Every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, one of the liveliest markets in the entire area comes alive in Khao Lak in the afternoon and evening (roughly between 2:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.) – Bang Niang Market. This is where you can taste authentic Thai specialties and shop for souvenirs, clothing, or the legendary local ointments and “medicines” that literally cost next to nothing. Many travelers take them home – and honestly, I’m not surprised at all.
The market was about 3 kilometers from our hotel, so we took a local taxi. The ride cost about 150 THB, which is around CZK 75 at today’s exchange rate. We were there in just a few minutes.
Even on the taxi ride there, locals waved at us, children played by the roadside, and we soaked up the atmosphere of an ordinary Thai town. No resort, no enclosed hotel complexes – just real life.
A Place That Reminds You of the Power of Nature
Just across from the market is the Khao Lak Tsunami Memorial, which offers a striking contrast to the bustling and cheerful market. The memorial commemorates the devastating tsunami of December 26, 2004, which struck the Khao Lak area with some of the greatest force anywhere in Thailand.
The wave swept away hotels, restaurants, and entire villages, claiming the lives of thousands of people, including many tourists. The memorial’s centerpiece is an actual police patrol boat that the tsunami hurled hundreds of meters inland. Today, it stands there as a silent yet extremely powerful symbol of nature’s force.
Around the boat, you will find information boards with photographs and descriptions of the entire event, including personal stories of the victims and local residents who survived the disaster. For locals, it is a place of remembrance and respect. The Bang Niang area gradually got back on its feet after the tsunami – today’s lively market is therefore something of a symbol of a return to life. When you realize what happened here less than twenty years ago, you see the entire market through completely different eyes.
First Stalls, First Flavors
The taxi dropped us off right at the entrance, and among the very first stalls we came across packaged dried mango as well as fresh mango with sticky rice. It is a Thai classic that I definitely recommend trying – simple, sweet, and absolutely perfect.
They also sold various “delicacies” for the more adventurous: cockroaches, worms, and even scorpions. I would be a little careful with those, though, especially if you are not particularly adventurous.
We mainly focused on grilled and BBQ specialties – octopus, squid, shrimp, and other seafood. Honestly, I didn’t like the octopus very much. It was tough, almost like chewing gum, and rather bland. The squid, fried shrimp, and other dishes, on the other hand, were absolutely delicious.
Everything You Can Imagine (and Maybe Even More)
Bang Niang Market is full of shops of every kind. Clothing, flip-flops, spices, toys, souvenirs, food, bars… simply typical Thai chaos that somehow makes perfect sense.
My mother’s husband, Michal, asked me to buy him one of the local healing ointments. Apparently, it is the best remedy for all kinds of things. We have already tried it, and I have to say that it really works. If you are in Thailand, I definitely recommend buying a similar ointment.
I also bought a “cobra” ointment, supposedly made from its venom, which is said to help with joint and muscle pain. I plan to try it for neck pain from working at the computer, for example, even though I try to exercise every day.
The local organic spices were also excellent – we bought tamarind and many other things that are difficult to find back home or are significantly more expensive.
When You’re Already Completely Full… but Still Have Another One
As we were leaving, we came across one more stall grilling pork belly or ribs. Even though I was already completely stuffed, I ordered a whole rack. And yes – I ate the entire thing.
I’ll admit it: I didn’t feel particularly well that night, so as a precaution I took some Ercefuryl, which I carry with me on every trip and which has already saved me several times.
Definitely Visit the Markets, Even If You’re Staying Somewhere Else
I would definitely recommend visiting Bang Niang Market to everyone. You can taste authentic local specialties that you often will not find at all in hotel resorts or the surrounding streets, and you can shop at truly ridiculously low prices.
Toward the end of our vacation, we visited another market intended mainly for locals, where there were even more specialties and the prices were even lower – but that is a topic for another article.
PS: If you need to exchange money for the local currency, there is an exchange office on the right near the entrance, but the rate is slightly worse than at the hotel.
