Chiang Mai
Currency
THB
Language
Thai
Timezone
Bangkok
Continent
Asia
Discover Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai was the Lanna kingdom's capital and its old town still fits inside a square of moats a mile and a half across. Inside, the temples come one after another: Wat Chedi Luang with its sixty-metre stupa, cut short by a 16th-century earthquake and left that way; Wat Phra Singh, the city's most revered; Wat Chiang Man, the oldest, founded in 1296. Wat Jed Yod completes the set outside the walls. The Baan Haw Mosque recalls the long presence of Muslim traders from Yunnan.
When to go
November to February: dry, mild, with cool nights — the best stretch and the busiest. March and April are the burning season, made worse by agricultural fires that leave the air genuinely bad for weeks: the period to avoid outright. The monsoon, June to October, brings short downpours and green countryside.
Getting around
The old town walks end to end in an hour. Songthaew, red pick-ups with benches, run without fixed routes and are taken at a price agreed beforehand. Ride-hailing works too. Scooters are common but Thai traffic does not forgive improvisation. Doi Suthep, the temple on the mountain, is forty minutes away and earns the trip.
Where to eat
Khao soi — curry noodles in coconut milk with chicken and fried noodles on top — is the northern dish and is better here than anywhere. Sai ua herb sausage and nam prik ong fill out the Lanna table, which differs from central Thai cooking. Night markets are where you eat. Four halal addresses are listed, clustered around the Baan Haw Mosque.
Good to know
The baht is the currency and cash dominates outside the larger establishments. Clothing covering shoulders and knees is required in temples without exception, and shoes come off at the door. Do not touch anyone's head or point your feet at a Buddha. And check the air quality index if you come between February and April: it regularly reaches dangerous levels.
Where to Stay in Chiang Mai
Top Activities in Chiang Mai
landmarkWat Chedi Luang
landmarkWat Chiang Man
landmarkWat Phra Singh
landmarkBaan Haw Mosque
landmarkWat Jed Yod
Chiang Mai Cabaret Show
landmarkSan Pa Koi Mosque
landmarkWat Lok Molee
landmarkWat Suan Dok Monk Chat
Kalm
Saint Vladimir Orthodox Church
landmarkNight Market
Fruit market
Chiang Mai City Art & Cultural Center
landmarkThree Kings Monument
Mae Ping River Cruise
Khum Chao Burirat House
Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center
Museum of World Insects and Natural Wonders
from €5
TCDC Chiang Mai
Mae Kha Canal
Wua Lai Saturday Night Walking Street Market
Friday Night Market
landmark