Name: Chiang Mai
Rating: 4.4

Warorot Market, Chiang Mai Overview

Warorot Market can be thought of as an authentic Thai supermarket that sells everything under the sun. Aisles are flanked by stalls which display fresh spices, farm produce, local delicacies, condiments, bags, footwear, clothes, accessories and domestic appliances. The market is always buzzing with locals, making it the perfect place to completely immerse oneself in Thai culture.

Wararot Market also called Kad Luang, is the perfect place to find almost anything – from herbs and spices to ceramic good, clothes to cosmetics, shoes to sunglasses, fresh fruits and flowers to dried condiments. A favourite of the locals in Chiang Mai, if you want to taste a real slice of Thai life, this is the place for you. This three-storey market is close to the riverside, to the east of the moat and north of Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, where Chang Moi Road ends. Wararot Market is an area, which is often known as Chiang Mai’s little Chinatown.

Shopping at the Market

Outside Warorot
The best fresh produce is available right outside the market. So if you are looking for some fresh foods or vegetables, this is where you should shop. There is also a small flower market outside the main building on the eastern side that is reminiscent of Bangkok’s famous flower market. Be sure to check it out while visiting Wararot market.

Ground Floor

Once you enter from the eastern side, you will find yourself in the market on the Ground floor. This floor is mainly dedicated to food.
You can find herb dispensaries, green groceries, a sweet shop and packaged snack shops here.
There are even some fresh produce stalls on this floor.
You can also buy spices, dried fish, dried fruit, chilli paste, soybean paste, sticky rice, molasses and many other local food specialities on this floor.
Best of all, unlike other places in Thailand, everything is prepacked in clean plastic bags. Remember to haggle the prices to get a good deal.

First Floor

Once done with the Ground Floor fare take the stairs to the First Floor. An open rectangular balcony gives one a good view of the Ground Floor, and you can take some great photos from here.
Clothing and everyday merchandise dominant the market floor here, though there is a pharmacy near the southern end.
Most of the clothes shops here sell regular things. But at the far right and the far left, there are two stores bang opposite each other, both of which sell pre-cut lengths of local fabrics by the metre. You can bargain and buy some material here and head to a seamstress who sits on this floor itself and get it stitched into something beautiful.
Two split floors branch off from this floor. The one slightly downstairs sells hill tribe clothes, bedding, and some industrial kitchen things. The divided level upstairs has some good fabric stores.

Second Floor

On the second or topmost floor, you will mostly find casual clothes like T-shirts, shorts and dresses. The advantage here though is that prices are much lower than other places in Chiang Mai. So you don’t need to bargain too much.
Other things like backpacks and cosmetics are also available here, but their quality is questionable.
One particular shop though stands out from the crowd here and is worth checking out. It sells all kinds of local things – Umbrellas, woodcarvings, drums, temple bells, woodwind instruments and a collection of other curios.

Food & Restaurants at Wararot Market

Wararot Market is also a haven for foodies. You can try out some delicious street food here.
You can enter the market through one of the many covered walkways on the eastern side. This is where you get some great steamed buns, rotisserie chicken and dim sums.

On the eastern edge, a short staircase leads down to a food court with chairs and tables. This place is famous for its delicious khao soi and noodles.
Other popular food items available at the market include -
Crispy Pork Skin - Also known as Cap Moo.
Grilled meats like Sai Oua - A grilled northern-style sausage.
Red and Green Chili Dip - Also called Nam Prik Ong & Nam Prik Noom in Thai.
Curries are also a must-try and are excellent for those looking for a Vegetarian option.

Visitor Tips

If you are not fond of crowds, Wednesday afternoons are the quietest time to visit this market.
Also, other than shopping, you can check out an ancient set of kitchen scales that sit beside the public phone on the ground floor.
Since it’s a local market, it is not a great place to pick up souvenirs.