The Big Thing in Chiang Mai: the Sunday Night Market.
Every Sunday evening, a seemingly endless row of stalls stretches from Tha Phae Gate all the way to Wat Phra Sing — probably about a kilometer — plus several side streets. You’ll find lots of typical evening market goods, but also some interesting stalls selling unique jewelry, clothing, and more. Every few meters there’s a massage booth. There’s live music on a small scale, and at the temple grounds, large food courts where you can grab a bite, so no need to eat beforehand. Definitely a must-visit if you’re in Chiang Mai on a Sunday.

There’s also a Saturday Night Market, which we say here is "same same but different" — a lighter version of the Sunday market. You don’t need to visit both. The Saturday Night Market starts at one of the southern gates — the eastern one of the two.

Not your typical Thai market, but more like one you would expect to find in southern France. Lovely little stalls with charming little items and sweet friendly sellers.

Open Saturday and Sunday mornings.

About 10 km east of Chiang Mai lies this area with a charming shaded market on weekends. Lots of stalls offering a variety of nice items and clothing, mixed with tasty food stalls. A fun outing for the weekend!

Open: Saturday and Sunday from 9 AM to 3 PM

And for everyone not in Chiang Mai during the weekend, the locals came up with a weekday alternative: The Night Bazaar. Located east of the old city square towards the river. It’s your typical Thai night market, with a few food courts here and there, a cozy atmosphere, but definitely geared fully towards tourists. In the food courts, you can find everything from Pad Thai to Mexican wraps. There is also live music every evening in several bars along the Bazaar.

Chiang Mai has its own small Chinatown: not to be compared with the Chinatown in Bangkok. It consists of just a handful of streets, with the Warorot Market at its center. You will see some tourists there, but it is primarily a local market where Thai people do their daily shopping. Warorot Market is mainly a covered market selling everything from fresh fish to fabrics and clothing. On the riverside, you’ll find the flower market. The area around Chiang Mai has many flower nurseries.

The atmosphere in the evening is different from during the day. Many daytime vendors leave, making way for others, and lots of food is sold. There are also long rows of tables where you can get your nails done.

Not really a market, but an area full of charming small shops, artsy — the nickname is 'The Artist Village'. Especially popular among young Thai students, tourists haven’t quite discovered the place yet. You’ll also need a taxi to get there.
Combine your visit with the 'Wat Umong' tunnel temple a few hundred meters further on.

Note: open from 10 AM to 6 PM, but closed on Mondays.

Maybe not exactly what you're looking for when traveling: a genuine flea market, where you can find real old junk and secondhand stuff. Everything from medallions, old magazines to complete furniture: a flea market avant la lettre.

Every Saturday and Sunday morning, just north of the city, from 7 AM to 2 PM.

At one of the exits of the huge university campus in the west of the city, you'll find the Kad Na Mor Market. It is a typical night market, which due to its location is also very popular among students. This is definitely the place to score cheap clothing. There's also a lot of secondhand clothes.

There is also a large food court on the premises.


Open only in the evening, every day from around 5 PM to 10:30 PM.

This doesn’t quite fit in the ‘Markets’ category, but all in all it’s a pretty nice evening stroll destination: the Mae Kha Canal. Ten years ago it was an unattractive waterway, now renovated and a very popular Instagram spot. You’ll see many young Thais striking all kinds of poses against the atmospheric canal backdrop. Alongside the canal are a few small eateries, bars, and some small shops.