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City guide

Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second-largest city in Thailand by urban population. 2 million as of 2023.

Type CityPopulation 127,000

Why go

  • City in Thailand.
  • Served by Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX).

History

Chiang Mai is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second-largest city in Thailand by urban population. It is 700 km (435 mi) north of Bangkok in a mountainous region called the Thai highlands, and has a population of approximately 127,000 within the city municipality and an urban population of about 1.2 million as of 2023.

Restaurants & places to go

Ice Cream, Ice Cream · A lot of icea creams, almost 100. Ice cream with a (V) mark are without milk. Opening hours: Mon-Sun 13:00-20:30 Features: vegan options · facebook.com
Indoor
Thai, Cafe · Stylish cafe and restaurant Opening hours: Mo-Su 10:00-22:00 Features: outdoor seating · baanmaechiangmai.com
Indoor
Thai, Restaurant · Farm where we can have ice creams, see animals, feed them, see horses. Relaxing and appeasing environment. Opening hours: 10:00-18:00… · facebook.com
Indoor
Thai, Restaurant · Beautiful outdoor restaurant with beautifully prepared dishes of northern Thai food. Five star dishes at a very reasonable price. Vegan and… · facebook.com
Indoor
Chinese, Restaurant · Chinese Restaurant Opening hours: Mo-Su 10:00-22:00 · jiarestaurant.com
Indoor
Spanish, Chicken, Cena, Comida, Restaurant · drinks : vino_español;wine Opening hours: Tu-Sa 16:00-23:30 · 9 Soi 2, Prasingha, Chiang Mai, 50200 · facebook.com
Indoor
Thai, International, Western, Fusion, Cafe · For wellness, listen to the whispers of your body & soul Features: vegan options, air conditioning · 133/1/1… · sites.google.com
Indoor
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 07:00-17:00 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway, delivery, air conditioning · 150/2 หมู่ที่ 3 ตำบลป่าบง อำเภอสารภี,… · facebook.com
Indoor

292 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →

Airports

Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) 3.8 km to the centre
Chiang Mai, 50, TH — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 32 airlines (Thai AirAsia, Zambia Skyways, Bangkok Airways, Air China…) · direct flights to 26 destinations incl. Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Shanghai… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 32 airlines, 26 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Ban Thi Airport 18 km to the centre
Ban Thi, 50, TH
Outdoor
Nok Airfield 18 km to the centre
50, TH
Outdoor
Lamphun Airport 27 km to the centre
51, TH
Outdoor
Chiang Mai Airsports 17 km to the centre
San Kamphaeng, 50, TH
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX); 4 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: CNX has direct flights to 26 destinations on 32 airlines (incl. Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Shanghai…).

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Chiang Mai. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Trains & rail

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.

Tours & experiences