Well, dear friends, are you tired of waiting? Today we will talk about the markets of Thailand and about the markets of Chiang Mai. How did it all start? It was advice, advice from a person who understands a lot about bright, unusual and interesting things. Tired, we returned to the hotel after the zoo, anticipating how now we will comfortably settle in a bungalow and take a nap, gaining strength before tomorrow's ascent to the rocks. At the entrance we were greeted by the colorful owner of the hotel, a German, a hippie, who came to Thailand for a short time twenty years ago and stayed here forever.
And now, at his 70 years old, he still wears long hair, an earring in his ear, beads on his neck, baubles on his hands, and talks about everything in an original way. He prompted us that today is Sunday, which means that we must definitely see the Chiang Mai night market. And we went to Sunday street to get acquainted with the weekend market. The anticipation of a holiday, a trading extravaganza, as if by hand, removed fatigue. Katya walked beside us and chirped loudly.
Trade and Markets
Imagine a primitive man with a forehead that overhangs like a balcony. Here he is sitting in his cave, twirling a piece of flint in his hands and figuring out what is best to make of it - another ax, a spare spearhead, or maybe another sharp knife for his wife, which is scraping the skin nearby for a new outfit. Yes, there is something to think about ...
And suddenly ... Eureka! “But shouldn't I exchange this piece of stone for that wonderful fragment of volcanic glass - obsidian, which Tumak showed yesterday from the neighboring primitive human herd!” That's how or something like that, trade was born. And along with it, markets appeared, such special, important and significant places for people to meet in the roles of sellers and buyers.
Markets in Thailand
Trading is one of Thailand's greatest pleasures. There are plenty of opportunities to get it, from visits to high-end stores to shopping in local arts and crafts markets.
Moreover, Thailand's markets are a must-see for every tourist. What for? Get acquainted with the Thai shopping culture, taste the local flavor, buy souvenirs for home at a good price. It is a great pleasure even to just walk around the markets of Thailand, to observe the very metamorphosis of an ordinary street into an attractive place for trade with a wide range of goods and, mainly, negotiable prices.
There are many market options in Thailand:
- daytime ones, such that work all day
- morning
- night markets in Thailand. For them, traffic on one or several streets is completely blocked. On it, which has become safe and pedestrianized, tourists and locals can walk for several hours, buying whatever their heart desires: trinkets, T-shirts, wallets, jewelry, hats, Buddha statues, and works of art.
- weekend market
- day-of-the-week
- dedicated to holidays or certain events
Street markets are an integral part of Thai culture. They are popular with both locals and foreigners.
Advice . Do not forget to smile when shopping in the markets of Thailand! And you definitely need to bargain! In this case, the price may drop by a third. Also remember: the first and the last customer always get a discount!
Chiang Mai Markets
And Chiang Mai is not offended by excellent large shopping centers and the best international brand stores in Thailand, there are enough boutiques and small shops in it, but the main shopping life of the city takes place not in them, but in the city's markets.
In this sense, Chiang Mai is easy to underestimate, so remember that this entire city is markets, markets, markets, an endless number of markets, open all day and night, where you can shop until you drop. Night markets, food markets, fruit markets, Saturdays and Sundays, markets on the pedestrian streets ... There are more of them here than anyone could possibly need!
Incredible Chiang Mai is a city, not only with an incredible number of markets, but also with a very impressive size of territories reserved for shopping places.
What markets are there in Chiang Mai
For tourists and locals to choose from:
- Muang Mai (Van Sing Ham Road, north of Warorot Market) is a large wholesale market. You will find here a huge amount (oh, how many!) Different fruits, vegetables, as well as sections with meat and seafood.
- Lively and open Anusarn night market - near Chang Khlan Road between Anusarn Sunthon Road in the north and Si Don Chai Road in the south. There are also many small Thai, Indian and Western restaurants on its territory.
- Big market Cad Luang (Kad Luang) - occupies the area where Chiang Moi Road and Wichayanon Road join, it unites the market Warorot and Lamyai .Warorot is a large building of an old shopping center, where food is on the ground floor, and goods on the floors above that can be bought even cheaper than at the night bazaar. There are a scattering of kiosks near the main building. They sprawl, take over the sidewalks and neighboring streets. You can find and buy everything here! Any range of products, from footwear to gemstones, Lamyai has a ton of fresh produce. And there is also a sea of flowers, the unsurpassed aromas of which are dizzy, as if they are flowers from paradise. Buckets full of orchids, hundreds of color options for these lush and delicate treasures of the tropics. Roses, chrysanthemums, lotuses and marigolds ... Sold very cheap! Flowers arrive at night, and this is the best time to buy them.
- Not far from Kad Luang there is a small hill tribe market Hmong ... It sells products and handicrafts made by them. The women of the tribe make very beautiful clothes for sale, decorate them with silver and magnificent embroidery. Craftswomen also offer to buy woven and embroidered shawls, pillowcases, towels, tablecloths with national patterns. Men for sale make various products from rattan, wood, bamboo. There are also Shan sellers and Burmese suppliers. Come here on Fridays.
- Somphet Market - works in the daytime. Located in the Old City 5 minutes north of Tha Phae Gate. Offers a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables, spices. Come here for household goods and goods of inexpensive tailors. One of the smallest tourist markets!
- Khamtien Plant Market - North of the Old Town on the Super highway behind the Tesco Hypermarket. Pets, tropical fish, plants, trees, garden accessories. Works during the day.
- JJ Market - located north of the Old City on Assadathon Road, near Khamtien Plant Market, open on weekends. Here are fresh fruits, vegetables, plants, secondhand goods, designer goods, antiques, pubs and restaurants.
- Thipanet market - open during the day, located south of the Old City near Gate - the gate - Chiang Mai. Applied art.
- Saturday Night Market Walking Street - С Saturday night - This market happens every Saturday on Wualai - the street that starts from the south gate of Chiang Mai. It closes to traffic every Saturday night. Are you looking for lacquer or silverware? Then you have come to the right place. Here, graceful old wooden buildings preserve the fame of local silversmiths. For a kilometer of colorful and vibrant market, handicrafts, clothing, musical instruments and works by young artists. See and choose! And, of course, there is a lot of all kinds of food here!
- Sunday Night Market Walking Street - В Oskres market - starts from Tha Phae Gate and goes along Ratchadamnoen. Under it, traffic is blocked on four large streets at once, passing through the entire old city. Open from 4 pm to midnight every Sunday. The sun is setting, the streets are packed with kiosks, vendors, pedestrians - tourists and locals. There are many families with children, Thai youth are walking. What can you buy here? Anything! From an incredible array of materials: wood, silk, glass, metals, ceramics, textiles, paper, coconuts, and so on. Fresh fruit cocktails, beautiful home decorating items, clothes, handmade soaps and candles, accessories, funny figurines, shoes, jewelry, bags ... the list goes on and on. Food and drink are abundant.
- Night Bazar stretches along Chang Khlan Road, between Thaphae and Loi Khro Road. It is the most famous tourist market in Chiang Mai. Trading starts around 6pm and ends around midnight, although some of the shops are open all day. The market, with hundreds of street stalls, has it all: souvenirs, clothing, watches, Thai silk, shoes, DVDs, handicrafts, video cameras, jewelry, household appliances, fine local textiles. There are many items made in China here. However, goods are often more expensive here than in places where there are not so many tourists.
In fact, there are many more markets in Chiang Mai: there are student markets, there are markets that only work on a certain day of the week, for example Wednesday or Thursday or Friday, markets at hypermarkets, markets at the gates of the old city, and so on. There is even a market for amulets.
Even from such a truncated list as the one above, travelers who come here choose one, maximum three. According to statistics, these are:
- Night Bazaar night market, open every night and exclusively aimed at tourists,
- Saturday Night Market on Walking Street
- and Sunday Night Market, the longest market, on a pedestrianized street in the heart of the old town.
Most foreigners never get to the rest, and they only serve the needs of local residents.
Markets rating
The renowned travel site TripAdvisor has ranked Thailand's street markets based on millions of visitors, opinions and reviews.
- Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market Walking Street
- Maeklong market on railroad tracks near Bangkok in Samut Songkhram province
- Chiang Mai Saturday Night Market Walking Street
- Bangkok Pak Klong Talat Flower Market
- Bangkok Chatuchak Weekend Market
- Phuket Night Market Phuket Town
- Samut Songkhram Amphawa Floating Market
- Bangkok Siam Square
- Hua Hin Night Bazaar Hua Hin Night Bazaar
- Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
Why are we going with a patch
Night markets are a mix of shopping, food and entertainment. For local residents, it is also a place of meeting and communication. We walk the busy Sunday evening streets for:
- shopping at good prices. T-shirts - 50-100 baht, bags starting from 200 baht, paintings for 100 baht, elephant ivory jewelry - 150 baht.
- to plunge into the atmosphere of fun and joy. Music plays, some contests are held, costume processions, schoolchildren perform ...
- look at the performances of street talent. Here street musicians tune the guitars, here - singers, there - Thai dancers perform.
- admire the skilful works of masters and artists, the creativity put into every thing and trinket. It's amazing what can even be made from ordinary plastic bottles!
- mouth-watering and beautiful Thai street food - a gift from heaven. Aromatic smells of garlic, fried fish, sausages, fried quail eggs on palm leaves, special Chiang Mai sausage ... A range of tastes - spicy, sweet, salty ... People eat and smile. For those looking for new experiences - placers of fried crickets, cicadas, mealworms and other insects.
- And at the end of the evening massage of tired legs. Right outside, sit back in the cozy reclining soft armchair and enjoy! A whole hour of absolute bliss!
- Plus, unforgettable photos!
We walk the weekend market
It is a city attraction, not just a shopping destination. Oksana, our friend, and I, together, still happily and pleasantly remember this shopping evening. We walked looking at knives and sabers, watches and plates, vases and hats. Tourists streamed between the merchants in a thin and unstoppable stream.
We pulled up next to a dog in a hat. We have already met her photo on the Internet in Chingmay reports. We were delighted with her, almost like a native, clicked and wanted to stroke. But the proud girl only barked at us.
Then we went further past deodorants, T-shirts, umbrellas, dolls, pillows, paintings, curtains, colorful mountain tribal outfits, jewelry, glasses from “leading” manufacturers. The eyes ran on their own, the body did not keep up with them. And the hands, pulling this wooden fruit bowl towards them, lagged behind the body by two trays. I wanted to buy everything! Bought: a rotunda fruit bowl, some silver jewelry, an owl-shaped clock, a lime crusher, soap, incense sticks, a pretty old-fashioned notebook.
The holder of the family money-box - Sanya - lost us near the boxes ... Otherwise, there would have been much more acquisitions.
My legs no longer walked, but I wanted to eat. We sat down on the plastic chairs of the first food we came across. We ordered it without expecting any culinary masterpieces from this shabby place. But we got a string of incomparable dishes, the portion sizes of which were designed for the capacious stomach of a very hungry and adult elephant. What we ate Incomparable Divine Inimitable Tom Yam ... What fries! What shrimps fried in batter! And the prices .. For a masterpiece - 30 baht, for all the deliciousness plus rum and cola for one person it came out 70 baht.
Have you ever been to the Chiang Mai market on a Sunday night? If so, please share your impressions!
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Thailand, and indeed the whole of Southeast Asia, is famous for its markets. Markets are morning, afternoon, night, weekend markets, markets that operate on certain days of the week (like in Koh Samui), markets dedicated to certain events and holidays (for example, a temple fair in Koh Samui).
Chiang Mai has a famous Night market(Night Bazaar or Grand Bazaar). Locals call it Kalare Night Bazaar. In fact, this market can hardly be called "night", rather it is "evening", because it works from about 6-7 pm until midnight. But the peak of trade is at 8-10 pm, after 10 pm sellers slowly begin to collect their goods and go home.
I have heard many rave reviews about Chiang Mai Night Market. It was here that they advised to buy all Thai souvenirs. I was looking forward to the moment when I get to this market and arrange shopping 😎 After all, we did not buy anything much, everyone hoped to buy in Chiang Mai and Bangkok.
Chiang Mai Night Market is located on Chang Khlan Street and adjacent streets - not far from the old city square.
Basically, this Night Market is designed for tourists: here you can buy various souvenirs, interior items, some clothes, jewelry, fake watches, bags, wallets and much more. There is also a food court with Thai food, where you can eat inexpensively. In the evenings, concerts with live music take place on the stage near this food court.
Every evening at the Night Bazaar you can watch Thai amateur performances with beer :) There are many restaurants, bars, massage parlors in the Chiang Mai night market area. In general, life is in full swing here and everyone will find entertainment for themselves for every taste.
I don't like markets, it's easier for me to come to the store and buy what I need in a relaxed atmosphere. Also, I love buying items that have a price tag - because I hate bargaining 😎. In my country I try to avoid markets, but I like the Thai markets. Basically, we went to the markets and walking street in Thailand not to buy something, but to eat, drink a cocktail, look around, listen to music.
On the first evening in Chiang Mai, we went to Night market(Chiang Mai Night Bazar), which was not far from ours. We walked guided by the map, along some quiet dark alleys and it seemed to us that we were going somewhere in the wrong place, because it was very quiet around and there were no signs of life. But very soon we entered the epicenter of Chiang Mai's evening life - Night Bazar.
We hurried to the very center of the Night Market, to the square where the food court is located. This food court is made up of many Thai cafes with a variety of food.
Here it is - expanse for lovers of Thai food :) First, you need to buy coupons at the checkout - pieces of paper worth 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 baht. These coupons are used to buy food. You cannot pay in cash. If you still have coupons, you can exchange them back for cash at the cash desk, but you need to do this on that very day. Those. it will not work like in Tesco Lotus or Big C (there you can put money on a card and buy food with this card even in a month, the main thing is that there is enough money 😎). The average price of a dish is 50-60 baht (up to $ 2).
Eyes run up - what can you try? :) I even found fried mussels, which I really liked on. I happily took a portion and was disappointed ... Lamai mussels were much tastier.
Well, Lesha, as always, chose rice with curry for dinner 
Fresh juices. Everywhere there is an inscription - no cash, coupon only - only coupons are accepted 
After having a delicious meal, having drunk delicious draft beer, we decided to walk around the market and ask the price for souvenirs. We did not plan to buy souvenirs on the first evening, because we still had a trip to the North of Thailand and it would not be very convenient to carry souvenirs with us.
We made a conclusion for ourselves: at the Chiang Mai Night Market you can buy T-shirts with the symbols of Thailand and Chiang Mai (100-150 baht / 3-5 dollars), silk scarves (250-350 baht / 8-12 dollars) - I could not resist and bought myself one red scarf and a few more scarves for gifts, Thai trousers-harem pants (250-400 baht / 8-13 dollars) - until they bought, we decided to buy in Bangkok and it paid off, where I bought pants of different types and colors for 199 baht (7 dollars).
Soap flowers - sold all over Thailand! A very beautiful thing for souvenirs At the Chiang Mai Night Market, I advise you to buy magnets (3 pieces per 100 baht) - in other places they were more expensive. In Bangkok, the same magnets for 100 baht (3.3 dollars) are a thing.
On the adjacent streets they sell fake watches, bags, glasses, wallets. I bought myself a good wallet for 300 baht (10 dollars), the same wallet on Koh Samui cost 1200 baht (40 dollars).
For girls at the Night Market, there is a lot of jewelry, hairpins, earrings, 100 baht for 3 pieces.
There are also a lot of home decoration products: pillows, bedspreads, lamps and such Thai lanterns that I really liked. The cost of such a garland of lanterns is from 99 to 300 baht (3.3 - 10 dollars), depending on the number of bulbs, and how you bargain! Do not forget, this is a market and it is customary to bargain here. Sometimes the price can be cut in half 😎
After walking around the Chiang Mai Night Market, we wandered to our hotel tired, because the next morning we had to get up early. We did not have a close way to Pai.
The second time we visited the Chiang Mai Night Market on March 8, after a circle by car in the North of Thailand. We, like the first time, first went to the food court, had a delicious dinner and celebrated March 8 with a glass of beer 😎
And then we walked around the market, bought souvenirs, ate strawberries 😎 Unfortunately, the strawberries were not tasty 😥
A small video from Chiang Mai Night Bazaar:
In addition to the Night Market, Chiang Mai has weekend markets - walking street.
Saturday market - Saturday market runs on Saturdays. For him, Wualai Street, which runs from the southern gate of the old city, is blocked. This market starts working at about 4 pm and works until late at night.
Sunday market - Sunday Market takes place, respectively, on Sundays, for it they block the central street of the old city - Ratchadamhoen. Merchants are located right in the courtyards of the temples for which Chiang Mai is so famous. This market starts its work at about 14:00 pm and is open until 11 pm.
These markets - Saturday and Sunday - are more authentic and less touristy. Of course, there are enough tourists for them too 😎 But weekend markets are also visited by a lot of Thai families who come to these markets for shopping and entertainment.
Unfortunately, we did not get to the Sunday market - that evening we were leaving by train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. According to the information - Sunday Market - the cheapest and most interesting. But we ourselves have not verified this information.
But on Chiang Mai Saturday Market - Saturday Market - we had a chance to visit. We found it completely by accident. We were driving, tired by car, to our Tapae Place hotel after visiting the Doi Inthanon National Park, to wash, change, relax a bit and go looking for this Saturday market, and ran into a blocked street. Oh, and here is the Saturday market - we thought and decided not to go to the hotel, but to try to find a parking spot and go scout out the situation.
Of course, it was not easy to find a place to park the car. We drove a little ahead and parked at some fruit market, which was already closed and went to the shopping street 😎
At first there were not very many people and it was possible to walk calmly down the street and look around.
Literally after half an hour (about 8 pm) there were so many people on the street that we could hardly squeeze into the layouts.
What does the Sabbath Market sell? Yes, the same as everywhere! But the prices are more attractive and the souvenirs are more interesting.
There are many different lamps and lamps
In Chiang Mai Saturday Market, besides handmade souvenirs and cheap summer clothes, you can taste different sweets. Lots of interesting food that we haven't tasted before in Thailand.
Delicious dumplings! How we missed dumplings in Thailand! 🙂 
And you can drink all this yummy with a herbal drink, which is poured into bamboo glasses.
You can shoot at targets and win such weirdos 😎
You can listen to how music is played on glasses of water
Or such a Thai amateur performance 😎
We walked for a long time on Saturday Market, until the sellers began to gather.
I'm tired with shopping 🙂 And we, tired, but happy, went to look for our car to return to the hotel.
If you come to Chiang Mai - do not miss the opportunity to visit Chiang Mai Night Market and on Saturday or Sunday markets to get a feel for what a market is in Thailand, buy souvenirs and taste delicious Thai food.
Chiang Mai Night Market and Weekend Markets on the map:
Chiang Mai's markets are quite diverse. Some offer a wide variety of food items, others offer handicrafts, and still others offer a variety of inexpensive clothing. They all also differ in location and opening hours. We will get to know the most popular markets in the city, which can be used not only for shopping, but also for a hearty and tasty meal.
Like many of Thailand's other night markets, Kalare Night Bazaar is one of the busiest places in the city. It is located on Chang Khlan Street. The first traders open their stalls around 6-7 pm and work until midnight, but the peak of trade falls on the period from 8 to 10 hours. The market is visited by both locals and tourists. Someone comes here to shop, someone to get acquainted with Thai life, and someone to eat deliciously.
The Night Market is a great place for inexpensive shopping. The assortment of Kalare Night Bazaar products is more designed for a tourist audience. It sells various clothes, jewelry, souvenirs, bags, interior items and more.
Locals come here for a hearty dinner. After all, there are rows of popular Thai food on the market. There is a small stage near the food stalls where you can enjoy the sounds of live music. In the vicinity of the market, there are numerous restaurants, bars, massage parlors, a visit to which can perfectly diversify your leisure time.
This place is the largest food market in the city, which is open around the clock. It is located not far from the embankment and stretches for several blocks. This is one of the most visited places by Thais.
Prices are quite low here, which attracts hotel and restaurant owners here for provisions. The assortment of goods is huge. The market is traded both wholesale and retail. The counters never remain empty; agricultural products are brought here from the nearby districts of the city. After one seller has sold his product, the next one takes his place and so on ad infinitum.
Some even have to queue up to enter the market. If you decide to visit it on a bike, it is better to use the paid parking in the northern part of the shopping arcade, otherwise, if you park your vehicle in the wrong place, you can get a fine from the police who constantly patrol the area.
Warorot Market is located in Chinatown and is open all day. Executed all in red and yellow shades with Chinese characters, for a moment it immerses visitors in the tradition of the Celestial Empire.
Trade is in full swing here. On the market you can find gold products, clothes, shoes, household appliances, all sorts of little things necessary for life, bags, watches and many other things. The prices are quite reasonable, and besides, you can still bargain.
On the ground floor, they sell fresh fruits, vegetables, semi-finished products, sweets, teas, dried fruits and more. There are items with ready-made meals, their variety is great. At the market you can always taste both Thai and Chinese cuisine. It is better not to come to the market with your own transport, as it is very difficult to find a free parking space, it is better to take a taxi or even come on foot.
Chamni Norakan market
This market is a great option for those who live in the city center. The bulk of its assortment is fresh fruits and vegetables. Their choice is not very large, and the prices cannot be attributed to the lowest. But there is always an opportunity to enjoy fresh tropical fruits.
The market is more targeted at a tourist audience. An interesting feature of this market is that the pricing policy is rather unstable here. It can even change several times a day. And the main thing is that this feature is not clear, what it depends on, but certainly not on the quality of the goods. Most likely, this is influenced by the mood of the seller himself.
There is also such a tendency: for the local population, food is always much cheaper than for foreigners. Such is the mentality of the inhabitants of the country of smiles. The market is located on Mun Muang Road and is open from early morning until 6 pm.
Siri Wattana market
The market is quite popular with locals. It is located north of the Chiang Pyak gate, and is open from early morning until 9 pm. There is a huge abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits, you can buy meat, fish, spices, teas, herbs, all kinds of sweets and desserts. In addition, there are shops with clothing and footwear. It will not be difficult to find perfumes, watches, mobile phones, household chemicals and much more.
The prices are very different here. There are goods for which they can be well overpriced. This is not the best place to buy fruits, as their quality is far from ideal.
The market stalls open after 6 pm. You can find it near the coast of the Ping River. The market is informally called "wet", due to the streams of water that flows from flowers, impressive in their abundance and beauty. It will not be difficult to find a bouquet of freshly cut tropical or mountain flowers here. Their choice on the market is so great that it can surprise even the most demanding customers.
The evening work of the market is explained by the absence of the scorching sun, due to which the buds retain their freshness and originality. The assortment is represented by roses, orchids, chrysanthemums. Flowers are sold both wholesale and retail. It is worth visiting this market at least in order to enjoy the incredible aroma that hangs even over the neighboring quarters of the city.
Saturday market
The name of the market itself suggests that it is open only on Saturdays. Located on Wua Loi Road. The first merchants appear here at about 5 pm and close at around 23:00. There are always a lot of people. Both locals and guests of Chiang Mai come to the market.
The range of products is very diverse. Here is a large selection of Thai knitwear, you can find shoes, souvenirs, bags, jewelry. Particular attention should be paid to handmade products. These can be various paintings, wood carvings, rice paper lamps, toys and many other unique products.
It is worth coming here for those who want to buy an author's thing, unlike all the others. The market also offers rows of ready-made Thai dishes at the lowest prices.
The Sunday market is very similar to the one that only works on Saturdays. But it is located in a different place - not far from the Thapae Gate, and trade is conducted here on Sunday evening.
There is a much larger selection of handicrafts here, but some are overpriced. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that the market is in great demand among tourists. In order to at least slightly reduce the price of the thing you like, it's worth bargaining, this is customary among Thais. The main thing is to keep a good mood and smile more often, and then the merchants will go to meet you.
Markets map
On this map, I marked the markets that I talked about in this article.
Thai markets are a place to have a great time without spending a lot of money. Here is presented the peculiar way of life of the local population, acquaintance with which will benefit all guests of the Thai Kingdom.
As befits a large Thai city, Chiang Mai abounds in assorted markets and markets, bazaars and bazaars. There are huge food markets, whole streets with souvenir shops, and small markets “for those who know”. How to find all these markets and what you can buy on them - read on ...
Night souvenir markets
There are as many as three regularly operating nightmarkets in Chiang Mai. All of them are designed for tourists and sell mainly all kinds of souvenirs. The largest and most famous - Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, also known as Grand Bazaar. It is located to the east of the "square", on Chang Khlan Street, which is specially blocked for car traffic every evening from about 8 am to midnight.
I didn't like this bazaar at all: crowds of people selling some kind of Chinese garbage such as belts, panties and fake watches. No "authentic" souvenirs have been found in this night market.
The other two night bazaars take place on weekends - one on Saturday evening and the other, respectively, on Sunday. They also make pedestrianized streets in the city center. For Saturday bazaar - Wualai street south of the "square", and for Sunday - Ratchadamnoen street in the heart of the old city. These two nightmarkets are called so - Saturday walking street and Sunday Walking Street.
According to experienced reviews, the Sunday market is more interesting than the Saturday one and is held on a large scale. It was a break for us to ride twice to the center from our Chiang Mai settlements, so we chose it to visit.
Sunday Walking Street turned out to be much nicer than the daily big night bazaar. It is more intimate and “homey”, without any mass-produced T-shirts and panties. They sell here mainly traditional Thai souvenirs and all sorts of designer hand-made jewelry, clothes and interior items.
For example, flowers carved from colored soap in boxes. These flowers can be found throughout Tai, they differ only in the subtlety of the master's work.
Or traditional Thai lanterns made of colored threads:
Or all kinds of silk shawls, scarves and other sarongs of varying degrees of naturalness:
Here are also antique shops with old Chinese porcelain, darkened by time and liters of tea drunk from it:
Handmade leather sandals for 79 baht:
A bunch of all sorts of trinkets for ridiculous money:
All this wealth of picturesque balls sparkles on special stands:
Caskets in the form of rejuvenating golden apples:
Or strange felt freaks with wooden eyes:
The obligatory and sometimes the most interesting part of any Thai nightmarket is the food rows. On Sunday Walking Street, they are located right on the territory of one of the Chiang Mai temples. Very convenient, prayed and ate - combined business with pleasure =))
The Buddha looks out from his stupa at those who eat:
Food counters and counters are no less picturesque than souvenir rows:
Sushi: nothing that with blue caviar - but 5 baht each!
Mysterious Thai crap, which I tasted only at the end of our trip - grass gelly, herbal jelly. It is made from some kind of related herb mint, and it tastes bittersweet, a bit like burnt sugar. Herbal jelly is sold as a stand-alone dessert or poured over with ice syrup. It is believed to have a cooling effect and help with heat.
Thai shops sell a bottled drink with herbal jelly worms (they also sell Longan drink in similar small bottles - naturally our dried fruit compote). The last such bottle was snatched from my hands by a cruel aunt during a search at the Bangkok airport, eh ...
And of course, where can we go without fried beetles and other grasshoppers! There is even a translation for stupid farangs. No one really eats unfortunate insects, they are used more for entourage.
Food Markets
Since we lived in the north of Chiang Mai, we explored a large grocery market there - Thanin market... It is located right on the thick Chang Puak road and consists of several giant pavilions where you can buy literally everything - from vegetables and fruits to seafood and ready-made food. This market works during the day, prices are Chiang Mai =))
In the backpacker part of the "square", in the north of Moon Mouang rd, there is a daytime food market with fruits, shrimps and ready-made food - Sompet market.
Other markets
Talat Warorot Market
Located to the east of the "square", on the river bank. The oldest and probably the most gigantic market in Chiang Mai, it occupies a multi-storey building intended for it and a few more blocks around. They sell mainly all kinds of consumer goods, including fabrics and clothing.
Flower market
It occupies the embankment next to Talat Warorot. Fresh flowers are sold in this market, but somehow we did not come to it very well during some kind of holiday, so instead of flowers, the market sold mainly food. As you may have guessed, we were not very upset =))
I marked all the markets we visited on the map:
View on a larger map
In addition to the listed "official" markets, every evening on the streets of Chiang Mai, like mushrooms after the rain, spontaneous clusters of counters and moths grow. On them, the townspeople hurrying from work buy food for dinner or, if there is no time to cook, this very dinner is ready-made.
When you live in one place for a relatively long time, and not as a tourist for a few days at a swoop, you involuntarily start looking for where it is tastier, cheaper, more profitable. We love to eat very much, so during the whole month of our life we went to different places in the city, including the markets. After all, this is not only an opportunity to buy quality local products at attractive prices, but also to feel the flavor!
In this article, we will make a small overview of the markets, shopping streets and centers of Chiang Mai. We think this information will be useful to winterers who are going to come to the northern capital of Taya for a long time. To find your way, see the map at the bottom of the post, where the markets are marked with a basket sign.
Chiang Mai Markets
The peculiarity of Thai (and all Asian) markets is that you will always find there a place to have a bite to eat, and real local cheap food, quite exotic in some places. There are many markets in Chiang Mai, but we will tell you about the cheapest and most interesting ones. In the beginning - food markets.
Muang Mai Market
The best grocery market in the city, in our opinion - all cheap fruits and vegetables are sold here! It occupies several blocks and is a real anthill in which brisk trade is in full swing. It looks like there is everything here: fruits, vegetables, seafood, meat, spices, mushrooms and much more, which is difficult to define :-)
Muang Mai Market - it's best to come here early in the morning
Muang Mai Market, Chiang Mai
It is best to come here early in the morning, although the market is open until dark and even more. It's just that the freshest food and the lowest prices are usually in the morning.
Food market in Chiang Mai
Magic Pumpkin Mountain :)
By the way, many restaurants buy food in this place, you can see how vegetables, for example, are sold in bags and bodies!
To find Muang Mai Market, follow Muang Samut Street - as you see the stalls, go inland.
Somphet Market
Unlike the previous one, this market can be said to be located within the old city, in the northeast of the square, not far from the Thapae gate. Working hours: from morning until dark, although it is better to come in the morning for shopping. And the evening is also suitable for gastronomic delights - the makashnits and other food galleries are opening.
Seafood prices
Food Street and Chang Pueak Market
There is a market of the same name near the Chang Phueak gate, which is on the north side of the square of the old city. More precisely, this is not even a market, but a food street that unfolds at nightfall and closes closer to midnight. They make excellent roti pancakes with bananas and other fillings, and serve delicious pad thai with various sauces. Right there, on the contrary, there is a 7-11 store, you can buy sweets))
Chiang Mai Food Street - before opening
Night Bazaar
The largest market in Chiang Mai. It's easier to say what is not here :-) All kinds of clothes, souvenirs, trinkets, furniture, watches, handicrafts, jewelry, art objects ... Geographically, it is located between the eastern side of the old city and the river, on Chang Klan street.
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
The bazaar includes both open areas and conventional shopping malls and stalls. Interesting things that we found: the traditional clothing of the hill tribes and the products of artisans, for which the north of Thailand is so famous.
Night Bazaar, although it is called a night bazaar, in fact works from dark until midnight.
Night Bazaar cafe
Chiang Mai shopping pedestrian streets
Sunday Market
On Sunday in Chiang Mai, several central quarters are covered, mainly centered around Ratchadamnoen Street, stretching from Wat Phra Singh to Taphae Gate. Guys, this is tough! The entire open space is filled with merchants with goods, customers, food stalls. It has the most attractive prices for clothing and souvenirs, with most of the handicrafts created by the locals. The choice is simply incredible - you can walk endlessly :-)
Chiang Mai Sunday Market
There are also such unusual works.
All this trading madness collects people decently - several quarters are filled with people
Pandemonium in the Sunday market
Lovely passport covers for 10 baht!
But this is just the dream of a tea drunkard - a mountain of teapots and tea utensils
Thais are willing to bargain, so kindly. This little guy is preparing something delicious ...
Street food at Sunday Market
We walked around the Sunday market for a long time and naturally got hungry. You can choose from all kinds of dishes from northern Thailand, fresh juices, necks, sweets. Bought a plate ... no, I would call it a bowl with rice and vegetables for 40 baht.
And what delicious necks ... mmm))
Future necks
As you already understood, there is a lot of interesting things on the Sunday market - the place is worth visiting at least once. Anya constantly looked at sweets, but ... a figure :-)
We already bought pants in Bangkok at Chatuchak Market, so in Chiang Mai we just stared
Working hours: from 17.00 to midnight (every Sunday)
Saturday Market
We didn’t go to the Saturday market, it was too far from home - it’s about the same as the Sunday market. It is located on Wualai Street, southwest of the main gate on the south side of the square.
Working hours: from 17.00 to 23.00 (on Saturdays)
Chiang Mai shopping malls
In addition to grocery and traditional markets, the city has large shopping centers of Thai and international chains: Big C, Tesco Lotus, Carrefour and others. It so happened that we lived very close to the complex Kad Suan Kaew (Central) and only went there for shopping.
It is located at the northwest corner of the old city and is a huge structure with multi-level parking lots, hundreds of boutiques, cafes and restaurants. On the ground floor there is a Tops supermarket, where we buy groceries, with the exception of vegetables (for more details about the prices in this store, see the article ““). Also on the ground floor there are several food courts and restaurants with a wide selection of Thai, Chinese, Japanese cuisine.
It is very convenient to use ATMs, and if you want to withdraw cash without commission, then at your service are several offices of Thai banks, as well as mobile operators.
One of the floors in the Central shopping center is dedicated to sports shops, goods for tourism and outdoor activities - I bought myself trekking sandals for 400 baht - great! Every time we walked around this complex and every time we found something new, now a hairdresser, now a shoe repair - there is everything you need for life :-)
There are several more shopping centers in Chiang Mai: Airpot Plaza near the airport, 2 Tesco Lotus hypermarkets, Big C and others, but these are the most popular.
Going to Chiang Mai? Read these articles, you might find it useful
