Solo travel · Chiang Mai · Thailand
Solo travel in Chiang Mai
How to enjoy Chiang Mai at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote . Feel free to use any of my images, but plea, CC BY 4.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
Chiang Mai is one of Southeast Asia's most popular bases for solo travellers and digital nomads, with plenty of hostels, co-working spaces, cooking classes and group tours that make it easy to meet people. Many solo travellers base themselves in Old City.
Key facts
- Base
- Old City
- Getting around
- Bus
- Emergency number
- Police 191, ambulance 1669, Tourist Police 1155
- Language
- Thai and Northern Thai (Kham Mueang)
Solo travel tips
- Hostels in the old city organise group trips to Doi Inthanon, waterfalls and sanctuaries.
- Join monk chat at Wat Chedi Luang or Wat Suan Dok for a conversation about Buddhism.
- Co-working spaces and cafés in Nimman are easy places to meet long-stay travellers.
- Walk the Monk's Trail with company and tell someone your plans.
- Use Grab or Bolt for late-night trips home.
Where to stay
$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, budget and solo travellers
Old City
The 1.5 km square inside the moat holds Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Chiang Man, plus hundreds of guesthouses, cafés and massage shops on lanes that are quiet after dark. The Sunday Walking Street runs down Ratchadamnoen Road through the middle, and every part of the square is walkable.
- Good
- Walk to the main temples; Wide choice of guesthouses; Quiet lanes at night
- Watch out
- Rooms can be small and basic; Traffic on the moat roads
- Nearby
- Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Chiang Man, Tha Phae Gate
Great on your own
Religious site · Doi Suthep
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Go at opening time to avoid the crowds; shared red songthaews leave from near Chiang Mai Zoo and Chiang Mai University, and a funicular lift spares you the stairs.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
Religious site · Old City
Wat Phra Singh
Look closely at the Viharn Lai Kham murals, which show local dress and daily life; dress modestly as monks study here.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Art
Religious site · Old City
Wat Chedi Luang
Visit late afternoon to see the chedi in warm light and look for the monk chat tables in the grounds.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
.jpg){kind=link}
Religious site · Old City
Wat Chiang Man
It is in the quieter north-east corner of the old city and is rarely crowded in the morning.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Historic site · Old City
Tha Phae Gate and the old city walls
Walk or cycle the moat in the early morning; the gate's square hosts events at Songkran and Loy Krathong.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Religious site · Doi Suthep foothills
Wat Umong
Combine it with Baan Kang Wat artists' village, a few minutes away.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
Meeting people
- Khao soi lunch crawl — Compare two or three khao soi shops at lunchtime, noting the differences in broth, chicken or beef and toppings.
- Cooking class with market tour — Buy herbs and curry pastes with your teacher at a local market, then cook five or six dishes, often including khao soi.
- Nimmanhaemin — Cocktail bars, craft-beer pubs and clubs popular with students and young Thais.
- Riverside — Restaurant bars along Charoen Rat Road with live bands most nights.
Sensible precautions
Scooter accidents are the biggest risk for visitors, especially on the steep mountain roads. From about February to April smoke can make air quality hazardous, so check readings and carry a proper mask. Dogs can be territorial on rural roads and trails.
- Emergency number
- Police 191, ambulance 1669, Tourist Police 1155
- Staying connected
- Tourist SIMs from AIS, True and others are sold at the airport and convenience stores; 4G and 5G coverage is good, and cafés offer fast Wi-Fi.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Chiang Mai good for solo travellers?
Chiang Mai is one of Southeast Asia's most popular bases for solo travellers and digital nomads, with plenty of hostels, co-working spaces, cooking classes and group tours that make it easy to meet people.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Chiang Mai?
Old City: Temple-filled square inside the moat, with guesthouses and quiet sois.