If we ask the foreigners where is the nice floating market in Thailand. Surely, they will say “Damnern Saduak Floating Market” but if you ask Thai, they will say difference. Myself say “Thakha Floating Market” And this is the reason why.
My friend’s name P Kung (P = older sister by the same pronunciation), living in Kamphaeng Phet province always come to Bangkok and travel around central part of Thailand. This time is good time that I was also available while she traveling to Bangkok so we had a trip together.
And to make trip to be funny trip then I invited Fang (the Joker) to join and P Kung invited her close friend P Ta then this trip become 4 persons.
Day 1
We left Bangkok around 7am (start from Petchkasem 48). P Kung hired a minivan for us and the first stop is for our breakfast and the breakfast was near the lotus pond in Ratchaburi (requested by P Kung).
P Kung contacted the owner in advance to order breakfast for us. And this is my delicious breakfast for today.
And P Kung order spice dish.
And P Ta also look yummy.
And Fan's menu also look delicious.
Because there was a big lotus pond so they put lotus leave under the food. And the highlight is the lotus tea and mix Thai herbs wrapped with lotus flower.
We put 2-3 drops of honey into the lotus tea. The taste become a bit sweet but we can smell of lotus from the tea. And this tea very good for health.
We all finished all food and drink. P Kung wanted to buy lotus tea but unfortunately they do not have in stock for her. After breakfast we continued to Samut Songkhram but before we left Ratchaburi province we stopped at a biggest orchid farm as P Ta's friend is a big customer there and she recommended us to check in at this beautiful place.
Actually, this orchid farm mainly export orchid but also selling inside Thailand. There is a very nice garden and many photo spots.
There is small and lovely cafe in front of the farm.
They preferred to sit and order drinks at the café instead of walking into the farm. Then only me walking around the farm.
There are many species of orchid here.
But the highlight is this one.
I do not have much knowledge about orchid. For me just they all are beautiful in difference shape and color. But this is the one that I just saw the first time and I just know that this specie of orchid have good smell.
We finished drinks and got lots of photos and left the farm and heading to Samutsongkhram.
We arrived to Samutsongkhram around 12.30pm. P Kung expected to visit the railway market (risky market or train market) but we were too late because we spent to much time relaxed at the farm. Then we changed the plan to have quick lunch at the market.
After lunch we walked to the temple "Wat Phet Samut Woravihan" https://thai.tourismthailand.o... which is well known for local people in Samutsongkhram and Thai people from other cities as well.
After that we continued to check in at the homestay which we booked for overnight.
And as soon as we arrived, Fang started her job.
We got the room on difference floor.
Me and Fang got duplex room on second floor.
And we have a lovely bathtub.
After checked in and dropped all luggage. We spent our free time at a nice café "Sane Thaka Cafe"https://web.facebook.com/Sanet...
And this is my favorite menu which I always order in all café "Watermelon Smoothie no syrup" and they made it nice.
Besides of drink we tried signature bakery "Young coconut cake".
We left the café as P Ta and P Kung were waiting for us to start the night tour to see firefly by paddle boat.
We can sit 4 persons in one boat and we had uncle 71 years old take care us.
We were enjoy talking and laughing along the way except P Kung as she scared of water so she kept her hands sticked with the boat.
The boat took us along the canal to say hi with local people, playing with the dogs. And when the sky getting dark then we can see more firefly on the trees. We saw lots of firefly but since there was almost full moon night so it was too bright sky to see more clear the firefly.
We spent around 1 hour on the boat and then returned to the homestay for dinner.
The local food with good taste is the best food. Actually, some menu is not belong to this area but since the owner of homestay just came back from her hometown so she cooked this special menus for us.
After dinner we spent time in our room for refresh and relax. Because P Ta and P Kung want to wake up early morning for pay alms to the monks.
Day 2
We (me and Fang) woke up around 7am as we did not join pay alms to the monks with 2 sisters but we packed all luggage and were ready to check out.
We left our breakfast at homestay as we preferred local food at the floating market.
There were many paddle boat of local people. You can see that they are old people but they are very strong. Paddle boat is not easy, but those are expert.
Fruit, vegetable are from their plantation and the food, dessert, snacks are from their kitchen.
This is the menu which I always eat when I visit this market. And steam sticky rice with banana wrapped with banana leaf is my most favorite Thai dessert.
While we were enjoy with our breakfast and this is the view.
People say hello to each other with smiley face.
So, this is a nice floating market or we can call smiling market.
Can't believe that we spent 2 hours for breakfast. Tried many menus which delicious and cheap.
Since P Ta and P Kung missed the Sane café on first day and they were too fool to have any drink there so I suggested them to drop at a nice café in the coconut plantation called "Coco Sweet Café" https://coco-sweet-cafe-tha-kh...
P Kung was very happy at this café.
We decided to have lunch at this café. We ordered lunch and then walked around the coconut plantation while waiting for our food.
And this is the check in point which everyone must have at least one shot.
P Ta who refused to take photo was the first one who sat there.
Follow by P Kung.
Fang who never miss any spot.
Our food were ready.
You visit Thakha you can not miss this menu.
And this is first time I tried this menu. Grilled egg plant in coconut milk.
Young coconut shoots fried with green bean and shrimps.
And this is our soup. Lotus stem in coconut milk soup.
And the highlight is this one.
Shrimp paste mixed with chili, coconut sugar, lemon juice. This is my most favorite menu of Thai food (again).
And after main course then we follow with dessert.
Except Fang preferred bakery.
We were full by food to our stomach and full with the empty space in our mind after released some stress out during 2 days.
Along the way in our trip we kept clean more than usual as covid-19. However, as for covid-19 so there are not too many people in everywhere we visit. So, this is very good time to go out and get new experiences or remind your old days.
Even this trip we did not get any new friend but we got new experience for food and places. I met an old woman which we can call grandmother (Thai people say this world to respect to the woman who have similar age with our own grandmother) with 83 years old who sold sticky rice with banana to me. Every times I visit this market I met her and she sells same products all the time but I'm happy to meet her every times and just hope that I can meet her when I visit next time as well. This is the kind of relation even we are not the same family but to meet people in this area feel like everyone welcome you like when you return to your hometown.
TipOnTheRoad
Thursday, December 23, 2021 9:08 PM