Wualai Walking Street in Chiang Mai’s Silver-Making District
Wualai Walking Street offers something exciting and vibrant for Saturday night entertainment: its market, which coincides with one of Bangkok’s most distinctive temples (Wat Sri Suphan or Silver Temple), is an experience not to be missed.
This market provides a more relaxed and laidback atmosphere than its more hectic counterpart, encouraging friendly bargaining at friendly prices.
Live Music
Wualai Walking Street offers an immersive music experience, from Thai pop songs and local classics to old school rock and traditional Northern Thai instruments that create a unique soundscape sure to captivate. The vendors play music throughout the market that’s sure to please.
Wualai Walking Street’s evening event makes it especially convenient and comfortable; when temperatures reach extreme levels during the daytime in Thailand, evening temperatures become significantly more bearable for strolling along its streets for one or two hours! Furthermore, it allows visitors to avoid crowds that form during afternoon rush-hour!
Live music fills the streets, as do stalls selling everything from traditional clothing and exquisite jewelry, handmade crafts like paper lamps and delicate silverwork and even delicate paper lanterns crafted with care by skilled artisans. Although these may not be typical tourist items, they still worth checking out because each has been meticulously created with love!
Visitors to Thailand’s markets will also find some typical tourist souvenirs like T-shirts and magnets for sale, as well as more unique offerings like lanterns or handcrafted ornaments.
Are you searching for an authentic shopping experience with friendly vendors who provide products you won’t find elsewhere locally at competitive prices? Wualai Walking Street may just be what you’ve been searching for! Not only are their prices extremely affordable but the atmosphere makes this shopping trip truly worthwhile!
If you want a taste of local culture without cooking yourself, join a Chiang Mai street food tour! These exciting tours provide an easy and fun way to sample popular dishes without needing an apron! Check out what TakeMeTour has available before making your decision.
Delicious Street Food
Visit a street market in Thailand is both exciting and delicious. These bustling, bustling markets provide an ideal venue for finding everything from tourist souvenirs to incredible designer finds – you may even come across hidden designer finds! Additionally, local cuisine such as traditional Thai fare or unique takes on classic Western fare will tempt you as much.
While a walking street market can be exhausting and drain your energy reserves quickly, the atmosphere is engaging and enjoyable. Music is lively but not overbearingly loud; people are friendly; many vendors are highly-skilled artisans selling their handmade products at the marketplaces; it also serves as an opportunity for the community to come together in celebration of arts and culture in its local setting.
Wualai Walking Street Market in Chiang Mai may not be one of the better-known street markets, but it still makes for an enjoyable visit. Situated south of the Old City and operating from late afternoon until midnight daily, Wualai offers local and regional products in three sections for exploration over several hours of exploring time. Though not a large market by any stretch of imagination, Wualai offers enough to keep visitors busy for several hours of wandering!
The Marketplace in Chiang Mai is a favorite spot among restaurant professionals and street food vendors for shopping, as it offers fresh river prawns to bulk cooking oil purchases. Furthermore, visitors will find here an excellent selection of spices and other exotic cuisine that may otherwise be hard to come by elsewhere in the city.
At the south gate of Chiang Mai’s old city lies its first market section: Cowboy Hat lady can be found serving her famous Khao Kha Moo (braised pork knuckle), as well as family run stalls offering suki, which features fresh vegetables and grilled pork as part of its ingredients. Meanwhile, the second section provides hill tribe handicrafts, handmade jewelry as well as being home for many Chiang Mai University art students looking to sell their work here.
Wide Range of Products
Wualai Walking Street boasts an expansive selection of products for sale, spanning silver jewellery to small ornaments, traditional teak boxes and handmade nature-inspired items. Some artisans work with remnants from Vietnam War bomb casings repurposed into spoons and pendants while smiths in Xieng Khouang province recycle old gold coins to craft unique works of art.
Although it primarily caters to locals, this market is becoming increasingly popular with those traveling to Thailand. Less crowded than Sunday Walking Street and affordable enough for budget travellers – it offers great shopping and eating opportunities!
Wualai Walking Street’s music doesn’t blare loud or annoyingly repetitive; rather, its musicians play beautiful melodies that fit well with other sounds of the market and add atmosphere. Most performers at Wualai are down syndrome individuals and find this an invaluable opportunity to show off their skills and showcase their talent.
Wualai Walking Street features not only live music but also an abundance of Thai snacks and beverages, with most stalls featuring tables where customers can sit to enjoy their food or take it away to go. You will have no difficulty finding one to suit both your budget and tastes – there is something here for every taste and budget!
Wat Sri Suphan (the “Silver Temple”) should be on any visitor’s itinerary when in this part of Thailand. Constructed between 2004 and 2016, this temple does not appear in any older guide books but has become an attraction only recently. It earned its nickname due to a combination of silver and aluminium used to construct its ubosot (ordination hall).
The Ubosot is not only beautiful, but you can also see how its construction was accomplished by taking a peek inside. Some parts of the ordination hall use all-silver construction techniques such as repousse and chasing while others employ various combinations thereof. Open daily to the public with an extremely affordable entrance fee – don’t miss it!
Haggling
Haggling is an integral part of street markets in Thailand. Before entering negotiations for your desired items, be aware of their current market price as local vendors often mark them up to accommodate tourists.
Avoid crowds at walking streets by visiting during off-peak hours when it is less crowded and shopping can take place at your own pace. If attending Sunday markets such as these is your plan, arrive early so you can secure a space and explore all stalls before the crowds come pouring through.
Silverware aside, there are also many stalls selling a wide range of handicrafts and traditional items from all across the country. Many are run by local artisans who can give visitors an authentic insight into its culture and heritage; although many items on sale here may appear costly at first glance, supporting local entrepreneurs is always worthwhile and you may just find something truly unique at an unbeatably fair price!
If street markets are too overwhelming for your tastes, Chiang Mai offers alternatives that offer genuine cultural experiences without the crowds. Kad Na Mor Market near Chiang Mai University offers cheap shoes and clothing; for something quieter and less hectic visit Wua Lai Walking Street for a relaxing shopping experience.
Wualai Walking Street is an irresistibly charming experience that will offer souvenir shoppers and those in search of delicious street food alike an unforgettable experience. Enjoy its inviting ambience, tantalizing cuisine, and unique products for sale while finding some of the most competitive prices around for products such as food. Haggling is encouraged before making a purchase decision to secure even better bargains!