I first visited Chiang Mai in 2012, but didn’t create my first Chiang Mai travel guide until many years later. The simple reason? Well, if I’m honest, I didn’t like the hub of Thailand’s North very much.
At least not initially. It took coming back a few times, and doing so intentionally. A big break in my affection for the city came relatively recently, when I made a trip here during the annual Loy Krathong lantern festival. More on that in a second!
The love I now have for Chiang Mai is deeply personal, but it’s allowed me to speak more universal truths about the capital of Thailand’s erstwhile Lanna Kingdom. Certainly, I’ve amassed more than enough knowledge over the past decade-and-a-half to help you assemble an actionable Chiang Mai itinerary.
Where to Stay in Chiang Mai
Before I get into the nuts and bolts of what to do in Chiang Mai, let’s talk about places to stay in the city. In general, I like staying inside the Old City walls; I prefer boutique properties to big box ones. In this vein, I can recommend properties such as 99 The Heritage Hotel and Pingviman Hotel. I also like iLanna House, although this does sit on the far western periphery of the city walls.
Many of the more luxurious Chiang Mai hotels, meanwhile, are legitimately on the outskirts of the city center. Siripanna Villa Resort, for example, actually sits on the east bank of the Ping River, about 15 minutes walking distance from the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. This isn’t a bad thing—it’s a quiet place to sleep, not to mention a luxurious one—but it isn’t as convenient as the other Chiang Mai hotels I mentioned.
TIP: No matter where you stay in Chiang Mai, having a scooter can make your life easier, presuming you’re a licensed and experienced driver. You can rent a scooter entirely online—and in just a few minutes—using CityGlide, which can also deliver it anywhere in Chiang Mai.
The Best Things to Do in Chiang Mai
Get lost in the Old City
There are as many Chiang Mai temples are there are amazing local foods to try—more on those later. However, some touchstones to keep in mind once you enter the Old City Walls (assuming you decide not to stay within them) include Wat Phra Singh, whose golden stupa is perhaps the city’s most famous icon. Wat Chedi Luang, meanwhile, is made even more stunning by the fact that it’s half-ruined. Another favorite Chiang Mai temple of mine is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, perched above the city to the west on the mountain of the same name.
Discover Lanna cuisine
Eating is an essential part of any Chiang Mai itinerary, regardless of your dietary personality. If you don’t hit up the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar (or, on weekends, the Sunday Walking Street) for authentic northern-style Khao Soi, you might decide to sit down at any number of restaurants. Because eateries and cafes close and open here with such wild abandon, I usually recommend taking to the streets to find the best place—Google Maps is notoriously unreliable. In any case, Chiang Mai is the perfect place to discover amazing Thai food.
Enjoy elephants (but ethically)
As you scour the internet for a Chiang Mai travel guide, you might be worrying whether some of the city’s elephant camps are unethical. Not only is Elephant Nature Park a place where you can’t ride elephants, but they’re a licensed rehabilitation facility. Visitors here need to keep their distance (for the most part) from the elephants, who are being nursed back to health by trained professionals. Whether you choose this spot or another elsewhere in the Mae Rim district, nature is best appreciated from afar!
Visit Thailand’s highest peak
If a visit to Doi Suthep (which, let’s face it, is pretty high!) is not enough altitude for your Chiang Mai itinerary, consider going up even more. Specifically to Doi Inthanon, which is the highest peak in Thailand. Although you’ll have to be extremely lucky to travel up here on a day that’s legitimately cold, the King and Queen Pagodas (a key feature of any Doi Inthanon tour) are an evergreen bet for enjoyment. Likewise, you’ll also likely visit waterfalls near Chiang Mai, including Namtok Mae Ya and the viral “sticky” waterfall Namtok Bua Tong.
TIP: If you really want to go far out into the nature of northern Thailand, consider making an excursion from Chiang Mai to rural Mae Hong Son province, or even further afield to Lampang, Phayao or Nan.
Come for Loy Krathong and Yi Peng
Visiting Chiang Mai for the Loy Krathong and Yi Peng lantern festivals, which take place throughout Thailand every November, is not for the faint of heart. For starters, you need to reserve your hotel weeks or even months in advance; you need to be prepared to contend with almost apocalyptic crowds. With this being said, there’s nothing quite like the experience of seeing lanterns out on the water (in the case of Loy Krathong) or floating into the air (for Yi Peng). Top-of-Thailand-bucket-list tier for sure!
How Many Days Do You Need for Chiang Mai?
The topic of how many days in Chiang Mai you need is contentious—many tourists (including me, on my aforementioned trip) don’t stay long enough; some (the thousands of expats that live here) have probably worn on their welcome. In reality, you need to find a happy medium. This starts by understanding a fundamental truth: Chiang Mai city is as much a destination in itself as it is a base for exploring the province of the same name.
In this vein, while you could see everything within the Walled Old City (and even just outside it) in a day or two, you need much longer to explore the larger jangwat—particularly if you don’t have your own set of wheels, and plan to depend on a hired car and driver (or, god forbid, public transport). This is to say nothing for if you continue northward to Chiang Rai which, in spite of being grouped with Chiang Mai pretty often, is very much its own destination.
Other FAQ About Visiting Chiang Mai
When should you avoid Chiang Mai?
In my opinion, there isn’t a time of year that’s “bad” to visit Chiang Mai—all have their charms. However, most travelers avoid the hot months of April (at least after the Songkran festival) and May, the wet months between about June and October and the increasingly severe “smog season” between about mid-December and early March.
Is Chiang Mai worth visiting?
Chiang Mai is absolutely worth visiting! While the walled Old City (and the attractions within it) can easily become overrun with tourists, don’t let that deter you. Peripheral attractions such as Doi Suthep temple, as well as the mountains of Doi Inthanon and Doi Luang, offer lush landscapes and relaxing ambiance. Additionally, Chiang Mai is the best place to base yourself if you want to enjoy an ethical elephant adventure on your next trip to Thailand.
What is the best time of year to go to Chiang Mai?
The best months to visit Chiang Mai are the dry, cool months between November and March. November in particular, with the annual Loy Krathong lantern festival, is a very special month to visit Chiang Mai. If you go in December and January, you may actually enjoy some genuinely cold weather in the mountains surrounding Chiang Mai, where a Southeast Asian species of cherry blossom blooms in late January or early February. Do keep in mind, on the other hand, that in recent years the cool season has coincided with an increasingly severe “smog season.”
The Bottom Line
Some of you arrived on this page intent on creating an entire Chiang Mai itinerary—I trust that you’re leaving with a fantastic plan for your trip. For others, this Chiang Mai travel guide is about insight and inspiration, whether for exploring the temples of the walled Old City, for exploring rural attractions from the pagodas of Doi Inthanon to the elephant sanctuaries of Mae Rim, to onward excursions that include Mae Hong Son, Lampang and destinations far beyond. Need personalized help incorporating Chiang Mai into your Thailand trip? Commission a custom Thailand itinerary today!
