After a full day of elephant riding, I was exhausted. Really exhausted. Riding on the back of a 2-ton creature through the mountainous jungle and then frolicking in the mud and river water is no easy feat. But, Chiang Mai is known for its Sunday night walking street market and we couldn't miss it.

So, Christian and I quickly freshened up upon our return to the hotel and hit the markets - big time. I really do love a local market. It gives an interesting and authentic perspective on how locals live - and this did not disappoint. A solid three hours of exploration took us easily past 1000 stalls. There were arts & crafts, shoes, clothing, trinkets, street performers and more. What I loved the most were the food stalls which offered a very wide variety of local flavor, the 30-minute foot massage that cost only 100 baht (US$3) and the large number of locals at the night market. It was quite clear that this was the place to be in Chiang Mai.

The markets were a wonderful way to end our day in this charming little city. And the pho (for 35 bhat or US$1) to finish the evening didn't hurt either. The best way to convey how delightful the markets were is to share pictures from the evening. Here are a few of my favorite snaps.

If you go to Chiang Mai, it's worth planning to be there on a Sunday night to see these markets!