Wondering how many days in Chiang Mai is enough? If you’re planning your Thailand itinerary, there’s a chance you decided to visit Northern Thailand.
In this post, we will make sure to tell you all about the main things to do in Northern Thailand so you can how many days to spend in Chiang Mai.
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Although, if you’re planning on using Chiang Mai as a base to travel around Northern Thailand, I’d suggest you stay for a week.
Keep reading to understand why.
Why Visit Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai is a big city located in the north of Thailand. It’s a popular hub for digital nomads, English teachers, muay Thai fighters, etc.
Many expats picked Chiang Mai and it’s easy to understand why – with so many shopping malls, great restaurants and incredible cuisine, there’s a lot to love about Chiang Mai.
Many travelers decide to head to Chiang Mai during their Thailand trip for a few reasons:
- They want to hike and chase waterfalls
- They want to see elephants
- They want to visit Chiang Rai and its beautiful temples
- They are coming for the famous lantern festival and Loi Krathong
- They want to go on a road trip around the famous Mai Hong Son Loop
- They heard of a small town called Pai – which is only a few hours away from Chiang Mai
With that in mind, many people come to Chiang Mai to explore their surroundings.
In fact, the city of Chiang Mai doesn’t offer as many options for traveling.
Think about markets, temples, and amazing food – but apart from that, you will likely explore outside the city.
Whether you head to Doi Suthep temple, Pai, or Chiang Rai – you’re likely to go further, and this is why you may need to stick around longer.
Is Chiang Mai Worth Visiting?
Absolutely! If you need to limit your Thailand itinerary – you may have to pick between the islands and the North.
If that’s the case, you may want to pick the islands (but I’m a beach kind of girl).
If it’s your second visit to Thailand, you should head to the North to experience something different.
Chiang Mai is an excellent base to visit places like Pai and Chiang Rai.
That said, if you’re planning on visiting Laos next, it’s a smart stop along the way.
How Long Do You Need In Chiang Mai?
If you’re planning on staying in the city to visit the markets, do some shopping, see the temples and eat a Khao Soy, I recommend staying for two nights and three days.
If you’re planning on doing day trips to see the elephants, go to Pai and Chiang Rai, then I’d suggest you stay for a week. This would include 2-3 nights in Pai.
Planning Your Stay In Chiang Mai
Now, let’s do some travel planning! In this section, you’ll find helpful information to plan your stay in Chiang Mai.
When’s The Best Time To Visit Chiang Mai?
The best time to visit Chiang Mai is between October and January. It’s not the warmest time of the year, but you’ll be in the sunshine.
It’s also ideal if you’re planning on going to Chiang Mai to attend the lantern festival.
From February to April/Mai, is the burning/smoking season.
This means the air quality is poor since it’s the time of the year when they burn the fields. It’s not recommended to go to Chiang Mai during this time.
From June to October is the rainy season. Usually, the rain only lasts a couple of hours per day, but this could cause problems if you plan a road trip or a hike.
Where To Stay In Chiang Mai?
I recommend staying in the Old City if you like markets and temples. Otherwise, you could stay in the Nimman area (close to Maya Shopping Mall).
You’ll also find markets there, but also lots of modern hotels and restaurants. I prefer Nimman since it’s slightly less crowded than the Old City.
Nimman is also known to be an expat area.
Getting To Pai From Chiang Mai
If you’re planning on heading to Pai from Chiang Mai, you can read my blog post, where I share my experience driving to Pai from Chiang Mai.
Alternatively, you can browse your options here and book a van to Pai. That said, you can also organize a private day trip to Pai fro Chiang Mai.
Getting To Chiang Rai From Chiang Mai
To get to Chiang Rai, you can either decide to stay there for the night or organize a day trip from Chiang Mai.
Since it takes about 4 hours to get there, it’s possible to do it in one day, but it will be tiring.
Also, I would not recommend driving there since there’s a lot of construction on the way, which is not ideal for scooters (dirt and gravel path).
You can book your van to Chiang Rai here.
Final Thoughts About Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is a great destination for digital nomads.
Although, if you don’t have time to do day trips from Chiang Mai, you may want to stay in the south or make the most of the Thai islands.
After all, it’s a long way up north, and you will enjoy your stay more if you travel outside of Chiang Mai.
Still wondering how long in Chiang Mai is enough?
Take a look at the things to do and start planning your Chiang Mai itinerary.
You’ll have a better idea of the number of days necessary to make the most of Northern Thailand.
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