Chiang Mai travel guide

Chiang Mai is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second-largest city in Thailand by urban population. It is 700 km (435 mi) north of Bangkok in a mountainous region called the Thai highlands, and has a population of approximately 127,000 within the city municipality and an urban population of about 1.2 million as of 2023.

With a population of over 127,000 registered residents in the city municipality (as of 2016), and 1.2 million in the urban city area as of 2022, it is Thailand's second-largest city. Founded in 1296 CE, Chiang Mai is a culturally and historically interesting city, at one time the capital of the ancient Lanna kingdom. In the rolling foothills of the Himalayas 700 km north of Bangkok, until the 1920s it could only be reached by an arduous river journey or an elephant trek. This isolation helped preserve Chiang Mai's distinctive charm, which remains intact.

Accommodation in Chiang Mai is generally cheap, even by Thai standards. All types of lodging are available from inexpensive guest-houses with little or no service to the typical high rise hotels and elaborate garden resorts. The latest boom is Thai-style boutique resorts located near the old city centre — several have been built since mid-2005, and offer excellent service in quiet garden settings; most are fairly small with as few as 8 rooms and a pool, and are decorated with Thai crafts and antiques. Evenings in Chiang Mai are cooler than Bangkok and the south during the dry season, so air conditioning may be less of a priority.

Getting in

Chiang Mai International Airport The airport is situated really close to the city, just 3 km southwest of the city centre, 10–15 minutes away by car. Registered airport taxis charge a flat 150 baht for up to 5 passengers anywhere in the city. Grab charges the same flat fare if going from/to the airport, but rates in Bolt can be noticeably lower, under 100 baht. If you take a metered taxi, there is a starting fee plus a service fee from the Meter Taxi counter. The taxis operate close to the car park not far from the exit at the north end of the terminal.

Getting around

Chiang Mai has a limited bus service, not without the opposition of the songhthaew (see below) and tuk tuk drivers. The RTC Chiang Mai City Bus follows just a few routes so far, but they quite fit the average traveler's needs, including from/to the airport, and are air-conditioned. The ticket is 20 baht, pay in cash to the driver or else Rabbit card from Bangkok is also accepted. For those wishing to travel really hard, there's a Tourist card - 180 baht per day or 400 baht per 3 days unlimited trips.

Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.