Arguably one of the most popular outdoor markets in Bangkok, the famed Chatuchak Weekend Market is a true cultural paradise.
Fashion, art, food and music concentrated into one weekend market for travelers to revel in Thai offerings is quite an experience. If one of the only things you know about Thailand is that they are the land of flowy elephant pants – this is one of the places to get your fix on them.
As the largest market in Thailand, gifts are plenty. I mean, this is THE places to buy marvels for your loved ones.
With more than 15,000 stalls and 11,000 vendors, divided into 27 sections The Chatuchak Market is a bargaining-for-goods Mecca. Bring your suave negotiating skills to fine excellent deals, just be careful to not offend vendors with too low of a bid. It can be offensive and make for a rather uncomfortable situation.
Even if shopping isn’t your thing, it’s fun to watch all the hustle and bustle. And of course, if anything – go for the food!
So onto the delights.
Thai Iced Tea
Traditional milky mega-caffeinated Thai has long been one of my favorite things to order at Southeast Asian restaurants. And ordering it in Bangkok was no different. I’d say my favorite difference in ordering the same drink in the US vs Thailand was the ice. I know, it seems like strange observation. But due to the poor contaminated tap water quality in Thailand ice is made in facilities with filtered water and mass-distributed. These facilities produce pebble-like ice with a hole in the middle using filtered water. (That’s what to look for in Bangkok!) As far as the taste, half and half is typically used in the US while Thailand varies between coconut milk, evaporated milk, whole milk or half and half.
Tom Yum Koong
This dish is a popular hot and sour Thai soup with Shrimp. This dish is to Thailand what chicken noodle soup is to America. The version we tried at the Chatuchak Market included fish balls – like fish meatballs – and various vegetables in a broth with a splash of coconut milk. Fresh lime brought forward the sour flavor. The acid made is refreshing, even on a 100F degree day.
Papaya Salad
We took another stab at Papaya Salad, this time not in a bag like street vendors served my first day in Bangkok. This time, I was able to enjoy all the spicy, flavorful juice that accumulated at the bottom of the dish. Perfect for fluffy rice to soak up. This version wasn’t as spicy as others – probably because the Chatuchak Weekend Market caters to many tourists.
Juices & Teas
Roselle juice
I hadn’t even heard of roselle before having its juice. Roselle, a type of hibiscus, made a juice that was a bit too sweet for me. It was similar to hibiscus tea but with more notes of cherry.
Longan Juice
Longan Juice (or Langan as written here) was the sweetest of the options. This juice is a bit like homemade fruit punch, but made with dried fruit in lieu of fresh. This gives it a sweeter more unique concentrated fruit flavor.
Chrysanthemum Tea
I was the biggest fan of the Chrysanthemum Tea. It was a lightly sweet, and a welcome refreshment in the hot and humid weather. More floral and grassy but reminiscent of chamomile tea.
Coconut Water
Coconut water is always the way to go for instant hydration. It was the most straightforward option with no surprises in taste.
Mango Sticky Rice
Ah, my first time having Mango Sticky Rice. A dessert that has climbed into my all-time top 5 favorites. Thailand’s fruit, in general, is in a league of its own. I’m not sure if it’s the growing conditions or several generations of know how – but fruit tastes different here than any other part of the world. The vibrance in taste and color are more bold and pungent. Mangoes are masterfully carved by the most unassuming street vendor. It’s so impressive. For mango sticky rice, the dish is simple but its flavors are a harmony that should always be had together. Soft sticky rice is drizzled with a good portion of room temperature lightly sweetened coconut milk served with fresh mango and if you’re lucky – toasted mung beans. In my opinion, only when it’s served with the toasted mung beans is it truly authentic.
After a nice meal, lots of wandering, some haggling and an incredible foot and leg massage (I’ll spare you foot rub photos) the day was coming to a close. Brad and I ended up with some elephant pants, a funky canvas bag and scarves for our moms.
Well worth the visit.
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Cheers!