Chiang Mai Information

Chiang Mai’s weather shapes how you experience the Old City, mountain temples and countryside attractions. The year broadly divides into a cooler season, a hot season and a rainy season, but conditions vary from...

Chiang Mai Airport (CNX) is the main air gateway to northern Thailand, about 4km southwest of Chiang Mai’s centre. Its compact domestic and international passenger areas make it easier to navigate than...

Chiang Rai Airport, officially Mae Fah Luang-Chiang Rai International Airport, is the main air gateway to Chiang Rai and Thailand’s far north. Its airport code is CEI, and its location in Ban Du, about eight...

Lampang Airport is a small domestic airport serving Lampang city in northern Thailand. Its passenger code is LPT, and its location close to the city makes it useful for a Lampang stay or an onward road journey towards...

Chiang Mai taxis are useful for direct journeys between the airport, accommodation and attractions, especially when travelling with luggage or as a group. The practical choice is between an arranged taxi, a vehicle...

Chiang Mai’s songthaews are converted pickup trucks with two bench seats in a covered rear compartment. The red vehicles, often called rot daeng, are a familiar way to travel between the Old City, markets and...

A modest-budget Chiang Mai visit can combine Old City walks, northern Thai food, market browsing and one carefully chosen excursion. Decide what you most want to experience, then give it a realistic share of the budget...

Chiang Mai rewards a food itinerary built around northern dishes, everyday markets and time to enjoy a meal. Start with khao soi, then try a shared spread of sticky rice, herb sausage and chilli dips. A daytime...

Chiang Mai International Airport is close to the city, but the hotel entrance and traffic will determine the transfer. The Old City, Nimman, Night Bazaar and the riverside are separate destinations. Save the...

Chiang Mai offers mountain temples, national-park scenery, villages and historic towns, but they make very different day trips. Choose the experience you want most, then allow time for the whole journey and return. A...

Chiang Mai’s temples offer different reasons to visit: Lanna art at Wat Phra Singh, the monumental chedi at Wat Chedi Luang, a mountain setting at Doi Suthep and forest surroundings beyond the Old City. Choose a...

Chiang Mai’s markets serve different purposes. Warorot offers everyday shopping and northern food ingredients; the weekend walking streets combine crafts and snacks; and the Night Bazaar district offers an evening...

Smoke pollution can change a Chiang Mai holiday, particularly when mountain views, cycling or long outdoor walks are the main attraction. The timing and severity vary between years and days, so a fixed ‘burning...

To enter Chiang Mai, you need entry permission, the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, and onward transport to your accommodation. A visa exemption allows eligible visitors to enter without a visa in advance, while a visa...

Chiang Mai’s festivals can be a reason to visit in their own right, but they also change ordinary sightseeing. Songkran brings water celebrations and Thai New Year traditions, Yi Peng and Loy Krathong bring...

Responsible elephant tourism is about what animals experience during an ordinary day, not how a venue describes itself in advertising. The words ‘ethical’, ‘rescue’ and ‘sanctuary’ do...

Chiang Mai is easiest to explore by walking within a neighbourhood and taking a suitable ride between districts. The Old City works well for a temple-and-food circuit, while Nimman, the Night Bazaar and the riverside...

Chiang Mai combines a historic walled city, living temples, northern Thai food, neighbourhood cafes and mountain excursions. A first visit works best when you give the city time and choose a day outside it. The Old...

Choose a Chiang Mai base around the places you expect to use every day. The Old City suits temples and short walks, Nimman suits cafes and contemporary city life, and Chang Khlan suits evenings around the Night Bazaar...

The best time for Chiang Mai depends on the kind of trip you want and how flexible you can be. Cooler conditions suit temple walks and mountain outings, rain brings greener countryside, and April’s Songkran...

A Chiang Mai family trip works best with one main activity a day, plus time for food, rest, and the unexpected. Short Old City visits, a practical cooking class, gardens or one well-planned countryside outing can give...

Chiang Mai is easier to enjoy with a suitable hotel, booked transport and a few selected visits than with a long walking circuit. Modern buildings and some visitor facilities provide useful access, while older streets...

Chiang Rai has two main bus terminals, and choosing the right one matters more than their shared city name. Terminal 1 is in the city centre near the Night Bazaar, while Terminal 2 is south of the centre in San Sai...

Chiang Mai Train Station is the northern terminus of Thailand’s main railway route from Bangkok, and the starting point for journeys through Lamphun, Lampang and the central plains. For many travellers, its...

Arcade Bus Station is Chiang Mai’s main long-distance bus complex, connecting the city with Chiang Rai, Bangkok, Nan, Phitsanulok and other destinations across Thailand. It is a practical departure point for...

Chang Puak Bus Station, also written Chang Phuak or Chang Phueak, is Chiang Mai’s Bus Terminal 1. Located north of the Old City, it is a departure point for local buses and route songthaews serving districts...

Pai Bus Station is the central departure and arrival point for regular Prem Pracha services linking Pai with Chiang Mai and other stops in Mae Hong Son Province. Its town-centre location makes it convenient for...

A useful Chiang Mai map should show more than a list of attractions. Start with the square Old City moat, the Ping River to the east and Doi Suthep to the west, then locate your accommodation, transport terminal and the...