Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

Chiang Mai is not only famous for beautiful and ancient tourist destinations. It is also a shopping paradise for visitors. "Coming to Chiang Mai without experiencing at the Night Bazaar is considered as not having been to Chiang Mai" - it is a witty saying spread among tourists when traveling to Chiang Mai - Thailand. Indeed, the Bazaar night market has a lot to offer for tourist: from food, fashion to souvenirs.

Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

Night Bazaar Market is considered the largest market in Chiang Mai with more than one hundred stalls on sale. Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is located in the east of the old city of Chiang Mai, extending about 1km on Chang Khlan Road at the intersection of Tha Phae and Sridonchai streets. The market has been famous for hundreds of years thanks to its location at the junction of the historic trade route linking Myanmar, Laos and China. In the past, it was a hub for caravans dealing in silk, wood, cigarettes and opium. Today, with its distinctive artistry and craftsmanship in jewelry and clothing, the night bazaar is even more attractive to cross-border travelers coming here to admire. The night market is always packed with tourists. Chiang Mai Night Bazaar operates every day in the week, from evening to around midnight, regardless of the weather. During the day, Chang Khlan is a normal street, full of shops, hotels and restaurants such as Starbucks, Burger King, and McDonalds. There are also a number of large shopping malls running along the main street. At night, this place becomes more vibrant and bustling than ever. Coming to Night Bazaar Night Market, tourists should not miss the two markets: Kalare Night Bazaar and Asunarm, both of which are in the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar area.

Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

Starting at 6 pm onwards, along the sidewalks on both sides of the street, the stalls embarked on the work of selling items. When the street lights up, it signals the busiest and most lively time of the market. In the Bazaar night market, most of the stations sell handicrafts and handmade goods of Chiang Mai region as well as Northern provinces of Thailand. The goods here are diverse as you can find a viriety of items such as shorts of boxers, T-shirts printed with the words 'I Love Chiang Mai', CDs, DVDs, jewelry, pink, footwear or handmade items like small wooden houses, silver rings of ethnic minorities, wooden elephants, tuk-tuk car models, Buddhist paintings, cloth or even teddy bears. Chiang Mai is famous for being the capital of the handicraft industry, including the silver industry. Therefore, you should stop by a silver jewelry stall to get a signature Thai souvenir for your friends or families. Note to tourists that if you want to buy good stuff at the best price, you should bargain. You can in turn get up to 20-30% discount if you have a bargaining skill when shopping at Chiang Mai night bazaar.

Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

Just like any other markets, Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is a heaven for food lovers, an ideal destination to experience the spectacular Thai cuisine. Before you get lost in th food paradise, prepare a wallet full of money because you will not be able to resist the taste and aromatic smell of the food stalls. All Thai dishes and Chiang Mai specialties are sold at Bazaar night market, with prices ranging from 30-50 baht. Visiting Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is a good opportunity for tourists to indulge in the specialties of Chiang Mai, as well as the Northern provinces; as you can never find these dishes in other cities like Bangkok or Pattaya. Some of the famous specialties include Sai Oua, pad Thai, spicy pork noodle soup, Tom Sam salad or Khao Soy... If you are a sweet tooth, you should not miss the delicious mango sticky rice, banana crepe cake or sweet egg custard. And do not be startled if you walk around the market and encounter stalls selling exotic dishes such as skewered crocodile meat, fried scorpions. Don’t hesitate trying out a skewer of these dishes, as they are very rich in protein and nutritious too. After immersing in the food at the market, tourists can relax and enjoy the live music played by extremely talented artists at night.

Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

It is very easy to get to Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, either by tuktuk, songthaew or even walking if your hotel is nearby the market. The best time to visit the market is around 7-8 pm, which is the busiest and most vibrant time at the Night Bazaar. Since the market is relatively large, tourists should list down a few things that you want to see or buy at the market to save time while wandering around the area. Going in groups is also an advantage in shopping as the sellers will offer you the wholesale price if you buy in great quantities.