Shopping: Chiang Mai has a large and famous night bazaar for arts, handicrafts, and imported products of all descriptions, and a number of large, well-appointed modern shopping centres. The night bazaar alone sprawls along several city blocks along footpaths, inside buildings and temple grounds, and in open squares. A handicraft and food market opens every Sunday afternoon till late on Rachadamnoen Road, the main street in the historical centre, which is closed to motorised traffic. Every Saturday evening a handicraft market is held along Wua Lai road, Chiang Mai's silver street on the south-side of the city beyond Chiang Mai gate, and which is then also closed to motorized traffic. Both Saturday and Sunday events attract many local residents and tourists.
Visitors seeking bargains can also find a thriving second hand "Thieves" market with lots of interesting stalls under shady trees across the river to the east of the city beginning at the intersection of Kaeo Nawarat and Ratanakosin Roads.
Thai massage: The back streets and main thoroughfares of Chiang Mai have an abundance and variety of massage parlours which offer anything from quick, simple, face and foot massages, to month-long courses in the art of Thai massage.
Thai cookery: A number of Thai cooking schools have their home in Chiang Mai (see also Thai food).
Central Plaza Chiang Mai Airport: An ultra-modern air-conditioned shopping mall located 10 minutes from the city centre near the international airport of Chiang Mai has the full array of western and Thai fashion, electronics, food franchises, coffee shops, a large Cineplex with optional luxury seating and 3D screens showing the latest release western movies in English plus fine examples from the burgeoning Thai movie industry with an adjacent thriving low cost food hall and restaurants.
A focal point of the Plaza is the unique Lanna style Northern Village shopping section featuring high quality local clothing handicrafts and furnishings over three floors. On the lower floor is a mouth watering array of typical Northern Thai Cuisine.
Kad Suan Kaew Central mall, located on Huay Kaew road just 100–200 m from the old city moat, being even bigger than Central Airport Plaza, offers similar range of services and shopping/entertainment options.
For IT shopping, there's Pantip Plaza (much smaller than the one in Bangkok) just south of Night Bazaar, as well as Computer Plaza near the northern moat and IT City department store in Kad Suan Kaew mall.
As a major Thai city, Chiang Mai has hypermarkets of all major networks represented in Thailand, including two Tesco Lotus Supercenters (as well as three much smaller Tesco Lotus Express supermarkets), two Big C's, one Carrefour, and one Makro. Those are located on highways in the peripheral areas of the city and are highly popular among locals and expats.
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