The Chatuchak Market in Bangkok

If I'm going to be perfectly honest, my 48 hours in Bangkok were a bit a blur, particularly the first day. After getting off the plane and in our hostel sometime after midnight, we woke-up around nine to meet one of the girl's cousin who is teaching in Thailand. Our hostel was about fifteen minutes walking from the Chatuchak market, so we thought it'd be a good starting point to meet him and buy some summery clothes (particularly Thai pants). We were in the market for maybe an hour, and the rest of the day was spent around Bangkok along the more off the beaten paths and lesser known places (more on that later). The Chatuchak market is a definite experience, and while we didn't spend as long as I'd hoped exploring this famous weekend shopping area, I did manage to see a lot. Plus, you know, it probably helped my buying habits that we didn't stay too long. 

There is a ton of stuff in the market (technically 9 different kinds of things), and we probably saw a small fraction of it. It's huge. Not all of it of particular quality (okay, most of it is not of any quality), and there are of course a lot of fakes. Don't buy that Michael Kors look alike purse, it's painfully obviously fake, and I will judge you for it if I see it on you before it falls apart. Like a shopping raid in Forever 21, you don't go through this market to buy things you want to last. Buy a few fun things for cheap prices, try your hand at bargaining, and enjoy the fun elephant prints while they last. 

We bought mostly some clothes, specifically our Thaibodia wardrobe. Listen, I was not stylish for the majority of this trip. I kind of tried, and then I gave-up when my hair started freaking out. I bought a smattering of Thai pants that ripped or shrunk in the wash, but I lived in those $7 joys all vacation long when I could. I still have some here for around the house and possibly summer camp. 

If you want to be nearby, I highly recommend staying at Udee Hostel. Otherwise you can get there by taking the Sky Train to Mo Chit Station, and getting off at Exit 1 or the Subway to Chatuchak Park Station, Exit 1.

Enjoy the vibe, eat some yummy food in between. I wouldn't necessarily give yourself a time restraint on the market. Just walk along and if you get bored, venture out to other markets. If you're on a mission to find the craziest things, you might get a bit overwhelmed.

Have you been? It's considered the largest market in Thailand!