Nida Tunsuttiwong
Located in the historic province of Ayutthaya, 76 kilometers north of Bangkok, Ayutthaya Floating Market has managed to gain a good deal of attention among visitors due to its unique style of presentation and the performances of traditional Thai dance it stages, which take place right in the center of a group of lotus ponds.
The market, which opened to the public earlier this year, is not a floating market in the traditional sense as the stalls are located around the outside of the ponds rather than aboard small boats. And it’s really the performances that have captured the public’s imagination, since they take place upon a network of bamboo-based platforms that sit just a few centimeters below the water's surface.
Satisfying the senses
On arrival, I made a quick visit to the temple ruins at Wat Jong Kom, which are located close to the market’s entrance. It is thought that the temple was constructed during the early Ayutthaya period (1350-1529), but it was later abandoned when the Burmese invaded the city in 1767.
The entrance itself was designed to include rows of trees, as well as man-made interpretations of the ponds that inspired the market’s name – Klong Sa Bua (‘Canal of Lotus Ponds’).
I passed by a massage outlet near the entrance, which provides traditional massage services in a calm and peaceful setting, then purchased an attractive 100-baht (about US$3) coupon, made up of 20 x five baht stamps.
You can find a huge variety of Thai foods at the market, including several of my favorites, such as spring rolls, muu satay (‘grilled pork with peanut sauce’), khanom tuai (‘coconut cake’), and hor mok talae (‘steamed fish with curried coconut milk’), which features a seafood topping and comes wrapped in a banana leaf.
On hearing an announcement that a performance was set to begin shortly, I got closer to the stage as a group of musicians began playing a traditional composition. The venue currently presents up to five shows per day, from a total of 11, which are regularly rotated. Most of these performances stem from traditional folk tales.
The show I was set to experience was part of the popular Krai Thong folk tale, which features a lead character of the same name. Krai Thong tasks himself with rescuing a beautiful woman, who had earlier been captured by Chalawan, a huge crocodile that possesses incredible magical powers and can disguise himself in human form.
Fun-filled fantasy
The performance itself was highly enjoyable since it includes romantic passages, comical material, as well as some extremely exciting fight scenes. On several occasions during the performance, Chalawan causes some huge splashes, wowing the audience in the process.
Eventually, Krai Thong manages to rescue the 'damsel in distress', while Chalawan also manages to make a mark, impressing the audience with his dedicated display.
When areas of the watery stage become vacant, it's possible to find a great spot for taking photographs. Although it is slightly submerged, it's quite safe to walk around it and take some snaps here and there. However, if you are visiting this part of the market complex with children, be sure to keep a close eye on them at all times.
As well as offering a huge array of performances, the market also has its own demonstration paddy field, along with a bamboo structure decorated with various items used by rice farmers, providing an interesting insight into the country's important agricultural sector.
The market opens on weekends and national public holidays from 10 am until 5.30 pm.
For further information, call Tel: +66 (0)2 610 9458, or visit http://www.ayutthayafloatingmarket.com.
The Ayutthaya Floating market is situated at Klong Sabua sub-district, Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya district in Ayutthaya province.
Transport connections:
The Ayutthaya Floating Market is located in Klong Sabua sub-district, within Ayutthaya province's Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya district.
Car: There are several different routes you can take to Ayutthaya, but for the sake of brevity, we will only list one of the most popular ones. Take Highway 1 from central Bangkok (Phahon Yothin) then switch to Highway 32 just after Khlong Luang ('Luang Canal'). Take Highway 309, which will then take you right into the center of Ayutthaya.
Once inside Ayutthaya Historical Park, take U-Thong Road since it runs right around the island area. Head north for a bridge that is located near the city pillar shrine and the ruins of Sanphet Prasat Palace. Cross Klong Muang (the city moat) by using this bridge. Once you pass the temple of Wat Sri Pho, continue driving straight ahead until you see the entrance to the Ayutthaya Floating Market, which will be on your left-hand side.
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