Tha Phae Gate end
Eastern start of the market
The market begins in the square at Tha Phae Gate, often with street performers and musicians.
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Chiang Mai, Thailand
Sunday Walking Street
Every Sunday evening Ratchadamnoen Road becomes a long market of northern crafts, clothes, street food and music, from Tha Phae Gate to Wat Phra Singh.
Favourite places
Ratchadamnoen Road craft stalls
The main road through the old city
Long rows of stalls selling hand-made goods — woven bags, silver, hill-tribe textiles, wood carvings, soaps and art.
Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)Temple courtyard food courts
Temples along Ratchadamnoen Road
Several temple grounds along the route fill with food stalls and tables — the best place to sit down and sample northern dishes.
Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)Wat Phra Singh end
Western end of the market
The market ends at the gates of Wat Phra Singh, which looks beautiful lit up in the evening.
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Local food
Sai ua
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Grilled northern Thai pork sausage packed with lemongrass, kaffir lime, chilli and herbs. Sold in coils at markets and eaten with sticky rice.
Khao soi
Chiang Mai, Thailand
The signature noodle soup of northern Thailand: egg noodles in a rich coconut curry broth, usually with chicken or beef, topped with crispy fried noodles and served with pickled mustard greens, shallots and lime.
Khanom krok
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Small coconut-rice pancakes cooked in a dimpled pan, crisp outside and creamy inside — a classic market sweet.
Where to eat
Temple courtyard food courts
Along Ratchadamnoen Road
Food stalls set up in the temple grounds along the market route on Sunday evenings.
Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)Chiang Mai Gate Market
Chiang Mai Gate, south side of the old city
A local fresh market by day and a busy street-food market in the evening, with noodles, grilled meats, curries over rice and Thai desserts.
Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)Saturday Walking Street
Wualai Road, south of the old city
If you are in town on Saturday instead, the Wualai Road walking street has the same mix of crafts and food beside the silver temple, Wat Sri Suphan.
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Where to stay
Old City (inside the moat)
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Quiet lanes of guesthouses and boutique hotels between the temples, within walking distance of Tha Phae Gate and the Sunday Walking Street. The easiest base for first-time visitors.
Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)Night Bazaar & Ping Riverside
Chiang Mai, Thailand
East of Tha Phae Gate, between the Night Bazaar and the Ping River: larger hotels, riverside restaurants and Warorot Market close by.
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Culture
The market started as a way to give local makers a place to sell, so much of what is on sale is hand-made in and around Chiang Mai. Bargaining gently is fine on crafts, less so on food. When the national anthem plays over loudspeakers in the early evening, people stop and stand still for a moment — do the same.
History
The Sunday Walking Street started in the early 2000s to support local makers and now draws crowds every week. Temple courtyards along the road turn into food courts — the place to try sai ua sausage, khao soi and coconut pancakes.
Tour plans
Sunday in the old city
Half dayStep 1: Afternoon temples
Visit Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh in the late afternoon.
Step 2: Walk the market
Start at Tha Phae Gate as the stalls open and walk west along Ratchadamnoen Road.
Step 3: Dinner in a temple courtyard
Pick a few dishes from the food courts and sit down to eat.
Step 4: Evening chedi
Finish at Wat Chedi Luang, floodlit after dark.
Travel information
Best time to visit
Sunday from about 4 pm.
How to get there
Starts at Tha Phae Gate; the road is closed to traffic from late afternoon.
Getting around
The road is closed to traffic during the market, so arrive on foot. A Grab or songthaew can drop you at Tha Phae Gate; getting a ride out late in the evening is easiest from the main roads around the moat.
Travel tips
Arrive before 6 pm to walk before the biggest crowds; bring small notes.