Any visit to Bangkok must include an excursion to the Chatuchak Weekend Market, held every Saturday and Sunday in the Phahanyothin neighborhood. Travellers can get there by cab or by taking the BTS SkyTrain, an air-conditioned monorail service with a dedicated stop right across the street from Chatuchak.
It is one of the world's largest outdoor markets, spanning several football fields' worth of restaurants and vendors selling everything from priceless antiques to pirated DVDs to exotic pets. An estimated 5,000 vendors descend on the market every weekend, and hordes of shoppers include both tourists and locals. Chatuchak is a can't-miss whirlwind of sights, sounds and smells: the ultimate Thai market experience. Find a site-specific map if possible, and bring lots of water, as the heat and noise can be overwhelming. Fortunately, the adjacent Chatuchak Park offers shade and cool breezes from a picturesque ornamental lake. It is a popular picnic spot for Thai businesspeople and students, as well as a great place to people-watch and take a break from the market's vivid chaos.
