Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market Tour Review

A food stall selling special Pad Thai with egg in Chiang Mai’s Sunday Night Market.

Intro: After a day spent learning all about Thai cuisine and cooking, we headed out into the hustle and bustle of the Sunday Night Market to sample some new foods, shop for souvenirs, and soak up the atmosphere.

Keeping my belongings safe in front of me as we explored Chiang Mai’s Sunday Night Market.

After a wonderful cooking class, we returned to the Twin Peaks Condominium to relax and freshen up a little, before heading back out to Chiang Mai’s Sunday Night Market. It begins at the Tha Pae gate, which is the main entrance through the city walls, and seeing as we wanted to explore a little, we decided to walk, rather than take a tuk tuk.

A colorfully-illuminated “Night Bazaar” sign over a shopfront near Chiang Mai’s Sunday Night Market.

We passed by the Night Bazaar (which happens daily), where you can check out a small market or a ladyboy show, and continued on until we could see people gathered around the streets of the (much larger) Sunday Night Market. It was just as crowded as the Saturday Night Market, which we had visited the previous evening, and to be honest, it was quite a similar experience. If anything, there may have been more food and trinkets on display but I loved experiencing all the different food stalls all over again!

Grilled shrimp, squid, chicken, and pork for sale at a local food stall of the Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market.

If you explore down some of the side alleyways that diverge from the main street of the Sunday Night Market, there are a few courtyards with tables where you can sit down. Often in the markets you just have to eat standing up, with people absolutely everywhere around you, so it was nice to find somewhere to relax and really be able to enjoy our food. There was a great selection of different grilled meats and seafood, as well as traditional Pad Thai, sushi and lots of fresh tropical fruits.

Colorful purses and elephant keyrings for sale at the Sunday Night Market in Chiang Mai.

There was also different forms of entertainment, such as carnival games and a long line of caricature artists who were bringing tourists to 2D life! Unlike the previous evening, where I had been so overwhelmed by the food stalls that I almost completely overlooked the souvenirs, I was more inclined to try my hand at bargaining at the Sunday Night Market. Some of the women really stood their ground though, and I think that perhaps towards the end of the night, when they really want to make a sale, they might be more willing to bend. But then again, most of the items were so cheap that you don’t even need to bargain!

There was a nice dining area at the Sunday Night Market where you could sit down and enjoy your food.

After wandering around for a while and sampling a few new dishes from the food stalls, we arrived near the end of the Sunday Night Market where the crowds had started to dissipate. There was a crepe station there, and although a little pricy, we decided to treat ourselves. The crepe was delicious and well worth it, ending what was another great evening in Chiang Mai.

The delicious crepe stall where we finished the evening after exploring Chiang Mai’s Sunday Night Market.

TOP THREE TIPS

• 1: Arrive early to avoid as much of the crowd as possible.
• 2: Don’t be afraid to explore the different alleyways as you may uncover a treasure like a food court!
• 3: Be open minded about the food that you try and order small plates so that you’ll have room to try many other dishes.