In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Amphawa Floating Market in Samut Songkhram is a weekend canal market 90 km southwest of Bangkok. It is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday only, from the afternoon into the evening; Monday to Thursday the shops are shuttered. Boats on the canal grill giant river prawns (200 THB to 400 THB) and squid over charcoal. At dusk (18:30), a 1-hour firefly boat tour is 60 THB a person on a shared longtail, or 600 THB to 800 THB for a private boat. Direct minivans leave Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai) for 80 THB to 100 THB, or take a 15 THB blue songthaew from Maeklong Railway Market. The last minivan back to Bangkok leaves at about 20:30. Or book a tour: the Maeklong railway and Amphawa floating market day tripad (from ฿1,481, 4.3 stars from 757 reviews) puts the train market, Amphawa and a firefly boat in one booking. For other regional excursions, see Day trips from Bangkok.
A weekend afternoon market
Unlike the early-morning canal markets that cater to tour groups, Amphawa is an afternoon market that Bangkok residents visit at weekends. It is open Friday to Sunday only, and it starts around noon and is at its best from about 15:00 (Wikivoyage).
The market runs along Khlong Amphawa, a branch canal that leads into the Mae Klong river. Wooden two-storey shophouses in early 20th-century Siamese canal style line both banks, joined by high footbridges. The day runs like this:
- Afternoon: stalls open, roasting coffee, baking traditional sweets and showing ceramics and textiles.
- 16:00 to 19:00: peak dining. Crowds fill the concrete steps along the canal to eat grilled seafood served from boats.
- 18:30 to 20:30: longtail boats leave for the firefly trips into the mangrove channels.
- Late evening: stalls pack up, the canal lights dim and the village quietens.
A footbridge over the Amphawa canal. Photo: Rangan Datta Wiki, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Tours from Bangkok
A tour is worth it at Amphawa because the market runs late, so the return transport is the hard part on your own. Tours that include the Maeklong train and a firefly boat do the whole weekend circuit.
Maeklong railway market, Amphawa and a firefly cruise
From ฿1,481 · 4.3 stars from 757 reviews · 8½ to 11½ hours · small group or private
Bangkok: Maeklong Railway & Amphawa Floating Market Day Tripad includes hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned vehicle, a guide and a firefly boat tour on the Maeklong river, with Wat Bang Kung, the temple wrapped in banyan roots, on the route. The small-group option with a meeting point takes 8½ hours and meets near National Stadium BTS Station; the private tour takes 11½. It is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with back or heart problems.
Private evening with fireflies
From ฿1,643 · 4.1 stars from 30 reviews · 8 hours · private
Bangkok: Private Firefly Night Cruise & Floating Market Tourad is a private trip that watches the train pass through the Maeklong railway market, then explores Amphawa floating market and ends on the firefly night cruise. Driver, fuel, tolls, parking and insurance are included; meals are extra. Not suitable for babies under 1 or anyone over 80.
Private car to three markets
From ฿4,646 · 4.5 stars from 80 reviews · 1 day · private
Bangkok: Floating & Maeklong Markets Tour by Private Charterad is a private car and driver for Damnoen Saduak, Amphawa and the Maeklong railway market at your own pace, with no forced stops. Parking, tolls, fuel and the boat transfer are included; a guide is an add-on. Damnoen Saduak runs in the morning and Amphawa in the afternoon, so a Friday to Sunday date is needed for Amphawa; see the Damnoen Saduak guide.
What to eat along the canal
A food boat on the Amphawa canal. Photo: Rmunsvila, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Dining at Amphawa centres on the steps of the central canal bridges. Vendors moor wooden boats along the embankment with gas burners, charcoal grills and ice chests. You order from the boat chef, sit at low tables along the steps, and the food is passed up over the canal wall:
- Grilled river prawns (goong pao): 200 THB to 400 THB a plate, depending on weight. Split lengthwise and charred so the orange head fat caramelises, with a lime, garlic and green chilli dipping sauce.
- Grilled squid (pla meuk yang): 100 THB to 150 THB a skewer or whole squid.
- Steamed cockles and mussels (hoy kraeng / hoy mangphu): 80 THB to 120 THB a bowl, steamed with lemongrass and Thai sweet basil.
- Boat noodles (kuay teow reua): 40 THB to 50 THB a bowl, with morning glory and bean sprouts.
- Desserts: kanom bueang, crisp coconut crepes filled with sweet egg-yolk threads, 30 THB, and fresh-pressed sugar cane juice, 25 THB.
Bring 20, 50 and 100 THB notes. Canal-side vendors do not take cards.
Firefly boat tours
Amphawa’s evening trip is the firefly tour (chom yaom hoong). The brackish water of the Mae Klong estuary supports dense stands of corkwood trees (ton lumpoo), where synchronous fireflies (Pteroptyx malaccae) gather.
- Departure: boats start loading at dusk, around 18:30 to 19:00.
- Shared boat: 60 THB a person, from wooden ticket booths beside the canal bridges. Boats leave when they fill with 10 to 15 passengers.
- Private charter: 600 THB to 800 THB a boat for one hour, if you do not want to wait for a shared boat to fill.
- The trip: the boat leaves the narrow canal for the wide Mae Klong, then turns into dark side channels, where drivers cut the engines and drift. The fireflies flash in step across the branches.
- Etiquette: flash photography, phone torches and laser pointers are banned on the water, because artificial light disrupts the fireflies’ signals.
| Boat option | Price | Duration | Departure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared firefly tour | 60 THB a seat | 60 minutes | Ticket booths at the central bridges |
| Private firefly charter | 600 THB to 800 THB a boat | 60 minutes | Pier next to the Amphawa municipal office |
| Daytime five-temple boat | 50 THB a seat, or 500 THB private | 90 minutes | Canal docks, 10:00 to 16:00, to Wat Bang Kung |
The daytime five-temple boat visits Wat Bang Kung, a Buddhist chapel built around the roots and trunk of an old banyan tree.
How to get to Amphawa from Bangkok
Public minivan from Bangkok
Air-conditioned minivans are the fastest direct public link:
- Departure: the van platform at the Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai).
- Fare: 80 THB to 100 THB one way.
- Journey: about 90 minutes via Rama II Road (Highway 35).
- Drop-off: the Amphawa market entrance near the main highway bridge.
Minivans also leave from the van station opposite Mo Chit 2 in northern Bangkok.
Connecting from Maeklong Railway Market
Because Amphawa is an afternoon market, it pairs well with a morning at the Maeklong Railway Market:
- Watch the 11:10 train arrival and 11:30 departure, or the 14:30 arrival.
- Walk from the Maeklong platform to the main road near the 7-Eleven.
- Board a blue songthaew (a pick-up truck with bench seats) marked for Amphawa.
- The fare is 15 THB and the journey takes about 15 minutes.
- Get off at the Amphawa market gate.
Getting back to Bangkok at night
The return leg is what to plan around:
- The last scheduled minivan from Amphawa to Bangkok leaves between 20:00 and 20:30.
- A boat that leaves at 18:30 returns to the pier by 19:30, which leaves one hour to reach the minivan stand on the main road.
- If you miss the last van, take a motorcycle taxi to Samut Songkhram town or hire a private car back to Bangkok, typically 1,200 THB to 1,500 THB.
Doing it yourself or on a tour: the prices side by side
There is no entry fee for the market; the costs are transport, boats and food. GetYourGuide prices are each product’s lowest “from” price.
| What you want | On your own | On GetYourGuide |
|---|---|---|
| Getting there and back | 160 THB to 200 THB by minivan | Air-conditioned transport included |
| A firefly boat | 60 THB shared; 600 THB to 800 THB private | Included, from ฿1,481 |
| The Maeklong train market too | 15 THB by songthaew, plus the minivan | Included in the ฿1,481 tour |
| A guide | None | Included |
| The whole day, one person | About 250 THB to 350 THB, plus food | From ฿1,481, plus food |
Going alone is more than 1,000 THB cheaper, but you must watch the clock on the firefly trip to catch the 20:30 minivan. The tour costs more and removes that risk, including the late return.
To compare Amphawa with Damnoen Saduak and other day trips, see Day trips from Bangkok.
Common questions
When is Amphawa Floating Market open?
Amphawa operates on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only. It is an afternoon and evening market that starts around noon and is at its best from about 15:00; on Monday to Thursday the stalls and the canal vendor boats are closed.
How much does a firefly boat tour cost in Amphawa?
A 1-hour evening firefly boat tour costs 60 THB per person on a shared wooden longtail boat. To charter a private boat for up to eight passengers, the usual rate is 600 THB to 800 THB.
What is the best way to get from Bangkok to Amphawa?
Direct air-conditioned minivans leave from Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai) for 80 THB to 100 THB and take about 90 minutes. Alternatively, take a minivan to Maeklong Railway Market and transfer to a 15 THB local songthaew to Amphawa.
What time is the last minivan from Amphawa back to Bangkok?
The last minivans from Amphawa to Bangkok usually leave between 20:00 and 20:30 from the main road bridge. If you take a firefly boat, board the 18:30 departure so you are back in time for the last van.
Is an Amphawa tour from Bangkok worth it?
For the firefly boat and a return coach, yes: the Maeklong railway and Amphawa day trip is from 1,481 THB on GetYourGuide, including hotel pickup on some options. On your own it costs about 250 THB to 350 THB, but you have to watch the clock for the last minivan.
