This trip was completed in July 2025.
Nestled amongst the mountains of northern Thailand, Chiang Mai is one city in Thailand which centers on a slower-paced lifestyle. Upon landing at Chiang Mai International Airport, we were greeted by the imposing Doi Suthep mountain and lush greeneries, immediately creating a laidback atmosphere for travelers waiting to explore the ancient city.
While this was a short weekend trip for us, the weather turned out to be pleasant most of the time, with only short bursts of rain in the day despite us being there right around Chiang Mai's low season. The city is fairly walkable within the perimeter of the walls (known as the Old City), but venturing beyond it to the more trendy Nimman area may be better attempted with a motorbike or taxi.
Morning coffee runs and evening massages became a daily routine for us, and the soul of the city feels very much different from the bustle of Bangkok.
Accommodation: The Inside House
Rating 7.7/10
While the hotel brands itself as one of the most luxurious in the city, we find that it lives up in terms of the design aesthetics but lacks in terms of quality offerings for its price point.
Many corners of the hotel are great photo spots, especially the area leading up to the pool. However, the pool size is rather small and only suitable for dips. Unfortunately, there is also no fitness center in the hotel.
As for the rooms, they are all situated in a four-storey building. The room decor is stylish and incorporated many Thai elements. A key piece in the rooms is a pretty standalone bathtub in the balcony. The bedroom itself is practical and standard, though what stood out for us is the bathroom. It is spacious and well thought-out for guests, in terms of the layout design and placement of items like hooks. Complimentary bottle of sparkling and fruits platter was also a nice gesture from the hotel. Room rates are around 5,800 THB/night.
Lastly, we will like to point out the a la carte buffet breakfast. Among all the hotels we have stayed in, Inside House has one of the most presentable plating of their breakfast offerings.
It is somewhat akin to the presentation of a course dinner in a fine dining restaurant. With that said, the actual quality of the ingredients do pale in comparison to the plating so expectations should be tempered.
Accommodation: Burirattana Hotel
Rating 8.0/10
We are pleasantly surprised with this boutique hotel even as the building is not as luxurious-looking as Inside House from the outside. The building design features clean lines and a white minimalist look. The location of the hotel puts guests right in the middle of attractions in the old city. The largest and most popular night market along the walking street (only open on Sundays) is also at the doorstep of this hotel.
In terms of amenities, the pool is smaller than Inside House but this hotel has a fitness room with a couple of cardio machines and a rack of dumbbells (albeit very limited weights). Overall, the amenities are well-maintained, and even the walkways are also good-looking.
We absolutely adore our room as it is on the first floor with a balcony access to the pool. On the other hand, other higher-floor rooms may get a better view of the city so it is entirely up to individual preferences. At the time of our visit, the fourth floor was undergoing renovation but it seemed to be just for a short period.
Within the room, everything was well-appointed and new. We particularly like the details of the bathroom with its venetian blinds. Room rates start from 3,800 THB/night.
Dining: Kati
Rating 8.0/10
Kati, the restaurant within Burirattana Hotel, specializes in all-day brunch, ranging from big breakfasts, avocado toasts to a handful of pasta selections. While there is no lack of Western cuisine in Chiang Mai, we are positively surprised with the food quality here given that it is conveniently located within our hotel.
We had an English big breakfast and bacon aglio olio. Unlike many cafes in Chiang Mai whose international offerings tend to be infused with local flavours, food at Kati was done the classical way. Portions were adequate and both dish tasted great.
Do note that Kati is an independently managed restaurant despite being in the hotel compounds and they only operate till 4 pm daily.
Dining: Ginger Farm Restaurant
Rating 7.6/10
Ginger Farm is a thai fusion restaurant that boasts sustainably sourced ingredients. Located within the popular One Nimman shopping complex, do expect to wait before being seated. During our visit on a Saturday at dinner time, we were told to leave a name and return 30 minutes later. After which, we were promptly seated.
The interior of Ginger Farm was vibrant with a touch of farmhouse concept. It was noted that many tables were dedicated to larger groups of 6 and above. Apart from classic Northern Thai dishes on the menu, they also had a wide variety of salads, fresh juices and smoothies, made with their organic produce.
For the price point of about 200 THB per main dish, we would consider the portions to be on the smaller side, good for about 3-4 pax.
Some highlights for us were the grilled pork neck, which was adequately tender and came with a tasty dipping sauce, as well as the Thai style omelette with minced pork which was aromatic. The red curry with pumpkin and tofu was a tad too spicy and milky for our liking, but we do appreciate how well it paired with rice.
Dining: Ohkajhu (Nim City branch)
Rating 8.2/10
Another farm-to-table restaurant that we visited was Ohkajhu, whose farm is located in Chiang Mai. It is a chain with multiple outlets in Chiang Mai and Bangkok, and we visited the one in Nim City, just 10 minutes away from Chiang Mai International Airport.
Known for its generous portions, Ohkajhu certainly did not disappoint. Upon recommendation by the friendly staff, we ordered a signature platter of baby back ribs and sausages with a side of salad, plus a truffle mushroom soup. The soup also came with a toasted truffle butter shio pan.
We were pleasantly surprised by the baby back ribs, while not off-the-rack, was easy to eat and very palatable. True to its farm-to-table identity, the salad was fresh and retained its crunch. Truffle mushroom soup also preserved its earthiness well. As for beverages, Ohkajhu has a wide variety of smoothies and juices. We had a berry smoothie, that came in a large glass no less, which made for a healthy dessert to end off the satisfying meal.
While slightly on the pricey side by Chiang Mai standards, the large portions, great taste and comfortable environment present very good value.
Dining: Lan Chang Restaurant (Phra Sing Village)
Rating 7.5/10
Located within boutique hotel Phra Singh Village, Lan Chang is a restaurant that specializes in Northern Thai cuisine. During the time we were there, diners were mainly hotel guests. Indoor seating was on the conservative side, with more tables available at the open-air courtyard, ideal for breakfast buffet in the day.
There was a good variety on the menu, ranging from soups and curries, to main dishes like beef, seafood and vegetables. Dishes were about 200-250 baht each, served in generous portions.
We particularly enjoyed the stir-fried water spinach, which looked simple at first glance, yet packed a good amount of flavour. The pineapple fried rice, a thai classic, was moist and fragrant with a peppery kick to it, a twist from the usual that we appreciated too.
Activity: Skugga Estate
Rating 8.2/10
A shuttle van can be arranged to bring travelers from central Chiang Mai to the farm, which is located around 45 minutes away by car. Having taken their transport, we highly recommend this method to get there unless you already rented a car in Chiang Mai. The journey to the nearby mountains is rather uneventful; however, once we entered the Skugga Estate, the entire compound was nicely maintained and neatly organised.
Skugga Estate also conducts small-scale workshops which allow participants to be given due attention and engagement. There are full-day workshops with chocolate-making in the morning followed by coffee and tea workshop in the afternoon.
Lesson was well-paced and the in-house barista tried his best to conduct the entire session in English. Informative materials were given and communication was very personal. While the workshop did not include a physical tour of the farm, there was a short break for participants to wander the grounds outside the air-conditioned barn.
We left the workshop with some small gifts and our own personalised teabags. We also utilised our vouchers to get a free drink from the cafe and 10% off their in-store items. Overall, the environment was conducive and did not feel rushed at all.
We recommend getting there early to explore the place. Most of the facilities in the estate close by 5pm, so do not leave it to after the afternoon workshops!
Activity: Fah Lanna Spa (Old City branch)
Rating 8.1/10
The place itself is in a traditional setting, with multiple buildings and ending in a separate teahouse from the reception lobby. Compared to the massages we have had in Thailand, the massage here had the highest amount of times that cream and lotion was applied during the massage. There was an initial layer of oil which resulted in a tingling cool sensation, followed by cream lotion in the standard routine.
We prefer the massage here compared to Makkha as the strength is more adequate without hurting. The private treatment room here also comes with an ensuite bathroom and an entire lockable cabinet so all our belongings can be kept locked throughout the whole session. For Makkha, only a small safe is provided so we can only lock away our small valuables.
A shoutout to the rice crackers given at the end of the massage as they turned out to be very tasty and paired well with the ginger tea they offered.
Activity: Makkha Health and Spa (Colonial Gardens branch)
Rating 7.8/10
As a rather well-known brand in Thailand, Makkha has two buildings along the same quiet street of Phra Singh. Located within the old city inner walls, these are relatively modern newbuilds with different architectural designs. We decided to go for the Colonial Gardens outlet with a skylight and water feature in the middle of the building as the lobby decor suits our taste more.
Walk-in was available during our evening visit but we decided to go for a dinner before heading back to the massage. The reception was friendly and easy to communicate with.
As a mid-tier massage and spa, the usual welcome drink and snack was provided. Consistent with the other outlets, mango sticky rice was likewise offered after the massage.
For the massage itself, we went for both the foot massage as well as the neck and shoulders massage. We were given a private room for two and the entire massage was done lying down, as opposed to most foot massages in Thailand being seated on sofa chairs. During our session, we found that the strength of the masseuse tended to be on the soft side. Apart from that, the pressure points were accurate and the steps/techniques did not feel repetitive.
Activity: Jing Jai Market
Rating 8.0/10
Jing Jai Market, a marketplace of local brands, is a must-go for first-time visitors to Chiang Mai. The market has an overarching theme of sustainability and is sectioned into different areas to cater to specific interests.
One can find local sustainably farmed ingredients at the farmer's market, handmade jewelry, knick-knacks and home decor items by local artists as well as homegrown labels with apparels made from sustainably sourced materials. You can look forward to being spoiled for choice when it comes to summer-ready linen apparels.
Most of the marketplace is open-air, with selected air-conditioned spaces. One example is Good Goods, a popular local brand that specializes in apparels, bags and accessories with thai design elements, making them great souvenirs for tourists. Within the area, Good Goods also has a cafe serving Thai and Italian coffees. Being a respite from the heat, you can expect Good Goods to be crowded most of the time.
There is also a sit-down dining area with plenty of local food options like khao soi. Towards the back of the market, there are also outdoor food and drink kiosks with street-style seating under the shade of the trees.
With the wide array of shops at Jing Jai Market, do set aside at least 2 hours to fully experience it. Most vendors also have a portable credit card terminal with them, providing tourists with the convenience of cashless payment. That said, we have also met some vendors who only accept cash or Chinese payment systems like Alipay. Therefore, it is always good to check with the stores before committing to a purchase.
Despite this being a short getaway for us, Chiang Mai has managed to satisfy us with its harmonious blend of heritage and tranquility. For a peaceful retreat surrounded by nature, this city will not fail travelers looking for a short relaxing itinerary. The cafes scene and overall indie culture here is strong and flourishing, so it is no surprise that Chiang Mai continues to attract its own crowd of visitors.
