Chiang Mai To Bangkok Flights – Planning a trip to Chiang Mai, Thailand? This is our latest, most comprehensive CHIANG MAI TRAVEL GUIDE BLOG with hotel recommendations, to do, expense list and Chiang Mai sample itinerary. Feel free to read and share!
When I first set foot in Chiang Mai, I was backpacking through Southeast Asia. It wasn’t my first stop but it was here the first time I found myself alone. I was traveling with Vins in Singapore and Malaysia. A Thai friend joined me in Siem Reap and Bangkok. The loneliness didn’t happen until I finally took the night train to Chiang Mai. It was the first time in my life that I was traveling alone in a foreign country. I was nervous, afraid of the possibility of realizing that this whole travel thing really wasn’t for me.
Chiang Mai To Bangkok Flights
But Chiang Mai proved to be an ideal place to play the first solo game of backpacking. Since that trip, Chiang Mai has become my favorite place in Thailand.
How To Get From Chiang Mai To Bangkok
Chiang Mai has all the right qualities of a backpacking destination in perfect balance. It has a tourist-friendly atmosphere, lively markets, irresistible food, affordable living costs, and warm, helpful locals. It is the largest city in Northern Thailand with many commercial establishments, but retains a peaceful, traditional feel. No wonder it has become one of the most popular hubs for digital nomads in Asia.
Chiang Mai was the capital of Lan Na, a kingdom that occupied what is now northern Thailand between 1292 and 1775. Chiang Mai literally means “new city” and refers to its new status after replacing Chiang Rai as the capital. For centuries it was a walled city surrounded by a defensive ditch to keep the invaders out. Today, the walls still stand and mark the boundaries of the city’s historic core known as the “Old Town”. (Yes, the Old Town of a city that literally means New Town. Teehee.) Outside the Old Town’s walls, a more modern business district is sprawling. For travelers, Chiang Mai is known for the numerous temples that fill its streets and crown its mountains, and the lantern festival that lights up the night sky every November.
November to mid-February due to mild weather and celebrations. However, it’s also peak season, so prices are a bit higher, which isn’t much. Even in peak season, Chiang Mai remains an overall affordable destination.
Chiang Mai has a tropical climate with three distinct seasons: dry, hot and rainy. But don’t take it at face value.
Cheap Flights From Bangkok To Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) serves Chiang Mai and the greater northern region of Thailand. It is Thailand’s fourth busiest airport, next only to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports and Phuket.
There are more than two dozen airports flying to and from Chiang Mai Airport. Most connect the city to the rest of Thailand, Southeast Asia, and China.
Many travelers overland access the city from Bangkok as part of a more detailed Thai or ASEAN multi-city tour. The most commonly used gateway for this is Chiang Mai Railway Station, which is about 3 km east of the city centre.
If you are coming from Manila there is no direct flight but you still have many options. The most economical is to fly to Bangkok. AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, and Philippine Airlines all offer affordable rates. You can take another train from Bangkok or fly to Chiang Mai.
How To Get From Bangkok To Chiang Mai
You can fly to Chiang Mai from Bangkok with another low-cost carrier. The cheapest flights are usually operated by Thai Lion Air, Thai AirAsia, Thai VietJet Air and Nok Air. You can find prices as low as ฿775 ($24, PHP1270).
Two airports serve Bangkok: Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) and Don Mueang International Airport (DMK). If you’re connecting to Bangkok, make sure you’re flying to and from Bangkok and Chiang Mai from the same airport so you don’t need to transfer.
If you’re traveling by train, the first thing you should do is head to Hua Lamphong Station (aka Bangkok Train Station), where trains to Chiang Mai start their journey. If you are coming from Suvarnabhumi Airport or Don Mueang Airport, how to get to Hua Lamphong: Airport to Hua Lamphong.
At Hua Lamphong Station, you have the option of taking the day train or the overnight sleeper train.
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The journey to Chiang Mai takes between 11 and 16 hours, depending on which train you take. The daytime express train number 7 takes 11 hours and leaves Bangkok at 08:30 and arrives at 19:30. The price is about ฿890 (USD 27.32, PHP1460).
Therefore, I recommend the night sleeper train to not waste a day and actually save a hotel night.
All overnight sleeper trains have second-class berths, but not all are first-class. Some trains are air-conditioned; others just use a fan. Double check before ordering.
I got on Train number 13, which left Hua Lamphong at 19:35 and arrived in Chiang Mai the next morning. Our train was delayed but overall it was a good experience. Bring snacks with you in case you get hungry.
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Day and night buses are also available from Morchit Station to Chiang Mai Arcade. Price ranges from ฿530 to ฿830.
Chiang Mai Airport is about 5 km from the Old City, about 10-15 minutes. Here are your options:
Wait for the song to wait for other passengers. As at the airport, some drivers will try to persuade you to rent the entire vehicle for ฿150 or more. Don’t do that. Just sharing with other travelers.
The best places to stay in Chiang Mai are in and around the Old City and near the Night Market. You’ll have transportation in both areas and quick access to an almost endless variety of restaurants, bars, shops, tour operators and temples.
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Accommodation in Chiang Mai is inexpensive. This is one of the main reasons why this city is a clear favorite among digital nomads from all over the world. Even I, living in a developing country’s province, find these rates unbelievable.
If you are someone who relies heavily on the Internet for directions and recommendations, you may want to get a local data SIM. You can order one from Klook and pick it up from Chiang Mai Airport. You can enjoy up to 8 days of unlimited data with 3GB data allowance for maximum speed (3GB throttles after use). The SIM also comes with ฿100 calling credits equivalent to 30 minutes.
Getting around Chiang Mai is easy. You can walk to the night market within the Old Town or from the Old Town. For longer distances, there are plenty of inexpensive transportation options to choose from.
Dozens of temples adorn the corners and streets of Chiang Mai’s Old City. Two of the most prominent are Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang, built in the 14th century to house the ashes of a king. Most of them you can easily visit on your own because they are located within the walls of the historic center, near hostels, shops and restaurants.
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If you want to know these temples better, you can join a group tour instead. A guide will explain the history and significance of these sites, making the experience more educational. Most tours combine these Old City temples with a visit to Doi Suthep, a mountain with another 14th-century Theravada temple, 15 km from the city centre.
Buffet lunch and round-trip transfers are included in the Klook tour. You can go on a full-day tour. If you don’t have the luxury of time, you can opt for half-day tours in the morning or in the afternoon.
Thailand has one of the most internationally renowned cuisines in the world. It’s also one of my two personal favourites. (The other is Japanese.) What I love about Thai food culture is that you don’t have to spend a lot to enjoy it. In Chiang Mai, roadside food rules the streets. You will find cheap food everywhere.
This is the best bowl of tom yum I have ever had in my life and I got it from an unassuming food counter for less than 100 baht.
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Mobile pork barbecue carts are running around. Small kiosks serving irresistible pad thai plates and slobber-worthy bowls of tom yum are a short walk away. And the weekend night market comes alive as lanes of food stalls begin to take shape.
Food tours are also available if you want to learn about popular street food from a local’s perspective.
If you want a more comprehensive look at the Thai cooking tradition, you can take a cooking class instead. Learn how to cook authentic dishes so you can prepare them yourself, even at home! As with most cooking classes, you’ll have an instructor to guide you every step of the way.
You will never run out of cooking class options in Chiang Mai. At least four companies offer this event on Klook alone. However, by far the cheapest and most popular is the one organized by Mama Noi. The session begins with a visit to the local market to shop for ingredients. You’ll be
