Voyaggora
Top sights in Chiang Mai
- Wat Phra That Doi Suthep – Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai province, Thailand
- Wat Phra Singh – Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Wat Chedi Luang – Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Doi Inthanon – Highest mountain of Thailand
- Chiang Mai Night Bazaar – Street market
Well-known landmarks, each checked against Wikidata (CC0), which also supplies the one-line descriptions. The bookable tours below are the second layer: guided ways to see them.
Top-rated tours in Chiang Mai
Planning your trip to Chiang Mai
Climate and seasons
Chiang Mai's northern location and moderate elevation give it a more temperate climate than the south. As in the rest of Thailand there are three seasons: cool (November to February), hot (March to June) and wet (July to October). The "burning season" (February to April) causes severe smog from agricultural fires, and air quality often reaches hazardous levels.
Getting around
Chiang Mai has a limited city bus service with a few air-conditioned routes, including to and from the airport. The traditional way to get around is by songthaew, covered pick-up trucks with shared bench seats that serve as buses and taxis; tuk-tuks are also common.
Staying safe
Chiang Mai, like most of Thailand, is quite safe, even at night, and violent crime is rare. Take extra care in poorly lit or remote areas. The most common tourist-related crime is bag-snatching by youths on motorbikes, so do not carry valuables in a bag after dark.
Summarised from Wikivoyage: Chiang Mai (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Where to stay in Chiang Mai
Hotels and vacation rentals around Chiang Mai with live prices from the big booking sites. Pick your dates on the map to compare.
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Best time to visit Chiang Mai
By temperature and rainfall alone, the most comfortable months in Chiang Mai are January to February and November to December, with average daytime highs of 81 to 87°F (27 to 31°C) and 2 to 8 rainy days a month. This is a weather-data pick that has not yet been checked against crowds, closures or local seasons. April is the hottest month, averaging 96°F (36°C), and January the coolest at 81°F (27°C). August sees the most rain, around 30 days, while February is the driest with about 2.
Jump to a month: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain (about, mm) | Rainy days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 81°F (27°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 20 | 4 | Comfortable: 4 rainy days |
| February | 87°F (31°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 0 | 2 | Comfortable: 2 rainy days |
| March | 94°F (34°C) | 69°F (21°C) | 20 | 2 | Shoulder: 94°F (34°C), 2 rainy days |
| April | 96°F (36°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 60 | 7 | Avoid: very hot, 96°F (36°C) |
| May | 93°F (34°C) | 76°F (24°C) | 190 | 20 | Shoulder: 93°F (34°C), 20 rainy days |
| June | 89°F (32°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 140 | 26 | Shoulder: 89°F (32°C), 26 rainy days |
| July | 87°F (31°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 180 | 27 | Shoulder: 87°F (31°C), 27 rainy days |
| August | 85°F (29°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 240 | 30 | Avoid: among the wettest, 30 rainy days |
| September | 85°F (29°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 220 | 26 | Shoulder: 85°F (29°C), 26 rainy days |
| October | 85°F (29°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 120 | 18 | Shoulder: 85°F (29°C), 18 rainy days |
| November | 84°F (29°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 40 | 8 | Comfortable: 8 rainy days |
| December | 81°F (27°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 10 | 2 | Comfortable: 2 rainy days |
Average daily high and low, and days with rain (a day with at least 1 mm), from Open-Meteo ERA5 records for 2019-2024. Highlighted rows are the pick above. Verdicts use only these numbers.
Rainfall: NASA POWER monthly normals.
Plan the rest of your trip to Chiang Mai
More destinations in Asia
Closest guides to Chiang Mai
Planning guides
Right now in Chiang Mai
Is it safe to travel to Thailand right now?
Official US, UK and Canada travel advice for Thailand, side by side, with each source and the time it was checked. See today's advisory for Thailand
Chiang Mai: common questions
- When is the best time to visit Chiang Mai?
- By temperature and rainfall alone, the most comfortable months in Chiang Mai are January to February and November to December, when average highs run 81 to 87°F (27 to 31°C) with 2 to 8 rainy days a month. This is a weather-data pick, not yet checked against crowds, closures or local seasons. April is the hottest month at 96°F (36°C) on average, and January the coolest at 81°F (27°C).
- What is the rainiest month in Chiang Mai?
- August, with roughly 30 days of rain. The driest is February, with about 2. A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain; figures are averages from 2019-2024 records.
- How warm does it get in Chiang Mai?
- April is the warmest month, averaging 96°F (36°C) by day and 74°F (23°C) at night. January is the coolest, at 81°F (27°C) by day and 62°F (17°C) at night.
- What is the rainy season in Chiang Mai?
- The wettest months in Chiang Mai are June to September, with 26 to 30 rainy days a month. February is the driest.
- Is it safe to travel to Thailand right now?
- Voyaggora shows the official US, UK and Canada travel advisories for Thailand on one page, with the source and the time each was last checked. Open the live advisory for Thailand before you book.
- What other places are near Chiang Mai?
- The closest Voyaggora guides to Chiang Mai are Bangkok (360 miles), Hanoi (470 miles), Siem Reap (500 miles).
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