Shopping

If you plan to shop in Thailand, save your money for Chiang Mai. Quality craft pieces and hand-made, traditional items still sell for very little and large outlets for fine antiques and high-end goods abound in and around the city. Many shoppers pickup an affordable new piece of luggage to tote their finds home and, if you find that huge standing Buddha or oversized Thai divan you've been searching for, all shops can arrange shipping.

What to Buy -- Thailand has a rich tradition of handicrafts, developing over centuries of combining local materials, indigenous technology and skills from Chinese and Indian merchants. Drawing on such ancient technologies and the abundance of hardwoods, precious metals and stones, raw materials for fabrics and dyes, bamboo, and clay, modern craftsmen have refined traditional techniques and now cater their wares to the modern market. Below is a breakdown of what you might find:

Tribal weaving and craftwork is for sale everywhere in the Lanna capital and you can come away with some unique finds.

Hilltribe embroidery crafts have been modified over the years, so you can find their delicate styles on anything from chic shoulder bags and backpacks to authentic hilltribe skirts and shirts.

The hilltribes' hand-woven textiles are rich in texture and natural tones, colored with plants from local sources. Cool, handsomely simple, hilltribe designs are in ready-made cotton clothing and can be found anywhere for a song.

Some hilltribe groups are known for their fine silver jewelry -- necklaces, bangles, and earrings -- in unusual traditional ethnic designs or more ordinary Western styles. For all hilltribe handicrafts, the best place to shop is at the Night Bazaar and in fact you are sure to meet hilltribe women, covered in bangles and carrying arm-loads of their goods, wandering the market. These ladies are pretty persistent even if you express no interest.

Fine silver works are synonymous with Chiang Mai. Early smiths are believed to have immigrated from Burma with the coming of Kublai Khan, and skills have been passed from generation to generation. While silver is not a local resource, early raw materials were acquired from coins brought by traders. Traditional bowls feature intricate raised floral designs -- the deeper the imprint, the higher quality the silver (some up to 80%). Jewelry items are crafted in delicate filigree designs in styles copied by many Western manufacturers. Many families set up shop along Wulai Road, south of the Old City, while outlets on Sankamphaeng Road carry large selections.

Gemstones can be good buys here, but like in the rest of Thailand you must be very careful of jewelry scams, overcharging, or the old bait-and-switch. Don't do any shopping with a tuk-tuk driver as a guide. Try the Sankamphaeng area.

Thai silk is big in Chiang Mai and outlets on Sankamphaeng Road have a larger quantity to choose from.

The early royals commissioned carvers to produce wood furnishings for use in palaces, thrones, temple doors and adornments, carriages, pavilions, howdahs for riding elephant back, and royal barges. The excellent quality of hardwoods in Thailand's forests allowed these items to be adorned with grand and intricate wood carvings. The skills survived and talented craftspeople still produce furniture, boxes, and all varieties of gift items imaginable. Wood carving now is perhaps more influenced by foreign preferences and most pieces are mass-produced.

Lacquer skills came from China with early migrants. Sap is applied in layers to wooden, clay, or bamboo items and can be carved, colored, and sometimes inlayed with mother-of-pearl for a very elegant finished product. Today it is acknowledged as a traditional Chiang Mai craft, having been perfected over centuries by the Khoen people who live in communities outside the city. Laquerware vases, boxes, bangles, and traditional items are lightweight gifts, practical for carrying home. Larger tiered boxes and furnishings can be shipped.

Celadon pottery is rough finished and elegantly simple in tones of the palest gray-greens. The distinctive color of the glaze comes from a mixture of local clay and wood ash. Chiang Mai has some of the largest and best celadon factories in the country. The best places to purchase celadon are out on Sankamphaeng Road, in the large factory outlets.

Authentic antiques are few in the tourist areas of Chiang Mai. As anywhere, the rule is "buyer beware" and if you do get your hands on the genuine article (some shops offer certificates of authenticity) you may have a problem getting it home.

Markets -- For many, the Night Bazaar is the city's premier attraction and hours spent wandering amid the cacophony of hawkers, noisy haggling and all manner of traditional goods and electronic tchotchkes are part and parcel of the city's charms.

Located on north to south running Chang Klan Road between Tha Pae and Loi Kroa roads, the shopping starts around 6pm each night and slows down at about 11pm. The actual Night Bazaar is a modern, antiseptic, three-story building, but the indoor and outdoor market extends south to Sri Dornchai Road and far beyond. Many shops and stalls remain open throughout the day and evening too, especially along Chang Klan Road.

The stalls have grandiose names, like Harrods (with the familiar logo), and most carry Bangkok-produced counterfeits of international name-brand clothing, watches, and luggage. There are thousands of pirated audiotapes and videodiscs, acres of burnished brown "bone" objects, masks, wood carvings, opium pipes, opium weights, you name it.

Inside the Night Bazaar building itself are primarily modern, mass-manufactured goods like low-cost Thai fashions and souvenirs. You'll also find lots of interesting tribal bric-a-brac sold in stalls or by wandering hilltribe saleswomen. The top floor has booths selling locally produced handicrafts, some "antiques," and decorative arts.

The Anusarn Night Market, down Charoen Prathet Road, south of Suriwongse Road, carries more hilltribe goods in authentic traditional styles.

The Warowot Market on Changmoi and Wichayanon roads opens every morning at 7am and stays open until 4pm. This central indoor market is the city's largest. Produce, colorful fruits, spices, and food products jam the ground floor. On the second floor, things are calmer, with dozens of vendors selling cheap cotton sportswear, Thai-made shoes, and some hilltribe handicrafts and garments. Fun and inexpensive.

Shopping in the City Center & Old Town -- Small shops and boutiques line the areas around the market and Old Town, luring visitors from the many nearby hotels with unique finds. A short wander in any direction is sure to bring you past a tantalizing shop door. Try: Ginger (39/1 Loi Kroh; tel. 05320-6842) carries designer clothing and jewelry. Sleek designs steal the show at Living Space (276-278 Tha Pae Rd.; tel. 05387-4299) with its collection of fine home furnishing and celadon and laquerware decorative items. Nova Collection (201 Tha Pae Rd.; tel. 05327-3058) carries a unique line of decorative jewelry in contemporary styles with Asian influences. They make custom pieces and even offer courses in metalwork and jewelry making. Princess Jewelry (41 Changklan Rd. near Chiang Inn Plaza; tel. 05327-3648) offers customized and ready-made jewelry and good personalized service. Mengrai Kilns (79/2 Araks Rd., Soi Samlarn 6; tel. 05327-2063), is in the southwest corner of the old city and specializes in fine celadon and decorative items. There are lots of silk dealers and tailors in and around town of varying quality. Try City Silk (336 Tha Pae Rd., 1 block east of the gate; tel. 05323-4388) among the many for good selection and affordable tailoring.

West Side of the Old City -- At 95 Nimanhemin Rd. across from Amari Rincome Hotel, Nantawan Arcade has many notable antiques, crafts, and curio shops that make for fun browsing. Try: Gong Dee Gallery (tel. 05321-5768) has an extensive collection of gifts and original artwork, the most comprehensive collection in Nantawan Arcade. Design One (tel. 05335-7204) has an extensive collection of designer teak furnishings. Tawan Decor (tel. 05389-4941) features a host of unique knickknacks and furnishings. These are but a few.

Wulai Road -- Here's the home of Chiang Mai's cottage silver crafts industry located just south of Chiang Mai Gate. Siam Silverware (5 Wua Lai Rd., Soi 3; tel. 05327-9013) tops the list of many offering fine crafted jewelry and silverwork.

Sankamphaeng Road -- Shopaholics will be thrilled by the many outlets along the Chiang Mai-Sankamphaeng Road (Rte. 1006). Rent your own wheels or hop on the white songtao that follow this busy road due east of town. After several kilometers you'll reach the many shops, showrooms and factories extending along a 9km (5 1/2 miles) strip. Talk to any concierge or travel agent about a full or half-day shopping tour. Important: Do not arrange a day of shopping with a tuk-tuk driver as they will collect a commission and drive-up the price of your purchases.

The many shops along Sankamphaeng feature anything from lacquerware to ready-made clothes, silver to celadon pottery. Among the many, try: Laitong Lacquerware (140/1-2 Moo 3, Chiang Mai-Sankamphaeng Rd.; tel. 05333-11178) carries a host of fine lacquer gifts (among other items). Some of the smaller items, like jewelry boxes, can be quite lightweight, so you won't have to lug 10 tons home with you. Saa paper cards (with pressed flowers), stationery, notebooks, and gifts are not only top quality, but they're perfect for light travelers. Mesa U&P Company's selection is quite good. Head for 78-78/3 Moo 10, Sankamphaeng Road (tel. 05333-1141).

For larger housewares and objets d'art, Pa Ker Yaw Basket & Textile, 136/1 Moo 2, Sankampheang Road (tel. 05333-8512), deals in fabulous baskets of all shapes and sizes, featuring weaving techniques from hilltribes in Thailand, Burma, Laos, and Vietnam. For a large selection of celadon ware in traditional Thai designs, Baan Celadon, 7 Moo 3, Chiang Mai-Sankamphaeng Road (tel. 05333-8288); and Siam Celadon, 38 moo 13, Chiang Mai-Sankamphaeng Road (tel. 05333-1526), have the best selections. Smooth and lustrous vases, jars, bowls, and decorative objects spring to life from local hardwoods, you'd almost think these turned wood products were porcelain. Aroon Colorware, 67 Moo 4, Baan Sankaokaepgang (tel. 05388-1605), turns out mod gifts -- very unique.

When you're ready for a little fashion, let Jolie Femme Thai Silk, 8/3 Sankamphaeng Rd. (tel. 05324-7222), hit the spot. Weaving traditional silks in rich colors, they fashion much of their stock into modern ready-to-wear creations. There's also Shinawatra Thai Silk, 145/1-2 Sankamphaeng Rd. (tel. 05333-8058). An outlet of the high-quality Bangkok chain, rivaled only by Jim Thompson's in Bangkok, Shinawatra sells hand-woven and hand-painted silk and cotton by the meter, a wide range of men's and women's conservative silk fashions, cushions, drapery, ties, and dozens of silk accessories.

Villages -- Many of the handicrafts you find in town and out at Sangkamphaeng Road are the fine work of local villagers around Chiang Mai. They welcome visitors to their villages to see their traditional craft techniques that have been handed down through generations. Purchase these items directly from the source, sometimes at a savings.

East of Chiang Mai, Sri-pun-krua (near the railway station) specializes in bamboo products and lacquerware. Near Sangkamphaeng Road, the village of Tohn Pao (about 8km/5 miles outside the city) produces saa paper products; Bor Sarng (10km/6 miles outside the city) is a nationally renowned center for painted paper umbrellas and fans; and Baan Tohn (13km/21 miles outside the city) makes fine wood carvings, in addition to umbrellas. Just to the south, Pa-bong (about 6km/3 3/4 miles down Superhighway 11) manufactures furnishings and household items from bamboo.

South of the city, Muang Goong (along Hwy. 108) is a center for clay pottery; Roi-Jaan (about 8km/5 miles along the same highway) weaves cottons, dying them in natural colors extracted from natural products; while Tha-wai (14km/8 1/2 miles south) has families that craft carved wood antique reproductions.