Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok

Hubby and I took a quick trip to Bangkok last March and spent most of the time doing what else, shopping! If you know my husband, he's really allergic to going to bazaars or anywhere crowded. Case in point, I've been bugging him to drive me to Divisoria for years, and he just won't do it! But for some reason, he was really game this time around to check out the Chatuchak Weekend Market. We've both been here a few years ago (not together), so I was really excited to go back and experience it with him.

Anyway, Chatuchak is one of the world's largest markets, covering 35 acres of land with thousands and thousands of market stalls and visitors per day. You can get just about anything and everything here: clothes, accessories, handicrafts, art, antiques, live animals, books, music, food, plants and flowers, and more!

The weekend market is open on Saturdays and Sundays, 9:00 - 18:00, and Fridays 18:00 - 24:00. Plant sections are also open on Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 7:00 - 18:00.

We went on a Sunday and took the skytrain (BTS) from Chit Lom, which was the nearest station from our hotel, to Mo Chit station.

Then we took Exit No.1 and followed the crowd until we reached the outside of the market, where there were already a lot of stalls selling clothes, bags, and food. We continued to follow the crowd until we saw a small entrance that leads into the market (clothing section).

Free maps are available from one of the information kiosks, or you can download it online to help you navigate the different sections since it can be very confusing. But hubby and I just winged it and went where our feet took us. We weren't really looking for anything in particular anyway.

the clock tower in the middle is the famous meeting point in the market

One thing was for sure, it was HOT! Make sure to wear light clothes and comfortable shoes. Have water or something to drink readily available. And bring a backpack or a couple of those reusable bags to carry your purchases.

Anyway, I really like how chill it is to shop in Bangkok. The sales people just leave you alone when you're looking, not like in other Asian countries where they really bug you and even run after you after you've said no. You can bargain, although they'll usually give you discount when you buy wholesale (usually 3 or more).

There were covered sections as well, but these could get a bit claustrophobic at times especially if it got too crowded. But the plus side were that some stalls were air conditioned! We would make tambay here and pretend to look at the stuff so we could cool ourselves lol! ;p

There were a lot of food options as well, but we were just so tired at one point that we just ate at the first place we saw with available seats.

I definitely don't think we were able to go through the entire market, let alone even half of it! It was just too big. And if you're eyeing something, get it na. You'll probably get lost looking for it later on (which is what happened to us countless times lol!). Anyway, my favorite buys from the market were these embroidered bags and hanging lights.

Personally though, if you prefer to be comfortable and are mostly just shopping for clothes, just stick to Platinum Mall which is like an indoor version of the Chatuchak Market. It’s fully air-conditioned and comes complete with a large food court as well as cafés and fast food chains. You can practically get everything here as well - like souvenirs, accessories, kids stuff, home decor, etc. As for the prices, honestly there's very little difference for me when it came to clothes. I guess depends on what you're looking for though. But if you've never been to the Chatuchak Market before, I think it's a must in Bangkok just to experience and see it for yourself.


Website: www.chatuchak.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChatuchakMarket-900902286644149