Chiang Mai & North Thailand offer fascinating sightseeing tours, with numerous eco-adventure options, including elephant trecking and river rafting. All just a short drive outside the city…
Chiang Mai is the 2nd city of Thailand but is just a fraction of the size of Bangkok. It is compact, bustling and, despite some recent development, it retains a market town atmosphere. It is the main gateway to the region.
Flying time from Bangkok 60 minutes.
Chiang Rai is in the extreme northeast of the country, even smaller and more traditional, with the focal point of interest being the Golden Triangle, the area where Thailand, Laos and Burma (Myanmar) all meet.
Weatherwise
December to March are the most popular months with cool (frequently chilly so warm jumper will be required) – early mornings and late evenings with temperatures then rising rapidly as midday approaches. March to May tends to be the driest and hottest months. June to November are the wetter, more humid months, characterised by sharp heavy showers.
Pleasures
In Chiang Mai, we have a selection of superb and highly impressive hotels. Great shopping, either in high-class boutiques or at the famous night market. Super restaurants with those located alongside the Mae Ping river particularly good.
Good airline access and direct flights to many of the resorts in the south. Chiang Rai is the point for exploring the Golden Triangle region and travelling on the Mekong River. The town has limited interest so the featured hotels are about 45 minutes drive away. There are flights linking Chiang Rai to Bangkok (65 minutes flight). We suggest the 6-hour scenic mountain pass drive from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai or vice versa, visiting hill tribes en route, although there is a more direct less interesting motorway option.
Realities
Development and regional tourism are growing apace, so at times the main sites can be crowded. The night market in Chiang Mai offers some fun purchases with haggling required, but the brand name might be misspelt!
Facts about Chiang Mai:
- Historic City: Chiang Mai, founded in 1296, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Thailand.
- Cultural Significance: Known as the cultural capital of Thailand, it retains many traditional aspects of Thai culture which have been lost in other areas due to modernization.
- Temples Galore: Chiang Mai is home to over 300 Buddhist temples, showcasing classic Lanna, Thai, Lao, Lu and Khmer style architectures.
- Doi Suthep: One of the most notable temples is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, nestled on a mountain offering stunning views of the city.
- Festivities: Chiang Mai is famous for its festivals such as the Lantern Festival (Yi Peng) and the Thai New Year (Songkran).
- Night Bazaar: It is known for its vibrant night markets, particularly the Night Bazaar, selling everything from street food to crafts.
- Culinary Diverseness: The city is a hub for Northern Thai cuisine, with dishes such as Khao Soi (curried noodle soup) being a local signature.
- Art and Crafts Centre: It has been designated as a UNESCO Creative City, with numerous art galleries, studios, and thriving crafts scene, especially in traditional umbrella making.
- Elephant Nature Park: Chiang Mai is home to the Elephant Nature Park, a sanctuary and rescue center for elephants, and other animals.
"There's no such thing as the best hotel, just the right one..."
Click for Booking Terms, Price Guides, Flight Information
CHIC Locations Terms and Booking Conditions PDF
All price guides are Per Person Sharing Double Room (Entry level), based on travel between May and/or June when prices are generally at their lowest and include promotional offers. Supplements will probably apply at other times, particularly mid-summer in the Med, and for rooms and/or transfers arranged for single travellers.
For example, the Caribbean and Indian Ocean prices for winter can be approximately double the May - June level and about 50% more in Asia. For the Mediterranean & Canary Islands, Caribbean, Arabia and the Indian Ocean (except Sri Lanka) price guides generally include airfare and transfers.
*For Sri Lanka and Far East we show a per-person, per-night hotel guide, excluding air fare, as arrangements tend to be individually tailored multi-centre itineraries.
Please refer to Travel Advice on our home page or look at www.fco.gov.uk as the Foreign Office may have issued specific destination information on safety and terrorism.
All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong.
Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.caa.co.uk.
Some of the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. This website will provide you with information on the protection that applies in the case of each holiday and travel service offered before you make your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected.