Getting there
Reaching the Night Bazaar
Where Chiang Mai's Night Bazaar sits, how to walk there from Tha Phae Gate or ride a red songthaew, and what to sort out before you scan your voucher.
Hold a seat by the ring ↗Quick answer
The ring is inside Chiang Mai's Night Bazaar, the market on Chang Khlan Road that lies east of the old city's moat, between it and the Ping River. You can walk there from Tha Phae Gate, the old city's eastern gate, or take a red songthaew, which often works as a shared taxi. Transport is not included in the ticket. Go straight to the stadium entrance and have your QR voucher ready.
Where the bazaar is
The Night Bazaar lies directly east of the city moat, between the moat and the Ping River, on Chang Khlan Road between Tha Phae and Sridonchai Roads. It is one of Chiang Mai's most popular tourist attractions and covers more than a single building, so the stadium is one venue among many stalls. Your voucher names it; if you lose your bearings inside the market, show the voucher at a stall and ask. Chiang Mai's night markets spread across several blocks, along footpaths, inside buildings and in open squares, so allow time to find the gate.
Walking from Tha Phae Gate
Tha Phae Gate is the eastern and most famous gate of the old city and a common meeting point, with an open square in front of red-brick walls. It is the natural place to start on foot if you are staying inside the old city: the Night Bazaar sits between the moat and the Ping River, and you can walk there from the gate. The square is also where a weekly walking-street market begins, so on that evening expect bigger crowds around the gate before you set off.
Taking a red truck
Chiang Mai's most common shared transport is the songthaew, a pick-up truck with two benches fixed along the back; its name means two rows. In and around Chiang Mai, locals call them rot si daeng or rot daeng, red car, after their usual colour. In many towns songthaews run fixed routes for a set fare, but in Chiang Mai they are often used as shared taxis for passengers heading in roughly the same direction. Tell the driver Night Bazaar before you get in, so you know you are heading the same way.
At the gate
Go directly to the stadium entrance rather than to a ticket desk. Staff scan the QR code on your voucher and may ask for ID, so carry photo identification for everyone in your group who might be asked. Arrive early: your reserved seat is held, but the walkways fill as the start approaches and the first salute is worth seeing from your seat. Remember the house rules before you go in. There is no re-entry, and you can't bring food or drink in, so finish eating and shopping first.
- Phone with the QR voucher, charged
- Photo ID for anyone who might be asked
- Money for food and drinks inside
- Dinner eaten before the gate
Eating before the bouts
No food or drink comes with the ticket, and you cannot bring your own inside, which makes the market around the ring the obvious place for dinner. The Night Bazaar is best known for handicrafts and portrait paintings, with jewellery, clothing and toys on sale as well, and there are food stalls among them. Eat before you go through the gate, because leaving mid-card ends your night on that ticket. If you want to shop, do it before the bouts too, or save it for after the last fight, when the market is still around you.
Getting back
Transport is not included, so plan the ride home before the night begins. If you are staying in the old city, you can walk back towards Tha Phae Gate. Otherwise, a songthaew or a taxi will take you; agree the destination before you get in. Keep your phone charged for the voucher at the start of the evening and for maps at the end. If you are travelling with children, remember that the evening starts after dark and the bouts follow one another; plan the return with tired children in mind.
Read next: Bazaar Muay Thai: worth it?
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