If Chiang Mai’s weekend markets are all about artisanal soaps and fancy coffee, then Sanpatong Buffalo Market is the antidote – raw, rural and unapologetically real. Located some 20 miles out of the city, this market is an outlier in both geography and theme, it's where you’ll find farmers, traders and curious visitors haggling over livestock, fighting cocks, motorbikes and machetes. Part livestock auction, part flea market, there’s a lot more than just buffalo, but it’s all certified local. Kicking off at around 5am, non-locals are advised to go early, eat local food for breakfast and only place a bid on a buffalo if your hotel has a garden.
Time Out tip: This is one for those who want a true local experience and aren’t afraid of trying something new. Bring cash, wear sturdy shoes and don’t be shy about trying the fried crickets or the market’s famous grilled bee hive skewers.
Saturdays. Route 108, Sanpatong District. 5am-11am.