One of the best attractions in Thailand is its markets, with their colors, smells, people, flavors and lives. Chiang Mai markets is a shopping paradise where you can find almost anything at affordable prices and get in touch with the daily life of the city. Find the list of top 7 best markets in Chiang Mai.
Best Markets in Chiang Mai
The most popular markets in Chiang Mai are listed below.
Sunday Night Market in Chiang Mai
Undoubtedly, this is the largest and most important market in Chiang Mai. Sunday Night Market or Sunday Market Walking Street is usually held every Sunday in the heart of Chiang Mai old town. Here you can find numerous stalls selling various items from clothes, shoes, bags, watches, accessories, paintings, handicrafts, to household appliances. This is an ideal place to buy handicrafts and typical products of the different ethnic groups from the mountains. In addition, street food in this famous market in Chiang Mai is also very rich and attractive. Visiting this Chiang Mai market is a good bet for a well-spent evening. The market is frequented by local people, residents and especially a large number of tourists. The market starts at the eastern entrance to the old city and runs along Ratchadamnoen Road from the Thapae Gate to the Wat Phrasing Temple, which is closed to traffic thus turning the Sunday Market into a pedestrian street.
Opening Hours: Sundays from 17:00-24:00
Saturday Night Market in Chiang Mai
Saturday Night Market is taking place right on a narrow Wualai street, just outside of the old town. Hence it is also known as Wualai Market. This market is a reduced version of the Sunday market where you can find similar things but usually cheaper. This Chiang Mai market is quite small and often gets very crowded. Like other markets in Chiang Mai, Saturday Night Market also sells a lot of impressive items especially souvenirs and street food. Although it is increasingly frequented by tourists, local people and foreign residents still predominate. The stalls begin to be placed every Saturday from 16:00 but it is recommended to go there a bit later. To get to the market you have to go to the Southern entrance of the old city. There the market begins and it is extended by Wualai Road.
Opening Hours: Saturdays from 16:00 to 23:00
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
If you are visiting Chiang Mai on weekdays and cannot stay in the city on weekend, then Night Bazaar night market might be an attractive option. Chiang Mai's best-known weekday night market, popularly known as the Night Bazar, is located on Chang Klan Street, about a 10-minute walk from Thapae Gate. It is the most popular shopping spot in the city and a must-see for all visitors. It is a lively area with department stores, shops, and street vendors. At Night Bazaar you will find a wide variety of branded items both real and fake such as clothing, antiques, T-shirts, belts, shoes, jewelry, watches, DVDs and CDs with all the music and movie you want, local Thai products, souvenirs and everything else you can imagine. Prices here are usually not as low as in other less touristy markets. Of course, be ready to negotiate. Outside the market there are street vendors selling Thai street food.
Opening Hours: Daily from 17:00 to 24:00
Remark: The night market is permanently closed
Kalare Night Baazar
While being in the Night Bazaar area, be sure to visit other good markets, such as Kalare Night Bazaar. Kalare Night Bazaar is an arcade-style bazaar, located approximately one-third of the way down from the upper end of the main night bazaar. There you can find products such as paintings, traditional crafts and jewelry. There are also street food stalls to try the best Thai cuisine at very affordable prices. Every night there is a live performance, usually of traditional Thai music and traditional dances.
Opening Hours: Daily from 17:00 to 24:00
Anusarn Market Chiangmai
Asunarn Market is located approximately one-third of the way from the lower end of the main night bazaar. It is also perfect to enjoy traditional Thai food, but not to buy objects or souvenirs. There are also nightly cabaret shows.
Opening Hours: Daily from 17:00 to 24:00
Warorot Market
Warorot Market, known in Chiang Mai as Kad Luang, is located in the heart of Chinatown, next to the Ping River and a short walk from the Night Bazaar. If you exit through the eastern gate of the city (Thapae), you must take Chong Moi Street or Thapae to reach Wichayanon Road. This market is more authentic than other markets. This is one of the places where locals do their own shopping for items used in the daily life. Inside the market you can find several floors where you can buy all kinds of products and food that are cheaper and generally of a better quality. If you have more time, it is also worth taking a short walk around the area, filled with colorful Chinese temples and special atmosphere.
Opening Hours: Daily from 4:00 to 18:00
Muang Mai Market
Muang Mai Market is a good place to buy organic food from small producers, if you plan to cook in Chiang Mai. You can find products sold by farmers from the mountains of Chiang Mai. From here they are distributed to other markets in the city so it is one of the cheapest markets in the city. Muang Mai Market is located east of the walled old city, near the American Embassy, along the Mae Ping River. It is the same street as that of the Warorot Market, although going up in the opposite direction. The market is open every day, all day long, but the best time to visit it is in the early morning from 6:00, when huge trucks of fruits and vegetables arrive to supply the stalls.
Opening Hours: 24 Hours