Visit Borsang, Chiang Mai's famous umbrella and Thai handicraft village

Glossary of shopping in Chiang Mai

Those interested in more modern international items, such as gadgets, clothes and multimedia have the choice of two well stocked malls, Kad Suan Kaew and Airport Plaza, as well as computer related items from Panthip Plaza near the Night Market. There are individual shops scattered in tourists areas where you can pick up bargains on every day items which are made in Asia. See our shopping glossary for ideas.

There is much more to buy in Chiang Mai besides handicrafts and unique Thai goods, and there is plenty of good value shopping at a number of malls and clusters of shops around the city.

Nimmenhemin road, in a plush suburb west of the city, is popular with ex-pats and wealthy Thais who furnish their homes quite comfortably with the excellent selection of home décor shops found along this road. Soi 1, near the Amari Rincome hotel is particularly abundant in contemporary furnishings from a range of gifted local artists.

Contemporary items and high-tech goods are found in the malls. The new Pantip Plaza near the Night Bazaar area specialises in computer shops - and locally produced hardware presents a good deal. Not far out of town is Kad Suan Kaew (also known as 'Central'), located near the northwest corner of the moat. Towards the airport is the bigger Airport Plaza, and these two are excellent places to pick up cheap mobile phones, good-value shoes, clothes, electrical appliances and more.

However, to truly appreciate Thailand, you ought to spend a morning at one of the traditional markets, and Warorot Market (near the Ping river) is a sensual delight of foods, fabrics, clothes, traditional remedies, and some things that you've never seen before! Beside it is a lovely flower market where a dozen roses can be yours for less than 100 baht. Another accessible market is Somphet (two blocks north of Tapae Gate along the moat) which is good for fresh food.

Northern Village

Chiang Mai is proud of its locally produced products - many of them stamped with a unique Lanna identity - and the recently opened Northern Village in Airport Plaza is a plush three storey emporium of handicrafts, fabrics, ornaments, jewellery, art and exquisite home décor items. In contrast to the night market, all vendors display a high level of style and quality, presented in a professional, yet affordable manner. The Northern Village is an initiative to support the nationwide One Tambon (community), One Product campaign to promote small business development in Thailand and the results shown here are impressive and certainly a shoppers delight. Highly recommended!

Glossary

Antiques: enjoy a thriving market in Chiang Mai and there are plenty of dealers as well as pretenders scattered about the main tourist areas, particularly on Tapae road. The upper level of the Night Bazaar arcade has several reputable dealers and there are plenty of exquisite and valuable pieces in display - a result of more than 800 years of flourishing arts in Lanna. Most shoppers tend to buy the more affordable reproductions, which look like the real thing only less rare or valuable. Prices are generally cheaper than Bangkok but there is strict control on exporting these and a genuine article will come with a certificate from the Fine Arts Department. If you are a really serious collector, looking for serious prices, spend the day at Baan Tawai village, south of the city, which is the largest such cluster of shops in Thailand.

Bags and accessories: both leather and stylish rattan bags, along with all sorts of accessories are great value and a popular item at the various markets (day and night) around the city. Kad Suan Kaew Mall has its own market on the third floor.

Books: there are plenty of options for second hand books (in English, French, German and Dutch) around the city, with a cluster of well stocked shops tucked down the lanes east of Tapae Gate (well signposted along the moat). New books on Thailand and other popular subjects are available at DK Books (Kotchasarn rd, east side of moat) and Suriwong Book Centre (Sri Donchai rd near Mae Ping Hotel). The new B2S book store in Robinsons Deparment Store at the Airport Plaza as a fine selection of English books. Asia Books also has pop fiction racks placed in many tourist spots. More on bookshops in Chiang mai.

CDs and DVDs: are favourites for pirate good vendors, and there are dozens of stalls at the Night Market selling some pretty good copies of all your favourite mainstream artists and movies, but the quality isn't always guaranteed (and we don't support this trade!). Local movie distributors have responded with competitive prices and genuine shops in the malls have a decent selection of original international DVDs for 250 baht and VCDs for 120 baht.

Ceramics: are popular, though a little difficult to ship home. San Kamphaeng has the best selection of fine Asian porcelain, and other articles big and small.

Clothing: great value, sometimes lacking in quality but usually cheap. Widely available at the Night Market, stalls around the city, scatterings of boutiques in the city centre and exclusive department stores in the malls. Tailors are also numerous and they can knock together a suit for you in 24 hours, though we recommend a more thorough job. Try out the traditional Thai outfits, or treat yourself to a silk shirt, considered the world's best. Look out for fake labels.

Computer hardware: locally manufactured hardware is considerably cheaper and the quality acceptable. Pantip Plaza, near the Night Market has three storeys of IT vendors. A few shops sell pirated software (which we don't endorse!) .

Digital cameras: all manufacturered in Asian are presented in a vast choice at fairly competitive prices. The two malls have several shops with good selections and there are specialist shops in Pantip Plaza and on the east flank of the moat (photobug). There are plenty of places to download your pics on to CD. Thailand is a good place to pick up extra memory cards.

Fabrics: are one of Chiang Mai's hottest sellers, from premium grade, hand-woven Thai silk, to Siamese styled weaves, colourful cottons, unique autumn-shaded Lanna cloth, distinctive 'mutmee', even rugs. The Night Market has plenty of selection and even better prices can be had at San Khampaeng. Several Indian traders at Wororot Market are dedicated to fabrics of all ply, colour and style. Exclusive boutique shops east of Tapae Gate sell unique creations.

Food: is found everywhere in Thailand, and if you're shopping for stuff to take home, head to Anusarn Market, adjacent to the Night Bazaar, or Wororot Market (by day) to sample the intriguing selection of dried fruits and herbs, preserved foods, Thai delicacies and curry pastes.

Gems: find their way to Chiang Mai from Myanmar and the selection and quality can be impressive, however, there are plenty of scams going on (and an even greater supply of suckers!), so be wary of special deals or tuk tuk drivers offering to take you on a 'free tour' of the city. We recommend Shiraz Jewellers (Tapae road). The Burmese gems, such as rubies, are generally mined under very poor conditions and human rights abuses so shop with a conscience.

Handicrafts: are numerous and found on sale everywhere. They really do make super souvenirs and gifts and can be incredibly cheap, though the quality can vary quite a bit. The Night Market is the most convenient and usually the cheapest place to buy these in the city. However, for bulk buying take a trip to Borsang, 20 mins east of the city, where there is a less frenetic atmosphere, or Baan Tawai - farther away to the south. The Northern Crafts Centre, near the Rail Station, is another good place to see the craftsmen and women in action.

Interior décor: is one of Chiang Mai's fortes, with an abundance of gifted artists and crafts people displaying exceptional taste. Lanna and Thai home style is very graceful, deceptively simple and usually has a practical origin. Soi 1 of Nimmenhemin road and other shops nearby cater well to expensive tastes (but with very affordable price tags) and arrange to ship it home for you.

Jewellery: Northern Thailand produces a very unique style of silverware, much of it influenced by the hill tribes who brought their trade and styles with them from Central Asia. Some very detailed and intricate pieces can be found at specialist stores, at the Night Market and in exclusive shops. Contemporary designs are also popular and found widely. Gold plays an important role in Thai status, and the largest conglomeration of dealers is found near the Wororot and Flower markets alongside the Ping river. Wualai Street (venue of the Saturday evening Walking Street), is the traditonal silversmith quarter.

Lacquerware: is produced by a fine traditional craft that has been passed down for centuries and was originally brought to Chiang Mai by artisans imported from Burma. The process of a high quality dyeing, engraving and painting is sublime and results in beautifully decorated trays, bowls and vases. These are best found in specialist décor shops in the city.

Mobile phones: are found everywhere, they are a national obsession! In every shopping facility you'll find whole clusters of small-time vendors, many selling good condition second hand phones. Prices are good (new and old), the technology up-to-date and if you buy 1000 baht of credit you get the SIM card free. We suggest Kad Suan Kaew Mall.

Paper products: are another popularly made product in Chiang Mai. In addition to excellently priced conventional papers of all grades, textures and colours there are a variety of products made from mulberry, also known as 'saa'. All sorts of creations, including handmade books are found on local markets but if you are serious buyer looking for one of the best selections in town, visit HQ Papermakers who are professionals able to make mass orders.

Perfume: counters in the department stores (Robinsons and Central) in the Airport Plaza and Kad Suan Kaew Mall sell a decent range of international brand perfumes at reasonable prices. A diminishing number of stalls at the Night Market sell fakes of varying quality. The scents are very plausible but they don't last.

Silk: Thai silk is considered the best in the world, with a remarkably soft texture but coarse weave capable of withstanding heavier dyeing to produce a unique colour. A cheaper, 'washed' Chinese silk is also available. Silk is available at the Night Market but watch out for the quality. Well tailored high grade silk is available at selected boutiques and purveyors near the Night Market. Shinawatra Silk on Huay Kaew road near Kad Suan Kaew Mall is a reputable shop.

Shoes: are always a good bargain, and even the famous brand names are locally made, thus are up-to 50 per cent cheaper than the US or Europe. The malls are the best place to find quality of all types, but stalls at the Night Bazaar sell cheaper, trendy shoes. If you’re a large-shoe-sized foreigner expect to be disappointed with out-of-stock replies.

Souvenirs: are easy to find, and certainly not tacky. They are usually hand-made of natural materials (in Thailand not China!) and very cute and cheap, from colourful hill tribe dolls, to purses, pens and chopsticks, in fact the selection is endless, even including the ubiquitous Red Bull T-shirts. The Night Market is the best place for these.

Sportsware: a decent sports shop is found above the Night Market and there are a couple in each of the malls, with a genuine selection of sporting apparel and limited sports goods.

Toys: Thais love spoiling their children and since many toys are manufactured here or in China they are remarkably cheap and the variety mind boggling. Robinsons and Central department stores in the two main malls have good sections for the kids. At the Night Market you will also find plenty of handicrafts ideal for kids, such as dolls, puzzles, games, school accessories and more. There is also a great selection of cheap clothes and shoes.

Umbrellas: make Chiang Mai famous and can be bought at the Night Market and other souvenir shops, but it's worth the trip to Borsang Village to see the ladies assembling these delicate bamboo ornaments and brightly painting the rice paper that covers them - an incredible amount of work for such a cheap price.

Watches: the proverbial fake Rolex and other watches are always on sale at the Night Market, with a wide selection, but for the real thing head to the exclusive shops in Kad Suan Kaew Mall and Airport Plaza. Since these are all imported from Europe don't expect any bargains.

Wood carving: is especially beautiful in Thailand and considered a national distinction, passed down as a tradition through generations. Intricately carved filigree and ornamentation is widely used on Thai architecture and they produce some furniture fit for royals. Particularly impressive is the art of carving three dimensional reliefs which can be very valuable. All of this takes place in the busy artisan village of Baan Tawai, south of the city, where you can see the pieces taking shape and arrange to have them shipped home.