Night Bazaar and the Silver Street of Wua Lai

Chiang Mai's sprawling night bazaar on one side of town, and on Saturdays the silversmiths' street of Wua Lai with its glimmering silver temple.

Area

Markets & Evenings

Start from

Chang Klan Road

Distance

walking distance

Time needed

one or two evenings

Best season

Nightly for the bazaar; Saturdays for Wua Lai

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

On foot or Grab

Tickets & rules

None; Wat Sri Suphan asks a small donation and has its own rules

Why go

The Night Bazaar along Chang Klan Road is open every evening and has been a fixture of the city for decades. It is noisy, commercial and a little chaotic, with stalls selling everything from lanterns to fake watches, but it is also great fun, with food courts, live music and a buzz that lasts until midnight. Inside the market buildings are some good handicraft stalls.

On Saturday evenings the action moves to Wua Lai Road, just south of the old city, where a second walking street fills with crafts and food. It is smaller and more relaxed than the Sunday market and has its own character, thanks to the silversmith families who have lived on this street for generations.

The highlight is Wat Sri Suphan, whose ordination hall is covered almost entirely in silver and aluminium panels, glowing with coloured lights after dark. It looks almost like a jewellery box and is unlike any other temple in Thailand.

The story

The silversmiths of Wua Lai are said to descend from craftsmen brought to Chiang Mai from Burma and the Shan States in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when the city was repopulated after the wars. Silverwork became the identity of the neighbourhood, and you can still hear the tapping of small hammers in workshops along the lanes.

Wat Sri Suphan dates from the early sixteenth century, but its silver hall is a recent project, begun in the early 2000s to promote local craftsmanship and to train young artisans. Every surface carries delicate repoussé work: Buddhist stories, mythical beasts and even some modern figures.

The Night Bazaar grew up close to the old Chinese and Muslim trading quarter between the old city and the Ping River. Here the Yunnanese caravans of the Chin Haw arrived with mules for centuries, and the Ban Haw mosque in a nearby lane still serves the community.

Getting there

The Night Bazaar is on Chang Klan Road, about ten minutes on foot east of Tha Phae Gate. Wua Lai Road begins at the Chiang Mai Gate on the southern side of the moat, also easy on foot.

Both areas are crowded on weekends; walk or take a Grab and get dropped a block away.

A suggested plan

1. Saturday 17:00Begin at Chiang Mai Gate market and walk down Wua Lai Road.
2. 18:00Visit Wat Sri Suphan while the silver hall lights up.
3. 19:30Eat at the stalls along Wua Lai.
4. Another eveningExplore the Night Bazaar on Chang Klan Road and its food courts.
5. LateLive music or a nightcap in the Anusarn area.

Where to stay

The streets between Tha Phae Gate and the river are the most convenient for both markets, with many mid-range hotels and guesthouses.

Good to know

• Silver is sold by weight in many Wua Lai shops; ask for the price per gram.
• Visit the workshops in the lanes behind the street to see craftsmen at work.
• Bargaining is expected at the Night Bazaar; start low and stay friendly.