Joanna James
Night markets are where Bangkok's vibrant nightlife, street activities and shopping culture meet. One of the major aspects of the Bangkok culture, a visit to a night market is compulsory.
One of the largest night markets in the city, the Rot Market Fai is hard to top for a number of reasons. With a lively atmosphere throughout the night, the market is often frequented for its ample selection of vintage souvenirs. Present in the eastern outskirts of Bangkok, the market is divided into three areas. One area focuses on everything related to fashion. Whether it is shoes or clothes, you can find it all here at reasonable prices. The second sector is where you can find all vintage items and other souvenirs you can take back home as a remembrance. The section is somewhere almost everyone would visit; the food section. Consisting of a number of food stalls, you can find the best of Thailand's much sought after street food.
Not just a great flea market, JJ Green doubles as a great hangout spot for the locals as well as tourists. A stone throw's away from the famed Chatuchak Weekend Market, JJ Green is an excellent location for a bit of antique shopping and its relaxed Bohemian atmosphere makes it ideal for a drink at the end of your shopping spree. Some of the stalls are permanent while others are makeshift stalls. Take a walk through the huge car park at the back and you will be greeted with a kind of boot sale. Open vans and other vehicles sell old and used products like watches to musical instruments.
Asiatique is a one-night market that never fails to enthral all of its visitors, no matter how many times they have visited. Situated on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, you are treated amazing scenery, a huge ground and up to forty restaurants that offer a range of local as well as international cuisine. What makes Asiatique such a delight is its classy background and clean toilets, a rare feature at most night markets. That being said, the prices at this night market are much higher than other locations but the ambience and the wide variety of cuisine present make up for it. Its location makes it easy to find a good serviced apartment in Bangkok too, with apartments like Chatrium Residence Riverside Bangkok a short distance away.
If you are intrigued by the unique nature of the Rot Fai Market I mentioned above but don't fancy the long to one end of the city, then the Rot Fai Market in Ratchada is ideal. It has the same ambience as its larger brother and comes with plenty of food stalls and antique stores. The central location and the Cultural Centre MRT Underground Station make getting to this market an easy task. As with every store in Thailand, make it a point to bargain because the prices are not fixed on any item. However, the Rot Fai Market here is well known to offer much cheaper prices than elsewhere in the city.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
