Officially named the Four Regions Floating Market, this is a new addition to Pattaya having opened as recently as 2008. Yet it has emerged as a leading and captivating attraction for locals and visitors alike. Across this 110,000 square metre space you’ll find more than 100 different stalls offering all kinds of crafts, cuisine and produce from every corner of Thailand.
One of the largest of all the markets in this country of delicious food, here you can savour a pad thai, try a sweet kanom krok (coconut pancake), or taste one of the many other dishes you’ll be able to see and of course smell as they’re being cooked and served up right in front of you. Alternatively you can find all sorts of traditional sculptures, silverware and paintings on display, making ideal souvenirs for you to take back home or gifts to send to the family.
Make your way around the market and you’ll see a variety of architectural styles on display, from the peaked roofs in the north to the sculptural buildings of the south. Each section represents a different region, and you’ll be able to smell the distinct spices used all around.
The network of canals surrounding the market are the avenues along which produce is shipped before it is served here. You can see the market from the water for yourself by renting a boat taxi for a modest fee and exploring the canals and stopping off for a wander whenever you desire. Or try walking along the wooden boardwalks and crossing the footbridges that connect the market’s different zones.
As well as the shops, the market has many more attractions to offer. Check out the woodcarving museum with its hand-carved sculptures, as well as the striking sunflower field. Cultural performances are held here in the afternoon which you can witness for free, watching the dancers displaying local routines in traditional costumes.
The market opens daily and will cost you a small fee to enter. Located south of Pattaya on Sukhumwit Road, you can reach it by the bus from the main beach which stops here about five times a day.
