Pak Khlong Market – Business is Blooming!

Bangkok is well-known for its diverse array of markets and traditional businesses.  You will never have to travel too far to sample home-made goods, authentic cuisine and cultural oddities!  However, where do you go in the city for the best freshly-picked flowers?  Easy – you head to Pak Khlong Market, located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River.

Why a Flower Market?

While it’s usually easy to find flowers and plants at many outdoor and indoor markets in lots of cities, you’ll rarely find such a large space dedicated to flowers.  The fact is, flowers are very important to Thai culture in general.  Pak Khlong Talad, talad translating to market, provides visitors  with bouquets and bunches for a variety of occasions and purposes.  People visiting the market don’t just head here to buy flowers for birthdays and celebrations – flowers are lucky symbols in Thai culture!

Therefore, as you walk through Bangkok, despite it’s reputation as a ‘concrete jungle’, you’ll be surprised at the number and variety of different flowers and greenery.  Vibrant flowers are used to help appease gods and deities, too, making them more significant in everyday life here.

Pak Khlong Market – A Unique Location

The market that stands in Thonburi today is actually its second incarnation!  The original, historic flower market was shut down some time ago.  As a result of scores of vendors facing nowhere to trade, many took to the streets.  Therefore, in recent times, ‘Pak Khlong 2’ took shape on the other side of the river.  Since then, the market has grown ever-more popular.  It’s not hard to see why!

Few markets are as passionate about their trade and their wares as Pak Khlong.  On visiting, you can take in a stunning 3,000 different stallholders across an intuitive use of indoor space!  If you are looking for the ideal bunch or bouquet while holidaying in the city, the market is going to be your premier port of call.

Orchid Central

The flower marketplace is absolutely bursting with smells, sights and sounds.  All of them pleasant!  In fact, the market is probably one of the most pleasing places to visit in the city for most of the senses.  If you fancy taking a break from the historic streets and traditional eateries, the flower market is going to offer you a lovely palate cleanser.

You can expect to see hundreds and hundreds of different flower varieties available for purchase.  In particular, you are likely to see orchids blooming in their prime, particularly as Thailand is known for the flower.

Otherwise, it may surprise you to learn that Pak Khlong receives wide shipments of flowers from all over the country. 

You can buy flowers for all kinds of reasons in the flower marketplace.  However, it’s always worth entering with an attitude of utmost respect.  That’s because a lot of the flowers available here are purely for worship or religious practice.  That being said, the market has grown to become one of the most eclectic tourist attractions in the city.  Away from some of the usual haunts, Pak Khlong is a bright, vibrant landmark that’s always worth looking at in closer detail.

Plan a Visit

If you are planning to visit Bangkok in the near future, Pak Khlong is always likely to be a big must-see for any bucket list.  Make sure to book a room or suite at your nearest Centre Point Hotel, however, before you travel – our closest location to Pak Khlong is Centre Point Hotel Silom, from which you can take a boat travelling North on the Chao Phraya river, starting at Sathorn station and getting off at Memorial Bridge station beside Pak Khlong. Centre Point Hotel Pratunam is also reasonably close, and the easiest way from there is a taxi, which our Front Desk staff will happily arrange for you.