Chiang Mai travel guide: planning your stay

Getting there and choosing your base

Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX): Handles domestic and regional international flights and is unusually close to town. Flat-fare airport taxis and a shared minibus serve any hotel in the city, so there is little reason to stay by the airport.
Chiang Mai railway station: Trains from Bangkok, including overnight sleepers, arrive at a station east of the Ping River. If you arrive in the morning, a hotel near the river or the Night Bazaar is only a short ride away.
Arcade bus station: Long-distance buses from Bangkok and minivans to Pai and other northern towns use this terminal. If you are leaving for the hills early, check the ride from your hotel to Arcade rather than assuming it is close to the old city.

Areas to consider

Old city, east side

Suits first visits, with the greatest concentration of guesthouses, cafés, temples and tour agents, particularly around the north-east corner of the moat. The Sunday Walking Street starts at Tha Phae Gate, so check whether the hotel's lane is closed to cars or packed with stalls on Sunday evenings.

Old city, west side

Suits travellers who want temples and a more local feel within the walls, with fewer tourist businesses. Restaurants and transport are thinner on this side, so ask how easily you can find a songthaew or ride-hailing car in the evening.

Nimmanhaemin

Suits café-goers and longer stays west of the moat, close to Chiang Mai University and the road up Doi Suthep. For listings in apartment blocks, confirm there is a staffed front desk and a clear check-in process rather than a key-box arrangement.

Night Bazaar and the Ping River

Suits shoppers and anyone who wants larger hotels with pools, east of the moat along Chang Khlan Road. Riverside hotels can be a long walk from the old city temples, so measure the distance to Tha Phae Gate before assuming you can walk there.

When to go

The cool season from November to February is the most comfortable and the busiest, and rooms fill early around Loi Krathong and Yi Peng, the lantern festival held over a full moon that usually falls in November. From February to April, smoke from agricultural burning often brings severe air pollution. The hot season lasts into June, and Songkran in April brings water fights across the city.

Before choosing a room

For Loi Krathong or Songkran, book well ahead and ask whether the hotel requires a minimum stay or charges a festival supplement.
Chiang Mai evenings are cooler than Bangkok's in the dry season, so a fan room can be fine in December but not in April; choose air conditioning for the hot months.
Small boutique hotels near the old city often have only a handful of rooms around a garden; check whether the pool is shared with a café or open to outside visitors.

Sources and planning resources

Facts checked on 30 October 2026. Transport services, taxes and hotel offers can change. Confirm the details for your trip before booking.