The Chiang Mai Night Market – Everything You Need to Know

Being the oldest night market in Thailand, the Chiang Mai night market is also the most famous. This array of local shops extends over a mile’s stretch and houses some of the most exciting stores you will ever come across. Whether you are a shopaholic or a window shopper, you have enough and more things to check out while you’re here. This is not only the perfect spot to purchase souvenirs that you can proudly carry back home but also a paradise for the most authentic Thai street food.

Where is Chiang Mai Night Market located?

On the east side of Chiang Mai’s old walled city, centred along Chang Klan Road between Thapae and Sridonchai Roads is where this colossal market is located. During the day this is just a regular road lined with stores but after dusk, this place turns into the market of your dreams. The main market is set up with lights and vendors putting up stalls all over the place and it truly comes alive at night.

Quick Tip: This is not a place where you can step in and step out easily so be prepared to spend a good couple of hours here.

This is not just one road, the entire one-mile radius is filled with stores. Even the narrow lanes have vendors selling small and unique goods so do check out every nook and corner to find really fun stuff.

Best time to visit Chiang Mai Night Market

It doesn’t matter when you’re travelling to Chiang Mai, you will be able to squeeze in a visit to this galore of stores and stalls because it is open all days of the year irrespective of the weather.

The best time to visit would be after dusk because that’s when the vendors put up their stalls and the entire place is lit up. If you want to escape the crowds, you might want to head there as early as 6 pm but if you’re cool with the crowd, you can go later as well as it’s open until midnight.

What to buy at Chiang Mai Night Market

You will be pleasantly surprised by the number of choices thrown at you because of the variety of goods you can find here are endless. This is not the best place to look for high-end products for sure but it’s a paradise filled with some unique Thai goods that you would have never even thought of.

You should definitely keep an eye out for Thai Silks, bamboo rice boxes, wooden carved keychains and centrepieces, hand-carved candles and soaps, Thai spices, and the most famous fisherman pants and T-shirts that will get you in your swag mood almost instantly. With that being said, don’t be quick to pick everything from the first store you see because you will probably be able to find the same stuff in the next block for half the price. Most of the stores sell the same kind of goods so you might want to explore your options before you buy your favourite embroidered handkerchief or whatever it is that you are into.

What & Where to eat at Chiang Mai Night Market

Don’t bother to make dinner reservations elsewhere because this night market has you covered. It doesn’t matter what you’re in the mood for, you will be able to find your spot in the Chiang Mai night bazaar. There are endless cuisine options to check out and the bars here are the most fun to visit.

Be sure to get your hands on some mango sticky rice, banana roti’s (This is awesome, trust me.), spring roll, fruit smoothies, and a hundred varieties of noodles that will warm your heart, mind and soul. You could also check out the Anusarn market at the end of Chang Klan road for some steal deals on street food.

Two things to keep in mind:

• There will be hundred’s of people in this bazaar so be prepared to walk behind slow-moving crowds or if that’s something you do not want to deal with, you might want to arrive before 7 pm to do your thing
• Bargaining is considered a part of the fun so don’t shy away from asking the vendors for a better price. A shopping experience is only fun when you are satisfied with the money you’ve spent and bargaining your way through this bazaar will give you all the satisfaction you need. Also, be sure to carry the Thai Baht with you so you can get the right change at all the stalls. Your local currency might not come in handy while you’re here

That’s basically everything you need to know about this beautiful night market. You will definitely be carried into a world of amazing stuff that you had probably not even imagined and you honestly don’t even have to go all-in and shop. Just being there, enjoying the atmosphere of the place is an experience in itself.

Check out the carefully curated list of Chiang Mai packages or choose from multi-city Thailand packages on Pickyourtrail.com and pick your favourite. Chiang Mai is waiting for you!