, Thailand
Daily: 6pm – 2am

TALAD ROT FAI SRINAKARIN NIGHT MARKET

Rot Fai Market (Srinakarin) is a dream come true for shopaholics and it is one of the biggest night markets in Bangkok. There are thousands of shops here and we promise you that you will not have enough time to cover all the vendors in one night. It will take plenty of stamina to strike off this attraction in your list but hey, they don’t call shopping Singapore’s national sport for nothing!

Srinakarin Road Soi 51
Srinagarindra 51 Alley
Nong Bon, Prawet, Bangkok 10250, Thailand
Mon to Wed: Closed
Thu to Sat: 4pm – 1am
Sun: 4pm – 12am

A Backpackers One-Day Guide To Bangkok’s Bustling Yaowarat Road

Melissa Teo — Sat, 19 Oct 2019 20:31:43 +0000

If you’re planning to make a trip to Bangkok and you’re still clueless on how to fill your itinerary up, why not pay a visit to Bangkok’s bustling Chinatown?

Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown, is a culturally rich area that’s packed with plenty of history, stunning architecture and of course, food. It’s the perfect place to check out if you want to learn and experience the way Thai and Chinese cultures have intermingled and co-existed in Bangkok for years.

The streets here are lined with a plethora of food vendors, temples, monuments and locals going about their daily lives and there is always something happening at any point in time. This can make it quite overwhelming for first-time visitors so if you are worried about being swept away and lost in this hectic enclave, you can refer to this guide for some ideas.

Photo Credit: dumtok

GOLDEN BUDDHA TEMPLE (WAT TRAMIT TEMPLE)

Wat Tramit houses the largest golden Buddha in the world and this breathtaking monument that stands at 3m tall sits majestically on an altar surrounded by traditional Thai golden arches. From the top of Wat Tramit, you also get a fantastic view of the ornate Chinatown Gate that is just a stone throws away. There is also a museum in the temple that teaches you about the history of Yaowarat and how it came about.

661 Charoen Krung Road
Talat Noi, Samphanthawong
Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 89 002 2700
Daily: 8am – 5pm

Photo Credit: beyond.frontiers

CHINATOWN GATE

Standing tall and proud in the middle of Chinatown is the Chinatown Gate, an ornate ceremonial gate that sits on a large traffic island at Yaowarat Road. Constructed in 1999, the gate was built to symbolise the loyalty of the Chinese community to King Bhumibol of Thailand and it was opened just in time to celebrate the King’s 60th birthday on the Throne.

Photo Credit: yaizamartinezrodriguez

KUAN YIM SHRINE

Kuan Yim Shrine is one of Yaowarat’s most vibrant attractions and it features a 900-year-old statue of Guan Yin, the Chinese Goddess of Mercy. Throngs of both locals and tourists alike come here to pray, especially during the holiday season, and the place is always filled with smoke and incense.

606 The King’s Birthday Celebration Arch
Yaowarat Road
Bangkok, 10100
Tel: +66 91 769 0824

HAVE BRUNCH AT LHONG TONG CAFE

This eclectic, cosy eatery is popular for their dim sum as well as their very interesting interior; both of which are incredibly Instagram-worthy. The common thing about quirkily designed eateries is that they usually have pretty subpar food. This isn’t the case for Lhong Tou Cafe; we never thought that we would ever have some of the best dim sum of our lives in Bangkok and the dim sum here puts some of the ones we’ve tried in Hong Kong to shame!

538 Yaowarat Rd, Khwaeng Samphanthawong
Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 64 935 6499
Daily: 8am – 10pm

Photo Credit: drewparrett

TALAT KAO (CHINATOWN OLD MARKET)

Talat Kao is a 200-year old open-air market in the heart of Chinatown and here, you can watch the locals go about their daily lives as they go marketing for fruits and vegetables and trade items with one another. Foodies can also fill their bellies with plenty of scrumptious street food that is readily available at every turn. We recommend trying their Chinese food; there is no better place to try it than in Chinatown!

Soi Lat Krabang 5, Lat Krabang
Bangkok 10520, Thailand
Tel: +66 99 383 0304

Photo Credit: gerdaaboushanab

SAMPENG MARKET

This long, narrow street is a wholesalers idea of paradise. Expect rows of stalls selling a mish-mash of random items like fabrics, clothes and electronics for dirt cheap prices. If you bulk buy, you can get an even larger bargain so you can come here with some friends for even better deals!

96 Chakkrawat, Samphanthawong
Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Daily: 9am – 6pm

Photo Credit: ambshencho

PAK KHLONG MARKET (FLOWER MARKET)

Skip the night markets and check out Bangkok’s famous flower market instead. If you love flowers or colourful sights, this is the perfect place to admire the spectacle of colours and to snap some pretty shots for the gram. Here, you also can witness both locals and tourists purchasing gorgeous, fresh flowers for whatever purpose.

Chak Phet Road, near the Memorial Bridge or Saphan Phut Chao Phraya pier
Daily: 24-hours

HAVE DINNER AT NAI EK ROLL NOODLES

Situated at the heart of Chinatown, Nai Ek Roll Noodle is a humble stall that specialises in —you guessed it — roll noodles, as well as some of the crispiest deep-fried pork we’ve ever tried. The food here is so good that they’ve even earned themselves a place in the Michelin Guide

442 Khwaeng Samphanthawong
Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
+66 2 226 4651
Daily: 7.30am – 1.30am

ENJOY YAOWARATS FAMOUS TOASTED BUNS

Yaowarat Toasted Bread sees perpetual long queues on the daily made up of both locals and tourists. What makes the bread here stand out from anywhere else is its filling; each perfectly toasted and buttered bun comes generously chock full of a filling of your choice and they have sinfully good options such as condensed milk and sankaya.

Yaowarat Road
Khwaeng Samphanthawong, Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 224 0677
Sun, Tue to Fri: 6.30pm – 12am
Sat: 6pm – 12am
(Closed on Mondays)

EXPLORE THE STREETS OF YAOWARAT AT NIGHT

The streets of Yaowarat are undoubtedly exciting in the day, but the entire place truly comes alive when the sun goes down. Watch the various street food vendors slowly set up their stalls and see the bright lights come on, illuminating the streets with a soothing neon glow. The place looks very different at night and you’ll feel like you’re in a completely different area altogether.

Photo Credit: cassidyfowler

HAVE DRINKS AT ENJOY THE VIEW AT SKY VIEW 360° ROOFTOP BAR OF GRAND CHINA HOTEL

End of the hectic day with a chill session of drinks and a magnificent view at Sky View 360°. This gorgeous restaurant that is perched atop Grand China Hotel provides diners with a breathtakingly beautiful 360° overview of Chinatown and Chao Phraya River. Here, they have an international-style menu that has something for everyone as well as fizzy cocktails and ice-cool drinks.

215 Yaowarat Road
Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 224 9977
Daily: 7am – 12am

Huai Khwang Night Market — A Local Bangkok Shopping Spot For Insominiacs

Melissa Teo — Sat, 07 Sep 2019 21:13:04 +0000

Bangkok is a shopaholics paradise and we love how this city has a plethora of shopping spots to satiate our never-ending love for shopping.

If you’re sick of the usual touristy markets like Chatuchak and Talad Neon, you can try paying a visit to Huai Khwang Night Market. This market is less frequented by tourists so you get to shop like a local and have a different night market experience altogether.

Huai Khwang Night Market is just a short walk away from Huai Khwang MRT station, which makes it very convenient and accessible.

Do not expect rows and rows of tented stalls like what you usually see at night markets in Bangkok; the stalls here are mostly located within buildings along a long winding road and to us, it seemed more like a row of shophouses that function like night market stalls.

Here, you can find different stalls selling a variety of things such as clothes, accessories, shoes, beauty products and random knick-knacks. You can also get your hair and nails done at one of the many beauty salons that line the streets.

Take a break from all that shopping by indulging in some scrumptious food. Huai Khwang Night Market is home to plenty of both street stalls and restaurants that are open till the wee hours of the morning, so you’ll always have something to satisfy your hunger.

While it is an interesting place to check out if you have time, we don’t feel like it is a must-visit unless you want to experience what a more local market feels like. It has everything that your usual night market has and we honestly did not find this as exciting as the other night markets we have visited.

If you don’t have much time and you only can visit one or two markets, we recommend that you check out Talad Rot Fai Srinakarin or Hua Mum Night Market instead.

Huai Khwang Night Market
Soi Pracha Rat Bamphen
Khwaeng Din Daeng, Din Daeng
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Daily: 24-hours

The Place 168 — Monster-Sized Bowls Of Tom Yum Koong Soup At Only 195 Baht

Melissa Teo — Sat, 24 Aug 2019 04:35:49 +0000

It’s a crime to go to Bangkok without trying anything tom yum related. Milky, tangy and addictively spicy, it is no wonder that this hearty Thai staple is a hot favourite amongst locals and tourists alike.

Tom yum soup is readily available almost anywhere in Bangkok and it isn’t hard to chance upon a stall that sells it. However, if you’re on a tom yum hunt with a group of ravenous friends, we recommend that you pop by The Place 168 to share their massive Tom Yum Koong Soup.

The Place 168 is a humble Thai restaurant tucked away at a rundown building near Pratunam Market. The small shop has a pretty extensive menu filled with authentic Thai dishes but they are most famous for their gargantuan bowls of Tom Yum Koong Soup.

At just 195 baht, each colossal bowl of this piping hot goodness comes brimming with ingredients such as pork belly, squid, prawns, meatballs, spring onions, two runny eggs and lime slices.

All these lie atop a bed of springy noodles which is then doused in ladlefuls of hot and tangy tom yum broth. We’d say that a bowl of this could easily feed 2 to 4 people.

We love how generous they were with the ingredients and each and every one of them added something special to the bowl. The pork belly had a decent fat to meat ratio and was fried to a crackling crisp, providing the dish with a nice crunch. On the other hand, while we thought that the squid and prawns were a nice addition, they were disappointingly stale.

The noodles, on the other hand, were springy and cooked to a nice al dente and we love how it soaked up all the spicy goodness of that full-bodied tom yum broth. However, we recommend that you slurp up the noodles fast as they do become soggy rather quickly.

The Place 168
1/49 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Thanon Phaya Thai, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 657 0880
Daily: 10.30am – 9.30pm

Read: Bangkok food guides on the best places to discover in the city.

Thipsamai Restaurant - Is This The Best Pad Thai In Bangkok?

Melissa Teo — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 03:00:16 +0000

A classic favourite for many in Thailand is pad thai. Sweet, nutty and full of varying texture, this stir-fried noodle dish is a must-try when you visit the land of smiles.

Of course, some places do up the dish better than others and one place that is dubbed to have the best pad thai in Bangkok is the legendary Thipsamai. The pad thai here is so famous that they have even earned themselves a Bib Gourmand award by the Michelin Guide.

Located on the outskirts of Chinatown, Thipsamai has been around since 1966 and the store is constantly flooded with both tourists and locals. However, like every other hyped up establishment, the real question is, are the insanely long queues really worth it?

Thipsamai has recently been renovated and the spanking new space now looks fresh and more spacious. It is now even air-conditioned!

We recommend coming about 15 minutes before the store’s actual opening hours before the massive queue builds up.

Upon entering the restaurant, you’ll be greeted by the kitchen which is located right in front of the restaurant, just like how it was before the renovation. Here, you can watch the chefs at work while they cook up plates after plates of scrumptious pad thai.

We tried the Pad Thai with Dried Shrimp and Egg (75 Baht), which is essentially their most basic rendition of the dish. Each plate of this comes full of springy noodles that are tossed together with chives, dried shrimp, beansprouts, tofu and egg.

The noodles had soaked up all that deliciously fragrant sauce while maintaining its chewy, springy texture. We also love how the different components added varying textures to the dish — the crunch from the beansprouts and chives, the chewiness of the tofu and the softness of the egg — which all came together to create an interesting mouthfeel.

Our only gripe was that the portion size was a tad too small. Our bottomless pits would have appreciated a much larger serving!

Next, we had the Pad Thai with Shrimp Oil and Fresh Deep-sea Prawns Wrapped with Egg (120 Baht).

What we love about this dish is how the pad thai comes enveloped in a thin, fragrant layer of egg. Break apart the egg to reveal its enticing contents and give the lot a good mix for maximum enjoyment.

The pad thai here is essentially the same as the Padthai with Dried Shrimp and Egg that we had previously, but we have to admit that the simple addition of the egg wrap was genius and it completely elevated the entire dish. We love how the egg provided the pad thai with a decent amount of sweetness without it being too overwhelming as well as a satisfying added texture and bite.

All in all, we can see why Thipsamai is so popular amongst both locals and tourists. However, we feel that it isn’t as great as what many people have hyped it up to be. We do recommend you popping by to give it a try but we doubt that it will be on the top of our must-do lists for any future trips to Bangkok.

Thipsamai
313 315 Maha Chai Road
Khwaeng Samran Rat, Khet Phra Nakhon
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 226 6666
Daily: 5pm – 2am

Hunk Seafood Bangkok — Enjoy A Seafood Feast With A Bunch Of Handsome, Prancing Hunks

Melissa Teo — Mon, 12 Aug 2019 16:55:43 +0000

If you’re planning to visit Bangkok soon and you’d like to pay a visit to a place that has some dinner time entertainment, we have the perfect recommendation for you.

Located at the bustling Hua Mum Night Market, Hunk Seafood is a stand-alone eatery that specialises in seafood and, well, hunks.

The restaurant became a huge hit amongst both locals and tourists for their scantily dressed hunks who find joy in wriggling around in skimpy costumes while shrieking along to whatever song the restaurant is playing. The seafood here honestly isn’t the best but the entertainment sure makes up for it.

If you plan to pay this place a visit, we recommend that you take a Grab down as the place is a little inaccessible.

Once you step into the restaurant, you’ll be greeted by a horde of excited men dressed in tight revealing tops and very short skirts. They change their outfits pretty often and when we paid them a visit, the apparent theme of the day was Japanese schoolgirl.

If you’re brave enough to endure their high-pitched yelps and aggressive body movements, you can even try to snap a picture with them!

In terms of food, the menu here is nothing too fancy and they have basic seafood dishes as well as seafood sets.

First up, we had a go at their Bamboo Clams (100 baht). In all honesty, the bamboo clams were not that great and a little too unfresh, sandy and fishy for our liking. To mask the taste, we recommend dunking it into one of the provided sauces before consumption.

Our favourite dish out of the lot was the Grilled River Prawns (350 baht Medium/600 baht Large). The prawns were comparatively fresher and had a lovely springy texture. We also appreciate how easily we could peel them off their shells.

The cherry on top of the cake was the generous amount of roe that came with each prawn; creamy and buttery, it definitely elevated the flavours of the prawn. The dish also came with a side of Thai green chilli sauce but the prawns were so good on their own that we felt that they could do without the sauce.

If you’re planning to come in a large group, we recommend that you get the Seafood Platter (290 baht) which comes with cockles, mussels and clams.

The Seafood Platter was a tad bit disappointing as the seafood had not been cleaned very thoroughly and you got bits of sand in almost every bite. We once again masked the taste by dunking the seafood in the provided sauces. It would definitely have tasted much better if they had been cleaned properly and it’s a complete shame because, at that price point, it really is quite value-for-money.

All in all, it was a rather interesting experience and we had no regrets. However, we hope that for any future visits, the seafood would be more properly cleaned out.

Hunk Seafood
11 Prasert-Manukitch Road
Khwaeng Lat Phrao
Khet Lat Phrao, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon
Bangkok, Thailand 10230
Daily: 6pm – 12pm