Chiang Mai Saturday Night Bazaar

If you have the time, head to the Saturday Night Bazaar at Wualai Road. Unlike the Night Bazaar which is open every evening, the Saturday Night Bazaar is only open on Saturdays. It is located at the South-Western Corner of Chiang Mai City. To me the Saturday Night Bazaar is more interesting then the Night Bazaar, as it is geared more to the locals. Instead of endless souvenirs, you get stalls selling many different types of products - traditional clothing, handicrafts, silver ware, jewelry, musical instruments, etc. Occasionally you will see actual craftsman producing their work right in front of your eyes.


The crowd at Saturday Night Bazaar.


A craftsman making decorative tin panels.


Traditional music instruments. You can even get a live demonstration.


Along the way, you will also come across local musicians playing traditional music.


Plenty of food stalls at the Saturday Bazaar.


Overall, the Saturday Bazaar is a lot more colourful and authentic then the Night Bazaar. The crowd can get really thick, so be prepared to squeeze your way through.

Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

One of the big attractions in Chiang Mai is the Night Bazaar. Located along Chan Klan Road, it stretches between Tha Phae Road and Sri Donchai Road. It is within easy walking distance from the town centre.

Not as interesting as the night bazaars in Bangkok, it is nevertheless worth a visit to see what Chiang Mai has to offer in terms of souvenirs and handicrafts. There are lots of stalls selling t-shirts, wood carvings, tourist trinkets, handbags, etc. Personally I find the antique shops most interesting. The wood carvers in Chiang Mai are quite skillful, and you can find some really beautiful wooden artifacts here.


There are a number of antique shops where you can get very nice wooden artifacts. Prices are very reasonable, but you do need to bargain to get the best deal. 


Besides roadside stalls, there are also several open-air shopping arcades where the goods are a bit more up-market.


At the night bazaar, you are bound to run into these Akha ladies selling small souvenirs. They can be very persuasive.


If you are really rushed for time, you could probably give the Night Bazaar a miss. It is more for shopping junkies, and there are better things to do in Chiang Mai.

Kuching Shopping - The Spring Shopping Centre

For a very long time Kuchingites have been longing for a proper shopping centre - like the ones in KL. That wish was finally fulfilled with the opening of The Spring in January 2008. It remains the largest shopping mall in Sarawak, with a floor area of over a million square feet. Now 2 years later, the shopping mall has matured and is about 90% occupied. A new cineplex MBO just opened on the upper floor of the complex and it has the latest 3D theatres.

The anchor tenant of The Spring is Parkson Grand which is gigantic - it rivals their outlets in KL. There is also a huge Padini Concept Store, and my favourite - Factory Outlet Shop where you can get nice T-shirts at a bargain. There are also lots of food outlets. The better ones are Silhouette - an up-market pasta and pizza joint, Secret Recipe, Kluang Station and Sushi King.

The layout of the shopping centre is modeled after megamalls in New Zealand and Australia. Most of the shops are spread out on 2 levels, with a cross-shaped atrium promenade in the centre. Promotional events are organized regularly in the generous atrium space.

The food court with quite a wide selection of stalls.


The developers must have been a bit nervous in the beginning as the crowd was a bit thin the first few months after the opening. Now the place is doing roaring business especially during the festive seasons. Kuchingites have finally taken the bite - and they like it !

Kuala Lumpur - Petaling Street Part II

Besides the countless number of stalls which are the main draw here, Petaling Street is also a food haven. There are lots of coffee shops and street stalls selling all kinds of local favourites like beef noodles, curry rice, char kuih tiaw, rice parcels, etc. Venture into some of the side lanes and you may come across some hidden gems.

There are lots of fruit sellers here, and what they have are generally better then those at the supermarkets, cheaper too.


Roasted chestnuts has been an old favourite at Petaling Street. The smell of freshly roasting chestnuts is quite intoxicating.

It is quite fun to eat under the stars on a cool tropical evening. The food is generally cheap and delicious, 'cause you are not paying for the air-cond.

This beef noodle stall has been here for ages.


A "bak chang" stall - glutinous rice parcels steamed in lotus leaf.