Best time to visit Chiang Mai
The best time to visit Chiang Mai is November–January, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai, Thailand
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29.5 °C / 85 °F | 15.4 °C / 60 °F | 8 mm / 0.3 in | best month |
| February | 32.7 °C / 91 °F | 17.1 °C / 63 °F | 3 mm / 0.1 in | good month |
| March | 35.2 °C / 95 °F | 20.4 °C / 69 °F | 12 mm / 0.5 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 36.7 °C / 98 °F | 24.1 °C / 75 °F | 27 mm / 1.1 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 34.9 °C / 95 °F | 25.3 °C / 78 °F | 106 mm / 4.2 in | neither best nor good |
| June | 33.4 °C / 92 °F | 25.4 °C / 78 °F | 111 mm / 4.4 in | neither best nor good |
| July | 32.2 °C / 90 °F | 25.1 °C / 77 °F | 188 mm / 7.4 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 31.4 °C / 89 °F | 24.6 °C / 76 °F | 232 mm / 9.1 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 31.6 °C / 89 °F | 24.2 °C / 76 °F | 218 mm / 8.6 in | neither best nor good |
| October | 31.2 °C / 88 °F | 22.7 °C / 73 °F | 142 mm / 5.6 in | neither best nor good |
| November | 30.6 °C / 87 °F | 19.7 °C / 67 °F | 26 mm / 1 in | best month, for Loi Krathong and Yi Peng Festivals. The weather alone makes it good. |
| December | 29.1 °C / 84 °F | 16.3 °C / 61 °F | 7 mm / 0.3 in | best month |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: best
- FFebruary: good
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: neither
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: best
- DDecember: best
- Best
- November–January
- Good
- February
Chiang Mai's cool, dry season is prime for exploring: January is flawless and December excellent, with rain negligible and skies clear. Heat climbs fast from March through the pre-monsoon, and the June-October rains bring heavy afternoon downpours, high humidity and duller skies that rule out most of the wet season; November recovers to best on drier weather plus the major Loi Krathong and Yi Peng lantern festivals.
Why these months
January · best
In its favour: precipitation 8 mm / 0.3 in, share of daylight that is sunny 93%, wet days 1.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily low 15.4 °C / 60 °F, relative humidity 73%.
Against: feels like (high) 31.2 °C / 88 °F, average daily high 29.5 °C / 85 °F.
Also on: Bo Sang Umbrella & Sankampang Handicrafts Festival, Chinese New Year celebrations.
Watch out for: Chinese New Year travel rush, Christmas and New Year travel rush.
February · good
In its favour: precipitation 3 mm / 0.1 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, wet days 0.8 days, days with heavy rain 0 days, average daily low 17.1 °C / 63 °F, relative humidity 62%.
Against: average daily high 32.7 °C / 91 °F, feels like (high) 34.1 °C / 93 °F.
Also on: Chiang Mai Flower Festival, Chinese New Year celebrations, Makha Bucha.
Watch out for: Burning season smoke and haze, Chinese New Year travel rush.
November · best
Good weather, made best by Loi Krathong and Yi Peng Festivals.
In its favour: precipitation 26 mm / 1 in, share of daylight that is sunny 87%, wet days 4.9 days, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, average daily low 19.7 °C / 67 °F.
Against: relative humidity 80%, feels like (high) 34.5 °C / 94 °F, average daily high 30.6 °C / 87 °F.
December · best
In its favour: precipitation 7 mm / 0.3 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 1.1 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily high 29.1 °C / 84 °F, average daily low 16.3 °C / 61 °F.
Against: relative humidity 78%, feels like (high) 31.4 °C / 89 °F.
Watch out for: Christmas and New Year travel rush.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: best
- FFebruary: good
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: neither
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: best
- Best
- December–January
- Good
- February, November
The cool dry season (November-February) gives the coolest, driest trekking conditions, with January and December best. The hot season (March-May) turns too warm for comfortable climbing, and the June-October monsoon adds heavy rain, high humidity and duller light that make trails unpleasant through most of the wet season.
Why these months
January · best
In its favour: precipitation 8 mm / 0.3 in, wet days 1.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, share of daylight that is sunny 93%, daylight per day 11.1 h, average daily low 15.4 °C / 60 °F, wind (daily max) 7 km/h / 4 mph.
Against: average daily high 29.5 °C / 85 °F, feels like (high) 31.2 °C / 88 °F.
Also on: Bo Sang Umbrella & Sankampang Handicrafts Festival, Chinese New Year celebrations.
Watch out for: Chinese New Year travel rush, Christmas and New Year travel rush.
February · good
In its favour: precipitation 3 mm / 0.1 in, wet days 0.8 days, days with heavy rain 0 days, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, daylight per day 11.5 h, wind (daily max) 8 km/h / 5 mph.
Against: average daily high 32.7 °C / 91 °F, feels like (high) 34.1 °C / 93 °F, average daily low 17.1 °C / 63 °F.
Also on: Chiang Mai Flower Festival, Chinese New Year celebrations, Makha Bucha.
Watch out for: Burning season smoke and haze, Chinese New Year travel rush.
November · good
In its favour: precipitation 26 mm / 1 in, wet days 4.9 days, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, share of daylight that is sunny 87%, daylight per day 11.3 h, wind (daily max) 6 km/h / 4 mph.
Against: relative humidity 80%, average daily high 30.6 °C / 87 °F, feels like (high) 34.5 °C / 94 °F, average daily low 19.7 °C / 67 °F.
Also on: Loi Krathong and Yi Peng Festivals.
December · best
In its favour: precipitation 7 mm / 0.3 in, wet days 1.1 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, daylight per day 11 h, wind (daily max) 7 km/h / 4 mph, average daily low 16.3 °C / 61 °F.
Against: relative humidity 78%, average daily high 29.1 °C / 84 °F, feels like (high) 31.4 °C / 89 °F.
Watch out for: Christmas and New Year travel rush.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Jade Dragon Mountain, 933 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 31.2 °C | 34.1 °C | 37.5 °C | 40.1 °C | 39.6 °C | 38.2 °C | 37.3 °C | 37.1 °C | 37.7 °C | 36.7 °C | 34.5 °C | 31.4 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 0.1 days | 0 days | 0.4 days | 0.7 days | 3 days | 2.9 days | 6.2 days | 7.7 days | 7.3 days | 4.2 days | 0.6 days | 0.1 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 1 pm | 5 pm | 1 pm | 5 pm | 3 am | 4 pm | 4 pm | 5 pm | 4 pm | 5 pm | 3 am | 11 am |
| Sunshine per day | 10.4 h | 10.9 h | 11 h | 11.4 h | 10.3 h | 9.3 h | 7.8 h | 7.5 h | 8.7 h | 9.5 h | 9.8 h | 10.2 h |
| Relative humidity | 73% | 62% | 57% | 57% | 68% | 73% | 77% | 82% | 83% | 83% | 80% | 78% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 25.8 µg/m³ | 28.2 µg/m³ | 37.6 µg/m³ | 31.4 µg/m³ | 18.9 µg/m³ | 13 µg/m³ | 11.6 µg/m³ | 12.6 µg/m³ | 15.1 µg/m³ | 19.8 µg/m³ | 23.1 µg/m³ | 25.6 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 39.4 µg/m³ | 42.2 µg/m³ | 54.4 µg/m³ | 45 µg/m³ | 28.9 µg/m³ | 24 µg/m³ | 21.1 µg/m³ | 23.4 µg/m³ | 28 µg/m³ | 34.1 µg/m³ | 39.2 µg/m³ | 40.3 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Loi Krathong and Yi Peng Festivals Major
November, dates vary from year to year
- Bo Sang Umbrella & Sankampang Handicrafts Festival
15–21 January, dates vary from year to year
- Chinese New Year celebrations
January and February, dates vary from year to year
- Chiang Mai Flower Festival
1–10 February, dates vary from year to year
- Makha Bucha
February and March, dates vary from year to year
- Songkran Festival
13–15 April
- Chiang Mai Gymkhana Cricket tournament
1–7 April
- Inthakin (City Pillar Festival)
May and June, dates vary from year to year
- Chiang Mai Golf Festival
May and June
- King's Birthday / National Day
28 July
Worth knowing before you go
- Christmas and New Year travel rush
January and December
- Chinese New Year travel rush
January and February, dates vary from year to year
- Burning season smoke and haze
February, March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Songkran crowds and price surge
13–15 April