Thing to do
Wualai Saturday Walking Street
Saturday evening market on Wualai Road, starting at Chiang Mai Gate, in the city's traditional silversmith quarter beside the Silver Temple.
Sunday Walking Street
Weekly evening market that closes Ratchadamnoen Road from Tha Phae Gate to Wat Phra Singh, with crafts, street food and temple-courtyard food courts.
At a glance
- Type
- Night market
- Area
- Old City, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Good to know
- Free entry
- Street food
- Crafts
Why we recommend it
Every Sunday afternoon Ratchadamnoen Road in the Old City closes to traffic and turns into Chiang Mai's best-known market. The Sunday Walking Street runs for about 1.1 kilometres from Tha Phae Gate west to Wat Phra Singh, with more stalls spilling into the side streets, and it is one of the easiest ways to see the city at its most sociable.
Stalls start setting up from about mid-afternoon and the market runs until late evening, when traffic returns to the road. The goods lean towards craft and design: hand-stamped silver jewellery, painted umbrellas, hill-tribe textiles, clothing, soaps and souvenirs. Quality varies, so it is worth asking whether a seller made the piece themselves or is reselling stock. Food prices are posted, so there is no need to haggle over a meal.
Food is the other half of the experience. Carts along the main road sell khao soi, sai oua, the herby northern sausage, mango sticky rice and coconut pancakes, alongside snacks from further afield. For a proper sit-down meal, head into the temple courtyards off Ratchadamnoen, such as Wat Phan On and Wat Pan Tao, where vendors set up food courts with tables and usually shorter queues.
Crowds peak in the early evening, roughly 18:00 to 20:00, and the stretch around Wat Chedi Luang can become very dense. Arriving around 16:30 to 17:00 gives you stalls that are open and a road you can still move along. At 18:00 the national anthem plays over loudspeakers and everyone stops and stands quietly for about a minute and a half; follow the lead of those around you. December and January are the busiest months. Peak crowds make it hard going with a pushchair or wheelchair.
Most vendors take cash only, so bring more than you think you need. Allow at least an hour for the full length at a browsing pace, longer if you stop to eat. Because the route links Tha Phae Gate, Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh, you can visit the temples in the afternoon and stay on as the market fills up.
Bring a reusable bag, wear comfortable shoes and keep valuables in a front pocket in the busiest stretches.
Sunday Walking Street FAQs
When is the Sunday Walking Street held?
Every Sunday from late afternoon into the evening, with stalls setting up from mid-afternoon.
Where does it run?
Along Ratchadamnoen Road for about 1.1 km, from Tha Phae Gate west to Wat Phra Singh.
What can I buy?
Silver jewellery, painted umbrellas, hill-tribe textiles, clothing and souvenirs.
Where is the best food?
In the temple courtyards off Ratchadamnoen, such as Wat Phan On and Wat Pan Tao, which have seated food courts.
When is it least crowded?
Arrive around 16:30 to 17:00; crowds peak between about 18:00 and 20:00.
Do vendors take cards?
Most are cash only, so bring enough cash.
What happens at 18:00?
The national anthem plays and people stop and stand quietly for about 90 seconds.
Is it suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs?
It can be difficult at peak times because of the density of the crowds.