Phahurat Market

Come for the food, not the shopping. That's my honest take on this cluster of lanes in Phra Nakhon, even though the textile stalls are what it's famous for. The stretch behind the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sikh temple is where the good stuff is: Indian street food, both vegetarian and Muslim, at prices that make the tourist markets look silly. There's a cheap food court inside the market too, aimed at the students from across the road, which tells you everything about how unfussy it is. And the Indian sweet shops are worth ten minutes of your time just for the window displays.

The rest is fabric, mostly South Asian, sold from shops run by Indian, Muslim and Myanmar traders who are generally happy to chat whether or not you're buying. It's quieter than the markets nearby, with more shade and a slower pace, so you can actually wander. The indoor Indian restaurants around the edges cost more and don't reward it. Eat by the river instead.