Chiang Mai Old Town and the Night Bazaar are some of the best areas to stay in Chiang Mai for first-time visitors. These areas have central locations, a lively nightlife scene, and close proximity to major historical and cultural attractions of Chiang Mai.
In this article, I will compare Chiang Mai Old Town and the Night Bazaar area, focusing on their location, accommodation, nightlife, shopping, and attractions.
I stayed in several guest houses around Chiang Mai and traveled around the city. So I hope to give you some good recommendations based on my personal experience. If you’re trying to decide whether it’s better to stay in the Old Town or the Night Bazaar area, keep reading.
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Is it better to stay in Chiang Mai Old Town or Night Bazaar?
Both Chiang Mai Old Town and the Night Bazaar are popular places to stay in Chiang Mai. They are located right next to each other, so no matter where you choose to stay, you can easily visit the other areas on foot or with a short tuk-tuk ride.
In my opinion, Chiang Mai Old City is better than Night Bazaar if you want to be surrounded by ancient temples, ruins, cultural attractions, and some good nightlife markets. This is the historic heart of the city packed with traditional temples, old houses, and the ruins of the ancient walls.
I recommend staying in the Night Bazaar area if you prefer to be close to the nightlife, luxury modern hotels, and close proximity to the Ping River. This area is packed with bars, night clubs, some night markets, food complexes, and some fast food chains.
I stayed in the Old Town and had no problem walking to the Night Bazaar area at night to explore its night markets and shops. My hotel was near the Chiang Mai Gate Market and Tha Phae Gate, so it was just a 10 minutes walk away.
Both areas are ideal for first-time visitors. The most important thing is to book your hotel well in advance to secure your spot. Hotels are often in high demand in the peak season from November to May and some festivals like Songkran and Loy Krathong.
Top places to stay in Chiang Mai Old Town:
- Luxury: Chala Number6
- Mid-range: Pingviman Hotel
- Budget: At Home At Chiang Mai
My recommended Hotels in Chiang Mai Night Bazaar:
- Luxury: Chiang Mai Marriott Hotel
- Mid-range: Banthai Village
- Budget: Born Guest House
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Location
Chiang Mai Old Town is a 2 km square area located in the heart of Chiang Mai between Nimman and Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. It is around 4km north of Chiang Mai Airport, 6 km west of Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3 and Chiang Mai Train Station.
The old city is surrounded by an ancient moat and the ruins of the old city walls. There are several gates from four sides of the old city, which includes Tha Phae Gate in the eastern side, Chiang Mai Gate in the southern side, Suan Dok Gate in the western side, and Chang Phuak in the northern side.
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is the area around Loi Kroh Road and part of Chang Klan Road. This area is located between the Old Town and the Ping River.
The Old Town is a bit further away from Chiang Mai Airport compared to the old town, but it is closer to Chiang Mai Train Station and Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3. If you travel on long distance trains and buses, staying in the Night Bazaar area is a bit more convenient.
Accommodations
Both Chiang Mai Old Town and the Night Bazaar have a wide range of accommodations for all budgets. You can find more luxury 5-star modern hotels in the Night Bazaar area.
The Old Town has more low rise boutique hotels and guest houses with traditional architecture styles. The Night Bazaar has more choices of high-rise big chain hotels and apartments, especially in the area closer to the Ping River.
I always recommend booking hotels in advance to have the best deals wherever you go in Thailand, especially in popular cities like Chiang Mai. These are the most popular areas to stay in Chiang Mai for tourists, and accommodations are often sold out early in the high season or at festivals.
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Nightlife
The Night Bazaar area is the nightlife hub of Chiang Mai but the old town also has a good nightlife scene. The nightlife in the old town is more relaxed than in the Night Bazaar area.
The Old Town has a good range of night markets, restaurants, bars scattered around on the main roads and small alleys. You can shop souvenirs and find good street food at the night markets like Chiang Mai Gate Night Market, Sunday Walking Street Night Market, and Chang Phuak Market.
The Night Bazaar area is home to a cluster of beer bars, night clubs, and massage shops with special services along Loi Kroh Road. On the Chang Klan Road, you can find a number of night markets and food complexes such as Kalare Night Bazaar, Anusarn Market, or Phaploen Market.
Shopping
Both Chiang Mai Old Town and the night Bazaar have good shopping opportunities. You can easily find typical Thai souvenirs, cheap clothes, artisan goods, boutique items, handmade crafts in both areas.
In the old town, you can shop at the stalls on Sunday Walking Street Market on Ratchadamnoen Road as well as many independent stores selling handmade soaps, teas, ceramics, handmade crafts, art, local snacks, textiles, or jewelry.
The Old Town is more daytime shopping with just a few night stalls during the week. The Night Bazaar is more about the night shopping with street stalls and night markets open every night.
In addition to some night markets like Anusarn Market and Kalare Night Bazaar, The Night Bazaar is home to some modern malls & boutiques like Pantip Plaza selling electronics.
Food
Both areas have good food options, focusing on Northern Thai dishes. You can easily find typical food like Khao Soi, sai oua northern sausage, nam prik ong in both places.
There are street food stalls at the night markets as well as independent restaurants in each area. The night markets in the edge of the Old Town such as Chiang Mai Gate Night Market or Chang Phuak Market have a more local atmosphere than in the Night Bazaar area.
The food stalls in the night markets in the Old Town often have tables and chairs on the side of the street. While in the Night Bazaar, Places like Anusarn Market and Kalare Night Bazaar have more covered the food courts with a shared seating area in the middle.
Attractions
Most major historical and cultural attractions of Chiang Mai are located in the old town. You can find historic temples, ancient ruins, old city walls, gates, and moat in and around the old town.
If you stay in the old town, you can easily walk around and visit famous attractions like Wat Phra Singh, Tha Phae Gate, Three Kings Monument, or Watchediluang. There are also dozens of local temples, several old gates, and walls around the area.
The Night Bazaar is more about the nightlife. It has several small temples like Wat Loi Kroh. it is also close to the local daytime market Waroros Market (Kad Luang), and the river. You can check out some riverside attractions like the Nawarat Bridge and Khua Lek (Iron Bridge).
See more:
- Best Things to Do in Chiang Mai
- My 4-5 Days In Chiang Mai Itinerary
- How to get to Chiang Mai & Get Around
So you have the differences and similarities between Chiang Mai Old City and Night Bazaar. They are both excellent neighborhoods to stay in Chiang Mai.
Overall, The Old Town is the better choice if you want to be in the heart of the historic town, steps away from ancient temples and ruins. The Night Bazaar area is a better choice for enjoying the nightlife with more bars and night market options.
These areas are located within walking distance of each other, so no matter where you choose to stay, you can easily walk between them. The most important thing is to book your accommodation well in advance to secure your spot.