WHERE TO STAY YOUR FIRST TIME IN CHIANG MAI

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If you are planning a trip to Chiang Mai, you are probably wondering which area would be best to stay in. I definitely spent an inordinate amount of time reading blog posts and watching YouTube videos to come up with the perfect location.

Let me first say this: If you book one of the common tourist areas in Chiang Mai you are unlikely to mess this up. Chiang Mai is fairly compact and you will likely to happy enough with any of them.

Still, depending on your personal preferences and needs, some areas might be a better match than others. So follow along for a short description of the most common accomodation areas and how they stack up.

I stayed at an AirBnB as I was in town for four weeks, but I did check out various hotels and will tell you which I would book if I was in Chiang Mai for just a couple of days or a week.

Top 3 Areas for a First Visit to Chiang Mai

1. Old Town

Most recommendations I saw before my trip stressed Old Town and yes, everyone recommending this central area was of course right.

Old Town Advantages

What is Old Town? You can easily recognize Old Town on a map as it is the square area surrounded by the moat in the middle of town. It offers a great mix of sights (there are more temples than you can imagine), tourist amenities (laundry, ATMs, etc.), and upscale international cafes and restaurants. At the same Old Town still seems distinctly Thai. And to cap it off, it is a bit less frenetic than nearby areas as far as traffic is concerned.

Old Town Disadvantages

So why did I not stay in Old Town? Did I not believe everyone’s advice? No, the reason I opted for a different area was the main draw-back of Old Town: it doesn’t offer a huge variety of accomodation and hotels/hostels in the area tend to be more expensive.

Old Town has a fair number of hostels/tourist class hotels and a couple of nice Boutique style smaller hotels. If this is what you are looking for, I definitely recommend Old Town for a shorter stay.

But if you are looking for an AirBnB or a larger international hotel, you (like me) might have to look outside the Old Town walls.

My recommendations in Old Town

If you have a generous budget: Chala Number 6 Hotel right across from Wat Chedi Luang (one of Chiang Mai’s top temples). The location can’t be beat (it is smack-dab in the middle of the square that makes up Old Town), looks amazing, and the reviews are excellent.

In a middle price-range: Pingviman Hotel in the South-Western corner of Old Town is very popular. It has a good location, is beautifully decorated, and the rooms have a spa bathtub!

2. Night Bazaar Area

For ease of convenience, I am going to call the entire area to the East of Old Town to the river, “Night Bazaar Area” though it can be split into smaller sub-areas with distinct differences.

Advantages of Nightbazaar Area

This is the area I stayed in and I was very happy with my choice. Here you will find more apartments than in the Old Town and many branded international hotels. You have easy access not only to the Night Bazaar with its many stalls and the food courts with live music but you are also close to the river and to Old Town itself. There are many international restaurants/food options (think Starbucks, KFC, Pizza Hut etc.) as well as local eateries.

In addition, I appreciated that this area did still feel very much Thai. Yes, there are loads of tourists and shops geared to tourists, but there are also true local markets, regular homes, and normal shops.

Disadvantages of Nightbazaar Area

This area is very busy (maybe even frenetic) with lots of traffic and loud music. Depending on exact location and hotel setup, this may not be an issue. However, my AirBnB for example was quite loud. So if you are sensitive to noise, choose carefully!

My recommendations for Nightbazaar/East of Old Town

My personal recommendation is the Shangri-La Chiang Mai. Actually this is my top recommendation overall. The Shangri-La has great service, feels luxurious without being stuffy, and would be excellent for a family vacation.

While I did not stay here myself, I did speak with guests on a tour and they were very happy with the hotel. More importantly, I did spend loads of time at this resort as I took full advantage of my month-long pool membership. And the pool is definitely one of the best features of this hotel – it is one of the nicest in Chiang Mai.

If you care less about a resort-style pool and Asian aesthetic, the Marriott has a slightly more central location. It is also easily visible from further away so you won’t have a hard time finding your way back!

Dusit Princess has also an excellent location (it is very close to the Marriott) right at the Night Bazaar and is quite a bit cheaper than the other two options.

There are several VERY nice hotels a bit further East near the river, like the Anantara Chiang Mai or Ping Nakara Boutique Hotel and Spa.

For my taste they are slightly too far from the action and if I wanted a boutique hotel experience I would stay in Old Town. However, if you are looking for a romantic and more serene environment, they might be just right for you.

3. Nimman Area

Advantages of Nimman Area

This is the area to the West of Old Town that is almost always recommended for digital nomads.

It is indeed full of co-working spaces, coffeeshops, international restaurants and bars etc. There is a fair-sized mall here, Maya Mall, and plenty of AirBnBs/apartments as well as some hotels. It feels modern, upscale, and hip.

I was seriously considering this area before ultimately deciding on the Night Bazaar instead. Looking back, I do prefer my choice as I felt the Nimman area was a bit too focused on international visitors. It felt more like walking through a Southern Californian beach town than being in Southeast Asia. But if you are looking to meet like-minded young digital nomads, enjoy coffee shops, and cute boutiques, Nimman may be ideal for you.

Disadvantages of Nimman Area

Like any area, Nimman has some disadvantages (in addition to the not-so-authentic atmosphere) which may matter to you or not.

First, it does come at a bit of a premium. Airbnbs here are a tad more expensive and many of the restaurants here cost more than in other parts of town. Second, there is a fair amount of traffic as well as noise due to airplanes landing/taking off. However, the traffic is definitely less than near the Night Bazaar.

My recommendations for the Nimman Area

I spent the least amount of time here so my recommendations are fairly generic. Based on what I saw and heard, I would book either:

U Nimman which is mid-priced, has great reviews, and a perfect location in the center of this area. You are just steps both from Maya Mall and One Nimman and there are plenty of bars, cafes, co-working spaces etc. nearby. Rooms are spacious and there is a pool.

The Ibis Chiang Mai Nimman would be my personal choice if I was looking for a budget-friendly hotel. While not quite as central as U Nimman you are still only a few minutes walk from the mall and everything else Nimman has to offer. While not luxurious, this would be a reliable choice – there is even a small pool!

And a couple of Runners-Up

To be honest, the three areas above are the main ones first-time travellers will stay at. However, I looked at a couple others when I was planning my trip so will give my opinion for those as well.

4. University Area

This area is just to the West of Nimman, centered around the sprawling campus of Chiang Mai University. I was seriously considering staying here prior to my trip.

Advantages of University Area

It is fairly close to Nimman and Old Town. It also has the best access to nature and outdoor activities. You can go hiking to Doi Suthep or just enjoy the University campus. It is also less expensive than some of the other areas and there are lots of inexpensive food options as well as a lively night market.

Disadvantages of University Area

The main disadvantage is that this area doesn’t offer as many hotels/apartments as other areas. It is also a bit further from many tourist activities, like the Night Bazaar or the Sunday Night Market.

My opinion about the University Area

I would recommend the University area if you plan to stay longer (weeks instead of days), especially if outdoor activities/nature are important to you or if you are looking for a quieter place to stay.

5. The Areas just south and North of Old Town

Honestly, I didn’t spend much time in either of these areas. If you find a hotel/apartment you like within a block or two from the moat, these areas are quite similar to the Nimman/Night Bazaar areas with easy access to Old Town and would work just fine.

Advantages of areas South/North of Old Town

There are popular night markets with food stalls both at the Northern and Southern Gate and the Saturday Night Market near the South Gate is almost as popular as the Sunday Night Market in Old Town.

Disadvantages of areas South/North of Old Town

The further you get from Old Town, the less hotel options you will find. Most first-time visitors will spend their time closer to the Nimman/Old Town/Night Bazaar belt.

My opinion about the areas South/North of Old Town

I would avoid choosing accomodation further north or south of Old Town unless you have a specific reason for it. Not because there is necessarily anything wrong with it but because there are plenty of options closer to Old Town at good prices that will be a better fit.

6. Central Area

This area to the North-East of Old Town close to Central Mall is the last neighborhood I considered when planning my trip and I am glad I decided against it.

Advantages of Central Area

I was tempted because there were a lot of affordable apartments that looked very nice. And of course the Mall is right there (and it is a very nice mall).

Disadvantages of Central Area

However, as far as I can tell there is little of interest right there (other than Central Mall of course) and you are quite far from most attractions.

My opinion about Central Area

I would recommend Central only if you are in town for longer (e.g. several months), having a nice apartment at an affordable price is more important than location to you (e. g. because you will spend much of your time working in your accomodation and less time exploring the city), and especially if you have your own car/scooter.

My Overall Recommendation

So after doing extensive research before my trip, checking out different areas during my four weeks in Chiang Mai, and thinking about it some more, my recommendation would be:

• Choose Old Town for shorter visits if you can find accomodation that fits your budget /taste (best for guest houses/hostels/Boutique Hotels)
• Otherwise, stay East of Old Town as this area is very convenient and has the greatest variety of hotels and offers most of the same benefits as Old Town.
• If you are a (young) digital nomad, looking for a modern, hip environment, or really worried about culture shock, choose Nimman.
• And if you are visiting for longer, love the outdoors, and prefer a quieter environment, the University area may be a good match.

My Thoughts for a future Stay

As for me: I loved my stay in the Night Bazaar area, noise and all. Not least of all, it worked well with my budget. However, on my next trip to Chiang Mai I would probably stay somewhere else. Why?

I realized that I spent most of my time closer to my accomodation. I got to know the area East of Old Town up to the Ping River quite well but didn’t spend much time in Nimman or further westwards. So on my next trip to Chiang Mai I would look for a place near the University, just to have a different experience and easier access to that part of town.