Floral Wonderland!

It took me a year of living in Bangkok to finally make it to Pak Khlong Talat, the wholesale flower market - and now I'm so mad at myself for not having gone earlier! Ever since my visit two weeks ago, our house has been filled with the spoils - tons of gorgeous, vibrant orchids. (Snip the ends of the stems and weed out dying blossoms every couple of days to make the flowers last longer.)

           

The market is located by the river, near Memorial Bridge. I went early in the morning, when it was still relatively cool. The streets and warehouses in the area are filled with fresh flowers (some sections also have veggies) at really cheap prices. I bought five sizeable bunches of different coloured orchids for a grand total of THB 120!

I also got really lucky with my timing and caught the early-morning aerobics class in the flower warehouse. Catchy tunes, an energetic instructor and an enthusiastic group of flower sellers dancing in sync - it was quite the sight! A few minutes in, everyone in the warehouse was shaking a leg, even the old ladies manning their stalls.

Getting there: Take the BTS to Saphan Taksin station, walk down to the pier and hop on to the Chao Phraya Express boat. Get off at the Memorial Bridge Pier (Rajinee in Thai). Just tell the boat staff "flower market" and they'll alert you when you arrive at the right stop. Walk down a few hundred metres - you can't miss it.

Alternatively, if you're going late at night or early in the morning, take a taxi. Tell the driver "Pak Khlong Talat".

Opening hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week

Tip: Smile! It'll get you better prices and all the photo permissions you desire. Case in points: the lovely lady posing with the birds of paradise below.