Chiang Mai is probably my favourite city in Thailand. On my visit to the country, I planned to stay for only three nights because I had already been there before, but I end up staying five. It’s not just the plethora of activities, the abundance of delicious cheap street food and the countless charming temples within the thick innercity walls that make Chiang Mai so irresistible. Its the combination of friendly locals living a calm life combined with the excitement of a city that is rapidly expanding and reinventing itself that creates an atmosphere that keeps on luring more people in. Yes it is getting busier, yes Chiang Mai is losing some of its former charm as the sleepy capital of North-Thailand but no worries. There is definitely space and room for a couple of visitors more;).
– Practical information –
When
Chiang Mai can be visited year round, but the most pleasant time (little rain, sunny days, not too humid) is December – March. Avoid travelling in late March – early April as this is the period when farmers illegally burn down patches of forest to clear for farming, which wraps the area in a stinky blanket of smoke. April is the month that all expats migrate for a month to the Southern Thai island for this very reason, so its probably best to follow their example.
Budget
Chiang Mai is cheaper than most other prime tourist-destinations in Thailand. Fruitshakes go as cheaply as 20B, while you pay probably little more than double for some streetside Pat Thai. Hostels start at 150B but you’ll get way better value for money by paying double for a boutique hostel, or a not-so-budget guesthouse. Beautiful spots can be found for about 800B a night (double with AC and swimming pool within the city walls).
In & out
Airport
Chiang Mai has an International Airport located only miles from the historical centre. International here means that it caters flights in the bigger South-East Asia Region but if you’re flying in from Europe or the U.S. you will probably have to make a stopover in Bangkok or Hanoi (Vietnam).
Considering the airport is so close to the city centre it is easy and cheap to haul a tuk-tuk or taxi right outside the arrival hall. The cheapest option is taking a shared red Songthaew, that will take you to any destination in the city centre for 40B per person. If you are heading to the airport the rate is, depending on your bargaining skills, the same but if the driver notices you are in a hurry he might feel cheeky and raise its prices. The ride will only take about 15-20 minutes.
Railway station
Most people arriving in Chang Mai will get to the city on the night train from Bangkok. The station is located only a few miles East from the historic centre. Similar to the airport a red Songthaew is the cheapest option for 40B per person. When I arrived I did my best to haggle this number down but had no success. If you are with multiple people all going to the same location, a small discount might be possible. Take into account 30 minutes for the ride, as the taxi will be battling heavy traffic and will stop on multiple occasions to drop fellow travellers off at their respective destinations.
Bus terminal
There are two bus terminals in Chiang Mai, an old one (terminal 2) and a new one (terminal 3). Both are located right next to each other and are called ‘Arcade Bus Station’ together. If you use google-maps it will point out a third terminal ‘terminal 1’, which is located right outside the city-walls but as far as I am aware, this terminal is no longer serviced.
It is getting a bit old but the easiest way to the Arcade Bus Station…yes. It is the good old 40B red Songthaew again. The bus terminal services all destinations in Thailand, be it Chiang Rai to the North or Suthokai in the south. VIP minivans and luxury busses all the way to Bangkok or the Southern Islands all depart here. Best fares can be found online, book your ticket here (print your ticket!).
– What to do –
Chiang Mai has got countless of activities and sights to visit, so to make it a bit easier for you I made a selection of the best sights and the activities that can be best done here, instead of somewhere else in the country (for example a cookery course!).
Sights
Inner-city temples
One of the best things to do in Chiang Mai is just wandering around town, visiting the little temples that dot the historic centre within the inner city walls. They are all within walking distance from each other and you don’t even need to make a plan. I just walked around and visited each temple that I stumbled upon. Most are free to enter but some charge you a little fee of 20-50B which is used for restorations.
Wat Doi Suthep
Wat Doi Suthep is probably the biggest tourist attraction in Chiang Mai. A pretty little temple on the top of a mountain only 45 minutes from the city. From the temple, you have a beautiful view over Chiang Mai. I’ve dedicated an article to visiting this temple independently, so if you want to get going without a guide or a tour group, click here.
Sunday market
Every Sunday around 4 PM the whole town gets closed down because it is time for the Sunday market! Everybody participates in the weekly event by selling and buying all the wares they can get their hands on. Streets will be covered in people selling tourist trinkets, household items, foods and even pets on little blankets right on the street.
There is really no escaping this event. I visited one of Chaing Mai’s biggest yearly music festivals, Jai Thep festival, on a Sunday and it took me two hours to get from the one part of town to the other (the place where we left to go to the festival). Granted, the Sunday market was so interesting I couldn’t help stopping at every other stall to haggle about some item I did not need and never really used anyways.
Activities
Cookery course at Pra Nang
Taking a cookery course to understand the Thai cuisine (or just to cook and taste some amazing Thai food) is one of the most popular activities to do in Thailand and if you want to do it somewhere, you best of doing it in Chiang Mai. Why? Because its generally cheaper than elsewhere in the country and because the Northern-Thai cuisine is the most authentic of all regions.
After doing a little research I opted to participate in an evening course from Pra Nang Cookery School. Pra Nang offers small-scale courses in a beautiful cooking studio in the suburbs of the town. The ingredients come from a small organic garden right next to the studio, and a tour and explanation of this garden is part of the course. Cat, the owner of the cookery school, is a great host, a great cook and an excellent teacher and I would wholeheartedly recommend taking this course. Added bonus: the course costs only 800B which is the best value for money for an organic cookery course I could find anywhere in town.
Thai boxing match
Thai Boxing is seen as the ultimate way to literally fight your way out of poverty and is thus hugely popular with the locals. There are multiple arenas in town that all offer a similar experience. I opted to go to the Thapae Stadium which offers tickets for 400B (we bought five and paid 300B each). I heard people stating the fights are staged but I highly doubt it, considering the ferocity the fighters showed in the ring. For your entrance, you get a prime spot, close to the ring and a free beer if you ask for it when buying the tickets. A night typically starts at 9 PM and lasts until 11:30 PM.
Women’s correctional institution massage
Wherever I am in South-East Asia, I can never resist going for a nice and long massage at least every other day. In Chiang Mai they set up a programme where they reintegrate female criminals into the society by teaching them how to massage. It is a peculiar experience, getting a massage while thinking about which gruesome acts the same hands might have committed at one point. The massage itself is great and the prices start at 250B for an hour. Book a day ahead or head over early in the morning. If you just walk up to the parlour, chances are high they will not have a spot for you.
Monk Chat
Another unique experience in Chiang Mai is to go for ‘monk chat’, which is exactly as the name suggests, having a chat with a monk. You can talk about anything you like but most people tend to use their time to get some insights into the Buddhist lifestyle. It is a great experience, a pleasant activity to do during the heat of the day and it is totally free.
Don’t be afraid for any awkward silences, the monks in the programme are all quite chatty.
– Eating and sleeping in Chiang Mai –
Eating
Chiang Mai is filled with great places to have a bite, but my favourite is the nightly food market at the Mai Gate (the south-eastern gate of the inner-city). Food is cheap, tasty and plenty and they serve great fruit shakes for only 20B to go with your meal. Do not confuse this with the Night Bazaar, at the Tha Phae gate, often called night-market, which is great for shopping and also perfect to have a few drinks.
Drinking
For drinking one of the best places to go to is Ram Bar, where they also have free ladyboys shows every night. Zoe in the Yellow is also a great spot for outside- street parties and if it gets too rowdy for your liking you can just head over to rasta-bar, right next door (chilled vibes and music). Take into account that everything closes down after 1 AM, sometimes even earlier, around midnight. I really do not understand why as right up until the moment they cut the music most places are still really busy and vibes are generally good. There are a couple of places that pay the police enough to stay open a few extra hours (Spicy Bar) but these places are pretty terrible. Overly loud dub-step music, flashy lights and a rather dirty and raunchy atmosphere. Unless you are desperate for a drink, you probably want to skip out on this.
Sleeping
Green Sleep Hostel
