Don Wai Floating Market (Nakhon Pathom): Hours, Boat Cruise & How to Visit
Don Wai is one of the best-known markets in the "near-Bangkok" ring — but it is not a canal market in the Damnoen Saduak mould. It is a riverside food market behind Wat Don Wai, on the bank of the Tha Chin River in Sam Phran district, Nakhon Pathom province. Thai sources name it ตลาดน้ำดอนหวาย ("floating market"), yet in practice it is a walking market of long-established shops and stalls with a boat pier on the river for sightseeing cruises. This guide sets out the opening hours, what to eat, the river-cruise route, and both signed car routes from Bangkok — all drawn from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
📍 Quick Facts
Where: Behind Wat Don Wai, Bang Krathuek, Sam Phran, Nakhon Pathom
Address: 78 Mu 5, Bang Krathuek, Sam Phran, Nakhon Pathom 73210
Thai name: ตลาดน้ำดอนหวาย
Attraction type: Local Market
Contact: +66 3439 3706
Weekday hours: 08:00–17:00 (Mon–Fri)
Weekend hours: 07:00–18:30 (Sat–Sun)
Established: Since the reign of King Rama VI
Don Wai has traded since the reign of King Rama VI, and it remains a market where Thais shop as much as visitors do — the reason it is worth the drive west of Bangkok rather than another canal stop. Plan on a couple of hours for the market itself and set aside extra time if you take the river cruise.
What Don Wai Is — and What It Isn't
It helps to know what you are travelling to. Don Wai is a local market, not a themed attraction. TAT classifies it simply as a "Local Market", and the site is the market that grew up behind Wat Don Wai, the riverside temple that gives it its name. Two things define a visit:
- It is a walking market. You browse on land, along the shopfronts and stalls that back onto the Tha Chin River. There is no canal of boats to cross and no entrance fee to reach the food.
- The water is for the cruise, not the shopping. The boat pier at the market is where the sightseeing cruise departs — Don Wai's river connection is a cruise, not a vendor canal. Food sold by vendors on boats is part of how TAT describes the market's history and riverside character, not a paddling-vendor shopping scene.
For comparison, if the "grannies paddling boats of noodles" image is what you are after, that is the canal experience at Damnoen Saduak and the Samut Songkhram markets; Don Wai rewards a different appetite — a proper riverside food market that Thais travel to on weekends.
Opening Hours: Weekday vs Weekend
Don Wai's hours are different on weekdays and weekends. TAT lists the market fair at Wat Don Wai — the documented part of the site — as open 08:00–17:00 Monday to Friday and 07:00–18:30 on the weekend. Keep that qualifier in mind: these are the hours for the market fair at the temple, which is the portion of Don Wai with published hours, and the practical window for planning a visit.
| Day | Opening hours | Source note |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday (Mon–Fri) | 08:00–17:00 | TAT — market fair at Wat Don Wai |
| Weekend (Sat–Sun) | 07:00–18:30 | TAT — market fair at Wat Don Wai |
If you want the longest trading window, aim for the weekend: the fair runs 07:00–18:30 against 08:00–17:00 on weekdays. On a weekday visit you get the same riverside shops with a shorter window. Both day-ranges are TAT's published hours for the market fair at Wat Don Wai.
What to Eat at Don Wai
TAT names three things specifically, so start with these:
- Pet Phalo Nai Nap — pot-stewed duck, the dish the market is most associated with.
- Sweet-and-salty carp fish — a classic Tha Chin riverbank preparation.
- Thai sweets at the "Lim Heng Ki" shop — traditional Thai desserts.
Beyond these three, Don Wai is a centre for food and souvenirs from many well-known, long-established restaurants that line the river behind the temple. TAT also notes that some of the food is sold by vendors on boats — the historical riverfront framing, rather than the paddling vendor boats people picture from Damnoen Saduak.
The Tha Chin River Cruise
A sightseeing cruise runs along both banks of the Tha Chin River. The route TAT documents starts from Wat Don Wai and runs to the Pho Kaeo Bridge — the nearest official detail is the route itself, not the timetable or the price.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Route | Wat Don Wai → Pho Kaeo Bridge, sightseeing along both banks (TAT) |
| Boarding point | The market / Wat Don Wai pier on the Tha Chin River |
| Fare (not TAT-verified) | Posted at the pier — confirm on arrival. See the note below. |
| Duration / timetable | Not published by TAT — ask at the pier. |
On boat fares: no reachable TAT page publishes Don Wai cruise fares or a timetable. Some third-party guides publish fare figures, but none is TAT-verified and no official figure is confirmed here. Fares at Don Wai are posted at the pier — confirm the price and duration before you board.
How to Get to Don Wai by Car
TAT gives two signed routes, both by car, from the Bangkok side. Don Wai sits on the western (Tha Chin) corridor rather than the Damnoen Saduak / Ratchaburi line, so the two approaches below are what you want.
| Route | Directions (TAT) |
|---|---|
| Route 1 — via Borommaratchachonnani Road | From Borommaratchachonnani Road (Pinklao–Nakhon Chaisi), turn left onto Highway No. 3316; the market is on the right-hand side. |
| Route 2 — via Phetchakasem Road | From Phetchakasem Road, turn right onto Highway No. 33166 past Wat Rai Khing. |
Distances and drive times are not published by TAT, so treat them as estimates: Don Wai sits in Sam Phran district, Nakhon Pathom, west of Bangkok on the Tha Chin corridor. Allow for the traffic that builds on the western highways, and confirm the route on a live map app — the highway numbers above (3316 and 33166) are the official ones.
Make It a Nakhon Pathom Day: Three More Markets
TAT groups Don Wai with three other Nakhon Pathom markets on the same Tha Chin corridor, which makes a natural full-day loop. Each has its own hours, and two of them are weekend-only:
| Market | Where | Hours (TAT) | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lam Phaya Floating Market | Front of Wat Lam Phaya, Tha Chin riverside, Bang Len | Weekends & public holidays 08:00–15:00 | Fruits, vegetables, agricultural products, wickerwork, woven/dyed textiles, food |
| Tha Na Old Market | Tha Chin riverside, Nakhon Chaisi | Daily 08:00–18:00 | 100-year-old market; Nakhon Chaisi pomelo, old wooden row houses |
| Sookjai Farmer's Market | Nakhon Pathom | Weekends 10:00–17:00 | Organic / non-chemical produce, cooked food, Thai sweets, organic rice |
The cleanest weekend plan pairs Don Wai (morning) with Lam Phaya (trading until 15:00) and Sookjai (from 10:00). On weekdays, Tha Na Old Market is the one that stays open — it trades daily 08:00–18:00 — so it is your weekday pairing.
Planning Your Visit
A few practical notes make a Don Wai trip run smoothly:
- Pick your day. Weekends (07:00–18:30) give you the fullest market; weekdays (08:00–17:00) are quieter but with fewer stalls set up. The hours are TAT's for the market fair at Wat Don Wai.
- Come for lunch. Don Wai's draw is the long-established riverside restaurants and its signature dishes — build the visit around a meal rather than a quick browse.
- Add the cruise. Pair lunch with the Tha Chin sightseeing cruise from the market pier to the Pho Kaeo Bridge. Confirm the fare and departure at the pier on the day.
- Bring cash. As at all Thai markets, small baht notes make the stall and shop transactions smoother.
- Combine the corridor. Don Wai anchors a day on the Tha Chin — pair it with Lam Phaya, Tha Na and Sookjai (below) rather than driving back to Bangkok and out again.
Because the market sits on the western, Tha Chin side of Bangkok rather than on the Damnoen Saduak line, plan the drive around the two signed routes in the table above, and treat drive times as estimates — TAT does not publish distances for Don Wai.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Don Wai open every day?
Yes. TAT lists the market fair at Wat Don Wai open 08:00–17:00 Monday to Friday and 07:00–18:30 on the weekend. Weekends are busier and fuller.
Is Don Wai a floating market where vendors paddle boats selling goods?
Not in the canal sense. TAT frames Don Wai as a riverside market behind Wat Don Wai with a boat pier. Some food is sold by vendors on boats — the historical riverfront framing — but the market you walk is on land. If you want the paddling-vendor canal scene, that is Damnoen Saduak; see our market locations guide to compare.
What time does the boat go, and how much is it?
TAT documents the cruise route — from Wat Don Wai to the Pho Kaeo Bridge — but not a timetable or a fare. Check both at the pier; fares are posted there.
How do I get to Don Wai from Bangkok?
By car, take either Highway No. 3316 off Borommaratchachonnani Road (Pinklao–Nakhon Chaisi), or Highway No. 33166 off Phetchakasem Road past Wat Rai Khing. See the getting-there guide and the transportation guide for the western corridor.
Is there an entrance fee at Don Wai?
TAT lists Don Wai as a local market rather than a ticketed attraction, and no admission fee is published. You pay for what you eat and buy, and for the river cruise if you take it — check the fare at the pier.
Can I visit on a weekday?
Yes. The market fair at Wat Don Wai trades 08:00–17:00 Monday to Friday. If you are also hoping to see Lam Phaya or Sookjai — both weekend-only — then a weekend visit is the one that covers the most ground.
Further Reading
- Tha Kha Floating Market — a quieter market on the same river system near the Tha Chin estuary
- Floating Market Food Guide — what to eat across Bangkok's markets
- Family Floating Markets — markets that work well with children, including river cruises
- Floating Market Prices — what entry, boats and food cost across the markets
- Best Floating Markets in Bangkok — head-to-head comparisons
- Floating Market Locations — distances and directions for every market
Sources
Hours, dishes, the river-cruise route, both car routes and the three neighbouring markets are sourced from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT): "10 Things to do in Nakhon Pathom" and the TAT Don Wai Market attraction listing. Boat fares, journey distances and drive times are not published by TAT and are deliberately left soft or omitted.