Standard day
Paddle boat in
Part of the fare
- BoatPaddle boat arrival
- Market stop1.5 hours
- From$25
Price for your party
Damnoen Saduak floating market boat ride price, paddle or longtail
Damnoen Saduak and Maeklong day from Bangkok
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- Paddle boat arrival7.5 hours · each person, from $25
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View - Longtail of 40 minutes8 to 9 hours · each person, from $29
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View - Coach with longtail7 to 8 hours · each person, from $21
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View - Train and river boat8.5 hours · each person, from $24
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Both kinds of boat serve the market, and tours treat them differently. Learn what the ride costs, which fares already include it and who should skip the longtail.
Editorial team, damnoensaduaktour.com · Updated November 12, 2026 · Takes 7 min
The essentials
- On the standard dayThe 7.5 hour day reaches the floating market by paddle boat, so the arrival ride is part of the fare.
- Bought on the spotListings quote around THB 150 for 25 to 30 minutes when a ride is bought from a vendor.
- A separate longtailOne listing puts a separate longtail at an extra THB 250 and sets a limit of 100 kg and 185 cm.
- Boat in the fareA day with a longtail ride of 40 minutes and a cafe stop starts from $29.
- Life jacketsUnder Thai marine rules each passenger keeps a life jacket on from boarding to landing.1
Paddle boats and longtails share the Damnoen Saduak canals
Damnoen Saduak runs along a network of canals just off the Mae Klong River, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand says the canal system holds over 200 small canals.2,3 Water is the road here, and a boat ride is part of how the market works rather than an add-on. Both kinds of boat do the job: the slow paddle boat that glides between the stalls, and the motor longtail that covers more distance in less time. Between them they set the rhythm of a morning on the canal, quiet and close to the stalls on one hand, quicker and wider ranging on the other.
The paddle boat is the picture-postcard boat. It is rowed by a vendor or a boatwoman, sits low and quiet, and moves at the pace of the stall-to-stall trading around it. It suits anyone who wants to look, point and buy fruit from the water without a roar of engine noise next to the ear.
The longtail is the working boat. Its motor and long propeller shaft carry it quickly through the wider canals and out to the quieter side channels, and that makes it the better pick for seeing the farms and houses beyond the market lanes. Which one you get depends on the tour, the vendor and sometimes on whatever you negotiate on the pier.
Boat by boat
Who provides the boat, and what it costs
| Tour | The boat | Length | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| The standard day | Paddle boat arrival | Part of the 1.5 hour stop | $25 |
| Cafe stop day | Longtail ride included | 40 minutes | $29 |
| Coach and train day | Longtail ride included | Not stated | $21 |
| Train and boat day | River boat | 45 minutes | $24 |
| Private guided day | Paddle boat plus a vendor option | 15 minutes | $114 |
| Private car hire | No boat in the price | About 25 to 30 minutes if bought | $105 |
Prices are from prices taken from each listing and are not exact; a boat bought on the spot is priced by the vendor.
What the standard day gives you on the water
On the day this site sells, the market opens with a boat. The itinerary lists a 1.5 hour stop at the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and says you arrive by paddle boat, followed by free time to shop and eat. The paddle boat at the Damnoen Saduak floating market comes with the fare, and it works as an introduction to the market from the water.
The listing does not describe a second, separate boat trip at the market, so plan for the paddle boat arrival as your main moment on the water rather than as the warm-up for a longer cruise. If you want an additional ride when you are there, the options in the next section apply.
The day is built around a coach of 1.5 hours out and the same back, with the railway market first. The boat comes after the railway market and a long drive, which makes even a short ride feel like a highlight of the morning rather than a detour on the clock.
Time afloat
Boat time on included tours, in minutes
- Sugar stop boat15
- River boat, Dragon day30
- Longtail, cafe day40
- River boat, train day45
Minutes as the listings state them: a paddle boat on the sugar stop day, a river boat on the Dragon Temple day, the longtail on the cafe stop day and the river boat on the train and boat day.
Paying for a longtail or paddle boat at the market
Several listings describe what a ride costs when you buy it yourself. Some say a longtail ride bought from a local vendor costs around THB 150 for 25 to 30 minutes, and a private car hire listing gives the same THB 150 for a paddle boat ride of 25 to 30 minutes. The listings label the boat differently, but the figure and the length agree.
A long tail boat at the Damnoen Saduak floating market is not part of every tour. Another coach and train listing charges THB 250 extra for a separate boat, and limits its longtail to guests under 100 kg and shorter than 185 cm. Ask before you board whether your boat is a shared one, how many sit in it and whether the limits apply to you.
As a yardstick, TAT's figures for Amphawa, a different market, are THB 50 a head for a shared boat of up to 10 people and THB 500 for a private boat, on a tour of roughly 1 hour.4,5 That is a different market with different pricing, but it shows the order of magnitude of canal boats in the region.
Pick your boat
Which boat arrangement suits you
Say how you like to travel and see which arrangement to book.
If I want the boat in the price
A tour with a longtail
A cafe stop day with a 40 minute longtail starts from $29.
If I only want a short, quiet ride
The paddle boat arrival
It comes with the standard day from $25.
If I would rather haggle on the pier
Buy a ride from a vendor
Around THB 150 for 25 to 30 minutes in several listings.
If My weight or height may rule out the longtail
Ask about the paddle boat
One listing limits its longtail to 100 kg and 185 cm.
If I cannot manage a boat platform
A private car with no boat
It starts from $105 and is wheelchair accessible.
Ways to ride
Pick your boat arrangement
Boat in fare
Longtail included
Ride in the price
- BoatLongtail of 40 minutes
- Day8 to 9 hours
- From$29
Cheaper
Coach with longtail
Train leg as well
- BoatLongtail ride included
- TrainA leg of 40 minutes
- From$21
Tours that put the boat into the fare
If you would rather not haggle, pick a tour that includes the ride. A day of 8 to 9 hours with a long-tail boat ride of 40 minutes, a floating market stop and a cafe stop starts from $29. A coach day with a long-tail boat ride and a train leg starts from $21, and a day ending at the Mahanakhon Skywalk with a longtail ride and street food starts from $22.
Other days use a river boat for the approach. The train and boat experience travels by train for 1 hour, then by river boat for 45 minutes before the floating market stop, and a day with the Dragon Temple uses a river boat of 30 minutes. The train and river boat day from $19 has a river boat of 30 minutes.
Private days put the longtail into the price too. A private day of 8 hours includes a longtail ride and 1.5 hours at the market, a private charter has a longtail ride of 1 hour, and a private day with the railway market has 1 hour at the market with a longtail ride. Price them against the shared fares and decide whether privacy is worth the premium.
A morning on the water
How a boat ride fits the market visit
On arrival
Reach the water
The standard day arrives at the market by paddle boat.
First minutes
Look before you buy
Rowboats sell fruit and snacks while the market is active early in the day.2
At the pier
Decide on a longtail
A separate ride costs around THB 150 for 25 to 30 minutes where it is sold.
On the boat
Wear the life jacket
All passengers must wear one for the whole trip.1
After the ride
Walk the market
Free time follows the boat on the standard day.
Who should skip the longtail or the boat
Boats are not for everybody. One listing for a day that includes the market says it is not recommended for people with disabilities, as getting on and off the boat platform could be difficult. Another, a private car hire, is wheelchair accessible but includes no boat ride, which makes it the realistic choice for anyone who cannot manage a boarding platform.
Size matters on the longtail too. A listing sets its limit at 100 kg and 185 cm for the long boat. If you are close to either figure, ask the operator about the paddle boat instead, and book a tour whose boat line says what you will actually ride.
Families with small children should look at how a listing counts them, since boat seats are limited. One 8 to 9 hour day with a longtail ride lets children aged 0 to 2 join free if they do not occupy a separate seat. Use that kind of line as a prompt to ask the operator about car seats, carriers and where a toddler sits.
Video
Boat tour, prices and tips at the floating market
Jimmy Visits World on YouTube · Until you tap play, no video is loaded.
a fascinating glimpse of Khlong Damnoen Saduak and over 200 small canals, which were created during the reign of King Rama IV the Great
Before you board
What to check and carry for the ride
Ask first3
- Whether your tour already includes a boat
- How many share the boat and the weight limit
- The price before you step aboard, around THB 150
On the boat3
- Wear a life jacket for the whole trip1
- Sun hat and sunscreen for the canal
- A cover for your phone and camera
Safety on the canals
Thai marine rules apply to market boats as they do to ferries. On Thai passenger boats a life jacket must stay on for the entire trip, according to TAT, which also advises wearing one on any boat trip, in the sea or on a river.1,7 If your boat does not offer one, ask for it before you sit down.
The same marine safety rules include drug and alcohol checks for boat operators and checks by port officials on licences and passenger numbers.8 You will not see most of that from the pier, but it is a good reason to step off a boat that already looks full.
Save these in your phone: 1111 reaches the Marine Department helpline, and 1155 the Tourist Police hotline; TAT says both operate 24 hours a day.6 Save the numbers in your phone before the trip. A guide on a booked tour is the person to call first, and the hotline is the backup.
Getting the most from the ride
Timing improves the ride more than money does. TAT describes the market as active in the early morning, when wooden rowboats sell fruit, vegetables and snacks.2 An early start means thinner traffic on the canal, softer light on the water and shaded banks, and the earliest pickup of the standard day is worth considering.
Dress for the sun and for spray. A hat, sunscreen and a light cover for a camera or phone are enough on most mornings, and a thin rain layer helps in the wet months. Sit low, keep your hands inside the boat and let the boatperson steer.
Treat the ride as one chapter of a morning at the market, not the whole of it. The paddle boat or longtail gets you in, and the walk afterwards, with a bowl of noodles or a coconut ice cream beside the water, is a natural second chapter. Plan some free time after the ride so the boat does not use up your whole morning.
FAQ
Quick questions get quick answers.
How much is the Damnoen Saduak floating market boat ride?
Around THB 150 for 25 to 30 minutes.
That is what listings quote for a longtail ride bought from a vendor, and a private car listing gives the same figure for a paddle boat.
Is the paddle boat included in the tour?
On the standard day, yes.
The 7.5 hour day arrives at the market by paddle boat, and the ride is part of the fare.
Which tours include a longtail boat ride?
Several, from $21.
A coach and train day starts from $21, a day with a cafe stop from $29 and a Skywalk day from $22.
Is there a weight limit on the longtail?
One listing sets 100 kg and 185 cm.
Yes: it names 100 kg and 185 cm as the limits for its longtail, and a separate boat costs THB 250 extra.
Do I have to wear a life jacket?
Yes, on Thai passenger boats.
Yes: Marine Department rules require a life jacket on every passenger for the whole time on board.1
Can I take a wheelchair on the boat?
Check the listing first.
One day including the market is not recommended for people with disabilities because the boat platform is hard to board, and a private car listing is wheelchair accessible but has no boat.
Who do I call if something goes wrong on the water?
1111 or 1155.
1111 reaches the Marine Department helpline and 1155 the Tourist Police hotline, and both run around the clock.6
How long does the boat ride last?
From 15 to 45 minutes by tour.
Included rides run from 15 minutes on the sugar stop day to 40 minutes on the cafe stop day and 45 minutes on the train and boat day.
Sources
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Marine safety measures and regulations in Thailand ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · A Path worth travelling: Discovering Ratchaburi ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Thai tourism minister leads expats on Ratchaburi canal tour ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Samut Songkhram's small size belies its rich attractions ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Samut Songkhram's small size belies its rich attractions ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Marine safety measures and regulations in Thailand ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Marine safety measures and regulations in Thailand ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Marine safety measures and regulations in Thailand ↩
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