Chiang Mai is one of the most well-known and visited cities in northern Thailand. I recently spent five days there, and to be honest, I found it pretty easy to navigate. Not sure if that’s because I’ve been living in Thailand for a while, or because it’s really just that easy. Anyway, I put together this Chiang Mai travel guide so you don’t have to spend hours researching all the up-to-date info yourself.
In this article, I’ve pulled together everything I’ve learned during my stay in Chiang Mai. Things like how to get from the airport, where to get Thai baht, how to get around, and how much to budget, plus how to stay safe and connected, along with links to my in-depth posts on where to stay, what to do, and how to plan your days.
➞ Chiang Mai Itinerary: My 5 Days & What I’d Add Next Time
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Quick Overview: My Chiang Mai Travel Guide
| Topic | Quick answer |
|---|---|
| Is it worth visiting | Yes, especially for temples, mountains, coffee, and food |
| Best time to go | Cool season (Nov–Feb) but also rainy season |
| Getting there | Fly into CNX from Bangkok (1 hour) |
| Getting around | Grab, songthaews, or on foot in the Old Town |
| Where to stay | Old Town, for first-timers |
| Safety | Very safe, main risk is traffic and scams, not crime |
| What to do | Temples, Baan Kang Wat, Jing Jai Market, national parks, monk chat and meditation class |
| How long to stay | 4–5 days |
Is Chiang Mai worth visiting: My Opinion
Absolutely! I first went to Chiang Mai back in 2015, stayed for a month, and loved it. I came back eleven years later and it’s still a charmer, especially if you’re drawn to temples, mountains, good coffee, and Northern Thai food more than beaches and nightlife. I’ve written a full article on this, where I share what I actually liked and didn’t like about the city. You can find it here: Is Chiang Mai Worth Visiting? My Honest Answer
Best time to visit Chiang Mai
Just to give you a quick intro to Chiang Mai’s seasons: there’s the cool season, which runs approximately from November to February. Cool means sunny with minimal rain, which makes it the best time to visit but it’s also when most tourists come, so it can get pretty busy.
Then there’s the hot season, from March to May, which brings the “burning season”. Farmers start burning their crops, filling the sky with smoke, and air quality drops fast. The peak of it is usually in March, and I’d totally avoid Chiang Mai around then.
And the last one is the rainy season, from June to October. A lot of people fear it, but honestly, I really enjoyed it. Everything was lush and green, it was less busy, and I really didn’t mind the evening and overnight downpours. I wrote about my experience visiting Chiang Mai in August here: Visiting Chiang Mai in August: What the Rainy Season Is Really Like
How to get to Chiang Mai
I was travelling from Bangkok, so the easiest option was to fly. It only takes an hour in the air, and since my flight was early in the morning, I was in Chiang Mai before 8am, which meant I had the entire day to explore. You can fly from both airports in Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang), and flights are very well priced since so many airlines serve the route.
From Bangkok you can also take a bus or train, but these take ages, somewhere between 10 and 12 hours. I’ve broken down every option with real prices and timings here: How to Get from Bangkok to Chiang Mai: The Best Ways to Travel
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A few things worth sorting early
How to get around Chiang Mai
Unfortunately, Chiang Mai doesn’t have a metro or a reliable public bus network. Since I don’t feel confident enough riding bikes, my main modes of transport were my own two feet and Grab (both bike and car). So here are all the options:
- Grab: a ride-hailing app that works pretty well here; I never had to wait more than 10 minutes. Read: How to use Grab
- Songthaews: shared red trucks that run set routes, charging 30–40 THB per journey. I never really cracked the code on the routes, but you’ll find plenty parked inside the Old Town or in front of the northern gate by 7-Eleven. You can also approach them directly and negotiate a day rate if you want to see more of the city.
- Scooter rental: if you want as much flexibility as possible, rent a scooter. I came across plenty of rental shops during my Old Town wanders: the basic 110–125cc bikes cost 200 THB/day or 1,100 THB/week, while 150cc bikes run 400 THB/day or 1,900 THB/week. They require a 1,000 THB deposit and a copy of your passport. (Prices are from D2 Bike Motorcycle.)
- Bicycle rental: I considered this for a bit but decided against it, since the traffic felt too scary. I think it could work if you stick to cycling inside the Old Town.
- On foot: Chiang Mai, especially the Old Town, is pretty walkable. Every so often you’ll have to cross a busy road, which can be a bit painful, but there are no hills, and you’ll even get the odd stretch of proper pavement. I’d recommend good shoes if you plan to explore mostly on foot.
How to get from Chiang Mai airport to the Old Town
Getting from the airport to your hotel in the Old Town or Nimman couldn’t be easier. After I landed, I ordered a Grab via the app. There’s a dedicated Grab pick-up point right next to the bus stop. It cost me 167 THB for a 15-minute drive, which was the most expensive option.
There’s also a taxi service that offers a 150 THB flat fare, and the Chiang Mai city bus for 50 THB, which runs two lines: the yellow 24R, which goes to Wat Phra Singh, Nimman, Wat Suan Dok, Chang Phuak Gate and further; and the red 24L, which goes to Wat Chedi Luang, One Nimman, Warorot Market, and more. Just check out the photo below to see the routes.
Where to stay in Chiang Mai
I looked into both the Old Town and Nimman areas and concluded that Old Town is the better choice for a first visit. You can read more about my findings here: Where to Stay in Chiang Mai: Nimman or Old Town? If you want a specific pick, I stayed at and reviewed QUU Hotel, clean, quiet, and a short walk from the Old Town.
Is Chiang Mai expensive?
I’ve been living in Bangkok for the past year and a half, and if I compare the two cities, Chiang Mai is still significantly cheaper. Of course, there are new spots now where you can easily spend 300 THB on breakfast or 1,000 THB and up on dinner, but there are still plenty of eateries where I paid just 80 THB for a bowl of delicious coconut curry with meat and noodles.
What really hit me was the price of coffee. In Bangkok, an iced latte in a sit-down café along Sukhumvit or Song Wat Road costs 120–140 THB. Similar cafés in Chiang Mai still charge around 60–70 THB. Then there are markets where you can eat well for less than 100 THB, and accommodation is way cheaper too, especially in the rainy season. I paid only 45 USD a night for my hotel, which had a spacious, new, super clean bathroom with marble-style tiling.
On average I spent 600 THB a day. That covered breakfast, lunch, dinner, two café visits, and the odd trip to 7-Eleven for water and snacks.
Chiang Mai: Cash or card
Many of the cafés and restaurants I went to accepted card payments, but I wouldn’t rely on all of them. You’ll still need cash for markets, 7-Eleven, and temple entry fees. I find the best way is just to withdraw money from an ATM. The withdrawal fee itself is between 250–350 THB, depending on whether you have Visa or Mastercard. It’s pretty steep, so it’s better to take out more money at once. There are plenty of ATMs around the city, usually next to 7-Elevens.
For the full day-by-day breakdown of what I actually spent, check out my itinerary post.
Staying connected: SIM cards and eSIMs
One thing I can’t imagine travelling without is a data connection. I use it for checking restaurant reviews, ordering Grab rides, Google Maps, translating when I run into someone who doesn’t speak English, or translating ingredient lists when I’m shopping at 7-Eleven.
Even though I live in Thailand, I still haven’t found a better solution than my trusted eSIM. I switched to Saily a few months ago, and I’ve found it really user-friendly plus it always works. You can buy it and install it before you even leave home, then activate it once you land in Thailand. Just to give you an idea, 5GB of data valid for 30 days costs $7.99.
If you want a physical SIM card, just visit any 7-Eleven, they’ll help you get it set up.
Is Chiang Mai safe?
The only fear I faced in Chiang Mai was crossing the road. Otherwise, violent crime against tourists is rare, and I felt super safe. The locals are really friendly and helpful. Once, a guy driving a homemade cart even stopped four lanes of traffic just so I could cross the road.
I didn’t run into any scams myself, but I wouldn’t fall for offers of free tuk-tuk tours or “tax-free,” discounted gem shop visits. Also be careful when renting a bike. Take plenty of photos so they can’t claim any damage when you return it. And use common sense at busy markets, always know where your wallet and phone are.
For peace of mind, I’d recommend saving the Tourist Police number, 1155, in your phone.
What to do in Chiang Mai
The best way to experience the city is through its temples, markets, and the handful of activities that make it different from anywhere else in Thailand. Here are my top picks:
- Old Town temples: Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chiang Man, and more, all walkable from each other. I cover my 12 favourite spots here.
- Baan Kang Wat: a small artist village on the edge of the city, full of handmade goods and workshops. My full guide here.
- Jing Jai Market: my favourite market in the city, weekends only, best before 10am. Details here.
- Meditation and monk chat: a half-day class at Wat Suan Dok, genuinely one of my favourite things I’ve done in Thailand so far. My experience here.
- Wat Phra That Doi Suthep: the golden temple overlooking the city from the mountainside, best visited early to beat the crowds and heat.
- Chiang Rai: plenty of people do it as a long day trip from Chiang Mai (it’s about a 3-hour drive each way), but I’d recommend staying over if you can swing it. I spent a few days there myself, you can read my articles: Is Chiang Rai Worth Visiting? My Honest Review and 2 Days in Chiang Rai: How I Spent 48 Hours in Chiang Rai
How to plan your days in Chiang Mai
If you want some inspiration for your Chiang Mai trip, I put together a full 5-day itinerary based on my own trip, including a cost breakdown and what I’d add if I had more time. ➞ Chiang Mai Itinerary: My 5 Days & What I’d Add Next Time
FAQ: Chiang Mai travel guide
Is Chiang Mai more expensive than Bangkok?
No, it’s not. I live in Bangkok, so I can tell you firsthand, accommodation is more affordable in Chiang Mai, good coffee costs about half as much, and there are far more cheap eateries serving delicious food for 80 THB than you’ll find in Bangkok.
Is Chiang Mai really touristy?
I visited in August, during the rainy season, and it was pretty chilled. Yes, there were tourists in the Old Town, especially around the main temples, but it felt pretty manageable. I imagine it’s much busier during the cool season, which wouldn’t surprise me, since it’s the most popular city in Northern Thailand.
What is the famous food in Chiang Mai?
It’s khao soi, a coconut curry with egg noodles, chicken or beef, crispy fried noodles on top, pickled veggies, and a wedge of lime and red onion. It’s delicious, and in Chiang Mai you’ll find it on literally every corner. I’d also recommend the weekend Jing Jai Market for local northern desserts, like the sticky rice pancake with perilla seeds. I haven’t seen it anywhere else in Thailand.
Is Chiang Mai hotter than Bangkok?
I don’t think so, I found it cooler than Bangkok during my visit. I didn’t even need the AC or a fan on at night. After the rain it was a very pleasant 25 degrees, though it was also way more humid than Bangkok.
Is tipping customary in Chiang Mai?
It’s not, but people will of course appreciate it. You don’t need to tip 25% like you might be used to back home. I’d say 10% is generous, or you can just leave a small note. Some fancier places already include a service charge in the bill.
Do I need a visa for Thailand?
Most nationalities can enter visa-free, currently for up to 60 days, but always check the current rule for your specific passport before booking, since this could change at any time.
Do they speak English in Chiang Mai?
Yes, and honestly, every day in Thailand I’m surprised by how many locals speak English, way more than in many European countries.
Check Out My Other Thailand Guides
- Bangkok Travel Guide for First-Timers: Everything You Need to Know
- Thailand Itinerary: How Many Days to Spend in Thailand & Where to Go
- Thailand 10-Day Itinerary: Bangkok to Koh Samet Beach Holiday
- How to Get Around Thailand in 2026: Complete Transport Guide
- What to Pack for Thailand: Ultimate Checklist From a Local
