Making it easy to choose the neighborhood that suits your needs the most.
Night Bazaar
Close to center
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The Night Bazaar area of Chiang Mai is crucial to the liveliness and attitude of the city as a whole. The Bazaar features the city's best street food and shopping options, as well as western-style eateries and restaurant chains. The area features frequent live music and street performers and is indeed one of the city's main tourist attractions. Towards the edges of the Night Bazaar area, accommodation options are highly desirable due to their proximity to the Old City and the Market. Prices here will be slight more affordable than in the Old City area.
Nimmanhaemin
Close to center
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Nimmanhaemin Street and its surrounding area is known as Chiang Mai's upscale shopping district, with the city's foremost boutiques and established shopping centers. By night, the area has a lively nightlife scene with chic bars and restaurant hosting tourists and locals, this is compounded its strong artistic vibe. The area is also a favorite among Digital Nomads and Remote Workers for its avant-garde coffee shops and art galleries. What this neighborhood lacks in historical attractions, it makes up for in attitude and amenities. Accommodation in this area is varied and can range from very expensive to affordable, depending on the comforts you wish to pay for.
Cheng Puak Gate Santitam
Close to center
This area located just north of the Old City is a more authentic alternative to living right in the heart of the city. The area features a number of fantastic morning and evening markets, as well as good restaurants and cafes. The iconic Wat Lok Moli is located within this neighborhood, and the area is known for its incredible street food and generally affordable accommodation.
Riverside
Close to center
The Riverside neighborhood in Chiang Mai is located just on the banks of the Mae Ping River and is considered an upscale area within the city. The neighborhoods features beautiful local eateries by the river, as well as numerous local food and flower markets. The area enjoys some of the city's best upscale dining and nightlife options, as well as spas and massage parlors. Housing in this area will be more expensive, and the area is well connected to the rest of the city via the usual transport options.
Old City
Central
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The heart of historic Chiang Mai, this area contains some of the city's best restaurants, cafes and bars as well as the best hotels and the city's backpacking district. The area is filled with the city's most important attractions, including beautiful shrines and temples steeped in local and regional history. This area is more expensive and certainly heavily touristic but provides easy access to all other parts of the city and is completely walkable.
Wat Ket
Away from center
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Wat Ket, located east of the Mae Ping River, is a more authentic accommodation alternative in Chiang Mai. Located somewhat removed from the city center, you won't find the throngs of tourists that define some of the other neighborhoods of Chiang Mai. Still, the area enjoys the city's best seafood restaurant, as well as numerous temples and elephant sanctuaries. The area offers beautiful views of the river and the city across it, and is easily accessible from the Old City and other central neighborhoods. The area is considered to be upscale and accommodation here will be slightly more expensive.
