Baan Tawai handicraft and antiques village

This crafts village in the district of Hang Dong, 20kms south of Chiang Mai, has traditionally been the centre of the handicraft trade in North Thailand and remains one of the busiest of such clusters in the whole of Thailand. An increasing number of visitors are being bussed in here from Chiang Mai for an all-in-one shopping experience.
In addition to covered arcades packed full of shops selling every imaginable handicraft you can think of, the road to Hang Dong is rapidly being lined with individual micro-factories with fantastic showrooms displaying collections of antiques and furniture. Wood is certainly the spirit of this crafts village.

All shapes and sizes available at Baan Tawai
The atmosphere in Baan Tawai is very laid-back and relaxed, certainly not reminiscent of a tacky collection of souvenir stands. There are rustic restaurants to retreat to, plenty of traditional old wooden Thai houses to admire, some lovely show-gardens full of sandstone sculptures and lots of cute crafts at astonishing prices.
Whether you are a buying agent looking for good suppliers or a tourist wanting to stock up on souvenirs, Baan Tawai is undoubtedly Chiang Mai's best area for picking up Thai crafts. You can watch the tradesmen and women in action, arrange packing and shipping for anything from small antique Buddhas to hand-carved wardrobes, and even request custom made items.