About Amphawa
Amphawa is a district in Samut Songkhram province at the northwest tip of the Gulf of Thailand, known for its canal life along the Mae Klong. In the village, wooden shophouses and walkways line a small tributary. At weekends (Friday to Sunday) the floating market draws Thai day-trippers: boats sell grilled prawns, noodles and sweets while visitors eat on the bank. It is commercial, but the old facades are charming. The King Rama II Memorial Park, at the spot where the king is believed to have been born, is quiet. Take a canal boat or rent a bicycle to see the orchards; in the evening small boats glide past trees where fireflies gather. Stay in a homestay if you can, to see the village once the day visitors have left.
Best time to visit (indicative)
Best from November to February: dry and relatively cool. March to May is hot; June to October is the rainy season with the most rain around September. Ruins and markets are most pleasant early in the morning. Weather varies from year to year; this is a guideline based on the climate.
Getting there
From Bangkok by minivan (from Victory Monument towards Samut Songkhram/Amphawa) or bus from the Southern Bus Terminal; allow roughly 1.5 to 2 hours. Distances and travel times are rounded estimates.
Things to do in Amphawa
- Floating market Open Friday to Sunday only; go in the late afternoon for the atmosphere and to dodge the biggest crowds.
- Canal boat trip A boat through the canals shows orchards, wooden houses and temples; you can even travel on towards Damnoen Saduak.
- King Rama II Memorial Park A botanical garden with traditional wooden houses at the king’s probable birthplace.
- Homestay and bicycle Spend a night in a canalside house and cycle the lanes among the orchards.
