Asian countries are known for their popular floating markets and fishing villages where residents live and sell their products right from their boats. There is something appealing about breaking away from the hustle and bustle of city life and exploring the traditional way of life still lived by so many. Found drifting on the still backwaters in the region, here are the top floating markets you will find in Asia.
Aberdeen Fishing Village – Hong Kong
One of the best floating markets in Asia is the Aberdeen Fishing Village located in Aberdeen Harbor on the south side of the island of Hong Kong. Set against the backdrop of Hong Kong’s iconic skyscrapers, the fishing village and floating market is easily accessible from the city, with the expansive Aberdeen Promenade situated along the coast. The promenade has seafood stalls and multiple access points to catch a ferry ride on the local wooden boats called sampan. The sampan rides take you around the picturesque harbor to see the many fishing boats and traditional junk boats that live and work in the harbor. Aberdeen Fishing Village is perfect for a half-day trip around the harbor to check out the fishmongers and try some dishes at the floating restaurants.
Damnoen Saduak – Thailand
Damnoen Saduak is Thailand’s most popular floating market, located about an hour from Bangkok. The market is a labyrinth of canals with locals selling their goods from wooden boats on the water to customers standing on land nearby, or you can take a tour in a sampan. Vendors sell everything from exotic fruits and vegetables to souvenirs and local favorites like coconut ice cream.
Lok Baintan – Indonesia
Located on the Martapura river in the city of Banjar in Indonesia, the Lok Baintan market is a floating market busy with locals selling their wares from their traditional wooden boats called klotok. This bustling market is full of vendors selling exotic vegetables and fruits such as rambutan, as well as local dishes such as nasi bungkus.
Nam Pan Market – Myanmar
Located on Inle Lake in central Myanmar, the exact location of the Nam Pan floating market rotates to a different spot every five days. The entire village is built on stilts over the water where the villagers fish and grow produce and flowers on their floating gardens and sell their wares at the Nam Pan market. You will also find a few floating restaurants as well as numerous ancient pagodas nearby, including Alodaw Pauk Pagoda with a gem-encrusted Buddha stupa.
Phong Dien – Vietnam
Another country known for its floating markets is Vietnam. The Phong Dien market is a small yet authentic floating market in the Mekong Delta region with locals selling everything from household items and produce to noodle soup and Vietnamese coffee from their stand-up paddle boats. The Phong Dien floating market is at its busiest between 5:00 am and 8:00 am, so be sure to arrive early.
Dal Lake Floating Market – India
Located in Northern India and overlooked by part of the Himalayan mountain range, Dal Lake is known locally as the “Lake of Flowers.” During the summer months, you can take a tour of Dal Lake on a local boat called a shikara and explore the floating market where the farmers sell vegetables and flowers grown in their floating gardens, as well as fresh baked breads.
