The complete guide to discover Chiang Mai, know when to go, transportation, all useful information to prepare your trip.
Chiang Mai is a multicultural city, composed of Thai, hill tribes and foreign visitors from Asia or the West to discover a magnificent region and its craftsmanship renowned worldwide.
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Description
Map of Thai provinces, Chiang Mai is highlighted in yellow.
It is the second-largest city in Thailand, an important cultural hub and the capital of Chiang Mai Province.
It is a student city, as well as a major tourist destination, offering many attractions for its thousands of Thai and foreign visitors.
Chiang Mai's reputation is not new and comes from its strategic location on the ancient Silk Road.
Long before the arrival of foreign tourists, it was already an important center for handicrafts, umbrellas, silver jewelry, and wooden sculptures.
Chiang Mai province has a population of around 1.8 million, with approximately 127,000 living in the city of Chiang Mai.
It is located 700 kilometers north of Bangkok, among the highest mountains in the country.
The city is situated on the banks of the Ping River (Mae Nam Ping in Thai), an important tributary of the Chao Phraya River.
Young Akha girls in Chiang Mai
When to go to Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai has a tropical, temperate climate with high humidity.
It is hot throughout the day all year round, but the nights can be quite cool between December and March.
Average temperatures in Chiang Mai
The seasons
There are 3 seasons, the hot season, the rainy season and the cool season.
The hot season
It lasts from March to June with daily temperatures between 30 and 35°C and occasional thunderstorms.
The climate in the city becomes very dry and the air can be polluted by smoke from crop burning (for exploitation purposes).
This is the least recommended time of year to visit the region, not advised for people with respiratory difficulties such as asthma.
In 2024, Chiang Mai was ranked several times as the most polluted city in the world (PM2.5), according to the site IQAir.
The rainy season
It starts in July and ends in September.
However, it should be known that it does not rain every day, it is often heavy showers, but they do not last long.
The cool season
It lasts from October to February, it is a good period to visit the north of the country.
It is also the high tourist season.
However, the evenings can be a bit cool, so a light jacket or sweater is recommended.
You can follow the weather in the main regions of Thailand here:
Weather in Thailand: 6-day forecast + Climate and Seasons
See also:
When to go to Thailand?
History
Chiang Rai Kingdom of Lanna
Mengrai built a moat and wall around the city to protect it from Burmese attacks.
Between 1546 and 1556, it was united with the Kingdom of Lan Xang and ruled by King Setthathirath, then came under the domination of the Taungû dynasty from 1558 to 1725.
During the war against the Burmese Konbaung dynasty, Chiang Mai was deserted and remained abandoned for fifteen years (1776 – 1791).
Lampang was the capital of what remained of the Lanna kingdom during this period.
Chiang Mai became a region of Siam in 1774, when King Taksin retook it from the Burmese.
The city was then rebuilt both culturally and economically to become the capital of northern Thailand, the second most important city after Bangkok.
What to see and do in Chiang Mai
The city is not lacking in attractions and places to visit.
The old town
Tapae gate
Often considered the main attraction, the old city is the beating heart of Chiang Mai.
Surrounded by the old city walls, the neighborhood is home to countless cafes, restaurants, hotels, and nightclubs.
The Chiang Mai National Museum
Chiang Mai National Museum
The old town is home to the Chiang Mai National Museum - over 700 years old, this museum is dedicated to the history, nature, and culture of the city.
Museum Address: 451 Chang Phueak, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand
Wat Chiang Man
Wat Chiang Man
It is the oldest temple in Chiang Mai, created in 1296, at the time when the city was founded and served as the residence of King Mengrai.
A city for gourmets
Chiang Mai is also renowned for its cuisine, which is a mix of Thai, Chinese, Lao, and Burmese food.
You shouldn't miss Khao Soy, a typical dish of the region that many tourists regret not finding in other parts of the country.
Khao Soy, curry noodle soup, the delight of Chiang Mai
Other attractions in Chiang Mai
What to see and do in Chiang Mai: the activities not to be missed!
Guided Tours
Finding a hotel in Chiang Mai
You won't have any trouble finding hotel rooms.
However, if you come between November and February, the high season in Thailand, it's better to book in advance.
You can find the best hotel deals in Chiang Mai with Booking.com
Transport
You can book your plane, bus, train or boat tickets via our partner 12go.asia :
How to get to or leave Chiang Mai
See also our article:
Bangkok to Chiang Mai by train, bus or plane
By bus
From Bangkok, you need to go to Mo Chit bus station, you can also find buses from Khao San Road, but they have bad reputations.
By train
You can get to Chiang Mai by train from Bangkok (from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Station, formerly known as Bang Sue Grand Station).
If you leave Bangkok on the overnight train at 6 pm, you will arrive around 8 am in the morning.
By plane
You can find the lowest prices for long-haul flights to Chiang Mai by comparing prices over different periods on Trip.com..
Regular flights connect Bangkok to Chiang Mai from Don Muang or Suvarnabhumi airports, and you can find low-cost tickets for around 1000 baht.
You can find links to low-cost airline websites on:
Transportation in Thailand, getting around by plane
Getting around Chiang Mai
You will find free tourist maps of the city and its surroundings in hotels and guesthouses, in English and Thai.
They are very useful for indicating the exact destination to a driver.
To get around the city, we have a choice between:
Tuk-Tuk
A fairly expensive transport that costs between 50 and 100 bahts depending on the distance and time of day.
Red collective taxi
The red collective taxi, called Songthaew
Also called Songthaew (meaning '2 benches') or Silor (meaning '4 wheels').
The simplest and most economical way to get around, the ride costs 20 bahts per person when staying within the city.
The taxi drops off different clients following the route it defines and adjusts according to demand.
You will need to give the address of your destination to the driver, a map of the city with names in English and Thai will be useful to you.
Scooter
It rents for between 150 and 250 bahts per day (depending on the model and engine size).
Reserved for those used to 2 wheels. Insurance is included, but minimal.
It is better to leave a photocopy of the passport and a deposit with the rental company rather than the original passport, because in case of damage to the scooter, it can cause you trouble.
Tip: if you find yourself with a repair to make, it is better to do it yourself at your own expense in one of the many small garages in the city, because sometimes rental companies try to scam you.
And, don't forget that the biggest danger in Thailand is the road, be careful!
See: What you need to know before renting a motorcycle in Thailand
Taxi-meter/Grab/Bolt
You will find taxis in the city, and if you don't want to pay the full price, you can use Grab or Bolt applications.
The applications are also more practical to clearly indicate the address of your hotel to the driver on a Google map, you won't have the possible problems with a normal taxi that speaks poor English or doesn't know the address.
Bolt taxis are cheaper than Grab, but less numerous.
The bus
It's the cheapest means of transport, but it's also the most complicated for foreigners who don't speak Thai.
On foot
Compared to other cities, it's fairly easy to get around on foot in the center.
Be sure to use the red light stop buttons before crossing, there are many reckless drivers!
Photos of Chiang Mai
Video on Chiang Mai
A nice little video on life in the city:
Maps of Chiang Mai
Google Map
You will find other maps on the forum: Maps of Chiang Mai
Come discover and/or share on the forum:
Good deals on Chiang Mai
Source: wikitravel.org; Photos: Old walls of Chiang Mai: Martin-Manuel Beaulne; Old town Chiang Mai: Bjørn Erik Pedersen; Tuk tuk: Brownie13; Chiang Mai Railway Station: Manop; Baan Haw Mosque: Iceway12; Chiang Mai Street: Bình Giang; Red Songthaew: Kenneth Robert; Police Tuk Tuk: Takeaway; Akha girls: Naturepost
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3 comments
Total overhaul of the red songtaew service in Chiang Mai
The Nakorn Lanna Cooperative, which manages the Songtaews in Chiang Mai, will implement these new measures between now and August 30.
They were announced at a conference on urban transport on June 5, 2017.
1- All songtaews must be registered.
2- "Standard" routes will be removed except on the second circular boulevard.
3- Thus, songtaews will now be free to go where they want, but they will not be able to charge more than 30 baht.
4- If a songtaew is chartered (used like a taxi), the fare will not be more than 200 THB and the driver will not be able to pick up other passengers along the way.
5- All drivers will have to undergo a training session, at the end of which they will receive a personal QR code that will link to their information: profile, prices, and regular routes.
6- Passengers will be able to scan the QR code and leave a comment and rate the driver.
There are 2345 songtaews in town that will have to comply before October 30.
It is expected that 400 of them will register and attend the seminar as early as this week.
Hello,
You write:
- Chiang Rai is 780 km north of Bangkok
- Chiang Mai is 800 km north of Bangkok
This is not what a map of Thailand shows….
Thank you for your articles
Greetings
Hello FD,
Yes, indeed, thank you for reporting it.
I just made the change using the Bangkok-Chiang Mai distance given by Google: 681 km