Guide to the Chiang Rai Night Markets, including what to eat, opening hours, and other helpful tips.
My favorite thing to do when traveling around Thailand is to explore the bustling night markets and eat as much food as I possibly can!
Although the night markets in Chiang Rai may not be as big as those in Chiang Mai, they are still fun to explore and offer plenty of cheap and yummy food, clothes, souvenirs, handicrafts, and so much more.
So whether you’re a huge foodie or looking to do some shopping, here are the best Chiang Rai night markets and what to expect during your visit.
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Read more about Chiang Rai:
- Chiang Rai 2-day itinerary
- Most beautiful temples in Chiang Rai
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Chiang Rai Walking Street
Chiang Rai Walking Street is the biggest night market in Chiang Rai and hands down my favorite.
The night market runs along the whole length of Thanalai Road for almost 1 km with hundreds of stalls selling food, clothes, souvenirs, accessories, and all kinds of knick-knacks.
There’s a stage near the food court section where local artists perform live later in the evening but you’ll also find several street performers all over the night market.
I stayed at Baan Mai Kradan Hostel which is conveniently located about a 2-minute walk away, so if you’re on the lookout for a cheap and clean place to stay, I highly recommend this hostel.
Alternatively, Le Patta Hotel, Nak Nakara Hotel, and SuanTung Guesthouse are also located within walking distance.
Note: The whole street is technically closed to traffic but if you’ve been to Thailand before you might have noticed that there will sometimes be an odd motorcycle trying to get through. Luckily they won’t be able to drive too fast but just keep an eye out for them.
Related post: Things to do in Chiang Rai in 2 days
Food at Saturday Walking Street Night Market Chiang Rai
Although you can find several food stalls along the whole length of Thanalai Road, the main food section is located along Wisetwiang Street directly opposite the stage with rows of tables and chairs.
Foods available at the Saturday walking street night market in Chiang Rai include pad thai, BBQ skewers, sushi, noodles, gyoza, omelet with rice, and all sorts of curries. They even have chicken liver on sticks and deep-fried bugs!
If you’re craving something sweet, you’ll find a huge selection of desserts from cheesecakes to mini crispy pancakes, waffles, mango sticky rice, and more.
The best part is that prices are super affordable, starting from only 6 baht for finger foods and up to 50-100 baht for a main dish.
What to buy at Walking Street Chiang Rai?
Apart from food, you’ll find plenty of other things to buy at the Chiang Rai Saturday night market. From jewelry to handcrafted souvenirs, clothes, handbags, and plants, there are so many cute stuff to choose from.
Just make sure you save some space in your luggage as you’ll most probably want to buy something to bring back home.
Chiang Rai Walking Street Opening Hours
Chiang Rai Walking Street is open on Saturdays only from 3 p.m to 10 p.m.
I actually recommend visiting around 5/5.30 p.m when most stalls have opened already and there are fewer people.
By 6 p.m, it can get crowded and you might have a hard time finding an empty table.
Related post: The best Chiang Rai temples to visit
Chiang Rai Night Bazaar
If you don’t happen to visit Chiang Rai on a Saturday, your next best option is to visit the Chiang Rai Night Bazaar.
Located less than a 5-minute walk from the bus terminal (see the exact location here), Chiang Rai Night Bazaar is open daily and although smaller than the Saturday walking street, you can still find a few stalls selling clothes and souvenirs as well as a food court.
Honestly, it wasn’t my favorite Chiang Rai night market since it wasn’t as lively as the Saturday walking street.
Plus, the food options were quite limited as they were selling mostly hotpots. In case you can’t find anything to eat, you can head to one of the many restaurants located right outside the night market.
Tip: If you’re looking for a place to stay nearby, Sleepy House, Busket Hostel, and Spinomad Hostel are all located within walking distance.
Food at Chiang Rai Night Bazaar
As mentioned above, the majority of the restaurants at Chiang Rai Night Bazaar sell hotpot which is a kind of soup with mixed vegetables, meat or seafood, and noodles. They are a bit expensive but can feed up to 2-3 people.
Since I was traveling alone, I couldn’t possibly eat all this food by myself but I managed to find a stall selling Khao Soi.
Other foods available include pad thai, deep-fried chicken or seafood as well as smoothies and mango sticky rice.
What to buy at Chiang Rai Night Bazaar?
Again, there isn’t a whole lot to buy here compared to the walking street but near the entrance, you’ll find a few stalls and shops selling the usual elephant pants and Thailand t-shirts.
I also saw some cute rattan baskets for sale as well as jewelry and other accessories.
Chiang Rai Night Bazaar Opening Hours
The Chiang Rai Night Bazaar is open daily from 6 p.m to 11 p.m. Again, I would recommend visiting early at around 6/7 p.m when it’s not too crowded.
I hope you found this guide to the best Chiang Rai night markets helpful. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments below.
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