Written by Christi Sparrow
Visiting Chiang Mai with kids can be an extraordinary experience. The Thai culture is inviting and warm, and Chiang Mai offers countless wonders at every turn. But first, how do find your bearings upon arrival in such a bustling, foreign city? As we anticipated our arrival in Chiang Mai with our kids, we found ourselves wondering all the essential travel questions like how to get around, where to dine, and where to find diapers.
Here we’ve highlighted some practical tips for visiting Chiang Mai with kids. Like landing in any new city, it might take time to adjust to your new surroundings. But once you have the basics figured out, your family will be ready to explore this enchanting city.
Best Time of Year to Visit Chiang Mai with Kids?
October through January is ideal for visiting Chiang Mai because the temperatures are moderate and you avoid the rainy season. Be aware of the “burning season” which can begin as early as late January and can run through May. During this time a combination of forest fires and farmers burning their fields in preparation for the next growing season create a smokey smog over much of the region.
Unfortunately for us, the air quality was already relatively poor when we visited in late December and January. We found a good selection of air purifiers at Big C Supermarket, and we purchased a little air purifier for the kids’ bedroom.
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Is Chiang Mai Stroller-Friendly?
The short answer is no. The city streets are busy, and the sidewalks can be narrow, bumpy, cracked, or nonexistent. Even in the Chiang Mai Zoo, we found many spots that were not stroller-accessible. However, the various indoor shopping malls offer smooth paths and elevators, (and air conditioning!). This makes for easy strolling in addition to one-stop shopping and eating. So before landing in Chiang Mai with your kids, you will want to ensure your baby or toddler carrier is in good working order.
Related post: 7 Essential Travel Items for Families (See review on the Tula Baby Carrier)
Where to Find Baby Equipment?
Our Airbnb host tried to find a portable crib for our son before we arrived, but to no avail. And we scoured Chiang Mai Facebook groups to locate a second hand crib, but we also turned up empty-handed. After visiting three shopping malls, we finally found one! Head to Robinson’s department store in Central Plaza Chiang Mai Airport Shopping Mall. They also have strollers and bassinets. We later spotted limited baby equipment at Big C Supermarket, too. You’re welcome.
Top Tip: This is the portable crib we own at home, and we wish we had taken it to Chiang Mai! It’s super easy to put up and take down. We love it. Bonus: Most airlines will check your crib for FREE!
Do We Need to Rent a Car?
This is largely personal preference, but my advice would be not to hassle with it. From our experience, not only would driving and parking in the city be a pain, but the alternatives are fast, reliable, and affordable.
For example, we frequently utilized the Grab app, which is like Uber. Through Grab we enjoyed efficient, comfortable, air-conditioned rides all over the city for typically between $2.50 and $4 per ride. Plus we found Grab drivers to be friendly and patient, especially when we installed our kids’ car seats. We also hopped in a few songthaews, (shared taxi trucks), for traversing the city for equally low fares. It’s also common to negotiate and book a driver for an entire morning or a full day if you want to secure round-trip transportation to a destination further outside the city.
If you plan to venture outside of Chiang Mai, consider taking a bus or a train. Very affordable options.
Cook at Home or Eat Out?
After attempting to grocery shop a few times during our first week in Chiang Mai, it became clear quite quickly that eating out for most meals was the way to go. This was a shift in our thinking and habits. Typically on our travels, (and at home), it’s more economical to cook meals at home.
Finding familiar foods in grocery stores in Chiang Mai proved expensive, (even though we did enjoy wandering the aisles of a foreign supermarket!). And there are countless delicious, fresh eateries everywhere you turn in Chiang Mai, many of which offer meals for $2-$4. If you prefer delivery, download the FoodPanda app, and you can order takeaway meals delivered right to your doorstep. The previously mentioned Grab app also has a food delivery service.
We saw this way of life reflected in the small, basic kitchens of the rental apartments and homes that we considered and ultimately booked. So our plan quickly evolved into just buying breakfast items and snacks to stock at home. For lunches and dinners, we sought affordable restaurant options in the city.
A few of the grocery stores where we picked up the basics include Tops, Rimping, and Mini Makro. Also, virtually every street corner in Chiang Mai seemed to have a 7-11 convenience store, Tesco Lotus Express, or both. These smaller shops are great for extra bottled water, snacks, or supplies in a pinch like diapers or toilet paper!
Related post: 23 Tips Tips on How to Save Money to Travel
While traveling to Chiang Mai with your kids might require a little extra ingenuity and flexibility, the rewards are great. There are endless sights, tastes, shops, markets, and friendly locals to keep young minds open and engaged. Which is why we have put together a list of the Best Things to Do in Chiang Mai with kids.
Everywhere we went, our kids were welcomed with friendly smiles. Thank you Chiang Mai.
Have you been to Chiang Mai with your kids? Comment below with your best tips!
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4 thoughts on “Tips for Visiting Chiang Mai, Thailand, with Kids”
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Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you writing this article
and also the rest of the website is also really good.
Thanks for reading our post and visiting our blog! Happy travels. 🙂
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Thank you for your comment! We really enjoyed our time in Chiang Mai.