Regulus K This Chatuchak Weekend Market Review provides you with the location, transport, food, shops, and even toilet for the place with real opening times! As briefly introduced in our earlier Bangkok itinerary blog post, this WORLD-LARGEST weekend market is a must-visit destination you cannot afford to miss.
Chatuchak, also known as Jatujak or JJ, is not just a market. It is an entire stadium-large park (26.8 Acres) with over 15,000 stalls in 31 sections (updated per 2024). From homewares and local souvenirs to clothing, antiques, and jewelry, it serves over 200,000 visitors each day. At the same time there may be some sessions you may not want to go such as the pet one.
I have been to the market three times in a year alone. It never disappointed me.
So if you want to get the most from the market, take a look at this full review based on my personal experience.
The Real Opening Hour Of Chatuchak Weekend Market Review
First, the opening time on the Chatuchak Market Official Website is INCORRECT. The below is the extract from the official website.
- Wednesday and Thursday 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Plant section only)
- Friday 6:00 PM – 12:00 PM (Wholesale only)
- Saturday and Sunday 9:00 AM -6:00 PM (Whole Market open)
It is officially very different from the image taken from the physical map from the same authority. For example, it says the night market would last until 24:00 during weekend.
Based on my personal experience, the market is usually open on Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday. On Saturday and Sunday, the closing time depends on the daily visitors and individual shops. For example, at around 8 pm, you will see shops start closing and the market is pretty much empty at 9 pm.
However, you may get the best-bargained deal close to closing hours. So if you would like to have a final rush on shopping, arriving there at 6 pm shall still be fine.
Location & Transport To Chatuchak Weekend Market
The market is located in Bangkok, Thailand, in the Chatuchak district. Specifically, it is in the Chatuchak district. The market itself is within Chatuchak Park, making it easily accessible for locals and also tourists like us.
You can reach the market by public transport like bus, MRT, and BTS or Tuk-tuk, Grab, and taxi. However, you are likely to get stuck in Bangkok traffic by bus, tuk-tuk, taxi, or Grab. I would recommend you take the MRT or BTS.
How To Get To The Market With MRT or BTS
The closest MRT station for the market is Chatuchak Park station. From exit 1, you just need to go right and walk straight for around 5 minutes.
For BTS the closest station is Mo Chit Station, you will just need to walk around 5 minutes from Exit 1 Entrance 3 to reach the park.
Given the popularity of the market, you just need to follow the crowd from the station. If you have a BTS day pass, you shall use it on the day of visiting Chatuchak Weekend Market. This is because the Mo Chit station is far from popular stations such as Asok, Chit Lom, and Siam and thus the fee is more expensive.
How To Navigate Chatuchak Weekend Market
The market map is available on the notice board near entrance 1. Alternatively, there are also brochures with maps and information available at the MRT or the entrance.
What To Buy In The Market
There are different sessions in the market.
Sections 1 and 29 – Antique, Accessories, Thai Instrument, Book
Section 2 to 4 – Teen Clothing & Accessories
Section 5 to 6 – Used Clothing & Shoes
Section 7 – Art & Painting
Section 8 – Carving, Spa, Incense, Handcraft & Artificial Flowers
Section 10, 12, 14, 21 to 24 – Clothing Accessories, Shoes, Postcards, Souvenirs & Pets
Section 15, 19, 20 – Tableware, Ceramic, Silver & Home Decoration
Section 16 to 18 – Clothing, Hiking Equipment, Leather & Dried Food
Section 25 – Clothing Silk
Section 26 – Antique, Home Decoration & Photo Frame
Section 27 to 28 – Handcraft, Book, and Others
For tourists like us hunting for souvenirs, you may want to check out the scents in section 8. If you want small memorable souvenirs, go for the handcraft session. If you are looking for clothes then sections 10, 12, 13, 21 to 24 are a must for you. There are a lot of decent local brands for you to choose.
I know you may be confused by the numerous sessions above. But don’t worry! Just walk randomly in the market for discovery. Note that the section is for reference only and it would switch given the dynamic business. Just use the above as a guide if you have some specific targets.
Otherwise, just chill out there and you will have some surprises. For me, I found a rare stylish underwear and Hawai shirt brand there at a great price.
Ethical Issues About Chatuchak Weekend Market
Despite the fame, the weekend market pet section is controversial or notorious. There you will find vendors selling various live animals from cats, dogs, and rabbits to pythons and even endangered animals. I don’t feel very comfortable walking around this section. And if you have similar concerns, you may want to refrain from going there as well.
What To Eat There
Similar to every market in Bangkok, you will find numerous cuisines in the market. Ranging from Thai cuisines such as Pad Thai, boat noodles, different snacks, skewers, and juices to international cuisines such as duck noodles, fried octopus, and even PAELLA.
From my personal experience, you must try the ice cream from Coco JJ and the Paella from Viva 8. The former has been a local brand of ice cream since 2008 with special flavors such as Thai milk tea and durian. There are also special toppings such as sticky rice, mung beans, and pumpkin available for you to choose from at 60 THB (~ 1.5 USD) only. I strongly recommend you to have Thai milk tea ice cream with sticky rice topping.
The latter is another signature food in the JJ market. Opened by a Spanish chef living in Thailand, Viva 8 is a daytime bar offering live music along with fresh local beer (Singha) and freshly cooked seafood Paella. Due to its popularity with the locals and tourists alike, you will find it quite crowded throughout the day.
Where To Take A Rest With Air-Condition
Despite the comprehensive offer from the market, walking for over 15,000 stalls is a very formidable task. Adding on the hot weather in Bangkok, you will need a place to take a rest in between each section. Plus, you will need to find a toilet after all the ice cream, juice, and beer.
For that, the two shopping complexes located near the weekend market are the must-go options. Mixt Chatuchak shopping center near sections 27 – 29. It is the most convenient one with a decent food court on the 3rd floor. There are also a lot of pop-up shops inside for you to check out. There is also an exchange shop there, in case you are running out of THB but the rate is not as good as the SuperRiches.
JJ Mall on the other hand is a bit far near the pet session. Make sure you take advantage of both malls as a rest and toilet point during your day visit to the weekend market.
Other Tips
With all the information, you shall be ready to go for the wonderful market. Before you go, let me offer you some final tips to enhance your experience.
Get cash(THB) ready
Remember most of the shops in the market accepts cash(THB) only. Yes there are a few exchange shops nearby but they don’t provide the best exchange rate. So remember to get enough THB before you go. Visit our guide for getting the best THB rate here for more information.
Be patient
Remember there are over 15,000 shops there. So whatever you are looking for, it is very likely to be available at more than one shop. In that, the best strategy for you is to resist impulse-buying and check around a bit more. Otherwise, you will be prone to buyer remorse.
Always bargain
Bargaining is very common in Bangkok. It is also applicable in the weekend market. Try to bargain for at least 20% for each item. One tactic is to first compare the displayed price for similar products to set a reference for yourself before committing to a bargain. Another one is to “walk away” if the price is not good enough, usually the owners would then further lower the price.
Be mindful of the weight
All the shopping temptations aside, you need to be mindful of the weight/baggage limit for your flight back to your home country or next destination. The usual carry-on luggage limit is 7 kg and 23 kg for one big drop. If you buy too much, you may need to consider using an international shipping service i.e. DHL at the weekend market. However, you need to be mindful of the associated cost.
Finally, I hope you are going to enjoy your visit to Chatuchak Weekend Market. Please leave me a comment for an inquiry or share your experience!
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