The Chiang Mai Night Bazaar has operated along Chang Klan Road since the 1920s, when it served as a trading post for caravans travelling between China's Yunnan province and the south. Today it is a sprawling evening market stretching several city blocks, with permanent shops in the Kalare Night Bazaar and Anusarn Market buildings flanked by extensive outdoor stalls.
The Night Bazaar specialises in northern Thai handicrafts, hill tribe textiles, silverware, lacquerware, and the carvings and weavings for which the Chiang Mai region is famous. Quality ranges widely — tourist-grade trinkets alongside genuinely skilled artisan work. The Anusarn Market food court is one of the best places in the city for affordable northern Thai food with live traditional music performances.
The Night Bazaar operates alongside (and to some extent in competition with) the more authentic Saturday and Sunday Walking Streets (Wualai and Nimman/Tha Phae respectively). The Walking Streets are better for local handicrafts and a more Thai atmosphere; the Night Bazaar is more tourist-oriented but convenient for those staying in the old city area.
Highlights
- Nightly operation — seven days a week from 6 pm
- Hill tribe textiles, silverware, lacquerware, and woodwork
- Anusarn Market food court with northern Thai cuisine and live music
- Kalare Night Bazaar with cultural shows and a large food section
- Central location for visitors staying in the Night Bazaar/Chang Klan area
- Established market with 100+ years of continuous operation
How to Get There
The Night Bazaar is on Chang Klan Road, easily walkable from the east side of the Old City moat. Red songthaews (shared taxis) run from most areas of Chiang Mai for 30–50 THB. Taxis from the airport take about 30 minutes.
Visitor Tips
The Saturday Walking Street on Wualai Road and Sunday Walking Street at Tha Phae Gate have better quality local handicrafts and a more authentic atmosphere — plan to visit if your trip overlaps.
Northern Thai food in the Anusarn Market is excellent and inexpensive — try khao soi and larb.
Bargain firmly but politely. Prices are quoted high for tourists.
Some vendors have fixed prices (look for price tags); stalls without tags are negotiable.
Chiang Mai's Night Bazaar is less authentic than it once was — supplement it with a morning visit to Warorot Market (Kad Luang) for a more local experience.
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