The Night Bazaar

The Chiang Mai Night Bazaar on Chang Klang Road is undoubtedly the city's most famous shopping location and is a must for all visitors. Originally, the Night Bazaar was just a simple three-story building but over the past 20 years or so it has expanded to be the busy mosaic of department stores, shops and stall vendors that it is today.

This very large complex of shops and street vendors begins to come to life in the early evening and buzzes till midnight or according to numbers of customers, although there are a few shops which are open all day.

Antiques, paintings, textiles, silverware and numerous woodcrafts are displayed in stylish up-market shops as well as in back street stalls. With the thousands of items on sale, most visitors will find something to take home - but do not take all products at face value, many are excellent imitations and are sold at imitation prices! From designer handbags (some real most fake), fine Thai silk, quality and fake antiques, silver, clothes, handicrafts, arts, toys, tapes, videos, trinkets, perfume, watches, hilltribe wear to novel T-shirts, the Night Bazaar is a testament to Thai craftsmanship and entrepreneurship. There are also a number of restaurants and bars such as American fast food, noodle vendors and beer gardens where you can relax and recuperate after a spree of spending.

The Night Bazaar is a fun and lively shopping venue. Skill in bargaining is the name of the game; both sellers and buyers alike enjoy the friendly bantering as prices go up and come down. Check the quality of your souvenirs before paying your agreed price and do not get upset if someone who comes after you buys it for half the price. You tend to end up paying what you consider the worth of the item is and if you are content with your price, you should not allow being cheated out one or two dollars to ruin your time.

Portraits can be painted, wood statues can be ordered, pictures can be taken and shipment of goods can also be arranged.

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