Chiang Khan Walking Street by Day

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Thailand Fly & Drive – Part 33

I had never heard of Chiang Khan, until I started doing research for this trip. The write-ups and pictures about the Chiang Khan Walking Street along Chai Khong Road made me super curious about just what was so special about this one? After all, there are night markets and walking streets in every major town and city in Thailand. Let’s find out!

Chai Khong Road runs parallel to the Mekong River. In the day time, the road is passable to traffic, but in the night time, the roads are closed off and that is when the crowds flock in. As we take a walk in the morning after breakfast, the road is relatively empty, and there is plenty of space to walk.

The weather is great, not too hot, even as noon approaches. Many of the shops are open, and it is such a comfortable feeling moving from shop to shop, taking a look at the interesting things they have up for sale. I must say, the prices are actually quite reasonable, as this place seems to be more catered to the local Thai travelers rather than foreign tourists. It is still a relatively well kept secret!

There is a great vibe to the street, with many interesting places to take a photograph. The buildings have a traditional wooden design and this gives a very unique flavour to the street. Every house seems to ooze character and old world charm. The architecture is much different from the other parts of Thailand and this is one of the things that makes this street stand out!

Everything along the road is well maintained and in good condition. No broken pavements, no unsightly heaps of trash. You don’t even need to buy anything to enjoy the walk!

In the day, there isn’t much street food to sample, but there are plenty of restaurants where you can sit down to enjoy a hearty meal.

You can also pay a visit to Wat Sri Khun Muang, which has been the centre piece for the town’s Buddhist devotees since it was built in 1656. We were told by our hostel that if we woke up early at about 5:45am before dawn, we could experience the monks early morning tour. The monks will walk down the street to collect the alms which have been laid out in trays or baskets on straw mattresses. That might have been an interesting experience, but we completely missed it, because we were so tired having arrived in Chiang Khan late the previous night.

As you walk along the main street, don’t forget to explore the the many little Sois that run perpendicular to Chai Khong Road. You can find many interesting treasures in these alleys too!