Our day began with a van pickup at Phranakorn Nornlen Hotel. We drove miles out into the countryside. On the way, we stopped at a stand to buy some salt right beside the salt flats where farmers were evaporating water to create sea salt. Eventually we arrived at Mae Klong Market, one of the more unique markets in Thailand.

Our walk started out in the food section of the market where locals (and a few tourists) were buying fruits, cakes, nuts, soup, dumplings and snacks of all sorts. Nothing unique about that; Thai people love street flood and snacks of all kinds.

We passed a vendor making a coconut pudding and sweet corn treat known as Kanom Krok and bought a small box of them still warm out of the pan. This immediately became our absolute favorite Thai sweet and from that day on, we never miss a chance to buy them.

We passed by some bicycle powered rickshaw type conveyance but didn’t go for a ride. Eventually we came to a corner where railroad tracks ran down the middle of a street that was little more than an alley.  This is where Mae Klong becomes unusal.  Our timing was good as within minutes we hear a whistle; look to the left and there is a train approaching. But when we look back to the right, vendors have all their wares set up directly on top of the tracks.

Awnings from each side literally touch over the middle of the alley. But faster than you can say “Get out of the way”, the awnings are folded back and the vendors clear the tracks of all their merchandise. After a minute or two, the train clears the area and faster than you can say “The coast is clear” everything is moved back over the tracks.

Click here for a video of the Mae Klong Market. Train action starts at about 7:01 on the video.

When we took this tour, after we left Mae Klong Market, we stopped by a porcelin painting workshop and then by the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market before heading back to town.