🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
If you drive through Chai Nat without stopping for souvenirs, you're missing out. The town has several specialties you won't find exactly the same elsewhere: Khao Taengkwa pomelo with crisp flesh that's sweet with a hint of sour, century-old Teochew-Chinese sweets that have been made the same way for over a hundred years, and sun-dried freshwater fish from the banks of the Chao Phraya Dam. We've ranked them so you know what to grab first, with locations and the price ranges we actually saw.
Chai Nat souvenirs worth bringing home
Khao Taengkwa pomelo (the province's GI fruit)
Chai Nat's most famous fruit. The pale-yellow flesh is fairly dry and crisp, sweet with a hint of sour, and almost seedless. It carries the province's Geographical Indication (GI) registration. Well-known orchards like Suan Chokchai sell straight from the farm, or you can pick it up at roadside stalls and souvenir shops in town.
Sesame guili cake (Pho Nang Dam market)
An old Teochew-Chinese sweet made continuously since around 1919. It looks like a Chinese pastry but is covered in black sesame, filled with bean paste, and made with local palm sugar and duck eggs for a soft, fragrant sweetness. It's the only maker doing it this way in the province. Buy it at Pho Nang Dam market or souvenir shops around town.
Candied pomelo (made from pomelo rind)
A processed souvenir made by candying the rind of Khao Taengkwa pomelo until it turns translucent, like crystallized fruit. It's chewy, sweet, and fragrant, and some makers add herbs for different colors. It keeps far longer than fresh fruit, so it's an easy souvenir you don't have to eat in a hurry.
Sun-dried & salted fish by the Chao Phraya Dam
Chai Nat sits right by the Chao Phraya Dam, so the freshwater fish is fresh. Shops near the dam make sun-dried and salted fish to sell as souvenirs — fried up, they're fragrant with firm flesh. A spot people stop at, Pa Tik's sun-dried salted fish near Chao Phraya Dam Land, has several kinds to choose from. Take some home to fry up with rice porridge.
Thai sweets from town shops (Wara Khanom Wan · U Ban Khanom)
Downtown Chai Nat has several shops making their own Thai sweets, like Wara Khanom Wan and U Ban Khanom, which have been making Thai and seasonal sweets for over 20 years. You'll find thong yip, foi thong, khanom chan, and piak poon — pick up a small set as a same-day souvenir.
Chai Nat Chinese pastries (khanom pia)
Another sweet souvenir you'll find in town: freshly made khanom pia with bean and salted-egg filling and thin pastry. Buy it by the box — it keeps for several days longer than fresh Thai sweets, so it's good if you want something that survives a long trip home in good shape.
Palm-fruit local goods (jackfruit-seed candy · rice crackers)
Old and community markets around Sapphaya still have palm-fruit local goods to grab — jackfruit-seed candy, old-style rice crackers, and desserts made from palm sugar. They tell a good local story and the prices are easy on the wallet.
How to pick a good pomelo
Khao Taengkwa pomelo is most abundant from the cool season into early in the year (roughly Nov–Feb), when the flavor peaks and prices are friendliest. If you buy straight from the orchard or a roadside stall, you can ask the seller to peel one for a taste first so you get one you like.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Chai Nat food tour or cooking class
Half a day with a local who knows the lanes — or cooking a dish yourself — teaches you more than just eating. Book ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
Where to buy souvenirs
Chai Nat's souvenirs are spread across several spots depending on what you're after. For pomelo and fresh goods, head toward the orchards and roadside stalls. For heritage sweets and local goods, the old markets are the answer.
Pho Nang Dam market (Sapphaya district)
The century-old market where sesame guili cake originated, with palm-fruit goods and heritage sweets to pick from, and an old riverside-market atmosphere.
Chai Nat Municipal Market
A market in town along Tha Chaeng Road, gathering local food and souvenirs. You can shop for Thai sweets and dried goods all in one place.
By the Chao Phraya Dam
Sun-dried and salted fish shops and souvenirs near the dam — a handy stop while you visit the dam and the Chai Nat Bird Park.
Old Sapphaya Police Station Market (Green-D)
A food-and-souvenir market inside the old police station building, open only on the first Saturday–Sunday of the month, afternoon into the evening.
Check the opening days first
The Old Sapphaya Police Station Market opens on a schedule (first Saturday–Sunday of the month, roughly 3:00–9:00 PM), not every day. If you're heading there specifically, check the market's page before you set out to be safe.
Which souvenir suits whom
- Long trip, want something that keeps — go for candied pomelo, khanom pia, and sun-dried fish; they last several days, no rush.
- A gift for elders, the local-specialty type — sesame guili cake and palm-fruit goods tell a good local story, so you get both flavor and meaning.
- Something to eat in the car — fresh Khao Taengkwa pomelo is easy to peel and eat fresh on the road.
- Office souvenirs, large quantity — Thai sweets from town shops can be arranged into sets to share among a group.
Plan a full day of eating and sightseeing in Chai Nat
See the Chai Nat travel guide →