Updated: 30 October, 2024
I tell you about the best things to see in Chinatown in Chiang Mai, the Warorot market, the street stalls, with tips and curiosities.
Warorot is a must-visit market for food lovers. street food tasting, is located in Chinatown in Chiang Mai.
Chinatown is located less than 1 km from Tha Phae Gate and is an area worth spending a few hours wandering around and of course delighting in the food.
If you can, go both during the day and at night to take advantage of the daily market that is Warorot or the night market which is set up in the streets around Warorot.
In this article I explain in detail about the different markets, curious shops, the bridge and the Chinese temple.
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What to see in china town in Chiang Mai
1. Welcome Gate to Chinatown
Like any Chinatown, Chiang Mai could not be less and its welcome door could not be missed.
This imposing arch flanked by lions Traditional Chinese style, made of wood and with a concrete base, welcomes you to Chinatown and is located just 150 meters from the Warorot market.
2. Streets of Chinatown
A strong Chinese community has lived in the city of Chiang Mai for centuries, something that is reflected in the fact that they have their own neighborhood, just like the Chinese temples that you will find in other areas of the city.
The chinatown has been the main commercial area since the beginning of the city, with incessant activity and colorful posters.
There you will find wholesale and retail stores with all kinds of products for everyday life and even clothing at a very good price, although not top quality.
Another type of stores that stand out in the surroundings of the market are the stores that buy and sell gold.
It is easy to distinguish them because they are red, a very important color in Chinese culture that is used in weddings and festivities. Additionally, there is a line of red lanterns on the roof next to the entrance.
Chinatown attracts Chinese tourists who are one of the main tourists in the country of smiles. In addition, it is one of the favorite shopping places for locals because you can find everything there.
3. Warorot Market
The Warorot market known by local people as Kad Luang, it is a building with 4 floors in total but most of the positions are on the main floor and in the basement.
Warorot is one of the best shopping markets for local people, hence it has a large assortment of typical products from the country's northern cuisine and Chinese products.
It is a place where you will find fresh products, prepared food, varied and unusual snacks for Westerners, teas and spices.
There are also crafts and clothing, so it is a good place to buy something to give as a gift.
In addition to the positions, there are a food court where there are several restaurants and a table area. The food is good, varied and very cheap, where Dish prices start at 30 baht. (0.82 euros).
A good place for you to go for lunch where you will spend very little, it is ideal for backpackers on a tight budget.
Furthermore, northern Thailand is cheaper than the rest of the country and more authentic. Many things you can buy in Warorot you won't get on the islands.
Warorot is open from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m., although I recommend that you do not leave it until close to closing time because you can find many stalls collecting or closed.
🎥 Fun fact: Scenes from the movie American Gangster starring Denzel Washington is next to a market in Vietnam, it is actually filmed at Warorot market in Chiang Mai. In this article I tell you more about this film and others Movies Shot in Thailand.
4. Night market
Once the indoor market closes, that is, the building where Warorot is, the streets that surround it They begin to transform into a night market full of stalls of exquisite Thai food.
The first few hours are quieter, but after sunset the night market begins to get into full swing with people coming to satisfy their appetite.
I recommend you not miss the experience of dining there. Every time I went I ended up with more bags of food than I could eat. 😋
5. Ton Lam Yai Market
Right next to Warorot towards the Ping River side is Talat Ton Lam Yai (talat means market), from the outside it is a building similar to that of Warorot.
The ground floor of the market is where it sells meats, fresh and dried fish. The dried fish part is very interesting to see.
6. Flower Market in Talat Ton Lam Yai
If you continue inside the Ton Lam Yai market towards the river you will find the part occupied by the flowers market.
Most flower stalls remain on the outside facing the river, you don't have to enter the building to see them.
Flowers are of great importance in the daily lives of Thais, who are mostly Buddhists.
Because floral arrangements are one of the main offerings made daily in temples, small sanctuaries, in their homes and businesses.
If you stop at the flower market you can see the sellers create floral offerings with great skill Buddhists.
7. Hmong Craft Market
In an alley less than 100m from Warorot market is the Hmong Market.
The Hmong are a people from central China who today live in several countries in Southeast Asia. In Thailand they have been present since the end of the 19th century.
Your crafts They are textiles made by women, stand out for their color and beautiful geometric designs.
Is a tradition passed down through generations who begin to learn at just 3 years of age.
You will find Hmong markets in several places near Chiang Mai.
However, this is the best Hmong market If you want to compare something, take a souvenir or to give gifts because they have more variety and better prices, that's why it's where local people shop.
In theory, you can haggle on prices. But I personally have not done it, because what they sell is well priced and haggling to get a discount that is a few cents in exchange has not seemed right to me.
And more so considering that Ethical minorities always tend to have a more difficult life. Buying something from them is a way of collaborating with them.
8. Kuan U Shrine
Right in front of the Warorot market is the small Kuan U sanctuary (or also Guan Yu) which has an interesting interior patio decorated with the typical red lanterns and Chinese Buddhas, it is worth stopping by to see it.
The sanctuary is dedicated to chinese god of loyalty, highly respected in Chinese tradition.
Although it is a shrine with modest decoration, it is one of the most appreciated by the Chinese community.
It is easy to find because in the section of street where the entrance is there are also red lanterns, symbol of prosperity.
9. Pung Thao Kong Shrine
Although he oldest chinese shrine It is the Pung Thao Kong that faces the river, just after the flower market.
The decoration is typical Chinese with big dragons, red lanterns and lots of color. It is a much more attractive sanctuary than the previous one.
10. Chansom Memorial Bridge
Another interesting place in Chinatown in Chiang Mai is the bridge that is a few steps from the flower market, across the street.
It is a small pedestrian bridge called Chansom Memorial Bridge or Khua Khaek.
The first bridge that was there was a bamboo bridge that every year after the rainy season it had to be replaced because it was damaged.
Thus, there were a series of successive bridges until the current bridge, which was rebuilt and reopened in 2016.
The Chansom Memorial Bridge is a hangout for local youth to watch the sunset and take photos with the beautiful lighting of the bridge.
Depending on the time, you will also encounter the monks crossing to or from the Ket Karam Temple which is located on the opposite bank of the Ping River.
11. Traditional Chinese Apothecary (Jip Ang Tueng)
In Chinatown you can find the most unusual scenes, including a pharmacy that has been passed down for generations where they sell the traditional chinese herbs to treat different ailments.
If you're interested in stopping by to browse, it's right in front of Warorot across the street from where the gold shops are.
12. Restaurants on the Ping River
In case you go to the night market at night, but still feel like sitting down to dinner quietly, I recommend restaurants across the Ping River.
If you cross the Chansom Memorial Bridge you have restaurants on both the right and left with great views of the river and Chinatown.
One of my favorite restaurants is Sai Ping Bar & Restaurant They have good food and live music.
13. Philatelic Museum and other buildings from 1930
Chinatown is much more than the market area, there are also several old buildings, ideal if you are interested in architecture. They are generally +1 floor buildings typical of the 1930s.
One of the most interesting is the Philatelic Museum, which has a collection of historical Thai stamps.
Honestly, I didn't go into the museum, but if you are interested in philately, they are open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The museum is on Praisanee Street, that is, the same street as the flower market and Pung Thao Kong Shrine.
If you continue down that street you will see some other buildings from the same period, including the Mae Ping Post Office (marked on the map with the number 14).
Curiosity about rickshaws
As a final curiosity, I tell you that in the area near the market, as well as in other parts of the city of Chiang Mai, you can find the typical rickshaws bicycle.
Be alert if you see any, because this very traditional means of transportation It has almost disappeared in the rest of Thailand, giving way to the tuk tuk.
Chiang Mai Chinatown Map
* To check the legend for each place, click the button in the top left corner of the map. To view this map on your phone or computer, tap the star on the right side of the title. Then go to Google Maps, select "Your Places" and "Maps" from the menu.
Final Thoughts
Chinatown is a place that brims with life and activity It is worth the visit because in every corner there is something interesting to see, if you are a curious person you will love it.
The article is written based on my experience of living in Chiang Mai for 6 months.
If you have any questions, leave me a comment below and if you found the article useful, share it with other fellow travelers. 😘
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Hello, I’m Andrea, the creator and writer of Viajeros Activos (Active Travelers). I’m a nomad, so I consider myself a full-time traveler. I’m passionate about good food and always looking for new adventures.
I loved the post, and knowing that in Chiang Mai there is a Chinatown. I had no idea!
It reminded me a lot of those good times in Taiwan :') to the point that I had reserved 2 days in Chiang Rai and in the end to have one more day in Chiang Mai and enjoy this neighborhood, I have replaced those 2 days with the alternative 1-day round trip excursion to Rai from Mai.
Ivan – globe.ando
Hello Ivan!
Yes, Chinatown in Chiang Mai is quite important and especially Warorot.
The neighborhood, although small, is interesting.
Many people say that the east area does not have much to see and they prefer the west area.
On the other hand, for me the eastern part is the best of Chiang Mai after the old town, it is an area with a lot of history that remains authentic.
Regarding Chiang Rai, in my experience a day trip is not enough to see the most important things, but you always have to choose.
That way you'll have an excuse to come back, haha.
A hug!
Thank you Andrea! Well, you should know that I have in my Chiang Mai plan to make a video tour that I will try to faithfully reproduce this route or a good part of it :)
A hug,
Globeando (Ivan)
Great Ivan, I'll share the video in the article!
A hug
By the way, now that I'm here for a long week and a half: is there any day of the week when it is particularly advisable or not advisable to visit this Chinatown?
In Thailand there is not much difference in the markets from one day to the next, because they are open every day.
But I would tell you that if you can, go at different times to have lunch in Warorot, which is the most interesting thing in the neighborhood, and then in the afternoon to the night market to have dinner and see the life.