Wanglang (N 10)

Where: Get off at Wanglang Pier (all boats)
Who: Dek naew dig up vintage gems hidden in piles of old junk while neighboring hospital employees fill their tummies.
When: Open from 8am for food and 10am for shopping till 6pm, but avoid noon-1pm when the market is packed with lunching office workers.
Hot Shops:
(10) 59/1 (087-693-1559. Open 9:30am-6:30pm). Named after the shop’s address and enshrined in dazzling purple walls, 59/1 sells ready-to-wear not unlike what’s in Siam Square. (Hope you like floral prints.) Except here, it’s around 30% cheaper, starting from around B290 for a dress and around B300 for a pair of high heels.
(11)Ma Ha Eng (080-979-9794. Open 10am-6pm). Not far from 59/1 you’ll find handmade earrings, hair pins, and necklaces studded with glittering crystal. Prices vary, depending on how bling it is, but nothing more than B280.
(12)So Pah (Wanglang Plaza, 080-946-8383. Open 11am–6pm) So Pah is a unisex fashion shop in Wanglang Plaza. Shirts (B199-B590) are relatively colorful and neatly cut but the trendy designs mean they get last season even faster.
(13) Almost Famous (Wanglang Plaza, 083-783-0303. 11am-6pm). Enough of this no-name stuff. Let’s get you some brand names. Almost Famous, in Wanglang Plaza next to the Top Charoen eyeglasses store, is a brand name that can only be found in Wanglang and Jatujak Market. This is a family run business so they are extra careful with the quality of their materials. The blouses are self-designed and handmade, but the T-shirts are from elsewhere, so make sure to check the tag. Prices of the shirts start at B290, and B700 for dresses. You can also buy jeans for B690.
The Vintage Market. A plot of around 50 shops selling different kinds of secondhand products. Our picks include a shop that sells shorts at B60 a pair and (14) a shop where you can find leather jackets (around B790) and (15) boots (B350 a pair) for your next winter holiday.
Market meal: Follow the queues and head to the popular (16) Wanglang Bakery, a favorite for its bread stuffed with floss and chili paste (B30). An old, open-air eatery, (17) Chuan Aroi (9:30am-10pm) whips up Thai dishes like pla samli ma muang (B70) and khua gaeng koong (B70).

Thewet (N15)

Where: Get off at Thewet Pier (all boats).
Who: Garden lovers go for their horticultural and floral needs.
When: The market opens 6:30am-6:30pm but we recommend you go between 10am-3pm to avoid the jams caused by parents dropping their little darlings at one of at least five schools in the area.
Hot Shops:
(18) Pis Prom (081-905-0917. Open daily 6:30am-6pm). Despite the small size of the shop Pis Prom is packed high with cactus and bonsai in a wide range of types and sizes. Prices start from as low as B20 but can rise to more than B10,000 if the owner needs to import a plant from Japan to meet your specific needs. She even flies there herself to pick out the best ones, too.
(19) Chor Prayong (02-282-6425. Open daily 7:30am-6:30pm). While the freshness and quality of the flowers found at the market is pretty standard across the board we have a soft spot for Chor Prayong thanks to their super friendly vendors. We love the bright yellow marigolds (B20 each) and the big pot of gypsy flowers (B180).
(20) Napaporn (02-282-7482). Located at the mouth of the street, this is where you get the hardcore gardening stuff, from trowels and trellises to fertilizers.
Market meals: There are two riverside restaurants located at the far end of the street to choose between.(21) In Love (02-281-2900) offers Thai dishes and seafood and a more upscale ambiance and is popular among locals and well-off NGO employees. For a more fun vibe, head to (22) Khao Tha Pub and Restaurant (089-450-3958, www.khaotha.com), which is located right next door to the pier in an old school house and serves up hot and spicy dishes alongside booze and live music.

Phra Athit (13)

Where: Get off at Phra Athit Pier if you the take slow boat or an orange-flag boat. Get off at Phra Pinklao Pier if you take yellow-flag or green-flag boat, and take a ferry.
Who: Indie kids meet backpackers, thanks to its location between tourist central Khaosan and Thammasat and Silpakorn universities.
When: No actual market but shops open from around 11-1am but go after 4pm once the sun starts to set.
Hot Shops:
(23) The Trapeze Swinger (081-908-1381. Open daily 1-9pm). Hidden in a small alley that connects Phra Arthit and Ram Butri roads, this is undoubtedly the coolest shop in the soi. A couple who fell in love with vintage fashion and music share their passion with others by selling their exclusive collections of retro fashion items, rock-band t-shirts, old CDs and cassettes, even vinyl discs.
(24) The Chonabod (089-494-5669, siamruaymidi.blogspot.com). If you know Siam Ruay, a famous t-shirt store in Chatuchak Market, then you already know what they sell here. If you don’t, then these guys take their design inspiration from popular Thai culture (think famous phrases and funny images) and apply it to everything from screen print tees to notebooks and mugs.
Market meal: Grab seats at  (26) Aquatini (02-280-9955) or (27) The Old Phra Arthit Pier (02-2812-9202) for a superb river view and touristy tastes. For a more local fare, try food at  (28) Take a Seat (02-766-6102) that serves favorite Thai dishes and  (29) Saffron (02-281-4228) for its famed cheesecake.

If you still got some energy left after all that market hopping, check out Ratchawong and Saphan Phut, two market giants you shouldn't miss out on.