Chiang Mai
The old Lanna capital inside its square moat, a temple on the mountain above, teak houses turned into hotels, and an airport ten minutes from the gates.
- Arrival
- Chiang Mai International · CNX
- To the old city
- About 3 km, roughly ten minutes by car
- Private jets
- Handled at CNX, open 24 hours
- Best time
- November to February
The city
Lanna within the moat.
King Mangrai founded Chiang Mai in 1296 as the capital of Lan Na, and the old city still keeps its shape: a square of about 1.6 km a side, ringed by water and fragments of brick wall, with Tha Phae Gate the best known of its entrances and the Ping River a short way east. The district counts more than a hundred temples. Hotels here borrow from them: Rachamankha’s main hall takes its lines from the chapel at Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, and Villa Mahabhirom is a cluster of century-old teak houses.
In the northern winter, between November and February, the rain all but stops and afternoons reach 28 to 32 °C. The November full moon brings Yi Peng and Loy Krathong, with sky lanterns overhead and krathong floated on the water. By April the valley bakes at 35 °C; the monsoon then holds from May well into October.
- Wat Phra That Doi Suthep A temple of 1383 on the mountain 15 km from town, reached by a naga staircase of some three hundred steps or by funicular.
- The old city Moat, gates and temples inside a square laid out in the thirteenth century, with Wat Phra Singh near Rachamankha.
- Mae Rim The valley north of the city, with rice fields, strawberry farms and the hill resorts.
Arriving
Ten minutes from the moat.
Chiang Mai International lies about 3 km from the old city, ten minutes or so by car. The Royal Thai Air Force owns the field and Airports of Thailand runs it; since 2014 it has been open around the clock.
- Bangkok 1 h 10
- Ho Chi Minh City 1 h 55
- Hong Kong 2 h 25
- Mumbai 3 h 55
- Milan 11 h 20 long-range jet
When to go
November to February.
A northern, inland climate with a true cool season. From November to February it is 28 to 32 °C in the afternoon and almost dry, with 6 mm in February. March and April turn hot, up to 35 °C, and the monsoon brings over 200 mm in August and September.
- 28° J 9
- 32° F 6
- 34° M 15
- 35° A 57
- 33° M 165
- 31° J 137
- 31° J 165
- 30° A 226
- 30° S 224
- 30° O 125
- 29° N 41
- 28° D 12
Where to stay
Teak, rice fields and the river.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
- Villa Mahabhirom Antique teak houses more than a century old, looking over the pool or up to Doi Suthep.
- Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai Ninety-eight pavilions and villas among rice fields and a lotus pond, with three Keys for the third year running.
- 137 Pillars House All suites, built around the former headquarters of the East Borneo Company.
- Rachamankha Twenty-five rooms around a bougainvillea courtyard, a short walk from Wat Phra Singh; no guests under twelve.
- Aleenta Retreat Chiang Mai A compound with the feel of the countryside, inside the city limits at the foot of the mountain.
- Raya Heritage Thirty-eight suites in riverside gardens, shaped by local artisans, with Northern Thai cooking at Khu Khao.
- Onsen at Moncham A ryokan-style retreat in the mountains, with a natural hot spring and private onsens in some rooms and villas.
- Tamarind Village Entered through a bamboo archway, around a tamarind tree some two hundred years old.
- Sela Chiangmai A Chiang Mai address recognised with one Key by the MICHELIN inspectors in 2026.
Where to dine
Where to book in town.
MICHELIN gives no star in Chiang Mai. These are high-end tables from its 2026 selection for the city, two of them out among the rice fields of Mae Rim.
- Belén by Paulo Airaudo MICHELIN Guide European contemporary $$$$ InterContinental The Mae Ping, Chang Khlan
- Redbox MICHELIN Guide Thai contemporary $$$$ Huai Kaeo Road, Chang Phueak
- Khao MICHELIN Guide Northern Thai $$$$ Four Seasons Resort, Mae Rim, north of the city
- Blackitch MICHELIN Guide Asian contemporary, tasting menu $$$ Nimmanhaemin Soi 7
- Navan Navan MICHELIN Guide Creative, charcoal grill $$$ San Pong, Mae Rim, north of the city
Elsewhere in Thailand
More reasons to come.
- Bangkok The Grand Palace, and hotels along the Chao Phraya.
- Phuket The largest island, and the gateway to the Andaman Sea.
- Koh Samui Coconut groves and beach villas on the Gulf.
- Krabi Limestone cliffs over the sea, and the islands beyond.
- Hua Hin The royal seaside town, three hours south of Bangkok.
Flying to Chiang Mai?
Choose how you arrive.
A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.