Shopping in Chiang Mai? Where can I start. Chiang mai is a shopaholic's Mecca. You can shop till you drop and send a container load home if need be. Textile products, handcrafts, silver, gold, bamboo and rattan it's all here.

Did I mention Gold?

Of all the stores the Thai's love it's the "Gold Shop". They have a love affair with the metal and even the poor own some gold of some kind. You give gold, you get gold, if You are Thai you own gold. Gold shops are easy to find they are everywhere bright red storefronts with gold and yellow lettering. The thai government sets the gold price and you pay the going weight in the Thai weight system the Baht, the design has no bearing on price. Confusing it with the money, the baht, is the first thing not to do. ONE BAHT = 15.16 GRAMS = about $600USD. Thai gold is 95% pure. Gold shops also sell Thai silver and Thai silver is a real bargain it's sterling but with a different makeup than English sterling. I've been wearing my wedding ring for 5 years and it has no wear at all.

Robinson Airport Plaza

Central Shopping Mall

Tesco Lotus, Big C and Carefore