Shopping in Chiang Mai

Tailors, markets and craft villages, for the older visitor

This is written for the man who has retired out here, or is thinking about it, and has no interest in the backpacker end of Chiang Mai. What the city does well is made-to-measure clothes at a fair price, a handful of markets worth the trip, and a stretch of craft workshops on the road east towards San Kamphaeng. All of it fits into a day, with an evening back in the countryside.

Made-to-measure shirts and suits

Expats and repeat visitors tend to use Tony Tailors, CM Custom Tailor, Modern Tailor Studio and Tomford Tailor. They work in linen, cotton and lightweight wool blends that suit the climate, and the service is in English.

Most shops do two or three fittings within 24–48 hours, so a shirt, a pair of chinos or a lightweight suit can be ordered and collected in the same short stay. Prices are a fraction of Western bespoke.

Bring a shirt or jacket that already fits well and ask them to copy it. Go in the morning, when it is cooler. Polite negotiation is normal; there is no hard sell if you ask to meet in the middle.

Night Bazaar, Chang Khlan Road

Open every evening from about 5 PM, the Night Bazaar is a long, well-lit run of stalls along Chang Khlan Road: silk scarves, leather goods, silver jewellery, carved wood, linen shirts and trousers, Lanna-style gifts and small antiques. There are open-air restaurants along it if you want to sit down with a beer.

Get there before 7 PM, when it is less crowded and the day’s heat has eased. It stretches several blocks, so wear proper walking shoes. Bargaining is expected: start at about 60% of the asking price and settle somewhere in between. Cash is simplest, though many stalls now take cards for larger purchases.

Warorot Market (Kad Luang)

Warorot Market, also called Kad Luang, is the old central market, just north of the Night Bazaar. It runs from early morning until early evening and is mostly for Thai shoppers, which shows in the prices. Look for textiles, ready-made cotton clothing, spices, silk ties, scarves and small lacquerware boxes. The upper floors are clothing and household goods.

Go mid-morning, when it is cooler and quieter. Most of it is under cover. The simple eateries inside are fine for lunch.

Sunday Walking Street, Ratchadamnoen Road

Every Sunday from late afternoon until around 10 PM, Ratchadamnoen Road in the Old City is closed to traffic for the Sunday Walking Street. The stalls are mostly local makers: handmade jewellery, ceramics, wood carvings and clothes in northern Thai fabrics, with traditional music and food stalls along the way.

Arrive around 5–6 PM, when the temperature drops. Wear light clothes and bring a small daypack for whatever you buy.

The craft road through San Kamphaeng

The San Kamphaeng handicraft district, sometimes called the “craft highway”, starts 20–30 minutes east of central Chiang Mai, on the lodge’s side of the city. Along it are silk-weaving workshops, silver and lacquerware studios, pottery centres and antique shops selling Lanna pieces.

Bo Sang Umbrella Village is the best known stop: paper parasols and fans made from mulberry bark and painted by hand, and you can watch them being made.

Baan Tawai, for woodcarving and furniture, is in Hang Dong, on the other side of the city. It sells everything from chess sets and small decorative pieces to large furniture, and much of the larger work can be shipped.

Nimman and Maya, for air conditioning

When the open-air markets have had enough of you, the Nimmanhaemin area, including One Nimman, has boutiques and galleries selling higher-end Lanna crafts and contemporary Thai design. Maya Lifestyle Shopping Center nearby is a modern mall with clothing, accessories and cafés.

Getting there and back

From Baanpong Lodge in Ontai, San Kamphaeng, town is 25–30 minutes by car. The lodge can arrange a private air-conditioned driver, typically around 1,000–1,500 THB for the round trip, which most guests prefer to taxis or Grab for a shopping day. You are back in time for a swim before dinner.

Mornings and late afternoons are the comfortable times to walk around. Wear a hat and light clothes, carry small notes for bargaining and a water bottle, and keep valuables secure in crowded markets.