The Saturday Night Market is a huge street market that’s held every week on Wua Lai Walking Street on a Saturday from 5:00pm to 12:00am.
Locals and tourists can enjoy walking along a closed off street near the old city of Chiang Mai.
It’s a wonderful place to experience Thai culture, eat the local delicacies, drink fruit smoothies, buy cute clothing or accessories and ultimately enjoy the buzzing atmosphere.
Visiting the Saturday Night Market continues to be one of the best things to do in Chiang Mai!
We lived in Chiang Mai for a total of 10 months. After our first market visit, we were hooked!
It’s a great activity to do because it was free to enter and there’s a lot of interesting things to look at each time. We honestly went almost every weekend!
Here’s all you need to know about the Saturday Night Market in Chiang Mai. We will also share our top tips below to make sure you have a great visit!
Is Visiting The Saturday Night Market Worth It?
Oh yes, the Saturday Night Market is 100% worth visiting.
Matthew and I have been to many markets all across Southeast Asia but Chiang Mai continues to be a favorite. From the lively atmosphere to the delicious street food, it’s truly a feast for the senses!
What makes the Saturday Night Market in Chiang Mai stand out is that it is surprisingly well-organized. The streets are closed off which makes it safe for people to walk around freely to explore. There’s food stalls with decent signage and there are security around to ensure the crowds don’t get out of control.
More than that, this night market in Chiang mai is held close to the Old City Walls which make it very scenic and easy to walk over after a day of touring around.
You can eat snacks, have dinner and even get a foot massage. It’s Thailand, after all! There’s lots of handicrafts to look at, cool souvenirs to buy and the sellers aren’t so aggressive.
It’s just a pleasant experience!
Opening Hours Of Saturday Night Market
When does the Saturday Night Market open?
The Saturday Night Market in Chiang Mai is held weekly on the Saturday from around 5pm to midnight.
At around 5:00pm, street vendors may still be setting up. We recommend making your way to Wua Lai Walking Street around 6:00pm instead so you don’t miss any of the stalls!
The crowds can get pretty big at the Saturday Night Market in Chiang Mai. From around 7:00pm to 9:00pm, it’s the most crowded and it might get hard to walk with all the people around. Around this time, there’s also longer lines for food, drinks or snacks.
We’ve heard people wait for an hour for a popular dish. So…come hungry but not too hungry, you know?!
Our advice for when it gets busy is to just take it slow. Don’t be in a rush to walk ahead, simply flow with the crowd and it isn’t too bad!
Where Is The Wua Lai Walking Street Market?
The Saturday Night Market in Chiang Mai is held along Wua Lai Road.
We suggest starting at the Chiang Mai Gate Market. This is also an easier meeting point if you want to explore the market with friends. Here you’ll find food stalls with tables to sit at and clothing stalls around the gate.
⭐️ TTA TOP TIP
Our favorite Pad Thai stall is found at Chiang Mai Gate Market and it’s called Pad Thai Made To Order (ผัดไท อาหารตามสั่ง พี่เอ) with a yellow sign. It’s only costs 35 baht ($1 USD) and it’s one of the best pad thai’s we’ve ever had!
From the Chiang Mai Gate Market, you can cross the road to the Wua Lai Walking Street. The road is closed from traffic and you can begin walking. From here, just enjoy and walk till you can’t walk anymore!
Once you’ve had enough, you can take a Grab from the end-point of the market. Or you can walk all the way back to the Chiang Mai Gate Market for a second glance at all the market stalls.
How Long Is The Saturday Night Market In Chiang Mai?
The Saturday Night Market stretches for 0.6 miles (1 km) along Wua Lai Road.
While it says it only takes 15 minutes to walk on Maps, it actually takes much longer! This bustling market can take an hour (or even more) to complete as there’s so much to look at, eat and do along the way.
We suggest taking your time, enjoying the vibrant atmosphere and stop any time you’re curious!
Things To Do At The Saturday Night Market?
What kind of things can you do at the Saturday Night Market?
Lots!
You can shop till you drop, eat till you’re full and look at all the interesting handicrafts. When you walk along the street, stop whenever you see something that has peaked your interest.
Matthew and I usually like to start by getting a small snack like some fried dumplings or spring rolls. Then we look at the handmade crafts the local have made.
Once we feel a little more hungry, we will opt for some Pad Thai or sushi at the market. Now, we’re thirsty so we get a mixed fruit smoothie of passionfruit and mango (highly recommend).
There’s a lot of market stalls that have cool, interesting souvenirs from Thailand that you can take home with you. Make sure to look out for them while you’re walking.
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Interact with rescued elephants, eat a Thai lunch, and enjoy bamboo rafting in the jungle.
One of the most interesting things to do is have a foot massage. There’s literally seats set up outside and you can sit there for 30 minutes relaxing and/or people watching. It’s also very cheap!
You can easily spend hours at this lively market which makes it such a great thing to do in Chiang Mai!
Foods To Try At The Saturday Night Market
Eating all the delicious street food is one of the main things to do at this popular night market.
When you’re strolling around, you might begin to feel overwhelmed with all the variety of street food. There’s a lot of different choices from appetizers to main meals and snacks.
The sheer variety makes it hard to choose when they are all looking tempting. That’s why it’s worth it to visit the markets more than once!
Here are some of the delicious food you can try at the market:
Matthew and I like to get fried dumplings, pad thai and the roti pancakes.
For drinks, we like to get coconut juice or smoothies made with passionfruit and mango or a simple watermelon juice too.
What To Buy At The Chiang Mai Saturday Night Market
Want to buy souvenirs for yourself or family and friends?
The perfect place to shop is at the Saturday Night Market in Chiang Mai. You’ve got everything you could want from little mementos to handmade crafts and jewelry.
Here’s the kinds of things you can buy at the night market on Saturdays:
- Earrings, Bracelets and Jewelry
- Clothing – dresses, elephant pants, sarongs
- Paintings by local artists
- Personalized Passport Cover
- Personalized Notebook
- Personalized Postcard
- Stickers, Magnets, Patches
- Phone Accessories
and so much more!
A popular item that we have bought and so have a few of our friends is the personalized passport cover. It’s very cute, you can have your name stamped into it and add a few design pins to it.
Our friend also bought a personalized postcard to send to his grandma. It’s a unique, wooden design that’s handmade and even handwritten by the vendor. Very cool!
When it comes to bargaining at the night markets in Chiang Mai, we have found that the vendors aren’t wanting to go back and forth as much anymore. You can still try because we got a few deals on clothing items but usually, if there’s a price sticker that’s the firm price.
We have a hard time walking through the market because we just want to get everything but it won’t fit in our luggage. Our rule is usually if we buy something, we have to get rid of something.
There’s something for everyone to buy at the Saturday Night market in Chiang Mai!
Top Tips To Visiting The Saturday Night Market
Visiting the Saturday Night Market in Chiang Mai can be overwhelming. There’s a lot to see, do and eat – it’s hard to know where to start or what to do.
Here’s our best tips to help you have a great time exploring this vibrant market:
More Amazing Markets In Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai has some of the best markets we’ve been to across Southeast Asia.
The Saturday Night Market isn’t the only one to visit. If you’re living in Chiang Mai long enough, you’ll realize that there are so many markets during the week and on the weekends.
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Here’s the other bustling night markets in Chiang Mai worth a visit:
- Sunday Night Market
on Tha Phae Walking Street from 4:00pm to 12:00am - Friday Night Bazaar Market
on Changklan Road from 5:00pm to 12:00am - Chiang Mai University Night Market
on Tambon Chang Phuek from 5:00pm to 11:00pm
Want a morning market? We recommend visiting Coconut Market which is open on the weekends from 8:00am to 2:00pm. It’s more like a flea market with nice scenery instead of a walking street!
Wrapping Up: The Saturday Night Market In Chiang Mai Is A Must
Should you visit the Saturday Night Market in Chiang Mai?
100% yes!
This lively market is one of the best things to do in Chiang Mai – you shouldn’t miss it! It’s located near the old city where the famous Chiang Mai Gate stands.
The market occurs every Saturday from 5:00pm to 12:00am. We recommend arriving around 6:00pm so there’s less crowds but all the streets vendors have finished setting up already.
You can easily walk over to Wua Lai Walking Street and start your night market adventure! Shop for all the cutest souvenirs, eat the most delicious Thai street food and drink the best fruit juices.
You’re bound to have a blast at the Saturday Night Market!
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