Floating Market Cycle Tour, Bangkok (Part I)

- February 06, 2013

Opting for a cycling tour is never a bad choice in Bangkok. Despite of the hot sun, it is good for health and experience a closer encounter with the environment and people surrounding it. Early in the morning at 7.00am, we were picked up from the hotel. After that using 2 hours and 30 mins to reach the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, we are only allowed 15 minutes to walk around this market. Next, we were transported by a motorboat passing by river villages for 30 minutes and finally reached our starting point of our cycling event.

Our starting point was right by the first and perhaps most historically significant of the temples we came across, Wat Ampawan Chetiyaram. Built by Queen Amarintharamat at the start of the Chakri Dynasty, we were told that this is the birthplace of Rama II, but there was no time to hang around. After brief introductions to our two-wheeled friends for the day, helmet fittings and seating adjustments it was time to get peddling. Off we go leaded by a fully-trained English speaking tour guide.

This began with a thrilling journey along the local village's main thoroughfare - an elevated canal path with quaint shophouses on one side and a sheer drop into the water on the other.

We were very well protected with our minivan at the back to avoid fast moving vehicle get near to us. This tour follows a mix of asphalt roads, vehicle-width dirt roads, and canal paths. No technical ability is required.

This potentially perilous but exhilarating initiation to our vehicles and environment saw us dodging sleeping dogs (we were very careful to let them lie), nodding at friendly locals, veering around sharp bends and through tight alleyways.

Okay, time for a water break! We really need some breaks because the whole journey took us 32km.

We passed by oil palm and coconut plantation. As you can see the mud is used as the fertilizer for the plants. Pretty swampy.

A large field of Asparagus.

Before we knew it, we had covered what must have been 20 km and were stopping for lunch overlooking the Mae Klong River. The combination of the cooling breeze, lazy pace of river life and our satisfied stomachs made me momentarily eager to seek out the nearest hammock, but I'm glad we persisted.

Red tail fish which is rare by the villages across the river has escaped to here for some fish food.

Fish Cake - this is not really delicious. Pretty hard and plain for me.

Chicken Cashew Nuts - It is served to accommodate with some foreigners that does not like spicy food whom were cycling along with us. Not bad and I finished all the nuts!

Green Curry Pork - For Muslim friends, you may request earlier if you do not take pork. Normally they will not take note on this. Anyway, this is delicious and I always like green curry from Thailand.