Okay, so I’m a shopaholic. Ask me where any shopping mall in Thailand is and I’m sure I can tell you. I also know what makes a great shopping mall and Central Airport Plaza in Chiang Mai is one of them.
Part of the enormous Central Group of shopping malls, Central Airport Plaza in Chiang Mai is the busiest and best shopping mall of them all. It has four floors and is attached to a large exhibition hall. It’s chock full of restaurants, cafes and stores and also has one entire floor dedicated to IT, cameras, computer games and audio visual equipment.
Look for Body Shop, Esprit, Watsons, Robinsons Department Store (also part of the Central Group), and a huge Thai souvenir area on the second floor called Northern Village for all your basic shopping needs.
For food, there’s a good Sizzler, a Fuji, Swensens, a Zen Japanese restaurant, Baskin Robbins, KFC, Black Canyon Coffee and an MK as well as a handful of nice coffee shops.
There’s also an incredibly cool saltwater aquarium with an artificial coral reef, where you can stand and watch the fish swim around – quite relaxing actually after a hard day shopping.
Finally, don’t miss the cineplex, which takes up most of the fourth floor. Here you can see a wide variety of American, Thai and Japanese films. And, once you’re movied-out, grab a bite at the food court outside. Dishes are cheap and the selection is excellent.
Central Airport Plaza is easy to get to. Just take either a songtaew or, if you’re staying at one of the city’s main hotels, ask them where you can catch the Central free shuttle – yes, they really do come and get you and bring you back.
Central Airport Plaza is on Mahidol Road, near the airport.
To see what it really looks like, check out this excellent video from Open Chiang Mai.com: