Chiang Mai, Thailand 2018 ☀ Destination Guide

DESTINATION GUIDE

Chiang Mai: a complete guide

In the mountainous north is Chiang Mai, Thailand’s second largest city. Despite its size, Chiang Mai feels more like a village than a large city. The walled, historical center feels small and familiar and is full of lovely shops, temples, and outstanding restaurants. 70% of the province, of the same name, is mountainous and covered by jungle, which means that you can be surrounded by nature or at the foot of a waterfall in no time at all.

We adore Chiang Mai and understand why many expats have made it their home. The kindness of the Thai locals and the cool climate act like a magnet. Add to that the vibrant nightlife and the fact that living there is cheap, and it’s not very hard to understand that Chiang Mai is just amazing!
– Sander & Mariska

Sights in Chiang Mai

In Chiang Mai, you don’t have to worry about running out of things to do. Fun activities are spread around the city. We recommend you to stay in Chiang Mai for at least three days, but don’t be surprised if you end up staying a week. Chiang Mai is addictive; it’s the kind of destination you keep going back to!

1. Doi Suthep

Chiang Mai’s main temple, built halfway up the mountain of the same name, boasting a view of all of Chiang Mai. The road leading up to Doi Suthep is spectacular.

2. Taking Care of Elephants

Washing the elephants at Elephant Nature Park

Visit an elephant sanctuary to help taking care of abused and neglected elephants. But please, don’t ride them!

3. Sunday Walking Street

Evening market in the center of Chiang Mai (Ratchadamnoen Road), with street food and the most beautiful souvenirs in all of Thailand.

4. Ziplining

Float through the jungle like Tarzan and Jane. Not just for the adrenaline rush, but above all, for the views and stunning natural surroundings.

5. Wat Chedi Luang

In the middle of the city center, you’ll find Wat Chedi Luang. It’s centuries old and has endured multiple earthquakes, causing the partial crumbling of the stone walls.

6. Cooking Class

Go to the market, gather fresh local ingredients and then whip up the best Thai dishes you’ve ever tasted. You be the judge and eat the meals you prepared yourself.

7. Jungle Trekking

Join one of the multi-day treks through the Chiang Mai’s jungle. Small groups and authentic tours, without hordes of tourists. A good fitness level is required!

8. Ladyboy Cabaret

Every night the Anusarn Night Market proudly hosts a playback show that’s completely over the top (but a lot of fun). A hilarious night out!

9. Bua Thong Waterfalls

Bua Thong Waterfalls, Sticky Spiderman Falls near Chiang Mai

Better known as the Sticky Waterfalls. You can climb these uncommon waterfalls, in the middle of nature, like Spiderman.

10. Chiang Mai Canyon

An abandoned mine flooded with water. These days it’s known as a spectacular cliff jumping location. Enter at your own risk!

11. Doi Inthanon National Park

Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai

Visit the highest point in Thailand, nearly 100 kilometers outside of Chiang Mai. With its 2,565 meters, it’s the highest mountaintop in Thailand.

12. Massage

Chiang Mai Women’s Correctional Institution is the best place in Chiang Mai to go for a massage. The massages are given by female ex-convicts, offering them a chance to reintegrate into society.

13. Warorot Market

A great local market in Chiang where you can literally buy anything. And best of all: it’s dirt cheap!

14. Bike Tour

Ride a bike through the outskirts of Chiang Mai, along with the river Ping, next to the rice fields. You’ll also visit a local school and a former leper colony.

15. Yoga Class

Whether you’re in Chiang Mai for a day, a week or several months, try a yoga class at Freedom Yoga. Small-scale and very relaxing!

16. 3D Art Museum

The perfect outing for on a hot or rainy day when you’re traveling with children. This museum full of fun, funny and exciting paintings that fool the eye.

17. Huay Tung Tao Lake

This where the locals spend the weekend relaxing: having dinner and drinks with friends and family in a straw hut, swimming in the lake and enjoying a little peace and quiet.

Hotels in Chiang Mai

It’s not hard to find a pleasant place to stay in Chiang Mai. Hostels, guesthouses, hotels, and resorts are abundant, and prices are low. The price-quality ratio is as good as it gets. Because of the wealth of choice, we made a list of 10 of the best hotels in Chiang Mai. We hope it’ll be useful to you!

1. Swiss-Lanna Lodge

Authentic Nice atmosphere Friendly staff

$ – This traditional Thai house, made out of Teak wood, is converted into a snug guesthouse with beautiful rooms, complete with a balcony, hot tub, general seating area and much, much more. And it’s affordable as well!

Check availability

2. Rimping Village

Excellent location Free bikes provided Family friendly

$$$ – Rimping Village is ideal for families and couples. It’s in a quiet location, just outside the center and within walking distance of both the Ping River and the Night Bazaar. Furthermore, it has a swimming pool, a tour desk, 24-hour reception and comes fully equipped with all the modern conveniences!

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3. Lamphu House Chiang Mai

Central location Affordable luxury Swimming pool

$$ – Strategically located opposite to Wat Chedi Luang, Lamphu House’s spacious rooms are equipped with air conditioning, a balcony, a tv and a nice shower. The highlight, however, has got to be the fantastic swimming pool!

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4. Awanahouse

Nice street Family friendly Amazing atmosphere

$ – Awanahouse has been among Chiang Mai’s best budget hotels for years. Families are also very welcome; the staff is very friendly while the rooms are colorful and clean. It’s got a roof terrace and a small swimming pool on the ground floor.

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5. Liam’s Suan Dok Mai

Very hospitable Small-scale Family friendly

$$ – A fantastic guesthouse just outside of Chiang Mai, quite obviously run with love and commitment. Belgian hostess Daphne will do anything to make your stay as pleasant as possible. Families with children are more than welcome!

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6. Rabeang Pasak Treehouse Resort

Very hospitable Small-scale Family friendly

$$$ – Rabeang Pasak is a family-run treehouse resort. Yup, you’ve read that right: treehouse! Here you’ll stay high up in the sky, surrounded by jungle and natures sounds. The surrounding area is quiet and has incredible views. We especially like the “Tamarind cottage treehouse”, the highest treehouse of the resort. A childhood dream come true!

You can book your stay at Rabeang Pasak via Airbnb. Not yet a member of Airbnb? Then click here for $ 38 off your first booking!

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7. Rustic River Boutique

By the river Great staff Tidy rooms

$$ – Rustic River Boutique’s authentic and tastefully decorated hotel rooms are surprisingly spacious. It’s small-scale, and the staff is very kind. It’s located near the river and within walking distance of the center.

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8. Doi Doo Dao Home Hostel

Best hostel in Chiang Mai So much fun Meet other travelers

$ – For many travelers, staying at Doi Doo Dao is the highlight of their trip. This hostel/homestay, with its cozy interior, is run by Laa – the awesome owner who also arranges day trips and is happy to teach you about Thai culture. Moreover, the location is terrific and it’s a great place to meet other travelers.

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9. The Grand Napat

Beautiful apartments Fitness area Family suites

$$ – Just outside the city center is The Grand Napat Hotel, sporting comfortable rooms, a gym, and a beautiful swimming pool. The service is excellent, and there’s a free shuttle service to the Night Bazaar and to and from Chiang Mai Airport. Breakfast is also included.

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10. S.K.House 2

Perfect location Feels like home Swimming pool

$ – S.K. House 2 is a more than adequate budget hotel. Sure, the beds might be a bit hard, and the bathroom smells slightly musty, but the location is great, the rooms are spacious, the staff is friendly, and there’s a swimming pool as well. Not bad for a little over $ 10 per night!

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Restaurants in Chiang Mai

There are a huge number of nice and hip restaurants, lunch cafés and breakfast bars in Chiang Mai. There’s a restaurant we recommend on pretty much every street corner. Here food doesn’t only have to taste good, it is also healthy and can be eaten responsibly. If you’re planning on filling your days by going out to dinner, then Chiang Mai is the place for you! These are our 12 favorite places to eat, in alphabetical order.

1. Angel’s Secret

27 MoonMuang Road Soi 5
Our number one breakfast spot in Chiang Mai. This is a super cute and small-scale restaurant where you can have a gorgeous breakfast or lunch. Order the fruit yogurt for breakfast!

2. AUM Vegetarian Food

Suriwong Road, Soi Suriyawong
Super healthy food, shakes, and other tasty items. Downstairs you can sit at a table and upstairs you can lay stretched on the pillows.

3. Blue Diamond – The Breakfast Club

35/1 MoonMuang Road Soi 9
Nice breakfast place, in a small garden with a carp pond. You can also enjoy delicious Thai food here.

4. Cooking Love

18/7 Rachadamnoen Road Soi 1
The mango curry, garlic shrimp, and even the fried rice are delicious here. A great place to go out for dinner!

5. Farm Story House

7 Ratchadamnoen Road Soi 5
At the small-scale Farm Story House, everything is served with care and attention. Occasionally you’ll have to wait a little longer for your food, but it’s worth it. Just relax!

6. Girasole

71 Rachadamnoen
In between all of the Thai food, sometimes you also long for a good pizza. Chiang Mai has a lot of good Italian restaurants: Girasole is definitely one of them.

7. Kanjana

7/2 Ratchadamnoen Road Soi 5
You’ll find Kanjana in one of the small side streets in Chiang Mai’s Old Town. No frills, just great tasting Thai food served quickly. The curries are delicious.

8. Ploen Ruedee Night Market

Chang Klan Road, Amphoe Muang Chiang Mai
An exciting night market with live music and loads of tasty international street food. This is the place if you want a break from Thai food.

9. Riverside Bar & Restaurant

9-11 Charoenrat Road
Go to the Riverside Bar & Restaurant for a nice atmosphere, the good food, and the live music. A great night out.

10. SS1254372 Cafe & Gallery

22/1 Soi Nimmana Haeminda 17 Chiang Mai
Cool little café with arty atmosphere. They serve the best eggs benedict, french toast, veggie tortillas and coffee. Perfect for breakfast or lunch!

11. The Hideout

95/10 Soi Sithiwongse
This is where you go for a nice cup of coffee and a good sandwich. One of the best places in Chiang Mai to have lunch.

12. The Larder Cafe and Bar

333/9 Sukkasem rd. Chiangmai
One of the few places in Nimman where you can’t only get a decent cup of coffee, but also a smashing breakfast or lunch with fresh bread, fruit, and yogurt.

Transport in Chiang Mai

From Bangkok

Domestic flight

Travel time: 1 hour
Cost: ฿ 1,000-2,000 pp

The fastest and most comfortable way to travel from Bangkok to Chiang Mai is by airplane. Flying to the north of Thailand shouldn’t cost you more than 2,000 baht. Do keep in mind that Bangkok has two airports that operate flights to Chiang Mai. Suvarnabhumi Airport, where most international flights arrive, and the smaller Don Mueang Airport. You’ll be there in the blink of an eye!

Click here for flights to Chiang Mai

Sleeper train

Travel time: 13 hours
Cost: ฿ 1,000-1,750 pp

The sleeper trains leave from Hua Lamphong Train Station in Bangkok. There are three evening trains from Bangkok to Chiang Mai: one leaves at 6:10 PM, another one at 7:35 PM, and the last train leaves at 10:00 PM. We advise booking tickets online as it’s a popular route.

Update: since 2017 a brand new sleeper night train operates between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. This new train only leaves at 6:10 PM. Booking in advance is highly recommended.

Click here for train tickets

Overnight bus

Travel time: 10 hours
Cost: ฿ 700 pp

These days, more and more tourists travel by overnight bus. It’s also the cheapest option out of the three. It has reclining chairs, onboard wifi, a stopover in Phitsanulok and a free shuttle service to your hotel in Chiang Mai. The bus leaves at 6:00 PM from Khao San Road and the next day you’ll be in the north of Thailand.

Click here for bus tickets

From other destinations

	Bus	Train	Airplane
Ayutthaya		฿ 1,000 – 10 hours – 5 per day
Chiang Dao	฿ 40 – 2 hours – 6 per day
Chiang Rai	฿ 200 – 3/4 hours – every hour
Hat Yai			฿ 1,400 – 2 hours – every day
Koh Samui			฿ 5,000 – 2 hours – every day
Krabi			฿ 1,250 – 2 hours – every day
Lamphun	฿ 40 – 1 hours – every hour
Mae Hong Son	฿ 250 – 6 hours – 6 per day		฿ 1,500 – 35 min – every day
Mae Sai	฿ 500 – 6 hours – 3 per day
Phitsanoluk	฿ 300 – 5 hours – 6 per day	฿ 400 – 7 hours – 3 per day
Phuket			฿ 1,750 – 2 hours – every day
Sukhothai	฿ 300 – 5 hours – 6 per day
Surat Thani			฿ 1,500 – 2 hours – every day
Trang			฿ 2,500 – 2 hours – every day
Trat			฿ 4,000 – 4 hours – every day
Udon Thani	฿ 500 – 12 hours – 2 per day		฿ 1,250 – 1,5 hours – every day

Getting around in Chiang Mai

Songthaew

The red, shared taxi (songthaew) is the best way to get from A to B. Tell the driver where you want to go, don’t negotiate the price, and just get in. That way you’ll pay as much as a local would. A ride within the center costs 20-30 baht, to the bus station 60-70 baht.

Motorbike

Ridden a motorbike before and not afraid of busy streets? Then rent a motorbike. Within fifteen minutes you can be surrounded by nature. Go to the mountain temple, Doi Suthep, for example! Rent is 150-250 baht for 24 hrs.

Bicycle

In case you’re a bit hesitant about riding a motorbike, then a bike or a mountain bike are good alternatives. They can often be rented at your ho(s)tel. Explore the center of Chiang Mai in the morning, while the weather’s still cool. Rent is 50-100 baht for 24 hrs.

Taxi

If you want to visit a landmark outside of Chiang Mai’s city limits (more than 50 kilometers away), you should take a cab. They don’t drive on the meter in Chiang Mai, so you will have to haggle over the price. Ask at least three different taxi drivers for prices.

Rental Car

More and more tourists rent a car at Chiang Mai’s airport and hit the road themselves. Always rent a car with an international company such as Hertz, Avis or Sixt. Rent is 800 – 2,000 baht for 24 hrs.

Weather in Chiang Mai

The best time to travel to Chiang Mai is during the cool season from November until February.

November – February

The cool season is the most pleasant season to spend time in Chiang Mai. The rain has stopped, nature is green, the waterfalls are filled up and the nights are fresh (and even cold sometimes). Take a warm jacket with you!

March – April

During the hot season temperatures during the day regularly reach 40 degrees Celsius. These are the least enjoyable months to be in Chiang Mai. Not just because of the high temperatures, but also because of the city’s smog.

May – October

The rainy season brings in the long-awaited cool weather in the form of rain, which usually falls at the end of the afternoon in tropical downpours. The jungle around Chiang Mai is a magnificent green and full of life.

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Chiang Mai, Thailand

DESTINATION GUIDE

Chiang Mai: a complete guide

Sights in Chiang Mai

3. Sunday Walking Street

7. Jungle Trekking

10. Chiang Mai Canyon

11. Doi Inthanon National Park

13. Warorot Market

17. Huay Tung Tao Lake

Hotels in Chiang Mai

Restaurants in Chiang Mai

7. Kanjana

12. The Larder Cafe and Bar

Transport in Chiang Mai

From Bangkok

Domestic flight

Sleeper train

Overnight bus

From other destinations

Getting around in Chiang Mai

Songthaew

Motorbike

Bicycle

Taxi

Rental Car

Weather in Chiang Mai

The best time to travel to Chiang Mai is during the cool season from November until February.

November – February

March – April

May – October

Map of Chiang Mai

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