Must-see shopping in Thailand

  • Sweet stall, Sunday walking street market.

    Sunday Walking Street

    Chiang Mai

    On Sunday afternoon Th Ratchadamnoen is taken over by the boisterous Sunday Walking Street, which feels even more animated than Th Wualai's Saturday…

  • CHIANG MAI, THAILAND - 2006/08/13: The popular walking street market which attracts thousands of locals and tourists each weekend. The market opens in the evening and vendors sell a wide range of goods from traditional produce to pirated DVDs and CDs.. (Photo by Yvan Cohen/LightRocket via Getty Images)

    Saturday Walking Street

    Chiang Mai

    The Saturday Walking Street takes over Th Wualai, running southwest from Pratu Chiang Mai at the southern entrance to the old city. There is barely space…

  • Seenspace

    Hua Hin

    Seenspace is Thailand's first beachfront mall and word is still getting out. A trendy layout of concrete walls and open-air areas comprise food stands and…

  • ICONSIAM

    Bangkok

    This megamall on the Chao Phraya River has six floors dedicated to luxury shopping, encompassing everything from high-end to high street. It also rolls in…

  • Lhong 1919

    Chinatown

    Spanning a group of restored defunct Chinese warehouses on the western bank of the Chao Phraya River, this concept shopping complex combines the old-world…

  • Municipal Market

    Mae Sot

    Mae Sot’s municipal market is among the largest and most vibrant we’ve encountered anywhere in Thailand. There’s heaps of exotic stuff from Myanmar,…

  • Asiatique

    Bangkok

    Considered one of Bangkok's most popular night markets, Asiatique is housed within restored warehouses next to the Chao Phraya River. Expect clothing,…

  • Sarongs

    Khao San Market

    Banglamphu

    The main guesthouse strip in Banglamphu is a day-and-night shopping bazaar peddling all the backpacker 'essentials': profane T-shirts, bootleg DVDs of…

  • Ranida

    Phuket Town

    An elegant antiques gallery and boutique featuring antiquated Buddha statues and sculptures, organic textiles, and ambitious, exquisite high-fashion women…

  • Chandra

    Phuket

    Fashionistas will adore this sparkly, sophisticated Ko Samui–born boutique that captures all that's young and glam about Phuket. Flick through gorgeous,…

  • Studio Naenna

    Chiang Mai

    The colours of the mountains have been woven into the naturally dyed silks and cottons here, part of a project to preserve traditional weaving and…

  • Baan Kang Wat

    Chiang Mai

    Though a little out of the way, Baan Kang Wat is worth the trip simply to coo over the cute architecture and picturesque ambience. The open-air artists…

  • Seek35

    Hua Hin

    Seek35 is full of funky take-homes you won't find elsewhere in Hua Hin. Spread across two shops opposite each other at Seenspace mall, one is filled with…

  • King Power Mahanakhon

    Bangkok

    Occupying the first four floors of the Mahanakhon skyscraper, this vast duty-free outlet is run by King Power, a Thai duty-free company that also owns…

  • Hachi Coffee & Bike Shop

    Prachuap Khiri Khan

    Hachi cafe and secondhand shop is a treasure trove of Hawaiian shirts, vinyl and other quirky items that could make cool souvenirs. Grab a coffee and sit…

  • Heritage Craft

    Banglamphu

    Handicrafts with a conscience: this boutique is an atmospheric showcase for quality domestic wares, some of which are produced via fair-trade practices…

  • Pranburi Old Market

    Hua Hin & the Upper Gulf

    Every Saturday evening, this walking street near Pranburi's train station opens for a relaxing local market with a retro vibe. Old wooden shophouses sell…

  • Punchard

    Ubon Ratchathani

    Though pricey, this is the best all-round handicrafts shop in Ubon. It specialises in silks and homewares; many of its products merge old methods and…

  • Drawing Room

    Phuket Town

    With a street-art vibe reminiscent of pre-boom Brooklyn or East London, this wide-open cooperative is by far the standout gallery in a town full of them…

  • Bar, Talat Rot Fai market.

    Talat Rot Fai Srinakharin

    Bangkok

    The emphasis at this night market is on the retro, from vintage clothes to kitschy antiques. With stalls and food trucks, van-based bars, land-bound pubs…

  • Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

    Chiang Mai

    Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is one of the city’s main night-time attractions, especially for families, and is the legacy of the original Yunnanese trading…

  • Ban Tawai Tourism Village

    Chiang Mai Province

    About 2km east of Hang Dong, Ban Tawai is a sprawling, pedestrian-friendly tourist market, with hundreds of small shops selling handicrafts and knick…

  • One Nimman

    Chiang Mai

    Featuring upmarket Chiang Mai clothing, cafes and art, eclectic Nimman also houses an open-air food hall, regular pop-up markets, and even free salsa and…

  • Lemongrass House

    Phuket

    Phuket’s top homegrown all-natural health and beauty producer, Lemongrass has shelves stacked high with moisturisers, body scrubs, essential oils, chunky…

  • River City

    Bangkok

    Several upscale art and antique shops occupy the 3rd and 4th floors of this riverside mall. The vast majority of pieces appear to come from Myanmar and –…

  • Night Market

    Ko Samui

    The island's travelling market takes up the outdoor space behind Central Festival mall when it comes to Chaweng. The popular street market is full of…

  • John Gallery

    Chiang Mai

    Opened in 1980, this place is a warren of paintings on cotton, cards and rocks, often inscribed with feel-good or creative quotes. John also hawks dusty…

  • Island Books

    Ko Samui

    Scouse owner Paul Wotham belongs to a different age; one where people read and loved to wander the isles of a decent bookshop. There may not be many of…

  • Chandra

    Phuket

    Exclusive Ko Samui beachwear boutique Chandra nails the high-end Thai-island look with its breezy style and graphic prints woven into cotton dresses and…

  • Baanboonpitak

    Hat Patong

    Hidden in this dusty antiques repository at the southern end of Patong is a vast array of teak sculpture, Buddha images, delicate paintings, some…

  • Fisherman's Village Night Market

    Ko Samui

    Every Friday night, this strip of Fisherman's Village close to the parking for The Wharf, transforms into a busy and colourful forest of market stalls,…

  • Talat Sanpatong

    Chiang Mai Province

    If the Saturday and Sunday Walking Streets feel overly touristy, check out this local water-buffalo market. For more than 60 years, farmers have been…

  • Shinawatra Thai Silk

    Chiang Mai

    This venerable family-owned silk shop was already a household name before the owners' nephew, Thaksin Shinawatra, became (now exiled) prime minister. The…

  • Elephant Parade

    Chiang Mai

    In venues around Chiang Mai, you may notice life-sized, decorated baby elephant sculptures created by artists and celebrities through the social…

  • Oriental Fine Art

    Phuket

    One of the best collections of traditional Southeast Asian art in Thailand, this multilevel, museum-quality showroom displays a 3m Buddha encrusted with…

  • Jim Thompson

    Ko Samui

    Named after the famous Brit who rejuvenated the Thai silk industry, this is a great shop to pick up a special gift. Prices are designer level, but then so…

  • Nature Art Gallery

    Ko Samui

    With a selection several notches above most of the tat for sale along Chaweng Beach Rd, this store sells elegant jewellery, fashioned from gold, silver…

  • Tamnan Mingmuang

    Bangkok

    As soon as you step through the doors of this museum-like shop, the earthy smell of dried grass and stained wood rushes to meet you. Rattan, yahn lí·pow …

  • Borderline Shop

    Mae Sot

    This long-running shop sells arts and crafts made by refugee and ethnic-minority women; the profits go back into a women’s collective and a child…

  • Central Festival

    Ko Samui

    This bright, shiny mall is full of international brand shops, cafes and restaurants. There's a really good dining area that offers street-food-style…

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