The best ways to beat the heat in Chiang Mai

What better way to cool down than an ice bath. The Coco Club is fully equipped with outdoor ice baths and saunas alongside a swimming pool for when the cold soak isn't quite enough. Beyond the wellness benefits – and there are plenty – it's also one of the better spots in the city for actually meeting people, with a poolside atmosphere that makes hanging out feel like you’re at a beach club. Cool off, warm up in the sauna and cool off again. Repeat until you’re cool to the core. 

29/15 Jed Yod-Yu Yen Soi 4, Chang Phueak, Muang Chiang Mai. For more information call 084 558 2173. Open 9am-9pm

An unexpected gem that consistently surprises. 99 Villa and Cafe leans into a bright, colourful European aesthetic – think southern Italian colour palettes and Greek-inspired architecture – that makes you feel like you've briefly left Chiang Mai entirely. The resident pigs and ducks only add to the charm. The drinks and cakes are genuinely good – fruit smoothies and iced lattes that don't sacrifice quality for the aesthetic. The centrepiece is a pool that, while not made for laps, is perfect for lounging and photos. Which is half the point of a pool in this heat anyway.

99 Moo 13 Muang Chiang Mai. Open 9am-6pm

Chiang Mai's most popular water park and for good reason. The Grand Canyon is an inflatable obstacle course floating on water – climb, leap and battle your way across American Ninja Warrior-style challenges while the heat gives you every reason to welcome the inevitable fall into the water. Bring friends for the full experience and prepare to get completely soaked in the best possible way. On a blazing Chiang Mai afternoon, being pushed off an inflatable platform is genuinely the right outcome.

202 Moo 3 Namprae, Hangdong. Book here. Open 10am-7pm

Frozen yogurt done properly – no added sugar, sweetened only with honey or fresh fruit and tasting as good as the real thing. Rob's Berry also does blended acai bowls topped with fresh fruit and granola for a summer treat that feels genuinely nourishing. The glowy berry swirl topped with collagen jelly is the signature and worth ordering for the look as much as the taste. If frozen yogurt is your thing this summer, check out our full list of the best yogurt spots in Chiang Mai here.

6 Soi 7 Sirimungkalajarn road, Suthep, Muang Chiang Mai. Open 9am-6pm.

Chiang Mai's most beloved shaved ice spot, now with branches across Thailand. Cheevit Cheeva does bingsu, the Korean-style shaved ice with smooth milky ice shavings and flavour combinations that make choosing just one difficult. The mango version pairs the tropical fruit with sweet condensed milk syrup in a way that feels made for this exact weather, while the bua loi flavour reimagines the classic Thai dessert as a soft, yielding shaved ice mountain. Fully air-conditioned inside, so you get double the cool down.

6 Siri Mangkalajarn Rd Lane 7, Su Thep, Muang Chiang Mai. 11am-10pm

Chiang Mai's own ice cream brand does flavours that are far from manufactured – mascarpone, pistachio, tiramisu – in combinations and presentations that keep things interesting. The sundaes and milkshakes change regularly so there's always a reason to come back. Currently the Dubai chocolate sundae is top of the charts, and served in a nice air-conditioned space so you can cool off both inside and out. For those who'd rather drink their ice cream, the floats and Super Shine smoothies blend ice cream with fruit and superfood powder into something that feels vaguely virtuous and tastes completely indulgent.

179 Chang Moi Rd, Muang Chiang Mai. Open 8am-9pm

City views, a pool big enough for actual laps and a splash bar serving cocktails and snacks. U Nimman's rooftop pool sits just above the busy intersection in front of Maya Lifestyle Mall making the people-watching alone worth the visit. The day pass includes access to the fitness centre and sauna as well as a complimentary signature drink – a solid deal for a full afternoon of doing very little in the best way possible.

Nimmana Haeminda Rd Lane 1, Suthep, Mueang Chiang Mai. For more information and to book call 052 005 111. Open 6am-8pm

Specialising in soft serve, this spot does a small curated menu very well. The cones are light and airy, the soft serve swirl is exactly what it looks like in every Tokyo tourist photo and the flavour is creamy without being overly sweet. Served in a cone, topped with matcha or tucked inside a choux bun – all good options. The iced pure matcha drinks are also worth ordering for a cooling caffeine hit that feels more refreshing than a standard iced latte.

49/8 Arak Rd, Si Phum, Muang Chiang Mai. Open 10am-8pm

Self-described as a creative ice cream studio and the description earns itself. Kintaaam reinvents the classic summer treat in forms you didn't know you needed – lollipops in tropical fruit flavours like watermelon mascarpone with sweet dried fish flakes and green mango sorbet with sweet fish sauce caramel, and ice cream sandwiches in unexpected shapes with flavours like chocolate chilli and nom yen, the bright pink sweet milk.

3 Maha Chok 9 Alley, Chang Phueak, Muang Chiang Mai. Open 11am-6pm closed Mondays

Somewhere between a theatre hall and a restaurant, The A Ter is a steak venue with live music and a design that loosely resembles an amphitheatre. The lineup of bands and singers rotates regularly so there's always something on. Fully air-conditioned, comfortable without being boring and equally good for a sit-down dinner or drinks with friends while the music does the heavy lifting, closed off from the hot air outside.

33/13 Charoen Prathet Rd, Chang Khlan, Muang Chiang Mai. Open 5.30pm-midnight

One of the best smoothie cafés in the city and one of the most reliably comfortable places to spend an afternoon hiding from the heat. Fully air-conditioned with air purifiers inside – Samoodi also provides board and card games making it easy to arrive for one drink and stay for a few hours. The smoothies are excellent and prices start from just B45. Check out our full list of the best smoothie spots in Chiang Mai here.

181/38-39 Chang Puak. Open 10am-5.30pm Sundays close early at 4.30pm