There isn’t actually an official ‘walking street’ in Chiang Mai, but every Sunday the whole length of Ratchadamnoen and Pra Singh Roads, the old city’s principal east/west axis, plus several side streets, are closed to traffic and become one long street bazaar, stretching all the way from Wat Pra Singh down to and including Tha Pae Gate. (That’s well over a kilometre, plus it seems to get longer by around 25 metres every week.)
Hilltribe-esque bric-a-brac
Hilltribe-esque bric-a-brac
The market kicks off late afternoon and goes on until late evening, but come 18:00 or 19:00 it starts to get seriously busy, so it’s worth turning up early for. Note also 1.2 km of dawdling browsers, buskers, lost tourists, and donation-seeking Thai girl guides can be totally exhausting. Mostly handicrafts, bric-a-brac and clothes are on sale, but there is nonetheless quite a range to be perused, and some excellent artwork can be found.