So I declared in another Bangkok-related post that I'd pick clothes over food if asked to make a decision. But when the opportunity comes for me to enjoy the best of both worlds, how can I say no?

After much thought I have decided that Chatuchak Weekend Market is my favourite place to be in Bangkok, so here's my mini-travelogue (if my limited experience suffices) to Chatuchak Market!

p.s. Those of you who have read the post Cheap Clothes, and Nothing Else as hyperlinked above may notice that a lot of general information about Chatuchak Market is repeated over here. Skip on for content that isn't fashion-related!

I contend that Chatuchak Weekend Market is a must-visit for tourists visiting Bangkok. Why? Because the market sells anything, and everything.

 Let us tick off a few of the obvious items from the list:

So what is it that Chatuchak Market has that hardly any other tourist destination has?

Just to name a few:

I admit it is the last item that gets me excited every single time (though I never always go there because the market is so huge I get lost and never find my way to the proper section) but still, Chatuchak is the largest market I have ever been to, and the selection of items on sale is really rather mindblowing.

Of course, as expansive as the area is, Chatuchak is still realistically conquerable if you have a map in hand. The friendly security guards are happy to offer you a map if you ask! So how do you get about?

If you think of Chatuchak as a leaf (with reticulate and not parallel venation), then the veins are the alleys and streets that you can wander around in. Of course, the main vein running through the centre would be the main open street where most of the action is - and the netlike veins are the individual sections (termed Soi in the map).

I think the best strategy is to first identify the sections that you are interested in, and then identify the entrance that you will be taking to enter the market (very important as your plan could be thwarted if you take a different entrance as planned!). When you have all points on the map, just do what any other Singaporean student would do and connect the dots in Math class (at this point I turn to my secondary school math teacher and announce that the best fit line is not always the best fit line)

I might want to take back my words that the market has anything  and everything - because in retrospect (and while looking back at my gallery), I remember that there is one particular thing that Chatuchak severely lacks: Bins.

I guess being a Singaporean makes you accustomed to having dust bins at every corner you turn, which is why when I remembered (from my previous trip) that Chatuchak had virtually NO rubbish bins, I gave myself a facepalm and wondered why I did not remember to take along a huge plastic bag as my adhoc personal bin.

Luckily, plastic bags is something that Chatuchak does have (if you buy stuff) so I made do with a small plastic bag that I tied to the strap of my backpack so that it hangs off the side. It looks silly, but trust me - this is an oasis to your desert when you are desperately trying to find a dustbin to throw your rubbish. Just dump them all into your side bin, and enjoy your trip because you deserve to - don't let a little rubbish get you down!

So as taken from Bangkok.com's informative guide to Chatuchak, the market can roughly be divided into 11 categories:

FOOD AND BEVERAGE 

Sections 2-4, 23, 24, 26-27

Just like how Taiwan's Night Markets are defined by their food, I hold a firm belief that food and beverages should always be the highlight of any tourist market.

Expect to find trending food dishes (think Coconut Ice Cream fad) and traditional food served piping hot (or refreshingly cold for drinks and desserts)!

MANGO STICKY RICE

COLD BEVERAGES

FRESHLY-SQUEEZED ORANGE JUICE

POPSICLES

COCONUT ICE CREAM

There are many stalls selling Coconut Ice Cream, each declaring itself to be the original inventor of the concept. To me, it doesn't really matter which stall you visit. All pretty much taste the same, so I'd say go for the ones with free-flow toppings because who'd say no to free-flow sticky rice topping, right?

I especially loved this queer dish of Fried Squid Eggs. It's hard to describe the taste - just try it when you go there.

The selection of hot food is also rather diverse. If you want something more filling, stalls selling actual meals (like Tom Yum, Fried Rice, Phad Thai) are available just at the monument area. There are seats available for dine-in customers!

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

Sections 2-6, 10-26

Most of the clothes in Chatuchak Market are very in trend - and cheap, too! Prices can go as low at THB80 as you can see in the last picture below, but the average price hovers around the THB150-250 range (which is still pretty darn cheap).

The many stalls popping up along the route from Mo Chit BTS Station to Chatuchak