10 Best Places to Go Shopping in Chiang Mai

Tha Pae Sunday Walking Street, also known as Chiang Mai Walking Street, is easily the most popular shopping experience in Chiang Mai. Street shopping is all about immersing yourself in the local culture, and there’s no better place to experience it than at Chiang Mai's weekend walking streets.

Enjoy the vibrant spectrum of art, crafts, music and food – with mostly handmade quality instead of mass-produced goods. Stroll down the jam-packed streets and experience a wealth of traditional and modern Chiang Mai culture in a single visit. With so much to see (and buy) at the weekend market on Ratchadamneon Road, your feet are bound to get tired. Fortunately, there are also plenty of places where you can grab refreshments or even sit down and get a relaxing foot massage for next to nothing.

The Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is one of the main shopping venues in northern Thailand and is simply a can't-miss part of the whole Chiang Mai experience. It features street-side stalls selling mostly clothing and handicrafts, together with a host of shopping plazas where you can find more unique crafts and jewellery.

A good way to check out the whole area is to start at Tha Phae Road and work your way south towards Loi Khro. Once you reach the end of the market, cross the street and work your way back along the other side. Full set up time is around sunset (usually at about 6 pm) and shopping goes on unabated until about 10.30 pm, with a few vendors remaining open even later into the night.

Wua Lai Walking Street is a lively and fun night market that takes place in Chiang Mai, just a short walk from the old city walls. Also known as the Wualai Saturday Walking Street, the outdoor bazaar starts late on Saturday afternoon and continues until around 10.30 pm.

Many regular visitors often prefer the atmosphere here to Chiang Mai's more famous Sunday night walking street on Rachadamnoen Road. Even though it’s smaller, there aren’t the same crowds of people, so it makes for a much more leisurely stroll.

Bo Sang Umbrella Village or Bor Sang is a mid-sized craft village about 9 km east of Chiang Mai Old City that specialises in paper umbrella-making. Well known for outstanding handcraft quality as well as signature floral designs, the craft village has made its name throughout the country and abroad – so much so that the name Bor Sang has become synonymous with the paper-umbrella craft and the umbrella themselves, a cultural symbol of Chiang Mai.

The village craftspeople produce umbrellas in all shapes and sizes, from normal-sized hand-painted umbrellas to tiny cocktail umbrellas and from large parasols for gardens or patios to other handmade products. All of their items are made from cotton and sa paper, a traditional paper made from the bark of the mulberry tree. The design has also evolved, from the original floral patterns to depictions of Chiang Mai’s rural scenery and even abstract patterns.

The Chiang Mai riverside boutique shops that line a short section of Charoenrat Road across the River Ping make for a pleasant stroll. The strip features a collection of renovated wooden shophouses that mostly specialise in Lanna art and crafts, mostly from high-end local brands.

The shops themselves are architectural treasures, built more than a century ago. Even if you don’t plan to buy anything, this area is well worth a visit just for its historical value and scenic riverside panoramas.

The House by Ginger is a restaurant and shop that displays a colourful range of kitchenware and Thai-inspired furniture and clothing on Moonmuang Road. Shopping can be lots of fun, but nowhere is it more cheery than at The House. Anyone who loves to shop will have a field day here, with so many eye-catching items on display.

The House is a beautifully renovated home that makes the perfect backdrop for the bright cushions and funky clothing on display. Original paintings from locale artists hang on the walls, while a selection of colourful dresses, T-shirts, bags and cushions are in a different section. Set up in 2002 in Chiang Mai, it is a daring fusion of Danish and Asian design.

San Kamphaeng District in Chiang Mai is well-known for its Thai silk. Shops and mini-factories line both sides of the Chiang Mai-San Kamphaeng Road, where local artists practice their craft with a skill born of a centuries-old tradition.

Rounding out the selection of products are lacquerware, ceramics and brightly coloured umbrellas that are a northern speciality. Those looking for a street-shopping and local dining experience can check out the San Kamphaeng Saturday Walking Street along the Chiang Mai-San Kampaeng Highway, also known as Route 1006.

Central Chiangmai Airport, also known as Airport Plaza Chiang Mai, is the place to go for international brands. It is also a good stop-off point for last-minute souvenirs. Located within walking distance of the airport, there are 5 floors of shops and restaurants as well as an international supermarket and a cinema.

The highlight for most visitors to Central Chiangmai Airport is the handicraft and souvenir section. Boutique shops here sell a range of typically Northern Thai souvenirs including silks, clothing, teak trinkets and traditional toys.

Warorot Market (or Kad Luang) is a must-visit for food lovers as it offers a wide range of ready-to-eat meals, local snacks and all kinds of fresh produce. Even so, a large section of the market features inexpensive goods, such as clothing, fashion accessories and personal care products. 

Targeting mostly Thais, Warorot Market is a great place to get a feel for the local way of life. There are 3 floors to explore, with sections solely featuring clothing and household goods. It's a great place to spend a few hours, especially around certain festive holidays like Chinese New Year.