Wualai Road - A great night market in Chiang Mai

© Frank P. Schneidewind

On a Saturday night, you can hardly do something better in the "Rose of the North", than herd over to Chiang Mai's Wualai Street, the daytime famous location for the silversmiths and antique dealers. Unlike it's famous night market competitor, the once glamorous "Night Bazaar", Wualai night market hasn't become a touristc nightmare with inflated prices and purely commercial aspects. Wualai market is one of the old style markets, where you'll be surrounded by the lights, sounds and smells of a truely grown and established markets. Not drawn up on a map as a tourist magnet for the lazy mass tourists, which return from their arranged trips and have made the tour industry happy all day. Wualai seems not to have lost the touch of a genuine market yet.

The market occurs once weekly along the flanks of said road, which leads diagonally from the moat to Chiang Mai gate. You will find all sorts of artists here, which will draw your picture or carve your elephant while you wait. Handicrafts and hand crafted snacks are a big winner with the visiting public.

Seniors entertain their crowds with long forgotten tunes and play their instruments for you:

Melona gears up on hairpins for herself and her friends worldwide to have some gifts for their next visit to Thailand.

She loves to haggle with the dealers and enjoys the shopping here much.

Carved soap seems to go well with the customers, shops and stalls show their respective products:

Photographers, don't forget your cameras in the hotel or guest house, there is too much to see here.

Sweets are available in abundance, some of those treats you may want to sample yourself:

Foods and snacks are served all along this long market, it neverneeds visitors to venture on hungry:

Puppeteers, ballet, live music - you never know what to expect a few steps further.....

Try local Cappucino or hilltribe coffees in the coffee stalls along the way:

Suddenly you spot beauties in their traditional dresses, just love to pose for your picture....

The selection is no less here, than in the touristy hotspots, but you may get much better prices on items:

The beauties are everywhere, and before you know it, you have walked miles here down Wualai Road.

Even street performers are now showing up, always another nice addition to a great venue!

Thaphae Gate market, Night Bazaar, there is a big choice for all in Chiang Mai. Wualai market is our declared favorite one, see it for yourself one day!