Best Time To Visit Chiang Mai > Weather, Season And Temperature

What is the best time to visit Chiang Mai?

The best time to visit Chiang Mai is November to February. Days are warm and dry at around 28°C to 30°C, nights drop to 15°C, and the skies are clear.

That is when the old city temples, the Sunday Walking Street and the mountain road up to Doi Inthanon are all at their best, and when Loy Krathong and Yi Peng fill the city with lanterns, usually in November.

From late February into April, crop burning across northern Thailand leaves Chiang Mai under heavy smoke haze, and March is normally the worst of it. If those are your only dates, plan for indoor days.

July to October is the rainy season. It usually rains hard for an hour in the afternoon and then stops, the hills are green, the air is the cleanest of the year, and rates are the lowest.

Monthly Weather in Chiang Mai

Month	High/Low (°C)	Rain
January	32°/ 16°	1 days
February	34°/ 17°	0 days
March	38°/ 20°	0 days
April	37°/ 23°	9 days
May	37°/ 25°	17 days
June	33°/ 24°	19 days
July	32°/ 23°	23 days
August	30°/ 23°	26 days
September	32°/ 22°	24 days
October	33°/ 22°	20 days
November	32°/ 20°	4 days
December	30°/ 15°	4 days

Chiang Mai Travel Packages

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7 Nights / 8 Days

7 Night Adventure in Chiang Mai and Krabi Tour Package - Free Thai Cooking Class

Chiang Mai(4N) → Krabi(3N)

₹ 0

0% off

₹32,000/person

9 Nights / 10 Days

Ultimate 9-Night Thailand Adventure: Chiang Mai, Krabi, and Phuket

Chiang Mai(3N) → Krabi(3N) → Phuket(3N)

₹ 0

0% off

₹80,000/person

6 Nights / 7 Days

Family Splendour Package - Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Pattaya

Bangkok(1N) → Chiang Mai(2N) → Pattaya(3N)

₹ 0

0% off

₹28,000/person

7 Nights / 8 Days

Thailand 7 Nights Package: Experience Culture

Bangkok(2N) → Kanchanaburi(1N) → Ayutthaya(1N) → Chiang Mai...

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0% off

₹55,000/person

9 Nights / 10 Days

Thailand Family Holiday Package: Chiang Mai Night Safari Included

Krabi(2N) → Bangkok(2N) → Chiang Mai(5N)

₹ 0

0% off

₹72,000/person

7 Nights / 8 Days

Thailand Splendor: Bangkok Chiang Mai Adventure

Bangkok(3N) → Chiang Mai(4N)

₹ 0

0% off

₹51,500/person

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More about Best Time to Travel to Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai in Cool Season (November to February)

Temperature: 15°C to 30°C. Nights are cool by Thai standards, coldest in December and January.
Weather: Dry, clear and comfortable, with the best air quality of the year.
Crowds: Highest of the year. Rates peak twice, once for Loy Krathong and again over Christmas and New Year.
Tip: Pack a jacket for evenings and for sunrise at Doi Inthanon.

Chiang Mai in Hot Season (March to June)

Temperature: 22°C to 36°C, peaking in April.
Weather: Hot and dry, with smoke haze through March and April. Thunderstorms begin in June.
Crowds: Low, and hotel rates fall a long way.
Tip: Songkran, 13 to 15 April, is celebrated harder here than almost anywhere in Thailand, with the old city moat at the centre of it. Outside Songkran, this is the season to skip if air quality matters to you.

Chiang Mai in Rainy Season (July to October)

Temperature: 24°C to 32°C.
Weather: A heavy hour or two in the late afternoon rather than all-day rain. August and September are the wettest months. Waterfalls are at their fullest.
Crowds: Lowest of the year, with the cheapest rooms.
Tip: The rain scrubs the air, so this is the clearest breathing of the whole year. Good for cooking classes, cafes and temples. Carry a light umbrella.

Smoke Haze in Chiang Mai (February to April)

Farmers and forest fires across northern Thailand and over the Myanmar border burn off in the dry months, and the smoke settles in the valley Chiang Mai sits in.

It builds from late February, peaks in March, and clears once the rains arrive. Air quality in March regularly reaches levels considered unhealthy, and hospitals report more respiratory complaints.

If you are travelling with children or older parents, or you have any respiratory condition, choose December or January instead.

Festivals in Chiang Mai

Loy Krathong and Yi Peng, usually November. Chiang Mai’s biggest event by a distance, with floating and sky lanterns. Note that the large lantern releases are ticketed and separate from the free celebrations in the city. Accommodation goes months ahead.
Flower Festival, first weekend of February. Floral floats through the old city.
Songkran, 13 to 15 April. Three days of water fights around the moat.
Chinese New Year, late January or February. Centred on the Warorot Market area.

Best Time to Visit Chiang Mai by Interest

Temples and the old city: November to February.
Trekking, Doi Inthanon and the hills: November to February, when the air is clear.
Waterfalls at their fullest: August to October.
Festivals: November for Loy Krathong, April for Songkran.
Lowest prices: May to October.
Months to avoid: March and April, for smoke haze.