Amphawa floating market opens on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 4.00 pm to 8.00 pm. I took Songthaew from Maeklong to Amphawa, only 8 Baht, I was very happy. It’s not far, about 10 to 15 minutes ride. I didn’t plan to go Damnoen Saduak Floating Market because I wanted to take a boat trip at night at Amphawa, to see the fireflies. Some people referred that as the ‘Asian Christmas Tree’.

How to go Amphawa Floating Market

You can either straight away take van from Bangkok to Amphawa Floating Market or take van from Bangkok to Maeklong to see the railway market and then take Songthaew to Amphawa Floating Market. Details read here: Maeklong Railway Market. If you take a taxi from Central World to Amphawa Floating Market, it will cost about 1500 baht for 2 ways.

For the one hour boat trip to see fireflies, you have to buy the ticket at the small counter along the market. 60 Bath per person. We booked the 6.30 pm trip. Though the sky was not totally dark yet, but we did see a lot of fireflies. I heard lots of Thai said ‘bin bin, bin bin’ I think it means ‘blink blink’. And my Thai friend told me that fireflies in Thai was ‘hing huai’.

Amphawa Floating Market to Bangkok

We were there on Saturday evening and the last van back to Bangkok was 9 pm. We bought our tickets early at the main road outside the floating market. The van is much better than the one we took from Bangkok to Amphawa. Very nice, smells good and leather seats. It costs only 80 Baht. If you’re alone, I suggest that you take the earlier van back to Bangkok because that day just the two of us took the 9pm van.

Thought of the day

You! Stop imagining, stop expecting and stop all these nonsenses! I’m bored, sad and depressed these days. I miss home which I shouldn’t be. There are just 18 days left and I must live happily in these 18 days. This is a trip for me to walk out from my comfort zone, to walk out from my darkness. It’s a trip for me to learn. I always look at the negative side. I feel lonely, I have no one to talk to, I couldn’t speak Thai, I’m an outsider, and I’m different from them. I magnify my boredom. I magnify my sadness. I magnify my desire. Now I realize that all are nonsenses. I don’t even try and I want to give up. Never try, never know. I forget that people are trying hard to communicate with me too. They may be scared too because they couldn’t speak English. I know that everything happens here will forever be a sweet part of my life. I shouldn’t ruin it and I have to write it here. Yesterday, a guy talked to me and I asked him that whether he had a haircut the day before. He answered ‘yes’ curiously and I said ‘lor’ in Thai, means ‘handsome’. His reaction was funny, a little bit shy and happy. When he was leaving, he said ‘prung nee ma’ in Thai, means ‘I’ll come tomorrow.’ and of course I said ‘jer gan prung nee’ means ‘see you tomorrow.’ I was so so so so so happy. I’ve never thought that he would talk to me. He looked cool all the while. And the ‘prung nee ma’ is as sweet as the ‘pom rak khun na’ from the security. I think it’s because Thai language is quite soft spoken. I’ll never forget this. I’m thankful and grateful, for them who speak to me. Let’s make some friends and enjoy to the end!