I went here for a vacation with my mother and aunt in 2005 during my Semestral Break.
We stayed in the tallest hotel there, although the name right now escapes me. If, in case, you decide to stay in Thailand for a holiday, choose this hotel. It’s really great, the breakfast food (and view) is to die for. =)

For the most part, we did our shopping here. The prices range from one shop to another, and a bargain-hunter would die from happiness at the prices. You do have to know where to look. I would highly suggest the week-end market (people-watching is good, too). That place is somewhere you could quickly get lost in, the items range from clothes, to food, to even puppies! I just adored the prices here, and the people were so friendly.

Also, try not to be fooled by the locals who try to give you trips to places by paying a fixed rate. On our stay there, a tuktuk driver (the tuktuk is like a tricycle, unique only to Thailand) attempted to fool us by saying that the mall we wanted to enter was still closed. He offered to take us to another mall, but we had to pay a certain amount of baht. We refused and found out a while later that the mall had been open all along – the man was just trying to get extra cash from us if we rode with him. I hope this doesn’t happen to you, and remember to check out the place you want to. =D

The Floating Market, too, was incredibly exciting. The people are B-E-A-utiful! Don’t be afraid to try things in Thailand. Immerse yourself in the beauty of it. But most importantly, shop your heart out. You won’t regret it. XD