Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, the legendary night market of Chiang Mai
One of the world’s top tourist landmarks in Thailand that attracts the numbers of tourist both domestic and from the overseas year by year, Chiang Mai the famous province in the north of the country. The most potential province in the north of Thailand that rich in anything for the tourism – beautiful nature and charismatic culture that impress the visitors from all directions. Furthermore, this famous city is also the right spot for shopping with many locations you can spend your notes. And here we brought you the legendary night market that is a must-not-miss checkpoint for the trip, Chiang Mai Night Bazaar.
About the place
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar has been the famous shopping spot in Chiang Mai for the decades with the visitors that mostly are foreigners that come to the site for leisure and shopping. Along both sides of the street are full of the vendor stands and shops with assorted items – local products, clothes, silverware, painting, shoes, textile, suitcases, and souvenirs. And don’t worry to get hungry here since the place also packed with the numerous delicious restaurants including food center and beer garden. Plus, the performing art shows and massage & spa shops for the visitors to please.
1What to Buy at The Night Bazaar
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is the first night market that stands in the center of the city on Chang Klan Road. Along 2-km distant of the site are plenty of shops that sell the traditional and significant products that are all exciting for the shopping lovers. Apart from that, the location is the hub of many popular restaurants, accommodation, and shopping mall. The vibrant night market is the hustle and bustle atmosphere from the traffic of tourists both Thai and international.
And for the tourist that look for some nice gift or local souvenir, you would not be disappointed to come here. Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is the center of all kind products regarding gifts and domestic goods, especially the woodcraft that is the top famous product, also, handmade silverware and pottery. Although the cost of products here is quite high but for the visitors with the time limitation, Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is the right choice for the shopping spot, indeed. And another favorite thing to do for the tourists who visit this market is the get the traditional costume and take the picture at the studio here as the keepsake of the trip.
As mentioned previous, Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is the eatery spot. Specifically, Kalare Night Bazaar with many restaurants and street food stalls that serve the broad array of delicious food with reasonable price. Also, the beer garden for you to chill out and Anusarn Market that collects lots of yummy street foods.
And you can take some walks to Art in Paradise Museum that is in the south of the market to see the incredible and mystic 3D art.
2Chiang Mai Night Bazaar Opening Hours
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar operates since 5.00pm daily; nonetheless the tourists will come to the place around 6.00pm upwards that is the time after the sun sets. Definitely, it is the perfect moment to stroll around the area called “night bazaar”.
No matter how the weather, Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is a wonderful attraction for you to visit. From the twilight until midnight, the place is packed with the numbers of visitors promenade along both sides of the road for shopping and nightlife.
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar where the place is in the east of the city moat and the west of the Ping River allows you to take a walk from Tha Pae Road to Chang Klan Road and further to Loy Kroh Road to visit the nearby sightseeing such as Saphan Lek (the Iron Bridge) and Wat Buppharam.
Wanderlust in the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar opens daily, however, on Saturday and Sunday, the location is lesser of the visitors since they head to Wua Lai and Tha Pae which are the weekends walking street of Chiang Mai.
The main activities that most of the tourists enjoy at the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar are the stroll around the location, shopping, eating, drinking and the landmark spot for dinner at Kalare Night Bazaar.
3Kalare Night Bazaar:
Kalare Night Bazaar is opposite to the shopping mall “The Plaza” and “Dusit D2 Chiang Mai Hotel” with the spetacular size of signage to notice. The interior of the place is pleasant to look which is allocated to the indoor and outdoor zone. The outdoor section provides the canvas lying chairs with the foot massage therapy that is very popular among foreigners especially Chinese. Well, it would be a perfect idea to lie down and get some massage after a long day.
Inside Kalare Night Bazaar features lots of products – souvenirs, clothes, decoration items, including the art zone with painting and portrait and caricature service for the tourists.
4Anusarn Market:
Within the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar area, there’s another interesting spot that you should not miss which is Anusarn Market. The market is renowned as the food and walking street that is famous as the venue for the eatery. Anusarn Market has many restaurants and food stands including northern style, Thai, Western, Chinese, and Seafood. Unsurprisingly, the place is favored among the foreigners for eating out. Besides, the shops, beer garden, performing art shows like cabaret show are also available at the market, too.
Apart from Kalare Night Bazaar and Anusarn Market, there are lots of vendors stands all along both sides of Chang Klan street. And if you keep walking on the way to Wat Uppakut, you will meet another exciting eatery spot called Ban Ho Mosque or Kad Ho of Chiang Mai.
8 Things to Know about Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
5Chiang Mai Night Bazaar emerged by the initiation of the Chinese merchant in Chiang Mai
The place originated by the inspiration of the Chinese merchant in Chiang Mai on behalf of “Chiang Mai Samakkhee Foundation” with the objective to set the trading place of the local product regarding the Chiang Mai’s handicrafts – textile, basketry, and accessories. In the beginning, the market was established at the football ground of Ching Fa School and focused on the foreigners due to the high demand of the group especially the western that mainly purchase these products as a keepsake or gift.
6The location of Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
Both sides of the Night Bazaar street starting from the corner of Charoenprathet Road to Chang Klan Road have the fork to Sri Don Chai. And the venue has the main spots of the Night Bazaar are Kalare, Anusarn market, and Night Bazaar on the hotel side, and each one has a different purpose. Anusarn market is the center of various delicious foods that initially was the hub of pricey seafood; however it turned to provide the international food later to response the demand of the tourists both local and abroad.
On the other side, for one who prefers for the proper dining room and nightlife Kalare is the answer. The place features the visitors with the beer garden and bar that anyone can enjoy some drinks. And the opposite side is the Night Bazaar that used to be the hotel and shops to sell the imported goods that is expensive. And then it transferred to be more casual style shop that is more attractive for the tourists.
7The Seller at Night Bazaar is from 3 groups
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is the trading place of 3 groups of people which are Thai, Chinese, and Muslim since there is a mosque in the center of Charoenprathet Alley which is the important Muslim community in Chiang Mai. Also, the location is central to Halal food that is a perfect place for eating out for the Muslim and Arabian tourists that make the trip to Chiang Mai. Moreover, every Friday in the evening the spices and scent products from Arab will be traded here, as well.
8The products at Night Bazaar
Originally the handicraft products were sold at Chiang Mai Night Bazaar mainly. However, the place included the grade A fake brand-name goods at the market. Due to the visitors that have come to the location are not western as the majority, lately, instead the Chinese and local tourists are the main visitors who make the trip to Chiang Mai. And after the Chinese merchant stepped out of the management, the market is under administrative of lots of organization.
Finally, the place is allocated into the partition for rental which is different from the individual vendor stand as same as the settlement of the market. Luckily, the local souvenirs have not vanished from the market but mostly is industrial products more than the traditional handicraft. Therefore, if you find any proper handmade goods at the Night Bazaar, even though it’s quite expensive. Believe it or not, it’s worthwhile for you to shop.
9The gate to Night Bazaar
The doorway to Night Bazaar from Kalare side is a small gate to access with an amused gimmick to call the door “Hmong’s Door”. The reason is it used to be the vendor area for the hill-tribe people to sell their products to the tourist – handmade weaving textile, hat, and other souvenir items.
10Sneakers, Bag, and T-shirt
The brand-name products – sneakers, bag, and t-shirt here mostly are the copy ones and may not for the foreign tourists. Instead, those items are favorite among the local clients since the reachable price. Also, the goods imported from China such as E-cigarette, Spring knife, gas lighter, t-shirt with the famous brand screen that are all start at the hundreds of the price.
11Title of the Night Bazaar
The title of the place “Night Bazaar” refers to straightly as “the night market”. However, it’s curious for many people that why it is not “Night Plaza”. The answer is the word “bazaar” means the marketplace which is different from the meaning of the word “plaza”.
Formerly, the facility at the location is the only restroom and the security booth at the corner of the street as the administrative center for any queries including space rental and tourist center. Anyhow, for the better ] safety and security for the visitors, currently is responsible to the police that services all around the area.
12Parking at the Night Bazaar
It is not as hard as you imagine to find the parking at Chiang Mai Night Bazaar since the place provides much parking of both the plaza and Kalare or even the end of the road space that is free of charge parking inside the school and Wat Sri Don Chai property.
Tourist Information
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar operates from 5.00pm through midnight every day.
And to travel to the location is convenient with optional transportations which are;
By Car:
From Tha Pae Gate, make the left turn to Loy Kro Road at the crossroad to Chang Klan Road. You will spot McDonald’s at the heart of Night Bazaar district. And the parking is to turn right at the intersection near McDonald’s and shift to the left to enter the parking. Otherwise you drive further to the parking at Anusarn Market.
By Public Transportation:
Get the Red pick-up truck service from Chiang Mai town with the charge between THB20-30 per trip/person.
By Walk:
From Tha Pae Gate, walks along the road until you meet the junction of Tha Pae – Chang Klan that is the noticeable spot of Wat Uppakut at the corner of the intersection. Then, turn right along the path to Chang Klan road you will see the Night Bazaar. The distance is approximately 800 meters.
