First-Time Thailand in 9 Days – Day 2
With the help from hotel reception, we hired an aircon taxi to Kanchanaburi – the home of Death Railway Bridge to Burma during World War II – today’s destination – all for 4000 ฿. On the way, we visited a traditional floating market on the western part of Bangkok.
Highlights of the Day
- Taling Chan Floating Market
- Tiger Temple of Kanchanaburi (a big “NO”)
- Khao San Road
Taling Chan Floating Market
It is a “must” to visit a traditional floating market when you are in Thailand – remember the floating markets from Jackie Chan movies?
The most touristy floating market in Thailand is Damnoen Saduak Floating Market (Ratchaburi Province) followed by Amphawa Floating Market (Samut Songkhram Province), both almost 100 km far south-west off Bangkok. But if you want to visit a nearby floating market, maybe only 40 km west off Bangkok, and a more traditional and less touristy one, thumbs up for Taling Chan Floating Market.
The market is open only during weekends from 7 AM to 4 PM.
This morning market is mostly famous among the locals for its food – varieties of food, whether it is a range of Thai desserts or fresh seafood or fresh fruits.
You will also find few stalls of economical dresses, shoes, accessories, soaps, and many miscellaneous objects.
We left our hotel at 8 AM and reached the floating market at around 9.30 AM. It took an hour to explore the whole market including having breakfast there; finally, we departed at around 10.45 AM from the market.
Kanchanaburi
I would highly recommend everyone who is planning to visit Kanchanaburi, kindly visit Death Railway, Hellfire Pass and Erawan National Park, but kindly do not visit Tiger Temple.
Kanchanaburi is a beautiful small city situated at confluence of two rivers, Kwai Noi and Kwai Yai. It has a dark history of the start of World War II when Death Railway Bridge was in the making over river Kwai. It also has a war memorial call Hellfire Pass where the Asian labors cut the rock by hand to make way for the Death Railway, and also the seven-tier waterfalls called Erawan Waterfalls – one of the most beautiful waterfalls of Thailand – is worth seeing at Erawan National Park, on the way to Sangkhlaburi Province.
But I was dumb enough to skip the must-visit places and instead, chose to visit Tiger Temple, locally known as Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua Yanasampanno.
Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua Yanasampanno
On the way to the Temple, we had lunch at Amazon Cafe on the way. After visiting Tiger Temple, all I could say is that the tigers there are heavily mistreated – they are drugged and forced to click pictures with tourists.
I would highly discourage everyone to visit Tiger Temple – a big “NO”.
In addition to an entry fee of 600 ฿ to the temple, you have to pay an extra 1000 ฿ to take a picture with the tiger’s head on your lap – though it is optional. I regret my decision hugely to have visited such place.
Many animal activists are working for finding evidences of the illegal activity happening inside the temple, so they can close it forever, as the money of the tourists is contributing directly to the mistreatment of the tigers and benefit of the temple people, including the monks.
There is a high chance you would find the temple closed when you come here.
Delicious Dinner
After such a disheartening visit to Tiger Temple, I need to lift my mood – the best way was to have a delicious dinner at a very cozy restaurant run by a Thai lady a little walk away from Khao San Road – Joy Luck Club.
The menu had a wide variety of non-meat dishes – very much vegan-friendly.
The service was very homely – we just loved it! Also the ambiance of the restaurant is interesting.
A relaxing foot massage ended the long day, before we went back to hotel to sleep off.
NET EXPENSE FOR 1 PERSON (IN THB)
Let us have a look at the expenses of Day 2 in Thailand – Kanchanaburi.
- Day-trip to Kanchanaburi from Bangkok for 1 person: 1000
- Entrance to Tiger Temple: 600
- Food: 350
- Miscellaneous: 200
Total expense (roughly): 2150 THB
For an overall idea of itinerary and expense of the trip, whether for solo or couple or group of any number of people, feel free to contact me on Contact Us page. You can also have a look at First-Time Thailand in 9 Days – Itinerary and Expenses.
If you are planning for a much-organized, tastefully-curated, stress-free yet exciting vacation, consider booking your holidays at Travel Love Repeat. It is going to be a treat for sure!
I’m very against this kind of animal tourism, and I wish it stopped. I know that zoos are the same, but to see animals drugged in public is just cruel. I loved Thailand when I was there, but wouldn’t return till this is stopped.
There are too many animal tourisms here like elephant riding and what not, I hate them too!
OMG! I feel so sad that the tigers are in chains T_T On a different note, thank you for the tip for the lesser known floating market! How did you discover that?
I was just reading blogs online and came across this one. It was so authentic!
I wish that Tiger Temple would go out of business but hopefully the more people write about how horrible it is the less people will visit. Thanks for the tip about the Taling Chan Floating Market had not heard of that one before.
There are many more floating markets, Taling Chan is the traditional one. To know more about them, you can visit http://www.travelloverepeat.com; they have good tours.
This looks like a great day-trip, there are so many locations in Thailand that it is difficult to know which ones to include on your trip, thanks for sharing !
Kanchanaburi is few kms away from Bangkok, it must be done as a day-trip.
Its horrible to see the condition those poor animals are in! On a more positive note, I remember I bought so many of those hand-made soaps to gift to people, I absolutely loved their packaging. The food is so amazing in Thailand, isn’t it?
I am in love with Thai food. I live here. It’s an everyday thing now 🙂
Everything you said about the Tiger temple is the reason we chose not to go to this one, we heard so many bad stories about it that you have just re-iterated. I love Tigers, I have a tattoo of one on my leg but it saddened me to see these majestic animals treated like this, especially here where the monks are meant to be one with them. On side note though, I loved Thailand while I was there but Khao San road, I couldn’t wait to get away from it.
Tiger Temple is a big no, it is closed now if I am not wrong.
I did this day trip to Kanchanaburi when I was visiting Bangkok years ago. It was a fun way to spend the day, only I feel so sad about those tigers at Tiger Temple. They are majestic animals that deserve to be in the wild.
True that. I felt shitty too.
I’d love to see a floating market! The closest I’ve come is a single market boat in Venice! Looks like you can find a huge variety of things for sale, and the food (at least in your pictures) looks amazing!
The food was really nice!
I recently just visited Bangkok a second time and still didn’t get a chance to visit the famous floating markets. I guess that worked out though because now I know to visit Taling Chan for a more traditional and authenic experience. And thank you for sharing about the Tiger Temple. It’s so devastating to know that such businesses thrive on such animal cruelty and it’s important that more people are made aware of it!
Yes, that is right.
That bear and tiger 🙁 Absolutely heart breaking. When will people stop going to these places? If no one goes they won’t keep operating.
Seriously, Jean.
What a great day trip suggestion from Bangkok. The floating markets would be amazing to visit. Wow those catfish!
I do hope the tiger temple gets closed down. So sad and horrible for the animals.
It has been closed down, recently.
I reallllly want to visit the floating market in Thailand and I’m a huge fan of waterfalls so the seven-tier Erawan Waterfall is a must see. So very sad to see the images of the tigers.
Yes, it is so painful.
Oh, how awful for those tigers and bears – you are right to discourage this kind of tourism – totally unethical and cruel. Glad you had a good time at the floating markets and waterfalls though!
I know, it’s sad.
I rarely see information about the alternative floating markets in Thailand. Most of it are just organized tourist traps! Thanks for showing a different take on this. I’m also not so fond of the animals exploited for tourism in Thailand. I feel so bad about it and I guess we share the same thoughts.
Nice to know that.
Good to see an honest post on Kanchanaburi. I have seen so many people posing with these tigers without even realizing the obvious! Great place otherwise. Those candies are so photogenic!
It is so pathetic.