Warorot Market (Kad Luang): A Local Foodie’s Guide

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Warorot Market (ตลาดวโรรส) is the biggest market in Chiang Mai – hence, why it’s called “Kad Luang (กาดหลวง)” by the locals (meaning “Big Market”) – yet so many travelers never visit! 

I get it – visiting a giant market in Southeast Asia is OVERWHELMING. How are you supposed to know where the good food is? (It’s easy, I’ll tell you!).

As a traveler who’s visited many markets in Chiang Mai and all around Southeast Asia, I can confidently say that Warorot Market is one of the most authentic markets in Northern Thailand and deserves a spot on any Chiang Mai itinerary. 

Recently, on my visit to Warorot Market Kad Luang while living in Chiang Mai, I was surprised to see how big and busy it was – 500 stalls! It’s open every day as a day market and then transforms into a vibrant night market every evening.

You may see a few friendly rats scurrying around, but don’t let that deter you! Warorot Market in Chiang Mai is the perfect place to stock up on travel snacks like dried fruits and nuts and find souvenirs at a fraction of the cost you’ll find at other markets in town. 

Here, you’ll find some of the best Northern Thai sausage, a delicious Chinese noodle soup sold by the same family for 75 years, and skilled tailors ready to make your custom clothing.

It’s just one of several markets in the complex, located in Chinatown in Chiang Mai next to the Ping River. Right next door is the Ton Lam Yai flower market – also worth a visit!

If you want an authentic local experience, head to Warorot Market Chiang Mai!

👉 My pick for the best 5-star food tour that includes a tour of Warorot Market is this Half Day Small Group Tour with Local Foodies.

Warorot Market Opening Hours & Location

Kad Luang Market (aka Warorot Market) is a traditional market by day and transforms every evening into a vibrant night market, a great place to eat local street food.

Warorot Market Hours: The indoor market is open daily 5AM-6PM. The outdoor night market opens daily 5PM-11PM in the alley next to the indoor market. 

Time to Allot for Visit: 1-2 hours

Address: Wichayanon Rd, Tambon Chang Moi, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand

Located near the Ping River in Chiang Mai’s Chinatown neighborhood, next to the Ton Lam Yai Flower Market.

Best Time to Visit: 

• The day market gets busy, so going early in the morning around 8-9 AM is perfect. I went at 7:15 AM on a Sunday, and they were still setting up, but they started to get busy later in the morning.

• The night market peaks at around 8PM.

• If you’re in Chiang Mai for the Lunar New Year (aka Chinese New Year), Warorot Market will host celebrations and be extra festive and colorful. 

• It’s a great rainy day activity since the main market building is covered – so no need to worry about the weather!

Getting There:

• By Foot – It’s a 10-minute walk from the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar and a 30-minute walk from the center of the Old City.

• By Grab Taxi – Grab is Southeast Asia’s version of Uber. Calling a taxi using the Grab app is the cheapest way to hire a taxi.

• By Scooter – If you’ve rented a scooter in Chiang Mai, you’ll have no problem getting here. There are free parking garages along the river, just behind Warorot Market.

• By Songthaew – These are the red trucks you see driving around Chiang Mai. They’re like public buses without a set route. Just flag one down, tell them where you’re going, and hop in! 

Parking: If you’re driving here, there is a 24-hour free parking garage along the Ping River. 

👩‍🍳 My pick for the best cooking class in Chiang Mai is Benny’s Home Cooking course with a small class size, robust menu, and a near-perfect 5-star rating!

Chiang Mai Warorot Market Directory

Knowing where to find what you’re looking for in this 500-stall market filled with row after row of food and goods is overwhelming. Let me break it down for you!

1st Floor: The first floor is where you’ll find most of the food, including fresh fruits and vegetables, souvenirs, fresh meat, and still-alive seafood in buckets. 

Mezzanine 1: You’ll find everything from clothes, shoes, and bedding.

2nd Floor: The second floor is where you’ll find ready-made clothes, shoes, bags, cosmetics, and skilled tailors for custom-made clothes. This is where locals get their school uniforms.

Mezzanine 2: Here you’ll find local clothing, shoes, and discounted items.
3rd Floor: On the third floor you’ll find more local clothes, bags, a food shop, made-to-order drinks, a children’s library, and a hair salon.

Trok Lao Zhou section Hmong Lane: Just outside of Warorot, there’s a section of the market where Hmong Hill Tribe members sell their local handicrafts and goods from 7AM-5PM every day. You’ll notice some of the same products sold at the Night Bazaar and Walking Street night markets for a lot more money – they buy the goods here! 

Don’t be afraid to wander a bit – getting lost is part of the fun!

Warorot Market Food

If you’re like me, you’re heading straight for the food at Warorot Market! After all, it’s hard to enjoy the market on an empty stomach. 

Here are some foods (some inside the market and some outside) you MUST TRY when you visit Warorot Market in Chiang Mai:

Dam Rong (ดำรงค์) Sausage

This sausage stall is easily the most famous place in all of Warorot Market.
Follow the locals on the ground floor to the busiest stall, where they sell famous Thai sausages. 

I recommend trying two sausages here – two sausages and a sticky rice will set you back only 60 baht: 

• Sai Ua (also spelled Sai Oua) – a Northern-style Thai Sausage made of pork and herbs in the shape of a donut. It’s served piping hot, crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside. It’s very flavorful, although less herb-forward than some other Sai Ua I’ve tried.

• Moo tod – It’s really tender pork – less fatty than the Sai Ua – that is lightly battered, and it’s DELICIOUS! 

Bua Loy Stall (Dessert)

I don’t know the name of this place, but you can ask the locals where to find the Bua Loy stall. They’ve been selling bua loy here for more than 50 years, and it’s so popular they sometimes sell out before the afternoon! 

Bua Loy is a traditional Thai dessert of sweet coconut milk filled with different toppings like jack fruit, fresh coconut, and sticky rice balls. If you haven’t tried it yet, now’s your chance!

I also like the one at the Phuak Gate Night Market, in case you can’t find this one.

And don’t worry about eating too many desserts while in Chiang Mai – there are some great dentists here!

Big Brother Song Noodle Shop

You cannot visit Warorot Market in Chiang Mai without trying the famous fish ball noodle soup at Big Brother Song Noodle Shop, a Chinese noodle shop that has been run by the same family at Warorot for more than  75 years! 

They have a few different noodle soups to try (even Khao Soi!), but they’re most famous for their heart-shaped fish balls. The lady who runs the shop speaks English very well, so she can help you choose your soup, which will cost just 50 baht. 

Patongo Ko Neng (Uncle Neng’s Pa Thong Ko) 

A traditional Thai breakfast is Pa Tong Ko, the Thai version of donuts! 

You’ll find several vendors making these deep-fried crullers around Warorot Market, but only Patongo Ko Neng is featured in the Michelin Guide! What makes this one special is that they are shaped like dragons, dinosaurs, and elephants, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. 

You’ll be given a side of condensed milk for dipping, for just 30 baht. If Uncle Neng’s has a line, you can get regular-shaped fritters at another cart.

👉 My pick for the best 5-star food tour that includes a tour of Warorot Market is this Half Day Small Group Tour with Local Foodies.

Other Foods to Taste at Warorot Day Market:

• Dried Fruits and Nuts – There are a lot of options for buying dried fruits and nuts here, and these are some of my favorite snacks to carry in my backpack when I’m traveling! 

• Kalamae – a chewy Thai dessert made from a combination of molasses, sticky rice, and coconut milk. 

• Kaeb Moo – deep-fried pork rinds. You’ll find them sold by several vendors, packaged in plastic. 

• Nam Prik Noom – a wet chili mixture, great for dipping your pork rinds or fresh veggies.

• Moo Yo – traditional Vietnamese pork sausage.

• Fresh tropical fruits – You’ll find lots of stalls selling seasonal mangoes, pineapples, and dragonfruit. My favorite is the pre-peeled Pomelo. 

• Fresh vegetables – If you’re in town for a while and planning to do some cooking, you’ll find plenty of fresh seasonal produce here at Kad Luang. 

• Loose-Leaf Tea – If you’re a tea lover, you’ll find Warorot Market to be a great place to fill up on loose-leaf tea.

• Fresh (live) seafood and meat – Like any traditional market in Southeast Asia, you’ll find a “wet market” component, which is interesting to see, but also can make you a little queasy (Vegetarians, beware!). You’ll see all sorts of live seafood in buckets, including live animals such as turtles, frogs, and eels. There are also butchers here, butchering whole animals. This is where the locals come for their proteins. 

If you’ve explored the markets in the Middle East, you’ll find that Warorot is nowhere near as beautiful as those. You won’t find tall mountains of colorful and fragrant spices. Most of the spices here will be sold pre-packaged in plastic. You may find some stalls selling chili paste by the kilo, but that’s about it.

Warorot Night Market – Street Food

Every evening around 5PM, the Warorot Night Market comes alive, and is worth coming by for dinner to try typical Thai street food. 

You’ll find all of the classics like pad Thai, fried chicken, and fruit smoothies, but you’ll also find more local specialties since this market caters to the locals, and the tourists are more of an afterthought. 

Warorot Market Shopping – Clothing and Goods

Once you get to the upper floors, you won’t find any more food items. Instead, you’ll find items like clothes, bags, and shoes. There are also jewelers selling gold jewelry here (and if you’re in the market for jewelry, you should also check out the neighborhood surrounding The Silver Temple.

This is where local families come to buy their kids’ school uniforms. 

And if you’re looking for a talented seamstress at a very low cost, you’ll find them here!

If the souvenirs for sale at Chiang Mai’s Warorot Market look familiar, it’s because they are. A lot of the vendors that sell souvenirs at the other more touristic markets in town buy them here and sell them at a slightly higher price to make a profit, so you can buy the same souvenirs here for a bit less money.

Locals and expats come to Kad Luang for kitchenware, home appliances, and toys. If you’re living in Chiang Mai for a short stay and want to buy some cheap home goods such as sheets or towels, you can buy them here.  Just don’t expect the quality to be super high – you get what you pay for!

And don’t forget to haggle! Whereas food prices are generally set, the prices of non-food items in Thailand are almost always negotiable. And haggling is expected. I love bargaining at a local market, but I also like to keep in mind that a few baht means nothing to me, whereas it means the world to some of the locals, so I don’t try to get a “steal of a deal,” just a fair price.

Are There Bathrooms at Kad Luang?

Yes, don’t fret, there are 3 clean bathrooms available at Warorot Market, one on each floor! Be sure to have a 10-baht coin on you. In Thailand, most public restrooms will charge you 10 baht, but it’s worth it to have them kept clean with toilet paper in stock. Don’t count on soap, though.

History of Kad Luang Market (aka Talat Warorot Market)

Warorot Market, nicknamed “Kad Luang Market” (meaning “Big Market”) by the locals is the biggest market in all of Northern Thailand (not to be confused with Central Festival, Northern Thailand’s largest shopping mall).

It’s located next to two other famous Chiang Mai markets: Ton Lam Yai (Flower Market) and Nawarat. 

Adventurous travelers who visit will find a melting pot of cultures: Sikh, Chinese, and Thai vendors sell their wares here. 

Talat Warorot Chiang Mai was set up in 1910 by Thai Princess Dara Rasmi, but before that, it served as the site for the funeral ceremony of the ruler of Chiang Mai, and is where the cremated remains of upper-class citizens were housed (they were moved to Suan Dok Temple in order to build the market). The Flower Market along the river used to house the royal elephant stables. 

Although a fire in 1968 destroyed both Warorot and Ton Lam Yai markets, they have since been rebuilt and are still (after more than 100 years!) vibrant places to explore and shop.

👉 Find the best local tours with this search engine (and the best deals)!

Warorot Market Reviews

Don’t just take my word for it! 

Here’s what recent visitors are saying about Warorot Market:

• “Apart from accessories and fresh produce, Talat Warorot also includes some souvenir stalls that offer a range of products like candies, tea leaves to dried fruit. It is a lively place and deserves a visit.” -Leonhkny, Hong Kong

• “Take your time to walk through all streets and shops, sure you will find whatever you want.” -Ulla H, Austria

• “Warorot Market (which essentially includes Lamyai Market, the flower market, and whatever else is around) is a great indoor and outdoor market near the Ping River. It’s basically made for Thai people, so it’s less touristy and has less touristy stuff. It’s a great place to shop, eat, explore, and people-watch while learning and enjoying more about Thailand.” -JD, United States

Things to Do Near Warorot Market Chiang Mai

At Ton Lam Yai Market, buy Arabica coffee grown locally by the hill tribes, and locally grown tea leaves

• Visit the Ton Lam Yai Flower Market (ตลาดต้นลำไย) – located right across the street and connected by a staircase – for locally grown flowers (most of the flowers I found were not inside this building, but were at the shops along the Ping River). 

• Don’t miss exploring the streets around the market! They can be even more interesting than the market itself. Find the Trok Lao Zhou section of Hmong Lane where Hmong Hill Tribe members sell locally-grown Arabica coffee and tea leaves, along with other goods, from 7AM-5PM every day. 

• Check out Kuan U Shrine and Pung Tao Gong Ancestral Temple to get an insight into Chiang Mai’s Chinese history.

• Visit Wat Chedi Luang to see important Buddhist relics. 

• Spend an afternoon at Art in Paradise Gallery, a 3D interactive art museum with over one hundred installations. 

• Enjoy some street food and live music at the Night Bazaar, open every night. 

• Visit Wat Chai Mongkol for a glimpse of local life in its old community monastery. 

• A 10-minute walk away is my favorite fruit market – and the largest one in Chiang Mai – you have to check it out!

• End your night with some entertainment at the Chiang Mai Cabaret!

👉 My pick for the best Chiang Mai temple tour is this City Tour of Viewpoints, Wat Doi Suthep, Wat Chedi Luang, and Wat Pha Lat with a near-perfect 5-Star Rating.

Warorot Market Kad Luang FAQs

👉 I took this 5-Star Doi Inthanon National Park, Waterfall & Royal Project day tour from Chiang Mai. See stunning views, visit the highest point in Thailand, and visit a local market. Sometimes, it’s nice to sit back in an air-conditioned vehicle and let a tour guide do all the work.

Final Thoughts: Kad Luang Market

Warorot Market – or Kad Luang “The Big Market” as the locals call it – is a great place to get a feel for the local life in Chiang Mai, stock up on snacks, and taste some delicious local foods.

When you’re here, you must try the famous Dam Rong stall’s Sai Ua (Chiang Mai sausage) as well as pork rinds dipped in chili dip. It’s the perfect snack to fuel your shopping!

What makes Warorot Market Kad Luang unique is that it’s both a day market (5AM – 6PM) and a night market (5PM-11PM), and the target customers are local Thai people, with tourists as an afterthought. It’s a very authentic local market!

Warorot Market Kad Luang offers an amazing glimpse of Thai culture and local life that cannot be missed when visiting Chiang Mai. If you are looking for other night markets with a local feel, you’ll love the South Gate Market and Phuak Gate Market!

To truly take advantage of all that Chiang Mai’s local markets have to offer, consider booking a food tour (this one includes a Warorot Market Tour!), as it’s an amazing way to discover more about Thai culture through your tastebuds!

👉 My pick for the best 5-star food tour that includes a tour of Warorot Market is this Half Day Small Group Tour with Local Foodies.