Where to shop in Chiang Mai.

The modern mall anchoring the top of Nimman, MAYA is the everyday shopping hub for the coworking and nomad crowd - a Rimping supermarket in the basement, fashion and lifestyle floors, a cinema, a food court and a rooftop bar-and-restaurant zone. Its location at the Nimman/Huay Kaew corner makes it the most convenient full-size mall for anyone living in the west of the city.

A stylish open-air retail and dining piazza at the entrance to Nimman, One Nimman is built around a brick clock-tower plaza and gathers boutique fashion, local design and craft brands, cafes, restaurants and a permanent weekend craft-and-maker market. It is more lifestyle destination than department store - the place to browse Chiang Mai design, gifts and independent labels.

Chiang Mai's largest mall, on the eastern ring road, Central Festival is the full international department-store experience - Central and Robinson stores, global fashion chains, a large Tops supermarket, electronics, a major cinema and a huge food hall. It is the go-to for brand shopping and one-stop errands, best reached by car or Grab as it sits outside the centre.

The long-established mall south of the Old City by the airport, Airport Plaza is a busy, popular Central-anchored centre with Robinson, a big supermarket, fashion, banks, a food court and cinema. It serves the south and centre of the city and is often less of a drive than Central Festival for Old City and Suthep-side residents.

The long-running Kad Suan Kaew mall near the Old City is a smaller, local-facing option away from the two Central malls and MAYA. Note: Promenada Resort Mall, the open-air "resort mall" east of the city, closed permanently in May 2022 due to financial difficulties and remained closed as of our most recent check -- if you see it recommended as open elsewhere, treat that as outdated. The two Central malls, MAYA and One Nimman cover the great majority of serious shopping needs today.

Chiang Mai's flagship market: every Sunday evening Ratchadamnoen Road through the Old City closes to traffic and fills with hundreds of stalls of handicrafts, art, clothing, silver, textiles and street food, with temple courtyards turned into food halls. It is the single best place to buy northern handicrafts and gifts - arrive early evening before the crush.

The Saturday counterpart runs down Wualai Road, the traditional silversmith street south of the Old City. Slightly more local and craft-focused than Sunday's, it is strong on silverware, handmade goods and food, and is the better choice if you want a marginally calmer walking-street experience.

The original tourist night market on Chang Klan Road runs every night of the week - permanent shophouses plus stalls selling handicrafts, clothing, souvenirs, bags and gadgets, wrapped around the Kalare and Anusarn food courts. Prices are tourist-facing so bargain, but it is a dependable any-night option for gifts and a food stop.

The city's great old commercial market near the river and Chinatown, Warorot (Kad Luang) is where locals shop - a maze of fresh produce, dried goods, northern snacks and sausages, textiles and fabric, kitchenware and cheap clothing. It is the most authentic daytime market in Chiang Mai and the best value for food, spices and everyday goods.

Daily life runs on neighbourhood markets: the Chang Phuak Gate night market (famous for its stewed-pork-leg 'cowboy hat lady') and the Ploen Ruedee international food market for dinner, plus dozens of morning fresh markets (talat) across the city for produce, meat and prepared food far cheaper than the supermarket. Every district has one within a short ride.

Chiang Mai is Thailand's craft capital. The walking streets, One Nimman and Warorot cover portable handicrafts, while the Baan Tawai handicraft village in Hang Dong (south of the city) is a whole district of workshops for wood carving, furniture, ceramics, lacquerware and home decor - the place to buy or commission statement pieces and ship them home.

For a rental you have easy options: an Index Living Mall and HomePro on the ring roads for affordable furniture, mattresses and appliances, plus a large IKEA-style range at these chains, and the Baan Tawai / Hang Dong furniture belt for solid-wood and rattan pieces. For small items and decor, the walking streets, Warorot and Nimman design shops fill the gaps cheaply.

The IT malls - Computer Plaza and Pantip-style centres near the Old City - plus the electronics floors of Central Festival, Airport Plaza and Power Buy cover laptops, phones, appliances and repairs. Chiang Mai's nomad demand means good service and accessory shops, though the very newest models sometimes reach Bangkok first.

Rimping supermarkets (in MAYA and elsewhere) are the expat favourite for imported and Western groceries, cheese, wine and specialty items; Tops at the Central malls and Makro for bulk shopping cover the rest. Pharmacies, opticians, hardware and household goods are all easy to find in the malls and along the main roads, so long-stay residents rarely need to leave the city for anything.

Nimman is the best all-round shopping base - MAYA, One Nimman, supermarkets, cafes and boutiques within walking distance. The Old City and Wualai put you at the heart of the walking streets and Warorot; the eastern Superhighway belt suits those who want Central Festival on the doorstep; and Hang Dong in the south is the choice for furniture, handicrafts and big-box shopping.

MAYA and One Nimman in Nimman are the most convenient for the expat and nomad crowd - MAYA for a full mall with a Rimping supermarket and cinema, One Nimman for design boutiques and craft. For big brand shopping, Central Festival on the eastern ring road is the largest mall, and Central Airport Plaza serves the south and centre. Promenada and Kad Suan Kaew round out the options.

The Sunday Walking Street through the Old City is the flagship for handicrafts, art and street food, with the Saturday Walking Street on Wualai a slightly more local, silver-focused alternative. The Chang Klan Night Bazaar runs every night for souvenirs and food, and Warorot Market (Kad Luang) is the authentic daytime market for fresh produce, textiles and northern snacks.

Index Living Mall and HomePro on the ring roads cover affordable furniture, mattresses and appliances with citywide delivery, while the Baan Tawai handicraft village in Hang Dong is the place for solid-wood and rattan pieces. For small items and decor, the walking streets, Warorot and Nimman design shops are cheap and characterful.

Chiang Mai is Thailand's craft capital. The Sunday Walking Street and One Nimman are the easiest places to browse portable handicrafts, textiles and silver, while the Baan Tawai handicraft village in Hang Dong is a whole district of workshops for wood carving, ceramics, lacquerware and furniture you can buy or commission.

Rimping supermarkets - including the one in MAYA in Nimman - are the expat favourite for imported and Western groceries, cheese and wine. Tops at the Central malls and Makro for bulk cover the rest, and neighbourhood fresh markets remain the cheapest option for produce, meat and prepared local food.