Shopping in Chiang Mai
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Central Airport Plaza
Anchored by a Robinson department store and, compared to Kad Suan Kaew, this mall is more upmarket with more international brands and a more affluent clientele. The Northern Village complex on the 2nd floor sells high-quality souvenirs with set prices. Silks and ready-made clothes are good buys.
reviewed
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Pantip Plaza
Near the night bazaar, this shiny shopping centre is a more legitimate version than its grey-market counterpart in Bangkok. Mainly licensed suppliers of electronic hardware, such as computers and cameras, fill the space without a single bootleg software vendor in sight.
reviewed
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Studio Naenna
If you liked what you saw at Adorn with Studio Naenna, then head out of town to the main gallery of this textile cooperative. It's about 1km northwest of the intersection of Th Huay Kaew and Th Khlorng Chonprathan, along Soi Chang Khian.
reviewed
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Sop Moei Arts
Lots of shops sell hill-tribe crafts, but this one has put a modern makeover on the traditional crafts of the Pwo Karen, a tribal group living in Mae Hong Son Province. The result is some genuinely exquisite textiles including cushion covers, table pieces and wall hangings. The shop's directors began working with the people in the village through a health program some 30 years ago, but have since harnessed the craft traditions of textile weaving and basketry as an economic-development project.
reviewed
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Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Centre
Kad Suan Kaew offers retail therapy with air-con comfort. The anchor tenant is the Bangkok-based Central Department and there’s a Tops Marketplace for buying foreign-friendly foods. Mobile phones and accessories are on the top floor while clothing boutiques occupy the ground floor. Students hang out here in the evenings and lots of small-time vendors set up outside the mall on Thursday and Friday.
reviewed
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La Luna Gallery
In the old shophouse row on the east bank of the river, this professional gallery picks a fine bouquet of emerging Southeast Asian artists. Many canvases have a social commentary angle and give the viewer a window into the different artistic styles in the region. The handpainted elephants (1000B) make great gifts.
reviewed
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Srisanpanmai
The display cases here show a visual textbook of the textiles of the Lanna people. From the technicolour rainbow patterns of Myanmar (Burma) to the wide-hem panel style of Chiang Mai, Srisanpanmai specialises in silks made in the old tradition.
reviewed
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Classic Model
Bold geometric patterns define this clothing brand from fashion designer Sumate Phunkaew, a native of Nan Province. Certainly, the boy-from-the-province success story is heartwarming, but the clothes have a high frump factor. If you flip through the racks with enough concentration though you might find some suitable ‘teacher’ wear.
reviewed
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HQ Paper Maker
Mainly an art paper retailer, this small shop sells handmade mulberry paper (săh), another Chiang Mai handcrafted speciality. There's a variety of colours and designs, including sheets printed with the northern Thai alphabet.
reviewed
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Kesorn
A collector's best friend, this cluttered shop has been trading old stuff for years. It specialises mainly in hill-tribe textiles, beads and crafts.
reviewed
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Shinawatra
This venerable family-owned silk shop was already a household name before the owners' nephew, Thaksin Shinawatra, became the controversial prime minister. The colours and styles are a little dowdy for foreign tastes, but reconsider the selection should you happen to be elected mayor of Chiang Mai.
reviewed
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Sun Gallery
Na Chanok Siemmai (nicknamed ‘Sun’) runs this friendly art gallery, where you can poke around without being a heavyweight collector. He displays his own pieces as well as his friends’ works, ranging from abstract to 3D collages. And if you’re a miniature aficionado, there are also photo postcards.
reviewed
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Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai, one of our favourite shops along the entire strip, carries a selection of well-made cotton T-shirts silk screened with more than 30 different old Chiang Mai designs, along with equally well-designed silver and bead jewellery and a changing selection of interesting accessories.
reviewed
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Adorn with Studio Naenna
The pensive colours of the mountains have been woven into these naturally dyed silks and cottons, part of a village weaving project pioneered by Patricia Cheeseman, an expert and author on Thai-Lao textiles. This is the in-town shop, but you can see the production process at the studio. This is one of the best places in Chiang Mai for textiles – the quality is excellent. A quick browse and you'll be sold.
reviewed
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Vila Cini
Villa Cini sells high-end, handmade silks and cotton textiles that are reminiscent of the Jim Thompson brand. Perhaps the real draw is the store’s atmospheric setting: a beautiful teak house with marble floors and a narrow, rickety staircase that leads to a galleried courtyard.
reviewed
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Gongdee Gallery
With one of the largest showrooms on the block, Gongdee is the soi's primary incubator for young artistic talent. There's a mix of home decor, furniture and paintings. Keep an eye out for the Byzantine icon-like Buddhas and altars painted by Chiang Mai artist Barinya.
reviewed
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Siam Celadon
This established company sells its fine collection of cracked-glazed celadon ceramics in a lovely teak building. Enjoy the Victorian-era structure and its dainty fretwork longer with a proper English tea at the attached Tea House Siam Celadon.
reviewed
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Ceramthai
Head to this shop in Chiang Mai Night Bazaar building to see some refined examples of celadon, in lovely blue, green or off-white hues. If you want to see more, go to the main workshops in Soi 5, Th Chedi Liam and get some customised pieces.
reviewed
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DNK International
DNK International has contemporary Thai furniture and designer accessories based on older themes updated for form and function (including some fusion with Santa Fe styles). It also sells good antiques - all very tasteful and of high quality.
reviewed
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Chiang Mai Night Market
Chiang Mai Night Market is a fresh-food market that's particularly busy with locals shopping for takeaway Thai and northern Thai food. A night food market then sets up across the street next to the moat and stays open past midnight.
reviewed
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Hill-Tribe Products Promotion Centre
This royally sponsored project sells handmade hill-tribe crafts and touristy souvenirs. There are tribal costumes available from six hill-tribes. All the profits from sales go to hill-tribe welfare programs. It's right next to the entrance of Wat Suan Dok.
reviewed
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JJ Market
The brand new JJ Market is a street lined with designer shops of various descriptions, from small outlets selling unique jewellery and kitschy homewares, to bigger Thai names selling contemporary furniture and mod-Thai fashion.
reviewed
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Under the Bo
This decor shop carries many unique pieces of tribal art, including furniture, bronze and wood figures, woodcarvings and weavings. There’s another shop out on the road to Hang Dong in the Kad Farang shopping mall.
reviewed
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Talat Thiphanet
Talat Thiphanet is a large municipal market that offers all manner of goods and sees surprisingly few tourists. A great place for a find. If you're after greenery the Chiang Mai Plant Market is just up the road.
reviewed
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Aka
Thai furniture and decorative arts designer Eakrit Pradissuwana has created a contemporary look for modern Asia-philes. The furniture is slick and minimalist but distinctively 'Eastern' in character.
reviewed
