Left: Wat Doi Suthep; Right: Wat Phantao during the lantern festival in Chiang Mai

I fell in love with Thailand in 2009 when I was running photo trips for a student travel company in Southeast Asia. While the Chiang Mai has changed a bit over the years, it’s still the city I love so much. I now spend every winter in Chiang Mai for a few months and decided it was finally time to write a guide about the best things to do in Chiang Mai!

Chiang Mai is the smaller laid-back sister to chaotic madness of Bangkok. It has a population of 200,000 and centers around the old city, which is lined by a moat and the crumbling remains of the wall from its 13th century heyday as the capital of the Lanna Kingdom. It’s a foodie town filled with temples and a great base for day trips for waterfalls, trekking and elephants.  

Outside of the old city walls, the eastern area (Tha Phae Gate) along the Ping River is the commercial hub filled with markets. The western part is the trendy, hip area along Nimmanhaemin Road (known as Nimman) that’s popular with both the digital nomad community and Chinese tourists for the shopping, cool cafes and coworking spaces. 

Whether you’re here for two days or two months, this guide will answer ALL your questions about the best things to do in Chiang Mai.

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The Best Chiang Mai Temples

Wat Chiang Man in Chiang Mai’s old city

There’s literally a temple on every corner in Chiang Mai.  Please be sure to dress appropriately when visiting temples—cover your shoulders and knees; remove hats and shoes. Avoiding pointing your feet at anyone or the Buddha statues because it is considered disrespectful. I’ve marked my favorite photogenic temples with asterisks! The famous temples charge 20-30 baht for entry, and the smaller ones are usually free. It’s often free if you go early or late.

I added two asterisks to notate my favorite temples!

Temples Inside Chiang Mai’s Old City Gates

**Wat Phan Tao – This teak temple is one of my favorites and recently just opened about being renovated.

Wat Phra Singh – This is one of the most popular and crowded in town. It’s famous for Lion Buddha Image and golden chedis (a mound-like structure containing relics) with elephants.

Wat Chedi Luang – This is the second most popular and one of tallest structures in town. The brick chedi ruins dates back to 1441 and features a few remaining elephant statues.

**Wat Chiang Man – This is the oldest in town and known for elephant chedi from 1297. It’s one of the best for photography.

**Wat Saen Muang Ma Luang (Wat Hua Khuang) –  This small and slightly hidden temple is down a small road near north gate of the city. It’s also stunning for photographs.

Temples Outside the Chiang Mai Old City Gates

Wat Lok Molee – This temple is one of one of city’s older temples. It’s just outside of the north gate to the old city. It’s popular during the lantern festival and always has cool decorations.

Wat Sri Suphan – The silver temple is just south of city walls. It’s stunning except for the fact that women can’t go inside the main temple.

**Wat Buppharam and Wat Mahawan – These are two of the three stunningly beautiful Burmese temples near Tha Phae Gate.

Left:Chiang Mai Old City; Right: Wat Suan Dok

Temples in Driving Distance of Chiang Mai

Wat Doi Suthep – This is the most important temple in Chiang Mai and home to a Buddha relic. It’s located on top of a mountain just outside of town. It’s accessible by songthaew from the city or by foot via the Monk’s Trail.

Wat Pha Lat – This is a small monk temple on the way to Doi Suthep. It’s accessible by car and foot.

Wat Umong – This cave temple is couple kilometers out of city and one of the most unique ones.

Wat Phra That Doi Kham – You can’t miss this big white buddha temple on hilltop.

Wat Suan Dok –  This temple is located in the Nimman area and known for the photogenic white stupas/chedis. They offer one-day and multi-day mediation retreats that I totally recommend and regular monk chats!

Left: Doi Inthanon National Park; Right: Sticky Waterfalls (Bua Thong)

The Best Day Trips from Chiang Mai

If you don’t have a motorbike or car for day trips, I’d recommend booking transfers or tours through Klook, an online travel agency with the best deals in Asia.  You get 5% off your first booking and discounts off future bookings just for leaving reviews! 

Grand Canyon – This former limestone quarry carved out of red clay soil is a stunning place to relax and swim. It’s broken into three separate sections and two appear to be commercial – one waterpark/wake park on the far left of the canyon and a smaller water park in the center. Both have inflatable obstacle courses, cliff jumping and bamboo rafts for floating. Be careful with cliff jumping as deaths have been reported. Entry 300-150 baht depending on which park you visit.

Sticky Waterfall (Bua Thong) – This waterfall is one of my favorites and never crowded! It’s a multi-tiered waterfall made of limestone and mineral deposits. The rocks are easy to walk on without slipping, hence, the name “sticky waterfalls.” It’s fed by a natural spring that’s connected to the parking lot by a path. There’s a series of ropes and wooden railings, a recent addition this year to assist with climbing. Entry is currently free. It a 90-minute drive from town so a tour, motorbike, rental car or Grab  (ride share app) is your best option.

Monk’s Trail – This hiking trail leads up to the city’s most famous temple – Doi Suthep and passes a smaller temple Wat Pha Lat. The first portion of the trail is easy but after the first temple, it gets steep. You can take a songthaew down after the end of the hike. Depending on your fitness level, it can take roughly 90 minutes one-way.

Meditation Retreat – Wat Suan Dok offers weekly meditation retreats ranging from a one-day retreat on Monday and Fridays; weekly two-day retreats Tuesday to Wednesday and monthly four-day retreats. The one-day retreats are free but donations are appreciated. Two-day retreats are 800 baht. For more information, visit monkchat.net or stop by the monk chat office at the temple. (I personally LOVED the one-day retreat!)

Monk Chat – Wat Suan Dok offer chats on weekdays from 5-7 p.m. and Wat Chedi Luang in the old city offers it weekdays from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Both are organized by Wat Suan Dok’s Buddhist university, monkchat.net.

Elephant Sanctuaries  – While there’s no shortage of elephant activities around Chiang Mai, be mindful to only book with ethical companies that don’t allow riding.  Most day trips will include walks (not riding), feeding and bathing them. Some friends just booked a tour with Elephant Nature Park and raved about it.

Cooking Classes – Chiang Mai is a total foodie town so it’s a great place for a cooking class. I really loved the full-day cooking class at Grandma’s Cooking School, which I booked on Klook. We made six dishes, including dessert. They have a photographer shooting the entire time and give you the photos for free along with the recipes! I’ve also heard good things about Asia Scenic.  (1,200-800 baht/$50-65 USD). 

Doi Inthanon National Park– This national park is home to Thailand’s tallest peak at 8,415 feet! It’s also filled with hiking trails and waterfalls. It’s popular with cyclists as well. It’s located 70 kilometers from Chiang Mai, but there’s no public transport unfortunately. (I usually rent a car or hire a Grab driver for the day and split it with friends for day trips.)

Mango and sticky rice

 The Best Places to Eat in Chiang Mai

Budget Meals in Chiang Mai Under 100 Baht / $3 USD

Moo Ping Khun Por – This breakfast and lunch spot in Nimman serves up one of my favorite Thai dishes — moo ping (grilled pork usually in coconut milk) and khao niew (sticky rice). They also have chicken as well. This was a post-pandemic discovery that I’m obsessed with.  27 Nimmana Haeminda Rd Lane 11

Anchan Noodle – This local spot is famous for blue noodles, which get their color from butterfly pea tea. The noodles are served with a variety of meat choices and spicy dipping sauce. Only open for breakfast and lunch. 19/1 Siri Mangkalajarn Rd Lane 9.

Ming Kwan Vegetarian Restaurant – The vegan khao soi might just be my favorite khao soi in town (and I’m not vegan!)! This spot is budget-friendly and super tasty. I also recommend the veggie Northern Thai sausage! 98 Rachadamnoen Rd Soi 4 (Near Wat Phra Sing)

Mall Food Courts – All malls in Thailand have cheap (and super tasty) food courts with local stalls serving fresh food. The basement level of the Maya Mall and Central Festival are two good ones. The 4th floor of Central Festival is nice as well. I usually eat a meal for 50-60 baht ($2 USD).

Khao Tom Baht Diao – This is the cheapest spot in town for both food and beer with the most convenient hours. Portions are small, but it’s so cheap it doesn’t matter so just order a second dish. It’s open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily so it’s good any time of day!

Ploen Ruedee Night Market – This hip food truck market is located right beside the sprawling night market. It’s filled with tons of options for eating and small shops. There’s usually live music and cold beer readily available. 28/3-4 Changklan Rd.

Chang Phueak (North Gate) Market – Every night there’s a sprawling local food market located outside the walls of the old city across from the north gate. It winds down around 9 p.m. Highlights are the pork rice lady who wears a cowboy hat (she was on Anthony Bourdain) and the sukiyaki spot that’s just over a few stalls from her. (The sukiyaki spot was on a Netflix show so it’s always got a line. Get a number when you arrive and expect a wait!) I also love the roti pancake guy by the stoplight.

 Left: French toast at Gallery Seescape; Right: Granola and fruit from Good Souls Kitchen (I eat Thai food for every meal except breakfast! I love all the tropical fruits!)

Meals from 100 baht/$3 USD and higher

(Most of these spots are around 200-250 baht ($7 USD) depending on what you order.)

Good Souls Kitchen – This vegan spot is my go-to breakfast spot. (I’m far from vegan but love their fruit bowl and homemade coconut yogurt and granola.) Their dinner options and mains are also delicious. I dream of this place when I’m not in Thailand. 52/2 Singharat Rd.

Khao Soi Nimman (Michelin-Guide listed)– This is my next favorite khao soi spot in town. It’s open much later than the others. The northern Thai sausage is the best and spiciest option, but the fried pork is also good.  22 Nimmana Haeminda Rd Lane 7.

Goodneighbor Cafe – This hidden breakfast spot is one of the best in town for bagels and coffee. The chill vibe is also great. 149, 49 M.2 Soi. Ban Pae, Chang Phueak, Muang, Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand

SP Chicken – Rotisserie chicken, sticky rice and spicy stir-fried morning glory are my favorite meal at this local spot in the old city near Wat Phra Singh. Only open for breakfast and lunch.

Night & Day Resturant – For craft beer and northern Thai food, there’s not better place than this local favorite. This is off the tourist trail, which is why I love it. The hang lay curry is amazing, too. 34, 13, Suthep.

Khao Soy Maesai (Michelin-Guide listed) – This local spot serves up the best khao soi (northern Thai soup curry) in town. It’s only open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Go late in the afternoon or there will be a long line. I recommend the chicken and get extra pickled veggies to add in! 29, 1 Ratchaphuek Alley

Klay Cafe, Groon Bread & Brunch Cafe and The Moon Eatery are three of my favorite brunch spots in Nimman area. They all open around 8:30 a.m., which is early for the neighborhood! They each have homemade bread or bagels!  

Dinky’s BBQ – That’s right Chiang Mai has authentic Texas barbecue made by an Austinite! The side dishes (slaw, potato salad and fried okra) are tasty just like their homemade tortillas for their tacos. There are several sauces choices but the mustard is my favorite, which is crazy because I normally hate mustard. 

Huen Muan Jai (Michelin-Guide listed) – Located diagonally from Khao Soy Maesai, this is another popular restaurant specializing in Northern Thai food. I recommend their sampler platter and the hung lay curry with pork. 24 Ratchaphuek Alley.

Cherng Doi Roast Chicken (Michelin-Guide listed) – There will be a line at this hole-in-the-wall spot. The roast chicken with tamarind sauce is amazing! The menu offers a lot of other chicken dishes along with creative somtam (green papaya salad) options.  2/8 Suk Kasame Rd.

Tong Tem Toh (Michelin-Guide listed) – There’s always a line at this Nimman spot that serves up traditional northern Thai dish like Hang Lay curry and red ant dishes. The chicken wings are perfection. 11 13 Nimmanahaeminda Road.

The Salad Concept – If you’re missing your veggies or are sick, this is the best spot in town. There’s a massive selection of build-your-own salads and wraps. The portions are huge and range from 100-150 baht/$4-5 USD for a main. There are two locations.

Free Bird Café – This vegan spot has delicious coconut and banana pancakes. All proceeds go to the owner’s charity for migrant workers. There’s a zero waste store and second-hand shop inside. They host a weekly women’s nomad lunch on Wednesdays and other events.

The FACES Gallery & Gastro Bar – Hidden in the southern corner of the old city, this fancy spot serves up tasty Thai food in a beautiful setting. Terracotta carvings line the walls. The atmosphere of this spot is 10/10! 33 ถนน Ratchamanka Soi 6.

The Hide Out – With homemade bagels, this is one of the best western breakfast and brunch spots in Chiang Mai. It’s not far from Tha Phae Gate.

Where to Stay in Chiang Mai

A view of the pools at Green Hill Place

For a few nights…

HOTELS: For the best hotels in Chiang Mai’s Nimman neighborhood, I recommend Hotel YaYee ($38 USD/night), which has a great rooftop bar with excellent view of mountains, or Akyra Manor ($138 USD/night) has an equally amazing rooftop bar with cool infinity pool. Both hotels bars are open to the public if you decide to stay elsewhere.

HOSTELS: For the best hostels in Chiang Mai’s old city, try the sleek rooms at The Common Hostel ($10 USD/night) or Pakping Hostel, which have private bunks with curtains and individual plugs. In Nimman, the highest rated hostels with the best location are Ray Hostel and Bed Addict Hostel. Both are around $13-14 USD/night. (Things are always slightly pricer in Nimman than the old city.)

For a few months….

There’s no shortage of monthly rentals in town. The best ones book out in advance. I’ve included several locations to show the wide variety of options. I prefer to pay $300-400/month personally depending on if I get a studio or a one-bedroom. Electric and water is usually not included. (I’ve never paid more than $30/month total for both before 2019 but now, prices are more than double post-pandemic.) A one-month deposit is also required.

Mirror Chiang Mai – These newly built apartments are family-owned with both one- and two-bedroom units ranging from $540-840 USD/month. The same company owns PT Residences next door, which offers clean but dated apartments starting at $300/month. Weekly cleanings are included.

Huay Kaew Residence – This is the most budget friendly and centrally located spot in town for both the old city and Nimman. The good news: there’s a pool and the complex is huge so there’s always availability. The bad news: the beds are literally like sleeping on a wooden board. Studios start around 3,500 baht/$117 USD per month for 24 square meters. 

Liv@Nimman – This modern condo building is swanky and includes a stunning pool. It’s located in the heart of Nimman near Maya Mall. One bedroom apartments start at $672/month.

Green Hill Place – This modern apartment building has two NICE pools and a gym. It’s located by Maya Mall.  One bedroom units start at 10,000 baht/$336 USD.

Live Music & Free Events in Chiang Mai

North Gate Jazz

There’s no shortage of live music spots and open mic nights in Chiang Mai. My two favorite live music spots are North Gate Jazz Co-op (open mic night is Tuesdays) and Boy Blues Bar in the Night Bazaar.

One Nimman – This huge shopping complex offers free events including salsa classes on Sunday nights, yoga and swing dance lessons on Saturday nights. Check timings before visiting as this can change often.

Jing Jai Farmer’s Market – This weekly farmer’s market is a must-visit! Aside from fresh produce, there’s a whole section of food stalls ranging from freshly baked banana bread to dumplings. The vendors are also really unique artists and not touristy at all. Open every Saturday and Sunday from roughly 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Best Coworking Spaces in Chiang Mai

Left: Punspace Nimman; Right: Coco Kala coworking in Chiang Mai

There’s new coworking spaces opening all the time, and it’s best to choose a place based on where you live. Cafes are always a great backup option. I’ve always gone to Punspace, which has only two locations in town because their Nimman branch closed during the pandemic.  (Wiang Kaew is the most social of their three branches.) 

CAMP is a 24-hour café in Maya Mall that many people like to work from. Coco Kala is the one of the newest additions that literally just opened at the start of the pandemic but is temporarily closed! It’s a stunning co-living and coworking space with a pool.

Other options include Hub53 (offers unlimited and hourly plans). A monthly membership runs around $100-130 USD depending on the space. Yellow is a new coworking hub in Chiang Mai in the Nimman area that’s huge and always packed.

 The Best Gyms in Chiang Mai

Playground Innovative Training Club in the Nimman area of Chiang Mai.

These gyms are located around the Nimman area and I’ve tried them all! (I am picky about gyms when it comes to equipment and air conditioning.) Prices can change frequently so be sure to check with the gyms directly!

Maxx Fitness – This is the nicest gym in the Nimman area and the priciest. It’s located in the Maya Mall and has excellent air circulation and climate control. The equipment is all new and classes are offered. I talked them out of their joining fees and only paid the monthly membership fee of 1,699 baht ($50 USD).

Jett Fitness – This chain gym is located in the One Nimman shopping complex. It’s actually a fairly small and awkward space so I decided to stick to Maxx Fitness instead. They have a good amount of equipment but Maxx is still best in my opinion.

Playground Innovative Training Club – This gym was brand new in late 2019 and located off a side street. The equipment is all really nice, but the space is very small. The main floor area is used for classes in the morning and night so it can only be used from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The airflow is awful since they don’t turn on the air conditioning until the afternoons some days and open the windows instead. The small size and lack of airflow is why I didn’t join this gym long-term. Their “opening special offer” is a month with unlimited classes for 1,750 baht/ $51 USD. Sai 26 Road Suthep.

Harris Fitness Center – This is one of the most budget options in town located in the Lotus Hotel. It’s a cramped space with older equipment but lots of options. Classes are also included for free.  The staff is really friendly. It doesn’t have great airflow or a/c. Rates are 1,250 baht/month ($42 USD) and 600 baht weekly ($20). 21 Huaykaew Rd.

Gold Hillside Gym & Fitness – (1,100 baht/$37 USD month) This gym is located in the bottom of Hillside Condo 3. It’s a nice-sized space but a bit dated. It’s got good airflow but just didn’t have the equipment I wanted. 25 Huaykaew Rd.

The Wall Fitness Studio – (1,600 baht/$50 USD month or 200 baht/$6 USD day) This new modern gym is located behind the Maya Mall. It’s a large space filled with lots of equipment. Daily and monthly passes are available. (This is the only one I haven’t tried yet because I just love Maxx so much.) 49/22 Huay Kaew Rd.

Vira Yoga Home – My friend Wee has a great yoga studio that I recommend. Class schedules can be found online. He also teaches the 8:30 a.m. class Maxx Fitness on Wednesdays, too. 

Best Muay Thai Gyms in Chiang Mai

I’ve been trying out three different Muay Thai gyms and found a good routine splitting between two of them for training. Bear Fight Club Chiang Mai in the old city is one of the best because of the trainers. Classes are roughly 2.5 hours and 300 baht. It’s the most intense and also the most crowded, which is intimidating if you’re new.

Another favorite is Heavy Hit Boxing Gym located southeast of the city. This gym is only pad work and by appointment only (1.5 hours, 300 baht) so it feels like more one-on-one training. There’s never more than a handful of people here. I feel like there’s more individual instruction here to help me improve my form and that combined with Bear Fight Club is a great combination. I’d recommend Heavy Hit first if you’re new to Muay Thai.

The other option I’ve tired is Chiang Mai Muay Thai, which has the most frequent class times. Classes are shorter (1.5 hours) for 390 baht. It’s located in the old city and can also get slammed with people.

The Best Shopping  & Markets in Chiang Mai

The Best Shopping Malls in Chiang Mai

The largest mall in town is Central Festival, which is outside the city center. Maya Mall in Nimman and Central Chiang Mai Airport, largest mall in Northern Thailand.

All three have movie theaters and pharmacies – the British chains Boots and Watsons along with a Pharmacare Plus (usually the cheapest). From a shopping standpoint, there’s every chain from H&M to Zara to Uniqlo in at least one of these malls. Each mall has a food court with cheap and tasty eats (all homecooked Thai food), which I always frequent. Maya and Central Festival have a Daiso, the Japanese dollar store which is the most useful store on the planet.

Where to get a haircut in Chiang Mai

While there’s plenty of places around to get a haircut, I like New York New York in Nimman. It’s an Aveda salon, and they do a good job. (I’ve had so many terrible haircuts abroad that I’m really picky about places since I have short hair!) Prices range from 550-850 baht ($18-28 USD) for a wash and cut.

Best Thai Massage in Chiang Mai

 Oasis Spa is hands down the best and nicest place to get a massage in Chiang Mai but also one of the priciest. Book an appointment before 1 p.m. to save 20 percent! (I got a 60-minute hot oil massage there last week for roughly $1,200 Baht after the discount.)There are two locations (Nimman and Old City).

The runner up is Fah Lanna Spa with three locations in the Old City, Night Market and Nimman. It’s about 25 percent cheaper than Oasis but the facilities aren’t as nice. (Don’t get me wrong—they are really nice but nothing compared to Oasis.) A 90-minute Thai massage is 1,150 Baht. Check Klook for massage deals at both Fah Lanna and Oasis!

The nicest budget-friendly spot is Sense Massage & Spa, which has multiple locations, and charges 450 Baht for a 60-minute Thai massage. I  went to Lantana, which has three locations in Nimman, for a years because a 60-minute Thai massage is 350 Baht.

Chiang Mai FAQ*

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Do you need travel medical insurance for Thailand?

 Yes, travel medical insurance is one of the most important things to purchase for any trip abroad, especially Thailand. It covers all the things that could go wrong from injuries to travel delays so that you don’t have to worry and can focus on traveling!

SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance offers $0 deductible travel medical insurance coverage for over 180 countries for people aged 69 and under when traveling outside their home country. The best part is that it only costs a few dollars a day! If you get sick or injured abroad, you can visit any hospital or doctor. Other benefits of Nomad Insurance include coverage for lost checked luggage, travel delays over 12 hours, motor accidents (if properly licensed, wearing all safety equipment and not intoxicated) and injuries from sports or leisure activities. You can even add adventure sports, electronics theft and U.S. coverage (for non-residents) to your policy.

One of the best things about SafetyWing is that you can buy policies abroad and speak to a REAL human from the 24/7 customer support team if you have questions! (I can vouch that they are excellent at assisting and will follow up with you afterward.) Pay in full or choose an auto-renewing plan that can be canceled anytime.

If you’re abroad for 90 days, you can get 30 days of home-country coverage. (For the U.S. residents, it’s 15 days.) Plus, every single part of the process from purchasing a policy to filing a claim is easy, which is why SafetyWing has been the best travel medical insurance policy for me.

Wat Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai, Thailand

When to Go to Chiang Mai

The best time to visit Chiang Mai is in the dry, cooler months from November to February. Temperatures are in the 70s/80s with lows in 60s. Beware of the burning season when the fields in the north are burned and the smoke heavily pollutes the city to unsafe air quality levels, which is normally February and March. (Download the free Air Visual app to check air quality levels!) It can start as early as late December. April and May are steaming hot. The monsoon rains arrive in June but peak in August/September.

How to get to Chiang Mai

The easiest way to get to Chiang Mai is to fly! International flight options are expanding with direct routes to Singapore on Scoot Airways (love this airline!) and Hong Kong via Cathy Pacific. Domestic flights are available from Bangkok and other large cities. There’s a train to Bangkok that takes roughly 12 hours and is always late. (I love the sleeper car. A bottom bunk is roughly $50.) Buses are the cheapest ($20ish) and take about 10 hours from Bangkok. 

Local Transport in Chiang Mai

The local transport in Chiang Mai revolves around a system of songthaews—pickup trucks with two benches in the back—that are constantly on the prowl for business. There’s a few different color truck lines (yellow, red, etc.) but the red ones will take you just about anywhere in the city for 30 baht ($1). I use these a lot and find it’s best to tell the driver a large landmark near where I want to go like Maya Mall or Tha Phae Gate.

 The rideshare app Grab is the next best option. The company is partially owned by Uber and operates the same way and also included food delivery options in the app. There’s also an option to get a bike taxi instead of a car, which is cheaper. Helmets are provided. Maxim is a new rideshare app that’s a bit cheaper than Grab.

Tuk tuks are a total tourist trap and outrageously expensive. Avoid them. India is the only place they are a good deal.

Car & Motorbike Rentals in Chiang Mai

Motorbikes can be rented just about anywhere in town for roughly 200 baht/day ($6.60 USD). There’s several places along Huay Kaew Road. SAFETY ALERT: If you don’t have a Thai license or an international motorcycle license, most travel insurance companies will NOT cover you if there’s an accident. The police also set up regular check points around the city and fines are 500 baht ($16.50 USD)  if you don’t have a proper license.

I’ve rented a car from Budgetcatcher Car and Scooter Rental in Nimman and had a great experience. It was roughly $30/day. 

Where’s the best place to buy a SIM card in Chiang Mai?*

The easiest thing to do is buy a Thailand specific eSIM card from Airalo that will work instantly when you arrive. If you are traveling to multiple countries in Southeast Asia on a short trip, then consider one of their Asia Regional eSIM cards. (Both the country-specific and regional eSIMs have worked wonderfully for me and even have a mobile hotspot option that’s critical for me because I’m always working remotely.)  Keep in mind it’s always cheaper to buy a country specific eSIM than a regional one.

 Be sure to join the free Airalo Loyalty Program to earn 5% cash back for every purchase, which can be redeemed on future purchases. For more about eSIM cards, check out this post!! 

If you’re going to be traveling in Thailand for while, then buying a local SIM or eSIM when you arrive will offer the best value and maximum data. The main carriers are AIS, DTAC and TrueMove. I’ve always used AIS so that’s my preference since coverage is good everywhere I’ve been in the country. You have to show your passport to get a SIM card, which is pretty common in most countries. It’s always more expensive to buy it at the airport.

When I arrived in Thailand, I bought a 30-day plan with 6 GB from AIS in airport for $19 USD. When I topped it up at the AIS in Maya Mall, they offered me a new sim card with a better plan with unlimited data for $8.28 USD. You can top up at machines at 7Elevens or at the retail stores for all the main carriers.

The Chiang Mai Lantern Festival 

The monk ceremony during Yee Peng Festival at Wat Phaotao in Chiang Mai. (During the panedmic, this temple was remodeled and this pond no longer exists sadly. 

One of the big festivals in Chiang Mai is the Yee Peng (also spelled Yi Peng) Festival that’s held during the full moon of the twelfth lunar month every year (usually in November). This festival of lights is known as the lantern festival and also coincides with Loy Krathong. The best locations for the festival are the Three Kings Monument, Ping River to launch the krathongs (small floats made from banana leaves and flowers) and the bridge over the Ping River.

Events vary every year. Many temples like Wat Phantao and Wat Chedi Luang will have ceremonies. In 2022 and 2024, Wat Chedi Lunag had a cool light show reflected on the temple. There’s always a parade by Tha Phae Gate one night.

Before COVID, people were releasing lanterns everywhere, which was a real fire hazard. I’ve literally seen them catch a roof on fire by Tha Phae gate. The city seems to be cracking down on the lanterns for safety reasons.  In 2022, there were no lanterns being released by the Ping River near Tha Phae gate except for a rouge one or two.

Last year (2023), there were a lot people releasing lanterns across the Ping River from Tha Phae gate. The main “lantern” release is an overpriced event outside of the city that sells out months in advance. It’s a nightmare to get to because it’s far from the city and you have to take shuttles.  When you see photos online of a mass lantern release with no buildings in the background, this is what you are seeing photos of, not central Chiang Mai.

Where to get Medical Care in Chiang Mai 

The medical care in Thailand’s private hospitals is FANTASTIC, efficient and affordable. In Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai RAM near the old city and Bangkok Hospital Chiang Mai near Central Festival mall are the two main hospitals. I’ve been to the later a bunch in Chiang Mai and the facilities are really nice. (I get all of my routine annual health checks done in Thailand every year. Check out this post for more details on health care in Thailand!)

For medicine, Dara Pharmacy near Central Festival Mall will have any medication you need and it will be at least half the price of Bangkok Hospital.

How to get Thailand Visa Extensions in Chiang Mai

On July 15, 2024, Thailand implemented at 60-day visa upon entry for Americans and 92 other countries. Previously, a 30-day stamp was issued on arrival. After 60 days, you can extend your visa for 30 days at an immigration office. If you need more than 60 days, you’ll have to do a visa run, which I talk about below.  

How to do a 30-Day Visa Extension in Chiang Mai

These instructions apply to people who need to extend their 60-day visa stamp for another 30 days.

The main Chiang Mai Immigration Office is located near the airport. (Address: 71 ถนนสนามบิน Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200) Hours are 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. There is also an immigration office at Central Festival mall. 

When you arrive, grab a number at the booth by the entrance. You’ll have to fill out the applications forms in the outdoor area to the left. For 30-day visa extensions, you’ll need bring following documents with you: a copy of your passport photo page, a copy of your entry stamp in your passport, a copy of where your accommodation listed you in the government registry, a passport-sized photo and the correct application form (TM.7 form provided at the entrance).

If you forget copies or the photo, the gas station across the street has a booth set up to help. The cost for a 30-day extension is 1,900 baht cash. (Don’t worry – they give change if you don’t have exact change!) There are volunteer staff at a table to help make sure you have the correct paperwork, so be sure to have them look over your papers. 

When your number is called, you’ll go up to a window outside, and they’ll check your paperwork. You’ll be given a new number for the inside. Unless you arrive when they open, you’ll likely have to come back after lunch for the inside portion. They will give you the timing to come back when they give you your inside number.

When they call your second number, you go inside, you’ll hand your forms to the main counter. They will give you a ticket with a number and barcode then you’ll be called up to the counter. Your number shows up on a screen. They will take your picture and get any other information they need. They’ll call your name a few minutes later to give you your passport with a blue receipt, which you need to show when you exit the country.  The second part is really quick. It’s just the first part that’s so long. Set aside a whole day just to be safe and arrive when they open! The last time I did this it took almost the whole day. Please check their website for holiday closings.

How to do a Border Visa Run from Chiang Mai

If you need more than the 30-day extension or you have already done a 30-day extension, you’ll need to do a visa run to a land border or fly to another country. I recently did this and wanted to share my experience. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Since the 60-day stamp was implemented in July, land borders to Laos (closest crossing to Chiang Mai) require you spend two nights in Laos before reentering Thailand unless you go through an agency. (If you arrive at any Laos land border by yourself, you’ll likely have to spend two nights in Laos.) I saw signs at the Huay Xai crossing on my recent trip. 

I used Chiang Mai Visa Run to take a full-day trip to the border and retuned the same day with a new 60-day stamp. I was picked up at Maya Mall at 6:30 a.m. and we returned around 5:30 p.m. The drive was close to five hours each way with one toilet stop. You send roughly an hour at the border. A immigration official mets the group and escorted us through the entire process, which took about an hour. Traffic getting back into Chiang Mai slowed things down a bit but otherwise it was pretty efficient. There were seven people on my trip total. Many people used this service to transfer to other visas like the Digital Nomad Visa, etc. The company screens all customers to make sure the visa run will work for your visa.

The cost of the visa run is 4,300 baht ($127 USD) and an additional 2,000 baht ($59.14) for the Laos visa. You also have to pay 25 baht (74 cents USD) each way for the bus shuttle to cross the border bridge. (I booked through PayPal so there were some extra fees. In PayPal, make sure to select the option to let your bank do the currency conversion to save a few dollars.)  

Due to the visa change, it’s best to use an agency if you’re doing a visa run to the Cambodia border as well or fly out of the country. 

For more about Southeast Asia, check out these posts:

• Where to go (and NOT go) in Vietnam
• Where to go in Southeast Asia
• A Photo Guide to Thailand and Bangkok
• How to get to Cu Chi Tunnels by Public Bus in Vietnam