The Bamboo Bridge Market in the Suphanburi Countryside

Saphan Khong Floating Market, also known as the Bamboo Bridge Market, is a relatively new attraction in Saphanburi Province, though it looks ancient by looking at it.

The market, built above a marsh-like lotus pond, is built entirely out of bamboo and rope without the use of a single nail, screw, or piece of metal. It is something directly out of the past, built exactly the way it would have been hundreds of years ago.

To get to the market, you have to pass first through a small Buddhist temple, then over a rickety bridge made of lashed together bamboo. Although the bridge squeaked and creaked as you walk over it, there's nothing to worry about. Bamboo is one of the strongest natural materials.

Morning glory was being grown in the water in rows beside the bridge - a very traditional way to grow the local produce served in the market.

Unlike a typical floating market, where goods are served from boats and patrons walk along the shore, here, the entire market was built up on stilts above the water. It was a traditional Thai market, with shops selling all sorts of delicious Thai snacks, bowls of noodles, and fresh Thai tea.

But it wasn't the market as much as its location and atmosphere that made the Bamboo Bridge Market so interesting. Walking through the creaking bamboo boardwalk was like traveling back over a hundred years ago. There was not a modern appliance to be seen!

I had a big bowl of hot pork noodles for lunch, and after eating I set off with some friends to take a walk through the lotus pond. A bamboo bridge stretched out across the water, and pink lotus flowers bloomed from the muddy water as far as the eye could see.

Towards the back of the market there was a four-story tower built entirely out of lashed-together bamboo. Like everything else in the market, it didn't use a single nail, and was made in the very old style of an ancient Thai village. 

If you were brave enough, you could climb the creaking ladders all the way to the top for amazing views of the area. We were way out in the countryside, and this bamboo tower was the tallest structure for miles and miles around.

 Looking down, you can see a guy in a blue shirt on the bamboo pathway far below. That's Mr. Noi, my walking tour group's trusty guide!

In the afternoon, after spending a few hours enjoying the peaceful atmosphere at the market, I walked with a small group of friends to a nearby temple, where vendors had set up stalls selling light snacks, fresh fruit, and coffee. A coffee truck - a step up from the traditional vendor's cart - looked inviting, and the friendly shopkeeper waved at us as we approached.

I ordered O-liang, a very, very traditional style of Thai iced coffee. In fact, it's so old-fashioned that you don't see it that often nowadays. O-liang is made from instant coffee, sugar, and cardamom, all blended together and served strong over ice. It's refreshing and sweet! 

Central Thailand has a lot of places like this - rural provinces located just an hour or two outside of Bangkok that are difficult to reach without your own transportation. Thanks to the great meetup groups that I have discovered, I've been able to see a lot of places that I wouldn't have known about or been able to reach on my own! I've also made some really nice friends from Bangkok's expat population.