If you ever find yourself in Bangkok, you just must visit the floating market amongst other landmarks.  Usually have to take a taxi/bus from your hotel in Bkk for about 1.5 hours, as you travel to a launch point on the river.  When you arrive at the "terminal" (basically a beach with nice trees, some tables and chairs, complementary coffee/tea, and soup if you wish) you then board your Longtail boat, and head up river to the "floating market".


There, they throttle the engine way down, let me back up for a min.  Don't hesitate to ask for your OWN boat.  It's worth the upgrade, you basically hire a boat and driver for as long as you want.  He will take you anywhere you wish to go as he doesn't have a tour crowd to deal with.  My wife and daughter and myself, had our own boat.

 If you show the slightest interest in how you look at the store wares!  Soon you will catch on to how crafty these folks are.  They "notice" your briefest glance, and will pull the boat over to the stall and you can dicker with the store front owner.  Good luck with that!  They are intense sellers, whom could sell an ice maker in Antartica.  These funny people will take your money and you will come home with so much crap, all you can do is laugh.  You see, the people so nice and friendly that you have to give in and buy something from them.  Its a fun game, but can get out of line.  Fun place to go for sure.....