Our 5am wakeup call came way too early! We packed, got breakfast and were on the bus by 6:45, headed to our first stop, the famous Mae Klong Railway Market. Also known as the “Umbrella Fold Market”, this is a unique attraction near Bangkok where vendors sell produce directly on active train tracks, swiftly moving their stalls moments before trains pass through. Located in Samut Songkhram, it offers a dramatic display of daily life and commerce, with trains arriving at 8:30 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 2:30 p.m., and 5:40 p.m.

We arrived at 8:00 with plenty of time to walk the stalls and find a place to watch the spectacle. We stopped at a small café to have a cold drink and seat, just inches from the tracks.  With only a minute or two to spare, the purveyor started yelling for us to stand up on our bench, as another group of travelers needed space to stand before the train arrived. It ended up being a great situation for us, as we were now high enough to see the passengers in the train. We were standing so close to the train, that we could “high five” them! Wow, was that a neat experience!

The bus then took us to Pichai Pier to board a long-tailed boat to ride along a canal and witness the canal lifestyle. First of all, getting into the boat was a hoot as it was a squat style boat. You are mostly sitting on the floor, with knees up. The boats were powered with reinstalled car engines and steered with a long tail in the back. Marshall said it was very James Bondish, as the canals are from a scene in The Man with the Golden Gun.

While this wasn’t the comfiest boat ride we’ve ever taken, the sights made up for it. The homes are all built on stilts and commerce is mostly done by boat, though there are a few roads that access this area. Some houses were newer with nice gardens and some looked like they could fall into the water at any moment. There were eight of us in our boat and we zigged and zagged around corners and other boats, occasionally getting a spray of water.

Eventually, we made it to the Damnoernsaduak Floating Market, Thailand’s largest. Again, commerce is conducted from many boats, and there was an abundance of vendors selling fruits, vegetables, souvenirs and textiles. We enjoyed walking through the market and watching the action.

Back on the bus we headed to an early lunch at local restaurant before heading back to Laem Chabang Port. Our last excitement came during our bus ride home. We were 3.5 hours away from the port, and knew it was going to be tight getting back to the ship on time. Our bus driver had already proven himself capable, and he really picked up the speed on that final stretch. In fact, so much so that we went over a bump on the road at full speed, causing many in their seats to fly up, including one fellow passenger in the back row who hit her head on the ceiling and fell into the aisle. To top it off, the emergency exit door flew open from the jar, so we had to pull to the side of the road to get it closed. Thank goodness no one was seriously injured and we continued on, arriving to the ship one hour past our departure time.

And here’s where you’re grateful you are on a Princess tour as the ship will wait for you. The crew were standing alongside, waiting for our bus to arrive and cheerfully welcomed us “back home” as they pulled the gang plank up behind our group. It was an exciting end to two fantastic days.

Tomorrow: Sea Day

Recommended: If you are considering taking the Circle Pacific 2027 cruise, run, don’t walk, and get yourself signed up for the Princess Overnight Bangkok tour. Yes, you could do this on your own and avoid the big bus experience. Yes, you might be able to do this for less money on your own. But Princess used a very good tour company (Regale International) and we felt it was a very good value. The tour sites were wonderful. The bus was modern, new and clean. The hotel was easily 4-stars. The 4 meals were very delicious and generous. Everything was taken care of for you and the ship will wait for you. All for $350. There were 5 buses with approximately 30 persons each. This tour sold out and it was a hot ticket.