Rating: 3.1/5 (12 votes)

Open Days: Daily

Opening Hours: Approximately 07:00 – 17:00 (hours may vary by stall/season; morning to before noon is best if you’re seriously “hunting for textiles”)

 

Hmong Market at Lae Jow Alley (Talad Lae Jow Alley) on Wichayanon Road is a side of Chiang Mai where you can instantly tell the sellers are doing real work for a living. What you see here isn’t just a tourist-styled shopfront—it’s a working alley market where locals and traders from other districts bring folded stacks of fabric to sell by the full piece. You’ll find hemp fiber cloth, cotton, simple silk, batik prints, and practical textile goods like tablecloths, bedspreads, pillowcases, and ready-to-wear cotton pieces. Prices are often friendly, and bargaining is part of the everyday market culture.

 

The alley is located close to Warorot Market (Kad Luang) and is easy to access from Wichayanon Road. If you’re driving, it’s usually best to park in the Warorot area first, then walk a short distance along Wichayanon Road. The entrance to Lae Jow Alley is on the right-hand side. The fun part is that you’re not only shopping—you’re watching a process in real time. Many stalls have hill-tribe artisans working as they sell, from textile pieces and embroidery to handmade accessories you can examine up close.

 

If you like buying fabric by the full piece, this alley can be excellent value because you can compare options from plain solids to patterns with strong color and texture. Hemp cloth and cotton are especially popular for turning into lightweight jackets, trousers, or home décor items. For people buying to resell, the best moments are when stock is heavy—you can get wholesale-style prices and pick the prettiest lots first. You’ll also see hand-embroidered patches, small embroidered scraps, and detailed pieces that clothing vendors often buy to stitch onto garments or pillowcases, which is why the alley feels more lively when new stock arrives.

 

The most effective way to walk this market is to start at the head of the alley and move toward the end without rushing. Products aren’t concentrated in one spot; the selection runs the entire length. Along the way you’ll see shirts, skirts, shoes, bags, and handmade jewelry such as bangles, bracelets, necklaces, earrings—some ready-made and some clearly crafted by hand. If you’re choosing fabric by the piece, it helps to check fiber density and color consistency first, then talk price with a calm, respectful tone like someone selecting for real use. You don’t have to bargain aggressively; many sellers are happy to offer a better price when you buy multiple items or purchase as a set.

 

The busiest, most well-stocked times are often Saturday, Sunday, and Monday before noon. On those days, more hill-tribe traders from Chiang Mai and provinces like Nan, Phrae, and Phayao tend to set up additional stalls. That means more choices and more wholesale-priced items—especially sling bags, coin purses, waist bags, and beautifully embroidered fabric pieces that people buy for sewing projects. If you’re a content creator, the embroidery and color palettes are great for telling a story about skilled craft labor, but it’s best to ask first if you want to take close-up photos that include sellers’ faces, as a basic courtesy to people working their day jobs.

 

Getting There is simplest if you begin at Warorot Market and walk over to Wichayanon Road, then look for the Lae Jow Alley entrance on the right. If you’re coming from the Old City or Tha Phae area, take a red songthaew or tuk-tuk to the Warorot zone and walk the last stretch. For private cars, parking in the Warorot area and walking in is usually more convenient, because the alley itself is mainly for pedestrians browsing stall-by-stall.

 

If you want to walk out with the “right” purchases, set a goal before you enter. If you’re making a light jacket, check fabric weight and breathability. For pillowcases or bed covers, look for durability and whether dye may bleed. For small gifts, handmade jewelry and textile bags are practical choices that show Chiang Mai from a different angle—and the most meaningful part is that you’re supporting makers and vendors directly in a real working market.

 

 

A: The standout is hill-tribe textiles and handicrafts—hemp cloth, cotton, silk, batik prints, plus sewn textile goods like tablecloths, bed covers, pillowcases, ready-to-wear items, and handmade accessories.

 

A: The market is typically most crowded and well-stocked on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday before noon, when more vendors from Chiang Mai and nearby provinces bring in extra stock and wholesale-priced items.

 

A: Park in the Warorot area or nearby paid lots, then walk along Wichayanon Road into the alley. The alley is best explored on foot.

 

A: Yes, bargaining is common. You’ll usually get a better deal when buying multiple items or purchasing as a set. If you’re buying fabric for real use, tell the seller what you plan to make so they can recommend the right material.

 

A: Not at all. It’s very close. Walk along Wichayanon Road and you’ll reach the alley entrance quickly, making it easy to combine “Warorot Market + Lae Jow Alley” into a half-day route.