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We all know Thailand ticks every box: beaches, temples, nightlife, and food, but most Indians fly straight to Bangkok or Phuket, and Chiang Mai is ignored or unknown to many.
Unlike Bangkok or Pattaya, the experiences in Chiang Mai are quieter. It doesn’t mean the place lacks nightlife; even the Chiang Mai night market features traditional culture and live music.
From a 100-year-old bazaar on an ancient trade route to a vintage thrift market with live DJs, these 12 Chiang Mai night markets have their own personality. This guide tells you exactly which one to go to, what to buy, and when to go.
12 Best Chiang Mai Night Markets
From handmade silver jewellery and live Muay Thai fights to Thai street food and vintage clothes, Chiang Mai’s night markets have unique things to give you.
1. Chiang Mai Walking Street
- Timings: 5 PM – 10 PM (Opens only on Sunday)
The Sunday night market is located in the city centre, close to many of the best hotels in Chiang Mai. One unique sight here is vendors selling live-painted T-shirts, where you can watch the painting process and then buy them.
The market closes to vehicles in the evenings, and it is located opposite Wat Phra Singh Temple. In the temple yard, you will find Thai street food stalls, souvenirs and clothes.
Unique Finds at Chiang Mai Walking Street
- Live Art Stalls: Watch artists hand-paint T-shirts, umbrellas, and canvas in real time.
- Lanna & Karen Embroidery: Traditional northern Thai needlework on bags, clothing, and wall hangings made by hill tribe artisans.
- Wood Carvings & Sculptures: Intricately carved elephants, Buddha figures, and decorative panels made from teak.
- Handmade Jewellery: Silver rings, beaded bracelets, and stone-set pieces from independent jewellers.
- Pottery & Woven Textiles: Hand-thrown ceramic pieces and hand-loomed fabrics from local craft communities.
2. Saturday Night Market (Wualai Walking Street)
- Timings: 6 PM – 11 PM (Opens only on Saturday)
The Saturday night market in Chiang Mai is less crowded than the Sunday Walking Street. This market is situated on Wualai Road, which is renowned for its silversmiths.
You can buy silverware here, in the form of bowls, utensils, decorative items, and beautifully crafted silver jewellery. Along with silver, you will find handmade crafts, textiles, ceramics, carved wood products, and street food stalls at the southern end. Then, you have the Wat Sri Suphan (the Silver Temple), which is located directly on Wualai Road.
Unique Finds at Saturday Night Market (Wualai)
- Lanna Silverware: Bowls, utensils, trays, and decorative pieces made by the silversmiths.
- Handcrafted Silver Jewellery: Rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets made in traditional northern Thai patterns.
- Portrait Cafes: Sit down and get a hand-drawn portrait done while you eat or drink.
- Traditional Thai Musical Instruments: Flutes, percussion instruments, and string instruments sold by local craftspeople.
3. Night Bazaar Chiang Mai
- Timings: 5 PM – 12 AM (opens daily)
From a hilltop, this Night Bazaar in Chiang Mai looks bright, decorated with lights and umbrellas.
This market has been running since the 1920s, when Chang Klan Road was part of the ancient trade route connecting Chiang Mai to Yunnan in China.
The Night Bazaar has souvenirs, elephant-print clothing, bags, shoes, accessories, and antiques. It is more touristy than the weekend walking streets, which means prices are higher.
Top specialities to buy at the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
- Northern Thai Celadon Ceramics
- Aromatic Spa & Essential Oils
- Custom Tailored Clothing
- Local Spice & Tea Packs
- Muay Thai Boxing Apparel
4. Ploen Ruedee Night Market
- Timings: 4 PM – 12 AM (Closed on Monday)
For a clean, well-maintained place, the Ploen Ruedee Night Market is one of the best in Chiang Mai. It is built as an open-air food park with a large central stage, a main seating area, food trucks and containers arranged around the perimeter. This is one of Chiang Mai’s best nightlife experiences, with live music every night.
Near the market, you have temples such as Wat Suan Dok, Wat Phra Singh and Wat Umong Mahathera Chan, all within 3 kilometres.
Unique Finds in Ploen Ruedee Night Market
- Live Music Every Night: A central stage with a lineup of local bands playing pop, folk, and acoustic music, running from early evening until closing.
- Food Truck Zone: Over 30 food trucks and containers arranged around the perimeter covering Thai, Western, Japanese, and fusion food.
- Craft Beer & Cocktails: Several container bars serving local craft beer and Thai fruit cocktails, better drink options than most other Chiang Mai markets.
- Handcrafted Goods Stalls: A curated selection of independent vendors selling pottery, jewellery, candles, and locally designed clothing.
- Vintage & Retro Finds: A small but good selection of vintage clothing and retro home decor.
5. Chang Phuak Gate Night Market
- Timings: Daily, 5 PM – 12 AM
The market gets its name from the nearby Chang Phuak Gate, one of the historic gates of the old city wall of Chiang Mai. This is not a big night market, but each stall here serves you delicious food.
Chang Phuak Gate Night Market is a food market. There’s not much shopping here. The market is famous for the Cowboy Hat Lady. She has been running her stall at this market for decades and has been featured in food documentaries, including an Anthony Bourdain episode. Her signature dish is Khao Kha Moo, braised pork leg served on rice with a boiled egg.
Must-try at Chang Phuak Gate Night Market
- Khao Kha Moo (Cowboy Hat Lady): The market’s most famous dish, pork leg on rice with a boiled egg.
- Grilled Meats & Skewers: Pork, chicken, and seafood grilled over charcoal at stalls lining both sides of the road.
- Northern Thai Specialities: Sai Oua (northern Thai pork sausage), Naem (fermented pork), and Gaeng Hang Lay (Burmese-style pork curry).
- Thai Desserts: Mango sticky rice, coconut milk puddings, and fresh-cut fruit at every corner.
6. Anusarn Night Market
- Timings: 5 PM – 11 PM (Every day)
Anusarn is a sheltered night market with indoor stalls and a dining area. This night market in Chiang Mai is decorated with colourful umbrellas and fairy lights. You can choose from a display of raw fish, prawns, crab, squid, and shellfish, and a kitchen behind the stall cooks for you.
The Chiang Mai Cabaret Show at Anusarn features transgender performers, Thai dance, pop music, and comedy acts, and the show runs at 8:30 PM and 10 PM.
Beyond the seafood and show, Anusarn has stalls selling clothes, souvenirs, and accessories, though the selection is smaller than the Night Bazaar.
Highlights of Anusarn Night Market
- Live Seafood Cooking
- Chiang Mai Cabaret Show
- Fairy Light Courtyard Dining
7. Kalare Night Bazaar
- Timings: 4 PM – 11:30 PM (Every day)
Kalare Night Bazaar is a large outdoor market with a central open-air dining area and a boxing stadium. The market has food stalls, clothing vendors, and souvenir shops surrounding a seating area with a stage.
What makes Kalare different from the other Chang Klan Road markets is the Muay Thai boxing matches held in the boxing stadium.
Highlights of Kalare Night Bazaar
- Live Muay Thai Matches
- Open-Air Central Dining
- Northern Thai Street Food
- Live Stage Performances
8. Jing Jai Market, Chiang Mai
- Timings: 8:30 PM – 10:00 PM (Saturday & Sunday 6:30 – 10:00 PM)
Jing Jai is the most popular market in Chiang Mai among local residents and the least known among tourists. It is located north of the Old City and takes 20 – 25 minutes to walk from the north gate.
In many stalls, you will find locally designed fashion, ceramics, paintings, jewellery, skincare, and handmade decor. The market has a Wednesday and Friday organic farmers’ markets from 5 PM to 9 PM, where vendors sell fresh and organic produce.
What to buy in Jing Jai Market
- Handmade ceramics
- Linen clothing
- Organic skincare
- Art prints
- Organic fresh produce
9. One Nimman Market
- Timings: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Every day)
Each day, the atmosphere of the market changes. The indoor stalls are open every day with boutiques, cafes, and the One Market food court.
The outdoor markets at One Nimman in Chiang Mai open every day but have a different theme on weekends. From Friday to Sunday, the place turns lively as artisans work on their crafts and live entertainment takes place.
Sections in One Nimman Market (Post 7:30 PM)
- The White Market (Thursday to Sunday): Unique silver and brass jewellery, ceramic art, slow-fashion linen clothes, eco-friendly creations, and custom portrait paintings.
- The Street Food Market & Live Music (Friday to Sunday): With over 70 food stalls set up under fairy lights, along with acoustic music performances by local Chiang Mai artists.
- Free Community Night Dance Classes (Saturday & Sunday): You can participate in the Swing Dance with the Chiang Mai Swing Dance community. On Sundays, there is Salsa and Bachata dancing.
10. NGFM Vintage Market
- Timings: 4 PM – 10 PM ( Wednesdays & Thursdays)
The NGFM Vintage Market is a trendy, open-air market that sells secondhand goods. It is located in the central courtyard of the One Nimman complex. The market attracts Chiang Mai’s most fashionable crowds and tourists looking for unique alternatives.
Specialities of the NGFM Market
- Thrifting: There is handpicked American vintage apparel, retro sportswear, old-school denim, and unique leather boots.
- Creative work: Artisans and fashion designers customise goods at their stalls. There is live screen printing, custom denim adjustments, and stamped leatherwork.
- DJ Beats & Socialising: Live vinyl and electronic DJs help turn the venue into an energetic hip-hop and lo-fi music setting.
11. Kad Na Mor Market
- Timings: 5 PM – 10:30 PM (Every day)
Kad Na Mor Market is located near Chiang Mai University. The crowd at this market is quite young. Students usually come after their classes for dinner and sometimes shopping.
Here, you can buy trendy clothes for young women and enjoy a variety of street food stalls.
As the majority of the customers are students, everything from the food to the clothing is sold at highly affordable prices.
Top finds in Kad Na Mor Market
- Graphic Tees & Oversized Sweaters
- Vintage items
- Used Clothing Stores for retro jackets and hoodies
- Korean & Thai Cosmetics
12. Pavilion Night Bazaar Chiang Mai
- Timings: 8:00 – 11:00 PM (Every day)
Pavilion Night Bazaar is one of the smaller markets on Chang Klan Road. It is a quieter version of the main Night Bazaar area without the crowds near the roadside stalls. The market is covered, easy to walk through during rain, and combines shopping, food, and live entertainment in one compact section.
Highlights of the Pavilion Night Bazaar, Chiang Mai
- Pavilion Muay Thai Arena: You will find live local fights happening multiple nights a week.
- Courtyard Seating: It offers a peaceful spot to sit down, enjoy a cold beer, and eat street food while listening to live acoustic music.
- Specialities to buy: Wood carvings, embroidery garments, silk scarves, handmade silver jewellery, and elephant-print apparel.
A Guide for Shopping in Chiang Mai Night Market
- Navigating the market: Walk the entire market once before buying anything. Every Chiang Mai night market has vendors selling similar items at different prices.
- How much to pay: If a vendor asks 400 THB (1,174 INR) for a silk scarf, you can start at 220 THB and expect to pay around 300 THB. If the item is clearly handmade or the vendor seems to be a craftsperson rather than a reseller, don’t push too hard.
- Cash or Card: Almost all local market stalls are cash only. Carrying Thai Baht in small denominations, like 20, 50, and 100 THB notes, will be helpful.
- Local language: Know useful Thai phrases such as how much (tao rai), can I get a discount (lot dai mai), too expensive (paeng), thank you (khop khun), and sorry (khaw thot).
- Indian food: Thai street food uses fish sauce and oyster sauce as base seasonings in almost everything. So, you can say your preference before ordering or choose fresh fruits, roasted corn or mango sticky rice.
- Markets with vegetarian options: Jing Jai has an organic farmers’ market section, and One Nimman has dedicated vegetarian and vegan food stalls.
- Scam: Watch out for fake brands and discuss the price before riding in the tuk-tuk.
FAQs on Chiang Mai Night Market
1. Which is the best Chiang Mai night market?
The best night market in Chiang Mai depends entirely on what you are expecting. The Sunday Walking Street (Chiang Mai Walking Street) is the best overall for shopping. It has handicrafts, the most artisan vendors, and the most lively atmosphere of all the other markets in Chiang Mai.
2. Which Chiang Mai night market is best for Indian tourists?
Sunday Walking Street and Ploen Ruedee are the most beginner-friendly for Indian tourists. Sunday Walking Street has everything in one place, and Ploen Ruedee offers clean facilities, live music, and comfortable seating.
3. Are Chiang Mai night markets open every day?
Not all Chiang Mai night markets are open daily. Night Bazaar, Kalare, Anusarn, Ploen Ruedee, and One Nimman are open daily. The weekend walking streets are open only on Saturday and Sunday.
4. How much money should you carry to a Chiang Mai night market?
For a regular evening of food and light shopping, 800 – 1,500 THB (2,347 – 4,401 INR) is comfortable. If you’re doing a dedicated shopping trip with a list of things to buy, carry 3,000 – 5,000 THB (8,803 – 14,672 INR).
