Attraction
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Hilltop Lanna temple about 15 km from the city, with a gilded 24-metre chedi, a long naga staircase and wide views over Chiang Mai.
There are plenty of things to do in Chiang Mai, the largest city in northern Thailand and the former capital of the Lanna kingdom. Its walled and moated Old City holds hundreds of years of temple building, from Wat Chiang Man, the city's first temple, to the great ruined chedi of Wat Chedi Luang, while Wat Phra That Doi Suthep looks down from the mountain to the west. Beyond the moat, Nimmanhaemin is known for cafés and bars, the Night Bazaar and Warorot Market lie to the east, and the Ping River is lined with restaurants and live music venues.
Food is a major reason to visit. Northern dishes such as khao soi, gaeng hang lay and sai ua sausage are easy to find, from market stalls and Bib Gourmand noodle shops to tasting menus built on local ingredients. Cooking classes, ethical elephant sanctuaries and day trips into the hills add variety. Three to four days covers the main sights at a relaxed pace, while a week leaves time for the countryside and longer excursions.
Attraction
Hilltop Lanna temple about 15 km from the city, with a gilded 24-metre chedi, a long naga staircase and wide views over Chiang Mai.
Attraction
Old City temple built around a vast 15th-century brick chedi that once held the Emerald Buddha and still shelters Chiang Mai's city pillar.
Attraction
First-grade royal temple in the western Old City, founded in 1345 and home to the Phra Buddha Sihing image and the painted Viharn Lai Kham.
Attraction
Chiang Mai's oldest temple, built by King Mangrai in 1297, known for its elephant-buttressed chedi and two revered small Buddha images.
Attraction
Wooded temple at the foot of Doi Suthep with centuries-old brick tunnels beneath its chedi, a lake and a long tradition of meditation teaching.
Attraction
Fourteenth-century temple on Suthep Road with a 48-metre Sri Lankan-style chedi and rows of white mausoleums holding the ashes of Chiang Mai's royal family.
Café
Dark, compact Nimmanhaemin coffee bar opened in 2011 by Arnon Thitiprasert, the 2017 World Latte Art Champion, known for milk drinks and signature creations.
Café
Coffee company founded in 2010 by Lee Ayu Chuepa from an Akha village, buying beans directly from indigenous growers; its Old City branch is on Ratchadamnoen…
Café
Small Old City coffee bar from Graph, a Chiang Mai coffee brand founded in 2009, serving single-origin filter coffee and inventive signature drinks.
Café
Long-established garden café on Singharat Road in the Old City, serving brunch, Thai fusion dishes and its signature coconut cake among leafy surroundings.
Café
Long-standing bakery in a jungle-like garden in the Wat Ket area, making naturally leavened sourdough, cakes and tarts without preservatives.
Café
Bright, minimalist coffee bar and boutique hotel on Nimmanhaemin Soi 9 from The Baristro group, serving signature lattes, canelés and single-origin coffee.
Hotel
All-suite heritage hotel in Wat Ket built around an 1889 teak house that was once part of the East Borneo Company's headquarters, with 30 suites and…
Hotel
Riverside resort on Charoen Prathet Road with a former British consulate, the 1921 House, at its centre, plus a spa, private pier and riverside dining.
Hotel
240-room InterContinental near the Night Bazaar, converted from the former Imperial Mae Ping Hotel with Lanna-inspired craft, a pool and a rooftop bar.
Hotel
Thirty-eight-suite riverside resort outside the city, designed with northern Thai weavers, potters and woodcarvers, with a spa and a free shuttle to the old town.
Hotel
Twenty-four-room courtyard hotel near Wat Phra Singh, designed by architect Ong-ard Satrabhandhu in 15th-century Lanna style, with a 20-metre pool and library.
Hotel
Four-star, 41-room Old City hotel on Ratchadamnoen Road built around a restored teak governor's residence, with a pool, spa and flexible 24-hour room use.
Bar
Small, informal live music bar by Chang Phueak Gate that has hosted local and visiting musicians since 2008, with free entry and regular jam nights.
Bar
Riverside bar and restaurant on the Ping River since 1984, with live bands nightly from 20:00, Thai and Western food and a 90-minute dinner cruise.
Bar
Long-running riverside venue on Charoenrat Road with two live bands most nights and a menu of Thai, Japanese and Western dishes, open until late.
Bar
Long-running Nimmanhaemin night spot with a live band playing mostly Thai songs at the front and a DJ club room for dancing at the back, open…
Bar
Rooftop bar on the 17th floor of InterContinental Chiang Mai The Mae Ping, with 360-degree views to Doi Suthep, Chinese-inspired tapas and DJ sets.
Bar
Intimate cocktail bar upstairs in the original golden teak house of Aleenta Retreat in Suthep, with a century-old piano, Thai spirits and izakaya-style snacks.
Restaurant
Bib Gourmand noodle shop in Chang Phueak serving Chiang Mai's signature khao soi, a rich, gently spicy curry noodle soup, from morning to mid-afternoon.
Restaurant
Long-running Old City restaurant on Ratchamankha Road serving northern Thai home cooking such as khao soi, gaeng hang lay and khanom jeen nam ngiao.
Restaurant
Northern Thai restaurant in an 1880s family mansion on Tha Phae Road, serving updated Lanna dishes such as hang le curry; closed on Tuesdays.
Restaurant
Bib Gourmand riverside restaurant in a Lanna-style building owned by singer Soontaree Vechanont, who performs most evenings; known for stuffed murrel fish.
Restaurant
Sixteen-seat chef's table in Nimmanhaemin where chef Phanuphol Bulsuwan serves a seasonal tasting menu built on Thai ingredients and in-house fermentation.
Restaurant
Bib Gourmand northern Thai restaurant in a wooden Lanna-style house and garden on Ratchaphruek Road, with dips, herby soups and private pavilions.
Thing to do
Weekly evening market that closes Ratchadamnoen Road from Tha Phae Gate to Wat Phra Singh, with crafts, street food and temple-courtyard food courts.
Thing to do
Saturday evening market on Wualai Road, starting at Chiang Mai Gate, in the city's traditional silversmith quarter beside the Silver Temple.
Thing to do
Chiang Mai's main local market since 1910, on Wichayanon Road, selling northern sausages, chilli pastes, dried foods, flowers, cloth and household goods.
Thing to do
Nightly market on Chang Khlan Road east of the Old City, combining street stalls with the covered Kalare and Anusarn markets and their food courts.
Thing to do
Elephant rescue sanctuary founded by Lek Chailert in 1995, offering day and overnight visits where elephants are observed, fed and walked with, never ridden.
Tour operator
Family-run cooking school operating since 2001, with half-day and full-day classes on an organic farm about 17 km from Chiang Mai, including a market visit.
Tour operator
Family-hosted cooking school since 2007 with morning and evening classes in an Old City garden near Tha Phae Gate and morning classes on an organic farm.
Tour operator
Small-group bike tour company whose Chiang Mai e-bike ride crosses farmland, villages and the edge of Ob Khan National Park to the Rajapruek Royal Gardens.
Tour operator
Adventure operator running since 2003, offering guided mountain biking on Doi Suthep, jungle kayaking on local rivers and hikes such as the Monk's Trail.
Tour operator
Independent Chiang Mai trekking company operating since 1999, running its own treks with jungle camping and Karen village homestays and no elephant-riding packages.
Three to four days covers the Old City temples, Doi Suthep, the markets and a cooking class; a week allows day trips into the mountains.
The Old City is best for walking to temples and the weekend markets, Nimmanhaemin suits café and nightlife lovers, and the riverside is quieter and more upmarket.
Chiang Mai International Airport is close to the city, and the simplest options are a metered taxi from the official rank or a ride-hailing car.
It is generally good value, with cheap street food and guesthouses, though luxury hotels and tasting menus are priced at international levels.
It is considered a safe city for visitors; take normal care with belongings in crowded markets and use licensed transport late at night.