7 Things to Know Before Travelling to Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai is the second largest city in Thailand, and a must-visit destination in the north of the country. 

With an absolutely stunning food scene, over 300 buddhist temples and a cultural history spanning all the way back to Thailand’s origins, Chiang Mai will charm you with its traditional architecture, small streets lined with coffee shops and local restaurants, and with the stunning nature that surrounds the city on all sides. 

With that said, as with any destination, there are definitely a few things you should know before travelling to this amazing city.

In this Chiang Mai travel guide, we’ve listed 7 of the most important travel tips you will need to know before your visit, so that you can make the most out of what will be an unforgettable visit!

Let’s get started.

Beware of burning season

If there is one thing that can ruin a visit to Chiang Mai, it’s the infamous burning season, also known as smoky season.

Every year, farmers burn their fields and large swats of forest to clear space for new crops, resulting in a thick, toxic haze that envelops most of northern Thailand.

This phenomenon usually takes place between February and March, and causes extremely high air pollution levels that can pose a very serious challenge to anyone with a sensitive respiratory system.

We’ve experienced this event ourselves for just one day at the end of February 2023, and let's just say it was not pleasant. We recommend you plan your trip accordingly, as to not spend your entire stay in Chiang Mai struggling with the terrible air quality.

Pro tip:

The burning season begins typically towards the end of January, but the effects are at their worst towards the end of February and the beginning of March. The haze usually persists until May, followed soon after by the rainy season. For this reason, the best time to visit Chiang Mai is from November to mid February, coinciding with the high-season.  

Don’t miss the Sunday market

Every Sunday, from 4pm to 10pm, the Old Town of Chiang Mai is filled with the incredible scents of Thai street food, and the sounds of thousands of visitors gathering for the Old Town night market.

Night markets are typical of Thailand, but the one in Chiang Mai left us with some of the fondest memories we have from our visit.

The market extends over several streets in the old city, and includes stalls selling all varieties of savoury and sweet Thai food, along with countless quality souvenirs from local artists and artisans. Thai music is played live in several locations, and the whole scene is safe, laid-back and overall extremely enjoyable.

If you’re travelling with kids they are bound to have an amazing time, just be careful not to loose them in the crowd!

Pro tip:

We recommend you book your accommodation within the old city, as you’ll be in walking distance to the Sunday night market, all major attractions and the countless buddhist temples in and around the city walls.

Chiang Mai is the perfect gateway to northern Thailand

Northern Thailand is known for its incredible natural beauty, and with Chiang Mai being the largest and best connected city, it is the perfect launching point to explore the rest of the region.

Renting a car or a scooter is easy, even though we recommend you only do so if you’re an experienced driver. In just a few hours, you can reach the lovely city of Lampang, and visit the unique Wat Chalermprakiat, the mountain pagodas.

Alternatively, you could head east towards Nan, famous for its national parks and wildlife.

The city of Chiang Rai is also a perfect day trip destination, and a must-visit if you're staying in Chiang Mai. The town itself is relatively small with few attractions, but it’s known for its amazing food, coffee and tea scene. In addition, the surrounding countryside is gorgeous and absolutely worth exploring!

Another famous destination that is easily reached from Chiang Mai is the small town of Pai. This one tends to split opinions as it has become very popular with younger crowds, but we think it’s worth checking out if you have the time.

Chiang Mai is a great hiking destination

In Chiang Mai, you don’t have to drive for hours to find yourself surrounded by nature.

Simply take a 15 minute tuk-tuk ride to the Huay Kaew Waterfall, where you’ll find the beginning of several trails that head into the jungle. We had a blast hiking there, where we at one point shared the path with a group of monks and even found an old Buddhist shrine in a small cave. 

Most trails do not require a high level of experience, but you will need a good pair of walking shoes, and you’ll definitely have to keep your eyes open for snakes, spiders and other critters.

Also, ask your driver to drop you off as close as possible to the waterfalls; We started our walk on the wrong side and ended up walking aimlessly, and then having to climb over a gate (on suggestion by a park worker who didn’t have the key) over a bridge while avoiding barbed wire. Good times. 

Within driving distance from Chiang Mai you'll also find several trekking routes leading up to the summit of Doi Inthanon, Thailand's highest mountain.

The entry fee as of 2023 is 300 baht per adult and 150 for children aged 3-14 years old, and you can hire a guide at the beginning of the trail. It will take you about two hours to reach the top, but it's well worth it for the incredible buddhist temple you'll find, as well as the unforgettable view you'll be able to enjoy from the summit!

Something else that Chiang Mai is famous for is elephant sanctuaries. This is another point that is bound to split opinions, but here is ours:

We do not recommend visiting any elephant sanctuary, as there is a fine line between exploitation and conservation.

The reason is that they are often touted as shelters for abused and rescued animals, but in so many cases the elephants end up as an attraction for tourists. Even if the sanctuary claims that the animals are well treated, there is simply no way to know what is going on behind closed doors, and there is no denying the fact that these animals belong in the wild, not in captivity.

Pro tip:

If you’re set on visiting an elephant sanctuary anyway, here are a two key point to look out for: 

• Do not visit any location that allows you to have contact with elephants. This includes touching, riding and bathing. These are not normal activities for wild animals, and could mean they are being forced into interacting with tourists. 

• Beware of locations that are overly advertised, as it is likely that their only concern is getting you through the door, not the wellbeing of their elephants. You’ll often find posters of these sanctuaries in and around tourist information kiosks. 

There is essentially no public transport in Chiang Mai

Contrary to Bangkok, Chiang Mai is almost entirely devoid of public transport. There are no trams, no subway system and busses are pretty difficult to find.

The most common way to move around is by using songthaews, modified pick-up trucks with two rows of benches in the back that act as shared taxis. They are extremely common throughout Chiang Mai, and can simply be flagged down from the side of the road when you see them approaching.

They are a cheap and simple method to move around, costing 30 baht to reach any destination within the city and 50 baht for outside the city (prices as of 2023). While there is hardly any need for such a low price, drivers are sometimes willing to negotiate the cost of the ride. 

Alternatively, you can also rent a car or a scooter. Chiang Mai’s traffic is pretty hectic and wild like the rest of the country, but not nearly as much as in Bangkok and other tourist hot-spots.

If it’s your first time driving in Thailand, Chiang Mai is a great place to get started!

Chiang Mai is a foodie’s dream

If you’re coming to Chiang Mai from Bangkok, you’ll probably have grown accustomed to buying your meals from one of the many street stalls. You might be disappointed, however, to find out that Chiang Mai’s street food scene is a lot smaller, and mostly restricted to markets. 

Then again, there are endless cafés and restaurants lining every street of the city, along with some of the most delicious food we’ve had on our trip through Thailand.

From incredible pork soups, to mountains of pad thai and a mango sticky rice that was to die for, Chiang Mai is the perfect destination to try out real, homemade Thai cuisine. And if you’re craving some amazing street food, the Sunday Market will have everything you wish for and more!

Chiang Mai is also a perfect food stop for digital nomads, as the many quaint, small cafés are ideal to spend a a quiet afternoon getting some work done with a coffee and a pastry.

Pro tip:

Don't skip on the traditional dishes of northern Thailand while in Chiang Mai.

High on our recommendation list is Khao Soi, a coconut milk curry broth with noodles. The best places to enjoy this mouth-watering dish are Khao Soi Khun Yai inside Old Town, and Khao Soi Maesai, located not too far away from the old walls.

The city quiets down very early

As is the case for most of Thailand, daily life starts early in the morning and ends early in the evening.

This means that most businesses will start closing their doors between 6 and 7pm, and you’ll struggle to find an open restaurant by 8pm.

Luckily, night markets and 7-Eleven shops are the exception, so you’ll always manage to get a bite to eat somewhere, even if the choice will be greatly limited. The same applies to nightlife, of which Chiang Mai is really lacking, especially in the old town.

The only area that we found to be still active at night was smack in the centre of the city, and seemed to be a huge tourist trap.

The first thing that stood out to us was that there were no locals to be found except for those working, the second is that many of the tourists were clearly there for more than just drinks.

Something that we really did enjoy, however, was how silent the city got after dark. Going for a nice walk after dinner made Chiang Mai feel more like a quiet, small town rather than the second largest city in Thailand.

From a vibrant food scene to incredible temples and wild nature, Chiang Mai has something for everyone.

We definitely recommend you check out this gem of northern Thailand, and that you enjoy the amazing Thai culture the city has to offer!

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