A guide to Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai was the first place we visited after spending a few nights in Bangkok. We spent a total of 2 weeks in Chiang Mai either side of the week we spent in Pai.

We enjoyed our time in Chiang Mai so here are some of my recommendations.

Accommodation–

We stayed in two different hotels in Chiang Mai. Our favourite of the two was Asa hotel, and to this day is one of our favourite hotels we have stayed in whilst in South East Asia.

We liked it that much we wanted to stay there when we returned from Pai but sadly it was fully booked.

We paid £24 per night which was within our £25 night budget. The location was good, there was a nice pool, the bed was extremely comfortable (a rarity in South East Asia), and the staff were amazing.

Asa hotel would be a great place to stay when visiting Chiang Mai.

Places to eat–

We found lots of lovely places to eat in Chiang Mai, here are just a few. Also note that I’m a vegetarian and Jacob isn’t so these places are suitable for everyone!

Number 9 Restaurant- this place was so good we ended up there for lunch most days. Make sure you try the Khao Soi. This is a northern Thai speciality, and one of my favourite dishes that I’ve had in South East Asia.

Plon Ruedee night market- we had our tea at this night market most nights. There are loads of different options for both vegetarians and meat eaters. I found a great vegan stall which did the best veggie fried rice. There is also live music most nights.

Sukishake Cafe– the perfect place for a tasty breakfast. There are limited seats and it’s often busy so be prepared to wait!

Lanna Square night market– another great night market for cheap and tasty food. Make sure you try out the Pad Thai stall.

Activities–

Grand Canyon water park- this is basically a big inflatable obstacle course on water. It’s a lot of fun and a great way to spend an afternoon. It cost us around £20 each for entry to the water park. You can pay extra to do other activities there, and there is also a restaurant onsite.

Hooman board game cafe- we love a board game cafe. They’re a great way to spend a couple of hours chilling out. Hooman have a great selection of board games and lots of delicious drinks. You pay for your drink and pay by the hour for the board games.

Mars cafe- there are a few funky cafes in Chiang Mai, Mars cafe being one of them. As you might be able to guess, its theme is based on the planet Mars. If you’re into taking photos against space themed backgrounds then this is the place for you. It’s also a good place to chill out with a nice drink.

Yi Peng lantern festival- this is an annual event that took place when we were in Chiang Mai in November 2023. It is a Buddhist festival that represents moving away from darkness into lighter times. Thousands of people gather to release lanterns and fireworks are let off. You can buy your own lantern to release for only 50 Baht (around £1) and be part of the magical festival.

Huai Tueng Thao Sheep Farm- here you’ll find giant wooden sculptures (the cat was my personal favourite) and lots of sheep. It’s a nice place to wander around and there are some shops where you can grab a drink and a snack. It’s located within a national park so you do have to pay a small entrance fee.

Visit an ethical elephant sanctuary- we visited Chai Lai Orchid elephant sanctuary whilst we were in Chiang Mai. We actually spent the night there but you can just visit for the day. This was a great experience, however it is something I wish we had researched into more as I don’t feel we did it in the best way. I’ll do a separate post of our experience.

Maya Mall- this is the main shopping mall in Chiang Mai. There are loads of different shops there such as Boots, H&M, and Watsons. There are places to get a drink and a bite to eat too. We enjoyed going for a wander round the mall (also taking advantage of the air conditioning!)

How to get around–

The best way to get around Chiang Mai is on a motorbike. There are loads of places where you can rent a bike (just make sure you look at the reviews first to check you’re renting from a reputable business).

Be aware that there is a police presence in Chiang Mai. We did get stopped in the centre twice. Luckily Jacob has a motorbike license so we avoided a fine, but we did see lots of people getting fined. Also consider whether your travel insurance covers you for riding a motorbike.

The roads are quite busy so if you aren’t confident driving then another option is a Grab bike, taxi or tuktuk. It’s much better to use the Grab app for your transport because you know what the price will be before your journey, and it helps to avoid scams.

You can walk around the old town part of Chiang Mai but to get further afield you will need either your own motorbike or a taxi.

The best time to visit-

We visited Chiang Mai in November. The best time to visit is from November to February which is in the dry season. You’ll get slightly cooler weather during this time, and will also avoid burning season.