Chiang Mai travel essentials: your first hours sorted
The practical things that make a Chiang Mai arrival easy — the short trip from the airport, getting online, handling cash, getting around by songthaew, and the one seasonal thing (air quality) worth checking. Chiang Mai is laid-back, affordable and a favourite for solo, 50+ and longer-stay travellers alike.
Chiang Mai, Thailand 🇹🇭 · Written & reviewed by Wavvia · Last reviewed June 2026
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Plan my Chiang Mai tripGetting from the airport to the old city
Chiang Mai is wonderfully compact: the airport (CNX) is only about 10–15 minutes from the old walled city. There’s an official metered-taxi desk in arrivals, and Grab works well and is cheap. For a first arrival you can simply grab a metered car or a Grab — no need for anything elaborate.
Pro tip: Because the airport is so close, your accommodation can often arrange a pickup for a flat, modest fee — worth it for a late landing so someone’s waiting with your name.
Getting online in Chiang Mai
A Thailand eSIM set up before you fly gets you online immediately — handy for Grab and maps. Chiang Mai has excellent, cheap connectivity (it’s a long-standing digital-nomad hub), so if you’re staying a while, strong data everywhere is a genuine plus.
Cash, cards and ATM fees
Carry baht — markets, street food, songthaews and small cafés are cash, while bigger restaurants and malls take cards. The same flat foreign-card ATM fee (around ฿220) applies, so withdraw larger amounts less often, and choose baht rather than your home currency at the screen.
Red songthaews, Grab & scooters
The old city is walkable. To go further, the red shared songthaews (rod daeng) are the local way — flag one down, tell the driver your destination, and pay a small flat fare (around ฿30–40) when you hop off; they run a loose shared route. Grab is cheap and easy for direct trips. Scooters are popular for exploring but carry the usual risks and licence/insurance requirements — only ride if you’re confident.
Check the burning season (roughly Feb–April)
One date-range to know: in the dry “burning season”, roughly late February through April, agricultural fires push Chiang Mai’s air quality to some of the worst in the world for weeks at a time. If you have any respiratory sensitivity, plan your visit outside that window, or check a live air-quality app before booking and pack a proper mask if you go.
LGBTQ+ travellers in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is relaxed and welcoming, with a low-key but visible LGBTQ+ community. Thailand passed marriage equality in 2025, and same-sex couples travel here comfortably.
Ethical elephants, temples & cooking classes
Chiang Mai’s signature experiences are the ethical elephant sanctuaries (choose genuine no-riding, observation-only places — read recent reviews carefully, as “sanctuary” is used loosely), the temples including Doi Suthep up the mountain, and the famous cooking classes. Booking reputable operators ahead is worth it, especially for the elephant visits.
Can you drink the tap water?
Do not drink tap water in Thailand. Use sealed bottled water; ice in established venues is usually factory-made and fine.
Source: US CDC / WHO drinking-water guidelines · last verified 2026-04-01
Emergency numbers to save now
Save these in your phone before you go, and write the main one somewhere offline in case your battery dies.
Emergency (Police / Ambulance / Fire)
Ambulance / Rescue
Tourist Police
English-speaking, 24/7
Fire
Verified against official government / emergency-service sources · last checked 2026-04-01.
Before you go to Chiang Mai: cover the what-ifs
A lost passport, a clinic visit or a delayed bag are the practical emergencies that actually happen. Standard trip insurance covers all three — and it’s the one thing every solo trip should have.
Single-trip cover, high medical limits
Flexible family & group cover
Wavvia may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend cover we trust — compare quotes before you buy.
This is general practical guidance, not legal, medical or financial advice. Local laws, prices, apps and transport change — always check official sources and your government’s current travel advice before you travel. Emergency numbers and tap-water guidance above come from verified datasets, but confirm them on arrival.
Chiang Mai essentials: FAQs
How do I get from Chiang Mai airport to the old city?
It’s only about 10–15 minutes. Use the official metered-taxi desk in arrivals or a Grab (both cheap), or have your accommodation arrange a flat-fee pickup for a late landing.
What are the red songthaews in Chiang Mai?
They’re shared red pickup trucks (rod daeng) that run loose routes — flag one down, tell the driver where you’re going, and pay a small flat fare (around ฿30–40) when you get off. They’re the cheap local way around; Grab is easy for direct trips.
When is the burning season in Chiang Mai?
Roughly late February through April, when agricultural fires push air quality to some of the worst in the world for weeks. If you’re sensitive to air pollution, visit outside that window or check a live air-quality app before booking.
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