Shopping in Chiang Mai Province
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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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Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is one of the city’s main night-time attractions, especially for families, and is the modern legacy of the original Yunnanese trading caravans that stopped here along the ancient trade route between Simao (in China) and Mawlamyaing (on Myanmar’s Gulf of Martaban coast). Today the night bazaar sells the usual tourist souvenirs, like what you’ll find at Bangkok’s street markets. In true market fashion, vendors form a gauntlet along the footpath of Th Chang Khlan from Th Tha Phae to Th Loi Kroh. In between are dedicated shopping buildings: the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar Building is filled mainly with antique and handicraft stores. Across the street is th…
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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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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Angel
Original and modern silver designs decorate this shop further bolstering Thailand’s reputation for fine silver jewellery.
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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Chili Antiques & Arts
A great concentration of stores can be found in Ban Wan on Th Thakhilek, the first left turn after Talat Hang Dong. A cluster of stores near the intersection sells antique reproductions using new wood; in times past they used salvaged teak but most of that is now gone. Further down the road is Chili Antiques & Arts, a massive showroom of bronze and wooden Buddhas, sculptures, wood carvings and fine decor.
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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Talat Ton Phayom
This place acts as both a local market and a souvenir stop for Thais visiting from other provinces. Take a look at the packaged food area to see the kinds of edible gifts (like bags of kâap mŏo and sâi òo·a ) that make a visit to Chiang Mai complete. Because CMU students make up a good portion of the clientele, prices tend to be low.
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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Tuesday Morning Market
Chiang Dao town isn’t much but a dusty crossroads that hosts a colourful Tuesday morning market, when hill tribes come to sell their wares. The more charming part of town is 5km west along the road that leads to Tham Chiang Dao (Chiang Dao Cave). The surrounding village and guesthouses are smack up against the mountain.
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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Freedom Wheel Chairs Workshop
At Freedom Wheel Chairs Workshop you can purchase a wheelchair (9500B) that will be donated to a disabled person who cannot afford such an expense. Run by a Thai survivor of polio and her husband, the workshop purchases and customises wheelchairs and mobility aids for needy recipients.
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
Vila 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. It's on the eastern side of the road about 400m north of Saphan Nawarat.
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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Dor Dek Gallery
This Gallery sells the craft projects of street children employed by the Volunteers for Children Development Foundation. The profits from sales are divided among the child artist, the program’s educational fund and future supply purchases.
reviewed
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Gàht Farang
The shops along Rte 108 in Hang Dong are impossible to explore on foot and still a bit of a pain in a car. The high-end Gàht Farang walking mall has attempted to remedy the problem of access, but it may never be filled to capacity.
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
