Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market: Hours, Map, Food and Tips

The Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market (also called the Sunday Walking Street or Tha Phae Walking Street) runs every Sunday along Ratchadamnoen Road, from Tha Phae Gate to Wat Phra Singh. Stalls are up from 4 PM, the busiest time is 7 PM to 10 PM, most stalls start closing from 10 PM, and you’ll need cash.

We heard tales of the Chiang Mai Sunday night market way before starting our trip to Asia. Well, it didn’t disappoint us, and we have been there countless times, actually every weekend there. I never missed one while in town.

After having experienced Bangkok markets, we thought it might be the same as the others, the typical Southeast Asia bazaar.

It’s nothing like that. The Sunday night market in Chiang Mai is something else. You know the drill – souvenir stalls, a few food vendors, and a dash of live music amidst crowds of tourists. Well, a lot of locals too!

We updated this guide after being back in Chiang Mai for a few weeks, and the Sunday night market is bigger than ever, with a couple more streets full of vendors.

Yes, it is all of that and more. In my humble opinion, it’s not just the best night market in Chiang Mai. It’s the best in all of Thailand!

Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market at a glance

It’s our favourite market in Thailand and in all of Southeast Asia. The Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market runs every week on the main roads of the old town, starting from Tha Phae Gate.

Food and craft stalls are up from 4 PM. Come here if you want to find the best artisans, recipes, products, and general shopping.

On Sundays only, the streets of the centre close to traffic and become one long pedestrian area. It is very touristy, but many locals come too, some from nearby villages. In fact, it is the biggest market in Chiang Mai, and one of the largest in Thailand after Chatuchak Market in Bangkok.

Category	Amount
Day	Every Sunday
Also called	Sunday Walking Street, Tha Phae Walking Street, Chiang Mai Night Market
Where	Ratchadamnoen Road, from Tha Phae Gate towards Wat Phra Singh (about 1.1 km), plus the temple food courts
When	Stalls are up from 4 PM, and the busiest time is 7 PM to 10 PM. Most stalls start closing from 10 PM, and the market winds down around 11 PM
Entry	Free. It’s a public road, so you can just walk in
Payment	Cash. Most vendors don’t take cards, so bring small bills
Getting there	Scooter, taxi or songthaew. Ratchadamnoen Road closes to motorbikes from 4 PM, so park nearby (we suggest Ratviti Road, beside Three Kings Square)
Best for	Street food, handmade crafts, souvenirs and cheap massages
Saturday alternative	Saturday Night Market on Wualai Walking Street, 5 PM to 11 PM

Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market map and where to park

The market follows one long, straight line, so it’s easy to follow on a map. You start at Tha Phae Gate, walk along Ratchadamnoen Road for about 1.1 km, and you finish near Wat Phra Singh. The food courts sit inside temple grounds and on the side streets along the way.

Ratchadamnoen Road closes to motorbikes from 4 PM, so park before you walk in. We suggest parking the scooter on Ratviti Road, beside Three Kings Square, and walking from there. Don’t have wheels yet? Read our guide to renting a scooter in Chiang Mai or see how to get around Chiang Mai without one.

The Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market brings tourists from abroad, locals and Thai tourists onto the same street. The mix of people is half the fun, and many of them are locals. If you’re planning your route, add the market to your Thailand 3-week itinerary or plan your days around it with our Chiang Mai 3 days itinerary.

What to eat at the Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market

Now, let’s talk about the food, a Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market highlight! We were so pumped by the variety of food, low prices and market vibes that we involved our friends in a great food challenge.

Watch our video to see how we spent the $15 budget per team to feed 3 people for dinner at the Chiang Mai Sunday Market. The variety of dishes is mind-boggling, and even the pickiest of eaters will find something to savour.

Street snacks and desserts to try

Roti: Ale is crazy about roti! A popular street food dessert, roti is a fried bread served with sweet toppings like condensed milk and bananas.

Grilled Skewers: You’ll find many stalls selling skewers, from succulent chicken to pork and seafood, all grilled to perfection.

Fresh Fruit Smoothies: Chiang Mai is known for its delicious fruit smoothies. They’re a perfect way to cool down amidst the bustling market.

Pancakes: Well, we simplify that, but those pancake-style small desserts are addicting. We had just one, but you can go on and on. Filled with jam, chocolate or other creams and costs only 40 THB.

Temple food courts and street-food prices

If you love food, the Sunday Market is perfect! It has several areas dedicated to food courts, hosted in Buddhist temples or on the side of the main streets. You can sit down and eat at the temple food courts at Wat Muan Lan, Wat Sampao, Wat Phanon and Wat Si Koet.

Coming from Tha Phae Gate, the first food court we reach is Wat Phan On. It’s currently our favourite food spot, and we call it the Kitchen because there is everything you want. I had khao soi here too. The pad thai stall isn’t the best, to be honest, so skip it.

Wat Phan Tao has no food, but it’s nice to walk around if it’s open. Wat Sampao has some food options, but mostly it’s stands selling goods. At the corner there is one selling fake branded shirts for 200 THB. The stands then continue all the way to Wat Phra Singh.

They are all open-air kitchens, so you can check how the food is cooked and make wise decisions. You can eat a whole dinner with a drink for less than $2 (£1.5 | €1.9).

You’ll find dishes like three samosas for a mere $0.70, coconut ice cream for just a dollar, a whole corn on the cob for less than a dollar, and a skewer for less than $0.50.

If you’re up for a gastronomic adventure, don’t miss the chance to sample fried insects, including tarantulas, crickets, and worms, the same as when you are exploring Khao San Road in Bangkok.

Northern Thai dishes to try

If you are a foodie, you should not skip Chiang Mai’s Sunday market. Here are the Northern Thai dishes and snacks we recommend:

• Khao Soi: Our favourite! This is Chiang Mai’s signature curry noodle soup that comes with egg noodles, chicken, crispy noodles, and a rich coconut curry broth.
• Sai Oua: A spicy Lanna sausage that is grilled and served with sticky rice, chillies, ginger, and shallots.
• Moo Ping: Ale’s favourite. Grilled pork skewers that are marinated in garlic, coriander, and white pepper.
• Khanom Jeen Nam Ngiao: Rice noodles topped with a spicy sauce made from fermented tomatoes. Too spicy for us!
• Khao Kha Moo: A dish of braised pork leg served with rice, broth, onions, cilantro, and chilli vinegar. You can learn how to make it at a Thai Cooking Class.
• Miang Kham: Bite-sized snack wraps with dried shrimp, coconut, ginger, peanuts, lime, and chilli.

Besides these, you will also find all the classic Thai dishes like pad thai, som tam (papaya salad), and tom yum soup.

What we learned: If you see locals queuing up at a stall, you can be sure it’s worth trying. Don’t hesitate to join the line!

Shopping at the Sunday Night Market: crafts, souvenirs and local makers

Chiang Mai Sunday Market is great for shoppers. Well, Ale was constantly repeating: No home, No Space, No Money. This was to avoid the pursuit to buy everything she could touch.

And man, there was a lot of stuff worth taking back home. From delicately crafted soaps, exquisite jewellery, and ornate Buddhas to intricate butterfly wall pieces, the array of items is staggering. Talented artists line the streets, showcasing their craft to catch your eye.

Local family businesses and handicrafts

We learned while in Southeast Asia that tourism is a big source of income for many families. When we became aware that sustainable travel is the key to keeping those people and their traditions alive, we started to support more and more locals.

And this is how you can contribute to the local economy, taking a piece of their culture back home. You can support locals in every form, buying clothes, souvenirs, food, giving a donation, or even just giving them compliments and smiles! There are usually kids singing, and they are very good.

How to bargain at the Sunday Night Market

Your money goes along in Asia. Every market across the continent calls your art of bargain into the game. We loved to bargain, just as many locals love to do that. And I have to be honest, we mostly tried to lower the price because it was fun and a way to enjoy time with local vendors.

However, many food items at Chiang Mai Sunday Market come with clearly displayed prices. Non-food items can be trickier, as some vendors do not display prices. At this point, there is a margin for negotiation. You can walk around and compare prices to ensure you get a fair deal.

Haggling is a common practice, and a good rule of thumb is to counteroffer at half the initial asking price. Most vendors will eventually lower their prices during the negotiation process or wait for their counteroffer while you walk away. It works a good percentage of the time for us.

Cheap massages at the Sunday Night Market

If you need a bit of relaxation after hours of exploration, the Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market is the perfect place to unwind. As mentioned above, you can sit on the side of the street in a comfortable chair and get a massage for a reasonable price.

On Sunday, a half-an-hour foot massage in the Chiang Mai market costs only 150 Baht ($4 | £3.40 | €3.90).

Is the Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market crowded? Yes, but it’s fun!

Yes. It will be crowded. That’s why we suggest you agree on a firm meeting point with your friends if you visit together. Believe us, it gets overwhelming: large crowds, often tourist groups, and sometimes you’ll lose your bearings.

It’s getting busier too. On our last visit in February 2026 there were more and more crowds, and the market was definitely bigger than ever.

We explored the market with friends we met at our guest house in Bangkok and two old friends from London during our visit. Let me just say it was hard to keep up with everyone’s directions: stop at the stalls and not get lost.

Of course, there is no predefined route in such a large market, so you’ll find yourself constantly dodging others.

Planning around the weather and the busy months? Check our best time to visit Chiang Mai guide, and see what to expect in the Chiang Mai rainy season.

Chiang Mai night markets compared: Sunday, Saturday and the daily markets

If you stay longer in Chiang Mai, you can explore a different market daily. There is always something happening in Chiang Mai, and even though the whole old town becomes a food stall and shops on Sunday, many other places are worth your culinary adventure.

Every day at the North Gate, there is the night food market, small but worth it. However, our favourite for vibes is Ploen Ruedee, a new addition to the Chiang Mai Markets landscape.

Right next to it, there is the Night Bazaar, a maze of little markets all in one, and it’s also where the Chiang Mai Cabaret is located.

Here is how the main Chiang Mai night markets compare at a glance:

Market	Days	Hours	Where
Sunday Night Market	Sunday	4 PM to about 11 PM	Ratchadamnoen Road, from Tha Phae Gate (about 1.1 km)
Saturday Night Market	Saturday	5 PM to 11 PM	Wualai Walking Street
Ploen Ruedee	Every day	From 5 PM	Next to the Night Bazaar, with live music
Anusarn Market	Every day	5 PM to 11 PM	Often confused with the Night Bazaar, but a separate market
Chang Puak North Gate	Every day	From 5 PM	Chiang Mai North Gate (Chang Puak Gate)

Route, safety and money tips for the Sunday market

Here’s our advice for tackling this sprawling market:

• Start at Tha Phae Gate, then head down Ratchadamnoen Rd. The market runs for about 1.1 km, ending near Wat Phra Singh.
• Don’t be afraid to veer down side alleys. Chiang Mai is one of the safest places we have been in Southeast Asia. Down the alleys, there are many other food stalls and vendors.
• If the main road gets too crowded, pop into a side street or a food court to enjoy the visit. Then rejoin when you’re ready.
• Keep an eye out for pickpockets in crowded areas. Carry a crossbody bag and keep valuables in your front pocket. We didn’t find any, but stay on guard!
• Cash is king in Asia, and most vendors in Chiang Mai markets don’t accept credit/debit cards.
• Bring small bills, because vendors prefer exact change.

Final tips for an epic market visit

To wrap up, here are some final tips to make the most of your Sunday market visit:

• Wear comfy walking shoes and breathable clothes.
• Leave big bags and valuables at your hotel.
• Bring a reusable water bottle, because hydration matters. Not sure about the tap water? Read can you drink tap water in Chiang Mai.
• Have small bills and coins for vendors.
• Be friendly and engage with locals.
• Decide a meeting point when visiting with friends.
• Go hungry, because the food is incredible.
• Don’t hesitate to try new things and get off the regular alleys.
• Follow your nose, and it will get you where the good stuff is.

Best areas to stay in Chiang Mai

To make the most of the Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market, choose accommodation close to the old town.

However, being too close might stress you out because it’s too crowded. Here are a few areas to consider:

Chiang Mai Old City: The old town is the first place where we stayed in Chiang Mai, and it definitely was a good choice to understand the city and the local vibes. Eventually, we stayed longer and switched to the next one.

Ratchawong Rd: This is a quiet find, and thanks to other digital nomads, we got a great deal for another 10 days in Chiang Mai. Ratchawong is a long road, about 5 minutes walk from the entrance to Chiang Mai’s old town. Very close to the centre, but far from the crowds.

Nimmanhaemin: Of course, if you stay longer in Chiang Mai, you are looking around Nimmanhaemin. This is where the trendy cafes, boutique hotels, and condos are for long-term travellers and generally young enthusiasts.

You need a scooter, a taxi or a songthaew to reach Chiang Mai’s old town and the Sunday market. For more options, see how to get around Chiang Mai.

READ ALSO | Best hostels in Chiang Mai

Final Thoughts: Is the Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market Worth It?

Yes. For us, the Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market was worth it every weekend we were in town, and I never missed one. You can shop, eat, get a massage and watch live performances on one pedestrian street, for very little money. It’s crowded, especially between 7 PM and 10 PM, and most vendors only take cash, so go hungry, bring small bills and agree on a meeting point if you’re visiting with friends. If you’re claustrophobic, the busiest weekends might not suit you, so arrive when the stalls open at 4 PM. Plan for it if you are exploring Chiang Mai on a Sunday.

Whether you’re searching for souvenirs, delectable street food, or a relaxing massage, this market has everything.

So, if you find yourself in Chiang Mai on a Sunday, plan your evening around the Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market.