Hi everyone, we're planning a family trip from India this November: 4 adults and 1 infant.

Current route: India → Bangkok → Krabi → Phi Phi → Phuket → India.

We're considering replacing Krabi with Chiang Mai, while keeping Phi Phi and Phuket. We'd like a relaxed trip rather than packed day tours.

1. Would you keep Krabi or swap it for Chiang Mai? Experiences from families who've visited both would be especially helpful.
   
2. Is Chiang Mai worth visiting if we aren't interested in temples? What would you suggest with an infant?
   
3. Any food, hotel or area recommendations for these places? We're vegetarian: milk/dairy is okay, but no eggs.

Thanks!

Couple of day/half-day trips out of Chiang Mai. One is the First Miracle Castle at Mon Jam, castles made of flowers. 200 baht for non-Thais, has a cafe there and some nice photo opportunities. Also plenty of other things to see in the area, with some pretty amazing scenery and roads. The second is the Lamphun Hundred Thousand Lanterns Festival at Wat Phra That Hariphunchai in Lamphun, on until the end of November. You can buy a lantern and write you wishes/family names etc. on it and then hang it with the rest. Nice food market outside the temple as well. Temple entry is free, the lanterns cost 100 baht for a temple donation.

Hi everyone,

I’m coming to Chiang Mai from 6 December to 23 January (about 7 weeks). I’m a remote software engineer, so I’ll be working from wherever I stay. Airbnb prices for those dates are much higher than I expected, so I’m hoping to find something more local and better priced.

any recommendations?

Last minute request !

Hi all, can anyone confirm that immigration at Central Festival is closed the weekends ?
Also, can someone confirm that the first 90 days report after leaving Thailand and re-entering (on the same visa) must be done in person and will get rejected if done online ? Thanks

Where to grab coffee filters for a V60? I checked the grocery at Maya but couldn't find any. Checked in a few cafes but no luck. Thanks!

Hey, havent been in Chiang Mai for a while, heard there have been some building. Whats the best gym atm in Nimman in your opinion? In terms of equipment quality & quantity.

Hi all,

So far in Chiang Mai, I haven’t used the red trucks (songthaews). I’ve wanted to avoid the hassle of negotiating prices and the risk of being overcharged, so I’ve mostly walked and used Grab when necessary.

However, I’m planning to visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. I suspect Grab might be expensive for that trip, so I’d like to give the red trucks a try.

Here’s my plan:

Getting there

1. Take a Grab from Nimman to Chiang Mai Zoo.
2. At the zoo, join the official queue for a shared red truck up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep (around THB 80 per person, to be confirmed).

Getting back

1. At Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, join the official queue for a shared red truck back down to Chiang Mai Zoo (around THB 80 per person, to be confirmed).
2. Take a Grab from Chiang Mai Zoo back to Nimman.

Does this sound like a workable plan? Any tips would be appreciated.

Is it possible for me to pass the monk's trail with the monk in the morning?Where is the starting point? What time do I need to arrive?If you know,……Thank you for telling me.

Looking to travel to Thailand in February. I am drawn to the mountainous region and want to go stargazing with my family. We should be there for the new moon. What places are best to stargaze?

A couple of us are renting motorcycles in Chiangmai and doing a self-guided nan loop between Dec22 and Dec26. My earlier post got removed (since i created a new reddit account - didnt wanna go through multiple steps of recovering old password 😂 ), so i dug up my old reddit in hopes that this wont be mod-removed.

Anyway, please ping back if you are taking the loop during/around that time.

Hi, I'll be in Chiang Mai in January and want to do a full or half day birding tour. I'd consider an overnight tour too. Are there any that are particularly recommended? I'm an avid but very amateur birder and part of the reason to go to Chiang Mai is to see its unusual wildlife. Thanks for the advice!

Hey all,

Any updated info on guesthouses in old city that still have rates at 5000 or 6000 baht. Basic with fan is okay as long as it's relatively clean. It's been a while since I've stayed there and from what I know prices have gone up quite a bit. I'm not looking for studio apartments with lease commmitments, a cheap simple room with monthly rates. Thanks!

Hi there I search a park here in Chiang Mai where ai could go every morning on the gras, barefoot and grounding myself while doing some movements. Do you have any recommendations? I have a bike so I'm flexible where to go

hi! i'm currently planning my high school senior trip and brainstorming destinations so my friend and i can start saving up early. thailand has always been one of our top choices, and i'd love to hear some advice from people who live there or have traveled there!

i actually visited bangkok in the summer of 2024 for a little less than a week. i was traveling with older family members, so we couldn't stay as long as i would've liked, but i completely fell in love with thailand and have been wanting to go back ever since. i'd especially love to experience more of the country, including chiang mai, with one of my closest friends!

the only thing is that we'll both be recent high school graduates and 18 at the time of the trip, so we're wondering how safe and realistic it would be for two girls our age to travel around thailand on our own.

for some background, i'm thai, lao, and chinese, but my thai vocabulary is pretty limited. i can understand a decent amount, but speaking is a completely different story 😭 thankfully, navigating bangkok was relatively easy for me since english was pretty widely spoken in the areas we visited. i'm curious whether chiang mai would be similar or if the language barrier might be more challenging.

i'd really appreciate any advice on what we should consider before planning a trip like this! especially when it comes to:

• safety: how safe is chiang mai for two 18-year-old girls traveling without family? are there any particular precautions we should take?
• budgeting: how much would you recommend saving for a trip of around 1–2 weeks, excluding or including flights? we'd love to be comfortable without spending excessively.
• accommodations and transportation: where would you recommend staying, and what's the safest and easiest way to get around?
• planning and preparation: what should we book, buy, or arrange before arriving?
• language barriers: how manageable is chiang mai for someone who understands some thai but isn't very confident speaking it?
• parents: for anyone who traveled internationally at a younger age, how did you reassure your parents that you could travel safely and responsibly?

we're still in the very early stages of planning, so nothing is set in stone yet! we just want to get a realistic idea of what to expect, how much to save, and what we'd need to prepare before bringing a more detailed plan to our parents.

i'd also love any recommendations for places to visit, things to do, or experiences we shouldn't miss in chiang mai!

thank you so much in advance!! 🤍

Hey! I arrived in Chiang Mai a few days ago. It is much hotter than I remember. I recall it being quite cool and windy!

Can you kindly recommend where to find the following dishes near Nimman, or somewhere good enough to be worth a Grab ride?

• Khantoke Set (I've never tried this before. Does it always come with sticky rice? I love sticky rice.)
• Miang Kham (The leaf-wrapped bites)

I know the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center has a Khantoke dinner, but I only want the food and I'm not interested in the show.

Thank you!

Hey Everyone,

I’m coming to Chiang Mai next month and looking for suggestions on run clubs or community runs I can join. Also, would love recommendations for cafés serving some of the best coffee in town that I shouldn’t miss! ☕🏃

I have been in chiang mai for little over a month and many long term residents I meet came here around 3 years back.

And it's not a single county expats, multiple people from multiple countries have shifted to Chiang Mai around 3 years back. I want to know what happened 3 years back and made so many people move to chiang mai at once.

Is it just coincidence or is there something I am missing

Hi everyone!

I’m planning a surprise marriage proposal to my partner during our trip to Chiang Mai, and I’d love some recommendations from locals or people who have visited recently.

I’ve hired a private driver who is also a photographer, so we have flexibility to go wherever makes the most sense. Ideally, I’d like to keep the drive to around maximum 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes from De Chai the Deco Hotel in Chiang Mai, but I’m flexible if a place is really worth it.

What I’m looking for:

• A genuinely beautiful, scenic location - a panoramic mountain view, a lake, a river, a waterfall, a lush valley, or something similarly special.
• Somewhere romantic and relatively private. It doesn’t have to be completely deserted; I’m happy to walk a little away from the main area or viewpoint to find a quieter spot.
• A place that would look beautiful in natural, unfiltered photographs.
• The proposal will take place in the morning or around midday.
• Ideally, somewhere where we can enjoy the surroundings for a while rather than just stop for a quick photo and leave.

Places I’m currently considering:

1. Huay Tung Tao Lake - I like the combination of water and mountains, but I’m unsure whether there are genuinely scenic, quiet spots away from the restaurants and bamboo huts.
2. Doi Hua Moo Viewpoint - looks beautiful and potentially more secluded, but I’m not sure how accessible it is or whether the views are consistently impressive.
3. Mon Jam - seems to have amazing mountain scenery, but I’m concerned about crowds and touristy photo spots.

For anyone who has actually visited these places: which would you recommend for a proposal, and are there specific spots within them that are especially beautiful and relatively quiet?

I’d also love suggestions for other locations I may have overlooked within roughly 1-1.25 hours of Chiang Mai. I’m completely open to alternatives if you know somewhere that would be a better fit.

Thanks so much! 😊

We happen to be in Chiang Mai during the festival and this is a once in a lifetime experience for us since we are not from this country. I also happen to get a hold of last minute tickets for us. If we do ended up going, should I get a private transportation? Would that be easier? I heard private transportation are the last one to let go? Is it true? I just want to quickly go in and out.

My spouse and I are planning a long-term move to Chiang Mai and reviewing visa options. We are looking into Thai language certificate programs hosted through local private universities (specifically Payap University and North-Chiang Mai University) coordinated via local visa agencies.

I would appreciate hearing from anyone currently enrolled or who has recently completed these non-degree university language programs (2025–2026):

1. Attendance & Class Format: How strict is the actual attendance currently? Are classes strictly online via Zoom, or is in-person attendance being enforced by immigration/MHESI for 90-day extension checks?

2. Spending Time Away from Chiang Mai: How manageable is spending 2–3 months in another province (e.g., Hua Hin) during burning season while on this university ED visa? Does leaving Chiang Mai create problems with TM.30 address updates or extension renewals?

3. Extension Checks & Testing: How smooth are extension approvals through university visa liaisons at Chiang Mai Immigration? Do officers conduct language interviews or tests for university certificate students?

Any real-world feedback from recent or current students would be extremely helpful. Thanks in advance!

Coming 2 weeks in November. Flying in and out of Chang Mai. Female solo 52. Good shape and active .

I was considering taking a train to lampang for 2 days and the chiang dao 2 days.

I won’t have a car or motorcycle.

I’m interested in walkable areas also really like nature so I’m interested in the caves. I don’t want to go anywhere thats super isolated, concerned about feeling lonely. I’m not sure if I should choose Chiang Rai over the two other locations. Can anyone give me some insight?
I really like learning and enjoy tours or or opportunity for group activities.

Thanks !

Visited Chiang Mai 4 years back with my family. Everytime I open this sub reddit, it reminds me of the time I spent in the city. I always fantasize about retiring into Chiang Mai. I know I am exaggerating but think the people who live here are incredibly lucky to be born into such a beautiful city. Thank You!!