Welcome to Chiang Mai

The former seat of the Lanna kingdom is a blissfully calm and laid-back place to relax and recharge your batteries. Yes you’ll be surrounded by other wide-eyed travellers but that scarcely takes away from the fabulous food and leisurely wandering. Participate in a vast array of activities on offer, or just stroll around the backstreets, and discover a city that is still firmly Thai in its atmosphere, and attitude.

A sprawling modern city has grown up around ancient Chiang Mai (เชียงใหม่), ringed by a tangle of superhighways. Despite this, the historic centre of Chiang Mai still feels overwhelmingly residential, more like a sleepy country town than a bustling capital. If you drive in a straight line in any direction, you’ll soon find yourself in the lush green countryside and pristine rainforests dotted with churning waterfalls, serene wát, and peaceful country villages – as well as a host of markets and elephant sanctuaries.