Best Nov · Dec · Jan · Feb ~A$70/day 4 days is about right

Chiang Mai

A moated old town of temples with mountains behind it. The food is northern — sour, herbal and nothing like Bangkok's.

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Ideal stay

4 days

Typical spend

~A$70/day

Rough mid-range estimate

Landmarks

6 listed

Things to do

Things to do in Chiang Mai

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Where to stay

Where to stay in Chiang Mai

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If you only have

Chiang Mai in a day, two days, three

Day 1

·Doi Inthanon

·Night Bazaar

·Tha Phae Gate

Guide for day 1 →

Day 2

·Wat Chedi Luang

·Wat Phra Singh

·Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

Guide for day 2 →

Landmarks

Landmarks in Chiang Mai

Doi Inthanon

Night Bazaar

Tha Phae Gate

Wat Chedi Luang

Wat Phra Singh

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

Names and UNESCO status only. Ticks are yours and stay on this device.

Getting in

From the airport

When to go

When to go to Chiang Mai: Nov or Dec or Jan or Feb

Cool, dry and clear — the best stretch of the year.

Guides about here

Nomad life

Digital nomad Chiang Mai, and the three months you should not be there

Chiang Mai for remote workers with real baht costs, the five-year DTV visa terms and the burning season that makes three months of the year genuinely unhealthy.

Tobi Adeyemi · 4 Sep 2026

Itineraries

Three days in Chiang Mai, and the months to move them out of

Three days in Chiang Mai on 30 baht trucks, with the real Doi Suthep costs, the elephant question answered honestly and the smoke season to plan around.

Arif Rahman · 2 Sep 2026

Where to stay

Where to stay in Chiang Mai, and the three months to book around

Old City, Nimman, Santitham or the river. The areas ranked by who they suit, plus the burning season that made 2026 the worst air year on record.

Arif Rahman · 2 Sep 2026

When to go

The best time to visit Thailand, which depends on which Thailand

The best time to visit Thailand by region, with the two coasts on opposite wet seasons, the smoke season in the north and the 2027 festival dates.

Arif Rahman · 3 Sep 2026