Amphawa

Amphawa is a coastal town in Thailand that spans along the Amphawa canal against a landscape of diverse orchards and coconut trees. It is situated about 80 kilometers west of Bangkok and about 18 kilometers from the Maeklong river’s estuary.

History

Since the 18th century, Amphawa has been the Maeklong River’s predominant conventional water-based settlement. The village has a rich cultural heritage that reflects its identity as being strongly connected to water in both tangible (architecture, monuments, mural painting, handicraft, etc.) and intangible (performance arts, rituals, music, culinary arts, and way of life, etc.) forms.
Both sides of the canal are surrounded by timber homes in this setting. Amphawa and Bangkok are collectively referred to as “Venice of the East.” It has a rich cultural heritage, including historic architecture, performance arts (such as Thai dance, puppet shows, and music), handicrafts, culinary arts, customs, and water-related ways of life.
One of the most popular tourist destinations in Samut Songkhram is the Amphawa floating market. Tourists flock to the market every Friday through Sunday to take in the sights of the canal or to eat some scrumptious cuisine. Most every guest can buy seafood, a traditional Thai dessert, or souvenirs for family and friends. Additionally, travelers can take a boat tour to explore the scenery and civilization along the Amphawa Canal. Tourists can book a boat ride at night to see the wonderful night time scene of fireflies in cork trees. The King Buddhalertla (Phuttha Loet la) Naphalai Memorial Park is adjacent to places where tourists can observe traditional Thai cottages, people going about their daily routines, and artifacts from early 19th-century Siam. Located at the temple Wat Bang Kung is a seated Buddha draped in sparkling lights.
An unseen image of Thailand was found at Wat Bang Kung, a temple, where a Buddha was seated and draped in sparkling gold leaves. One of the most magnificent churches in Thailand is The Nativity of Our Lady Cathedral, a Gothic-styled, historic Catholic cathedral. Samut Songkhram’s Tha Kha Floating Market has been accessible for more than a century and features a bustling morning scene of sellers paddling boats to offer goods. Tourists can explore canalside lives in the morning at the charming and peaceful Bang Noi Floating Market, a small antique market.
Due to the revitalization of the floating market that was started in 2004 and the preservation of canalside structures, Amphawa is currently one of the most popular cultural tourism destinations in the central area of Thailand.

Weather

The ideal periods to visit Amphawa are November, December, January, and February. The monsoon season’s worst months seem to be from June to mid-September through mid-October.

How to get there

From Bangkok’s Sai Tai Mai (Southern) Terminal, minibuses depart every hour from 6 am to 8 pm for 70 baht per passenger, dropping off close to the floating market. Additionally, minibuses leave Sai Tai Mai for Mae Khlong market in Samut Songkhram, the province capital, from which you can hire a songthaew (15 baht) or tuk tuk (100 baht) to Amphawa.
From a prominently displayed roadside booth on Phrachaset Road, just east of the town center in Amphawa, minibuses leave for Bangkok. These are similarly 80 baht and operate from 05:15 to 18:00 (20:00 on the weekends).

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