Enjoy a Traditional Lanna Khantoke Dinner & Show at Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center

Ren and I prioritize food when we travel. Before a trip, I do research to find the best local dishes, restaurants, markets, and street food stalls. When it comes to food, we only want authentic experiences which is why I was on the fence about this khantoke dinner.

A dinner accompanied by a “traditional cultural show” sounds like a combination typically reserved for tourists. We went to a similar event in Cappadocia a couple of years ago called “Turkish Night”. It was a three-course dinner with overflowing wine that featured a series of traditional Turkish performances like whirling dervishes and belly dancing. We had a great time and the performances themselves seemed authentic, but the event itself looked to be something concocted mainly for tourists. I was concerned that this Khantoke dinner at the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center would be the same.

But as it turns out, a khantoke dinner is something locals have been doing for centuries to celebrate festivals…