This bustling social scene known as “talaad nam” or floating market (actually, “water market” if you want a more direct translation), still exists in many locations outside of Bangkok’s modernised center. Unfortunately, a lot of them have devolved into picturesque tourist traps. Vendors are there to cater to visitors looking for an “authentic” experience, but it ends up being packed mainly with hawkers selling souvenirs or barely edible Thai food and snacks. Luckily, there are still some floating markets that are true to their heritage, catering to a mainly local population. Among them is Lat Mayom, a “water market” just across the Chao Phraya River.

Lat Mayom translates to Gooseberry Slopes, referring to the fruit trees that once flourished in the area. While the idea of slopes may bring hills and steep gradients to some minds, this region is mostly flat plains, so it doesn’t take much of an incline to qualify as a slope here (in Thai, it now just generally refers to higher ground). On the slopes, a burgeoning weekend floating market thrives surrounded by a community that has, for the most part, continued traditional practices of life along the canals.

The “floating” part of a floating market doesn’t mean that the entire market, including buyers and sellers, are on the water. Lat Mayom is no different. It means that the main access for vendors is by boat. Some will paddle or motor up to small piers to sell their wares from their boat. And the variety of wares may surprise you. Of course, there are boatloads of fresh fruits and flowers, but there are also some logistical marvels such as a noodle soup which serves piping hot noodles from a traditional boat. You may also see second-hand electronics on sale from the repair shop just downstream.

The market also takes place on land. There are over seven sections along both sides of canal, with footbridges connecting the two sides. Fresh produce and meats are on sale. There’s also an incredible food court-like set up with delicious fresh grilled prawns, roasted duck, made-to-order noodles, and so much mouth-watering dishes.

And while the market can take hours of exploration, a side trip along the canals offers insights into a vanishing culture. It’s like you’ve stepped back in time here. Quaint wooden homes and peaceful orchid and banana groves reveal satellite dishes and laughing teenagers trying to capture you in their selfies as you pass. Little old ladies selling traditional coconut ice cream treats to children at the temple may charm you just as much as the bustling boat repair shop, even with the cacophony of the angle grinder!

So, if you must visit a floating market, make sure it’s Lat Mayom—a floating market that truly provides a taste of Thailand.

Smiling Albino searches for these authentic experiences to ensure your trip reveals the true heart of Thailand to you. If you would like to discover the delights of Lat Mayom Floating Market or want to embark on a genuinely Thai journey, contact us today!

The post Explore Lat Mayom Floating Market first appeared on Smiling Albino.

These days it’s not unusual to see Christmas decorations going up right around the time the Halloween decorations come down. As the malls start playing carols and trees start going up, those in western countries might think they have a clear monopoly on the celebration of Christmas. But maybe not.

It may surprise you, but some of the most colourful and over-the-top Christmas celebrations you can find are in Asia. Although most people think of lush mountain treks, steamy markets, or sunbaked sand and blue water, truth is, many of Asia’s biggest cities – especially those that cater to tourists – give Christmas their full attention.

For westerners, Christmas is a holiday borne out of religion and nurtured by family, travel, and special traditions that include everything from food to music to mistletoe. But for Asians – most of whom are Buddhist – Christmas is about lights, sound, colour, decoration, fun – and not a small amount of photos.

Of course, for westerners from colder climes, the most shocking thing might be standing in the shadow of a palm tree while framing the perfect shot of a (fake) Christmas tree, all the while trying to ignore how hot it is.

In cities with a large concentration of tourist-friendly malls, Christmas in Asia is inescapable. In Singapore, shoppers can spend literally hours walking from mall to interconnected mall without ever stepping foot outside. In Bangkok, Central World proudly displays an outdoor Christmas landscape that includes a tree over a dozen meters tall. In Ho Chi Minh City, the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral and area around the Central Post Office are especially nice to wander and take pictures.

The great thing about it is the quaint innocence with which it all goes down. Christmas carols are played, but more for their peppy tone than any lyrical significance. Fake snow is sometimes sprayed into window corners, but it’s not really clear why when it’s 32°C. And like we mentioned earlier – you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone not taking selfies with the lights and decorations. For instance, one prominent display along Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Road this year includes hundreds of 3-foot high Snoopy statues with Santa hats. Why? Because Christmas in Asia.

Not enough? How about this – just a few weeks ago Bangkok set a world record for having the largest amount of elves gather in a single place! It took 1,792 kids to do it, but it was done, and even certified by Guinness.

[Tweet “Christmas in Asia: carols, snoopy and record-setting elf gatherings”]

Sure, if you get away from the malls you’ll probably struggle to find any candy canes or star-topped pine trees, but if it’s carols and holiday cheer you want, Asia sure knows how to put on a show. And if you tire of the merriment, the beach is never too far away.

The team at Smiling Albino wishes you all very happy holidays, safe travels and lots of festive cheer!

The post Christmas in Asia first appeared on Smiling Albino.

There are few Asian foods with identities as closely tied to their home country than Pho, the Vietnamese national dish made with rice noodles, meat, and broth seasoned with various types of herbs and spices. Not bad for a dish that only originated in the early 20th century. The dish has gone through various iterations since then, and is now available on every street corner in every village in the country. Which, obviously, is great news.

The first thing to keep in mind is that westerners have butchered the name – it’s no pronounced fow but actually fuhh. Remember that – if one can’t even make an honest attempt at the name of a dish, they’re forbidden from eating it (Smiling Albino rule #28).

While wandering around HCMC looking at temples and drinking strong coffee, we’ve sampled all types of pho, from crowded restaurants to single-chef food stalls. Most of the time it’s simply about the noodles, but there are other things to consider – atmosphere, crowd, and overall look of the place, too. So while no two tastes, moods, days, or personal tastes are ever alike, here are four places you’ll never have to work hard to convince us to go back to.

Pho Le
413-414 Nguyen Trai Street P.7,Q5

One of the more popular places in the city to pull up a stool, the giant neon sign over the door doesn’t just say Pho Le, it screams PHO LE! You know you’ve found a good place, too, when the crowd oozes out on the sidewalk and even into the street. Many of the ingredients are made by hand, and it’s what keeps people coming back for more, locals and tourists alike.

Pho Quynh
323 Pham Ngu Lao

There are a few locations of this Saigon mainstay, but we love the (very) bright yellow building just across from Pham Ngu Lao Park. Cheap and known for its large portion sizes and long open hours, the decor isn’t much but the food is pretty awesome. Load your pho up with veggies too, like fresh basil and lots of bean sprouts, to bring out the taste. We usually finish things off with banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich using French bread), which are also really good.

Ben Thanh Market
Bến Thành, Quận 1

One of the city’s biggest and most popular markets is, no surprise, a great place to try some local food. Talented chefs whip up thousands of bowls of pho every day to feed hungry shoppers, and as it’s a tourist hotspot, many of the menus are in English. There are a lot of dishes to choose from – some of them largely unknown to tourists – but stick with the pho and you can’t go wrong.

Phở Thanh Bình
18B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai
District 3

Just a few blocks away from the Saigon Zoo, this is the place we head to when we want some upscale noodles. Hefty portions and really tender beef make every trip worthwhile, not to mention piles of veggies for garnish and some great side dishes you won’t find anywhere else. Prices here are more expensive than almost anywhere else, and if you asked them why they’d likely say it was because their noodles are the best in Vietnam. But, there’s an (unsubstantiated) rumor that if you get sick from eating here, they’ll pay your medical bills. It’s hard to argue with that.

Related links

Vietnam: North, South and the Middle

Snooping Around Saigon

The post Four Great Pho Joints in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) first appeared on Smiling Albino.

In your research for Thailand, you may have come across an anecdote calling Bangkok the Venice of the East. Well, that was once true, but not so much anymore. Back in the day, Bangkok was veined with canals (called khlongs in Thai) and boats were the primary means of getting around. But over the past 100 or so years, the khlongs and markets beside them have been filled in with cement to build roads, as well as the pylons for the snaking network of highways and tollways that connect the city today.

There are still plenty of places where you can experience Bangkok as it was. There are many, many floating markets that advertise themselves as a unique place for tourists to have a traditional shopping experience, with waterborne commerce rules the day. Although each offers roughly the same thing, there are also quite a few differences you should be aware of. Here’s a breakdown of some of the more popular markets in and around Bangkok.

Taling Chan Floating Market

Taling Chan is one of Bangkok’s western districts, and has traditionally been known for its orchard farms. The floating market here, though not huge, specializes in all kinds of homemade snacks, veggies and grilled seafood, peddled from boats on the water as well as stalls that line the road on either side. It’s a bit of a haul to get here, but it’s a great way to get out of town and see one of the lesser-crowded markets in Bangkok. Bonus: there are still many canals out here that haven’t yet been filled in for road works, and tours are available. See them while you can!

Kwan-Riam Floating Market

This floating market is one of the newest in Thailand, opened to provide an option for people who don’t want to travel too far out of town to find one. It’s in Bangkok’ eastern suburbs but still well within the city limits, along Khlong San Saeb, on which runs the (in)famous Bangkok khlong ferry service. This market’s standout feature – besides a huge selection of food – is its alms rounds for monks, which take place early in the morning on weekends, and sees dozens of monks pass by in boats, accepting offerings from laypeople lining the khlongs.

Wat Sai Floating Market

In Bangkok’s western suburbs, this market was once the place to come for a blast from the past, but development in the area caused it to fall out of favor and it was eventually abandoned. However, in recent years it’s got somewhat of a second lease on life and is now quite popular, mostly for Thais, but also by tour groups, so go early for the best experience.

Mahanakorn Floating Market

This one is located near to Suvarnabhumi Airport east of Bangkok and is open every day, so it’s a good spot for people who don’t have much time and want to get one last stop in before they fly out. Not so much a floating market as a nice little canal-side community, but there are some nice shops lining the khlongs and it’s a quiet, relaxing break from the noise of the airport.

Bang Khu Wiang

If you’re a morning person, then this market is for you. Operating from around 4am – 7am, including a morning alms round by monks, it offers all the favorites of other floating markets – tons of food, few foreigners, and a nice canal-side community feeling. It’s up in Bangkok’s northeast suburbs though, so some planning on the route and perhaps a GPS marker is definitely recommended if you want to tackle it on your own.

Damnoen Saduak

When visitors to Bangkok talk about “the” floating market, it’s usually this one, the granddaddy of all of Bangkok’s floating markets. Not everyone knows just how far away this market is –  about 100km southwest of Bangkok in Ratchaburi Province. To be very honest, the market once was an amazing place, but is now so busy with tour buses and minivans and groups of flag-waving tour guides that the onlookers often outnumber the vendors. Still, there are some great photo ops here, and if you’re in the area, there are worse places to stop and grab some food.

Tha Kha & Amphawa Markets

These two markets are about 5km apart, and Tha Kha itself is only about 5km from Damnoen Saduak. However, while two of the more popular markets near Bangkok, they still largely retain their old-school charm and traditional qualities. Tha Kha is the smaller of the two, and is open on the weekends as well as various days throughout the month, depending on the lunar cycle. Amphawa is busier and very popular Thai weekenders, but is actually a bustling canal-side community rather than simply a market. Plenty of places to stay, shop and eat – and don’t forget to take a night tour to see the fireflies!

Want more?

Sometimes, the best way to get a feeling for a place is to see photos. Check out our online floating market galleries here.

We’ve also have an entire blog post about Talad Klong Lad Mayom, which is even further down the river from Taling Chan, you can see the story Here

All decided and know where you want to go? Contact us and one of our adventure travel consultants can help you plan the perfect day at the market!

The post The low-down on Bangkok’s floating markets first appeared on Smiling Albino.