Your ultimate guide to Chiang Mai

GRAPH Warehouse Flea Market is back next weekend with a special green edition of their popular market – and the timing couldn't be better. Urban Jungle Weekend runs May 1-3, offering a chance to swap the city rush for plants, crafts and nature-led workshops. Photograph: Little planet Located just off the Old City, the warehouse transforms into a hub of plants, crafts and home décor all under a nature theme. Slow down and wander properly – browsing new plant varieties, discovering local craft makers and breathing in something that actually resembles clean air for a change. GRAPH is well known for their coffee so expect solid drinks and interesting concoctions to keep you cool in the heat while you browse. That same weekend a cactus tray and terrarium design workshop runs alongside the market, giving you the chance to build your own little green world from scratch and take it home. Book ahead via Little Planet to secure a spot. Photograph: InClay Studio What makes this one extra special is the attendance of InClay Studio, bringing their legendary pottery workshops to the flea market as well. No reservations needed – just walk in, but maybe wear something you don't mind ruining. Or for something less messy, the fused glass workshop lets you make a suncatcher or learn the art of microwave glass casting. Book ahead for this one via Blue Bird Art Glass.   May 1-3. Free entry but workshop prices vary starting from B290. GRAPH Warehouse Flea Market. 10am-6pm

Chiang Mai doesn’t switch on its jazz scene for a festival – it’s already humming most nights. But come Chiang Mai International Jazz Day 2026 , the volume lifts. Expect three days where the city leans fully into its after-dark rhythm, shifting the city’s energy from Songkran’s chaos into something looser, cooler and just as alive. Running from 30 April to 2 May, Chiang Mai International Jazz Day 2026 turns five of the city’s best-loved venues – Moment’s Notice Jazz Club, The Mellowship Jazz Club, Mahoree City of Music, North Gate Jazz Co-Op and North Gate Spirit – into a connected, citywide stage. There’s no central arena – you move with the music. Photograph: North Gate Jazz Co-Op One minute, you’re in a low-lit room catching a tight modern jazz set; the next, you’re a few streets away in something louder, freer and fully improvised. It’s less about planning your night and more about following whatever sound pulls you in. The Mellowship anchors the weekend with one of the most consistent lineups, moving through fusion, bebop, funk, soul jazz and post-bop across the weekend. North Gate Jazz Co-Op – long a staple for both locals and travellers – keeps things close and unfiltered, with sets that blur the line between performance and jam. Mahoree leans experimental, while Moment’s Notice and North Gate Spirit round things out with a steady flow of local and visiting musicians. Photograph: The Mellowship This is the kind of festival where plans fall apart in the best way. You don’t stick to a schedule – you drift. A quick drink turns into a full set – the perfect follow-up to a humid Chiang Mai afternoon. One venue leads to another and before you know it, you’ve crossed half the Old City without really trying. And with free entry across all venues, there’s no pressure to commit. Come for one set, stay for three, or just keep moving until something stops you in your tracks. April 30-May 2. Across The Mellowship Jazz Club, Moment’s Notice Jazz Club, Mahoree City of Music, North Gate Jazz Co-op and Northgate Spirit. Free entry. Performances run from 3pm-midnight. Follow Chiang Mai Street Jazz Festival for the full programme. Follow Chiang Mai International Jazz Day for the full programme

Those who know Chiang Mai know the moat water circling the Old City is not something you want anywhere near your mouth, or face for that matter. Not ideal when most of the water flying around during Songkran comes straight from it.  But, as clockwork, authorities have come out and declared the moat water ‘safe for Songkran’ – although if you read the comments, it seems like the locals can’t help but notice fewer treatments in the lead-up to the festival.  Either way, there’s some reassurance as the official water testing that took place just this afternoon has declared the water safe for splashing, skin contact and everything external. Just try not to drink it, they ask politely.  Photograph: Chiang Mai News Water testing by the Chiang Mai Municipality recorded a pH of 7.55, which sits within the range for general use. It’s definitely not drinking water, but it is considered safe enough for the full-body soaking that Songkran is known for. And although efforts may be less publicised, the municipality says that efforts to improve water quality have been in action since late March. Fresh irrigation water has been pumped through the moat daily to keep it moving and prevent stagnation, while efforts have been made to reduce contamination and remove rubbish and debris from the city’s major Songkran water sources.  Good news for anyone planning to stick to the classic Old City water fights instead of heading to malls or club events – something we think is a tradition worth holding onto.  And with hundreds and thousands expected to line the moat over the coming days, the focus now shifts to keeping things clean and safe throughout the festival. So splash away, but just remember, it’s best to scream with your mouth closed this year.  

If your idea of Songkran usually involves water fights and street parties, here’s something a little quieter but arguably more meaningful to add to your calendar. Head to the Museum of Broken Relationships for a special ‘Carry Your Intention: A Songkran Ritual Festival’ that brings a more reflective pause amid the splashy chaos of Thailand’s New Year. Running from April 6-19, this contemporary take on a traditional ritual meets turns into an art experience, letting you swap water buckets for something more symbolic: a tung, or the traditional Lanna prayer flag.  Create your own tung sai moo and choose colours based on what you want to carry into the new year – red for courage, green for growth, white for letting go – and inscribe your own intention onto the flag. Whether that’s a bold life pivot or simply to drink more water is entirely up to you. Photograph: Museum of Broken Relationships Thailand The ritual draws from the Lanna tradition of Tan Tung, where offering a flag is believed to generate merit and symbolically release the weight of the past. In other words, it’s a culturally rooted way of saying new year new me.  Once you’re done, you can choose to keep your creation, leave it as part of a collective display in the museum or take it to a temple on April 15 when the tradition of sticking it in a big pile of sand is widely observed across Chiang Mai. True to the museum’s ethos, the experience also opens the door to something more personal. Visitors are invited to donate objects and stories tied to past relationships – items that might one day join the museum’s quietly powerful global archive. So, what are you ready to carry forward and what are you ready to leave behind? Photograph: Museum of Broken Relationships Thailand General admission is B200 or you can qualify by spending B150 at the museum shop – a win-win for all and a small price for a moment of calm during Thailand’s best festival of the year. April 6-19. General admission is B200 or B150 for students, seniors, persons with disabilities. Contact infoTH@brokenships.com for more information. Museum of Broken Relationships. Open 10am-10pm

Everyone’s favourite Rimping is celebrating the weekend (because what’s not to celebrate about two days off work) with free tastings and irresistible deals so clear your schedule and come hungry.  Popping up at their Meechok branch from April 3-6, Happy Weekend brings together the very best of what loyal shoppers already love about the supermarket – and opens the floor to vendors, street food artists and much more besides.  Photograph: Rimping Supermarket Trips to the Supermarket are one of the few fun things we can do right now thanks to the smog, so head to the plaza and eat your way through over 30 food and beverage booths, serving up free tastings of everything from salmon sashimi to fresh smoothies, seasonal fruit and Korean noodles.  Beyond the tastings, Rimping are also offering over 200 promotional items available throughout the four days. Highlights include high-quality beef, frozen seafood, pasta, ice cream and the ever popular mayongchid – ‘tis the season after all.  Photograph: Rimping Supermarket So whether you have a weekly shop planned or are just looking for some fun to be had in an air-conditioned space, Happy Weekend makes it easy to indulge. Sure, there’s some booths on the outside, but you’ll have to walk past them to get in anyway – so why not stop for a second, pop off your mask and grab a free nibble.    April 3-6. Free entry but prepare to cash in on some deals.  Rimping Supermarket, Meechok Plaza. 8am-9pm  

Songkran is just around the corner and Chiang Mai is taking it up a notch by adding nine extra days to the city’s festival schedule.  Traditionally Songkran is celebrated over three days, with the official national holiday falling on April 13-15. But Chiang Mai has never been one to keep the party short. Chiang Mai Municipality has just confirmed that this year's celebrations will stretch across 12 days, from April 6-17, making it one of the most expansive Songkran celebrations the city has seen.  The extended period is part of a wider effort to boost tourism and showcase everything the city has to offer during Thailand's most iconic festival. This makes sense given Chiang Mai is one of the hottest picks for travellers this year, with a Traveloka report placing it second most searched destination for bookings in April nationwide. Photograph: A little adrift For those more, let’s say aquaphobic folks, don't panic – the water fights won't be running throughout the entire period. Songkran is about far more than just water anyway.  Aside from the big water battles that take over Nimmanhaemin and the Old City (to name just a few hotspots), local groups and communities will also be celebrating the festival at its heart – a time for purification, paying respects to elders and welcoming the Thai New Year with merit-making and temple visits. From April 1, visitors can take part in bathing Phra Phuttha Sihing at Wat Phra Singh to ask for blessings throughout the month.  Mid-April is set to be the busiest period, with the highlight being the April 13 procession of the revered Buddha image through 48 temples across the city. Wat Chedi Luang is also expected to host a Water Festival around this time, featuring praying ceremonies, candle lighting and local performances.  Beyond the religious ceremonies there are also beauty pageants, competitions, parades and a full programme of activities spread across the 12 days. Photograph: World Songkran Thapae Chiang Mai For the partygoers, the One Nimman and MAYA Songkran parties run from April 11-15, featuring popular Thai artists Earth Patravee, Safeplanet and Dept. The MAYA lineup is yet to be confirmed but if last year is anything to go by, with The Toys and J Jetrin both taking the stage, expect big names. Over at Tha Phae Gate, the iconic Songkran zone offers the best of both worlds – cultural performances and water splashing fun all in one place. This is also where the grand procession begins on April 13, making it the place to be for one of the most significant moments of the festival. Expect the pageant crowning the Songkran King and Queen, Thai traditional dancing and plenty of other festivities. Exact times are yet to be confirmed but licenses are already in place for another year of water tunnels and decorative lighting along Thapae Road. For those who just want maximum water splashing, the Old City moat is where to be. It doesn't get wetter than this – just don't ask too many questions about the water quality. And if 12 days wasn't enough, Chang Music Connection is hosting the Saad Sud Festival from April 18-19 at Central Airport Chiang Mai, promising DJs and more shirt soaking fun to close out the season. Photograph: TAT Chiang Mai If you have never experienced Songkran in Chiang Mai before, this is the year to do it. But, as you probably know already, do wear clothes you don't mind getting wet and leave your phone at home…or invest in a decent waterproof case. Those B40 pouches are notorious for leaks.

The heat is turning up in Chiang Mai, but the air conditioner will no longer be of much help as the local government requests all air conditioners be set to 26 or 27 degrees celsius. This push is part of a broader national campaign, as Thailand responds to an ongoing energy crisis with roots in escalating Middle East tensions.  Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered the measures to begin on 10 March, with Energy Minister Auttapol Rerkpiboon launching a formal campaign a week later. Now, Chiang Mai Governor Rattapol Naradisorn has rolled it out across all sectors – both private and governmental. Photograph: Sky News Air conditioning, once a solace for anyone looking to survive Thailand's summer, is now encouraged to sit between 26 and 27 degrees celsius, doors and windows should be kept closed and units switched off the moment the working day ends. While reasonable on paper – during a Chiang Mai March, it is a lot. The measures don't stop at temperature either. Offices are being urged to cut paper use and shift to electronic documents, turn lights off in empty rooms, and the lift – unfortunately – discouraged in favour of the stairs. He’s also asked businesses who can, to operate work-from-home protocols to reduce energy and petrol use, and shift meetings online. Officials have also been told to ditch the tie and wear short-sleeved shirts, except during ceremonies, which may be the most quietly radical part of the whole thing. There's also no official end date. The campaign runs until the situation eases – and if it doesn't, harder measures are already on the table, including petrol station closures and limits on billboard brightness after 10pm. In the meantime, if the 27 degree decree rule is getting to you, we hear the mall remains an icy-cool option.

Every year, Time Out releases its ranking of the best cities in the world and Chiang Mai has once again made the top 50 list.  After quizzing more than 24,000 locals across the world to rank the best cities on the planet, Chiang Mai came in at a pleasant #32, sitting middle-ground among peers such as Beijing (#30) and Naples (#33).  But what’s more impressive is the city also made it to #9 in the best cities in Asia list – thanks to impressive natural beauty, fun easy-living and recent cultural momentums. Photograph: Ploypemuk / Shutterstock According to Time Out’s 50 best cities in the world list for 2026, 76 percent of locals say they feel a sense of belonging in the city. No wonder those involved in the survey were most likely to describe their city as ‘welcoming and friendly’ (followed by ‘lively’ and ‘relaxing’). What’s obvious to us is that Chiang Mai offers everything in just the right proportions: third-wave coffee labs beside centuries-old stupas, experimental breweries and artistic performance spaces, critically-acclaimed cocktail bars and a thriving vinyl and festival scene that’s reshaping the city after dark.  Photograph: Northern VW Thailand And while there’s endless adventure beyond the city – think trekking, elephants, mountains and waterfalls – the food scene alone is reason enough to celebrate this accolade, stretching from smoky farm-to-table grills to boundary-pushing fine dining that champion both northern Thai flavours and global ideas. 2026 is also a landmark year for Chiang Mai’s cultural momentum, with the Chiang Mai Festival City initiative gaining big momentum and a recent UNESCO World Heritage bid – both shining new light on the city’s historic and diverse creative core.  Bangkok also made the list, sneaking into the top 10 with a solid ranking on #8 – second in all of Asia.    Read what we have to say about Bangkok’s impressive ranking here.   Photograph: Chiang Mai CAD Festival Here are the world’s top 10 best cities in 2026 Melbourne Shanghai Edinburgh London New York Cape Town Mexico City Bangkok Seoul Tokyo Check out the full list and reasons why each city was selected in the official world’s coolest cities coverage on Time Out here.   The Asia 10 best cities in the world for 2026 Shanghai Bangkok Seoul Tokyo Hong Kong Singapore Hanoi Beijing Chiang Mai Ho Chi Minh City So, if this isn’t enough to convince you, plan your things to do in Chiang Mai ahead of your next trip and find out for yourself why we think Chiang Mai absolutely deserves its spot on Time Out’s 50 best cities in the world this year.  

Calling all seasoned thrifters and vintage lovers. If you’re into Y2K fashion, vintage accessories, secondhand clothing, street food,fairy lights and spoons (yes, spoons!) all in the heart of Nimman, then you’re in luck.  Think Park is back with its Saturday Vintage Flea Market and, contrary to what you’d expect with a market full of cheap second-hand finds, if you're looking to save money, you'll want to stay home – because the finds here are too good to resist. Photograph: Think Park Chiang Mai The market feels right at home at Think Park, the open-air creative hub at the north end of Nimmanhaemin Road. Founded by Varisa ‘Gift’ Passakornnatee – who studied theatre design at St Martin's in London before convincing her family to turn the plot into a community creative space – Think Park has always been built around supporting local artisans and independent makers. The Saturday Vintage Flea Market manifests that spirit in full swing. Photograph: Think Park Chiang Mai Past editions of the market have thrown up some serious standout finds – denim jackets with the kind of quality and durability that modern clothing rarely matches and leather handbags whose wear only deepens their charm.  And it's not just clothing. Handmade crafts make an appearance too, including rings made from silver spoons – the kind of one-of-a-kind local souvenir that will beat a mango sticky rice mini magnet any day of the week. Photograph: Think Park Chiang Mai   Beyond the thrill of the treasure hunt, there's a genuinely good reason to shop here: buying secondhand is one of the easiest ways to cut down on fashion waste. Every vintage denim jacket or pre-loved leather handbag that finds a new home is one less item heading to landfill – and unlike fast fashion, these pieces were made to last.  Think Park's Saturday Vintage Flea Market runs every Saturday from 5-11pm. Free entry, but expect to spend!

If you put Lalisa ‘Lisa’ Manobal in front of a camera, the world pays attention. And not to just her, but everything around her too.  You’ve probably seen the Thai rapper and singer who shot to fame with South Korean girl band Blackpink plastered on billboards, featuring in ads, standing atop mountain tops or walking wistfully through glowing moss-covered forest trails.  That’s the ‘Lisa effect’, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand is tapping into the actress’s seemingly endless allure. As the newly appointed official ambassador for Thai tourism under the banner of the ‘Feel all the Feelings’ campaign – a glossy, fast-moving series that follows Lisa across 12 destinations nationwide – she is starring in her own tribute to Thailand. Postcard moments with celebrity glam – a familiar playbook but that doesn’t make it any less effective. Each one a fleeting, cinematic moment. Each one an invitation to see Thailand in a different light.  From mountain peaks to centuries-old Lanna temples and wide natural scenes, it leans surprisingly into northern Thailand’s beauty, so naturally, we’re zooming in.  If you're curious to follow in her footsteps – fancy outfits and all – here’s all you need to get started as we trace the northern locations featured in the campaign. Where to go, what to see and how to experience each one in classic Lisa style.    Check out the eight flavours that Lisa put on the map