Feeding Fish in Bangkok, Thailand

feeding fish is a fun activity for those in Bangkok and other provinces of Thailand

As part of the Things to do in Bangkok section of TravelNewsAsia.com, it would be wrong for us to mention cycling, cinemas, temples, shopping etc. without touching on the subject of fish.

While seafood is extremely good value, and a main attraction for many tourists to Thailand, fish also offer the traveller and locals of all ages, a fun, and perhaps even rewarding, experience that they probably won't be able to find at home.

As Thailand is predominantly a Buddhist nation, temples can be found everywhere. Practicing Buddhists in Thailand frequently donate food, and other offerings, to the monks who roam the housing estates and streets of Thailand early every morning to accept these generous gifts.

 This act of giving to the monks, is one way for a Thai person to make merit, and is instantly rewarded by a feeling of well being for the giver, as well as a prayer from the monk receiving the gift. Another way of making merit, is to visit the Wat, or temple, and make donations and offerings there.

 As the river has played an integral part of Thai life for centuries, many of these temples are located along waterways. These rivers are full of life, and it is a common past time for many Thais to visit the temples and feed the fish while they are there. Feeding the fish can be great fun, especially for children, as the sheer quantity and size of the fish is a memory that will stay with you for a long time.

Each temple that is located on the river, will normally have a fish feeding station, where you can buy pellets that cost just 10 Baht for a small bucket to 20 Baht for a larger bucket, or a whole loaf of bread for 20 Baht. Once the fish food has been bought, it is time to get the camera ready and start feeding the fish!

 Most of the fish you will see are catfish, and they can grow to quite massive proportions, as you can see from the video below.

To get to a temple with a fish feeding station, we suggest that you ask your hotel for directions to the closest, and advice on the easiest way to get there. If you visit Pak Kret, which some tourists to Bangkok do, then that is an ideal opportunity, as there are plenty of suitable temples in that area. Also, if you visit the Grand Palace and take our recommendation of using a boat taxi to get to and from there, then you won't be far away from a temple by the river where you can feed the fish.

 Finding somewhere to feed the fish should not be a problem, and it is something we do recommend if you find yourself with a little time to spare, and want to get away from the crowds and give shopping a break for a day! It is also a great activity for young children, as the catfish look big to adults, so they must look absolutely enormous to small children!

Read about other ideas and tips of Things to do in Bangkok.

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