About The Chiang Mai Brief
A practical guide to Chiang Mai
The Chiang Mai Brief is an independent English-language guide to living in, visiting and understanding Chiang Mai.
We focus on practical, locally informed information for residents, expats and visitors, from neighbourhoods, food and things to do to visas, transport, healthcare and the everyday details that make Chiang Mai easier to navigate.
What we cover
The Chiang Mai Brief is organised around the practical questions people ask about the city.
Living in Chiang Mai
Practical information about accommodation, cost of living, healthcare, banking, transport, visas and everyday life.
Eat & Drink
Restaurants, Thai food, cafés, coffee, markets and places worth knowing about.
Things To Do
Attractions, activities, events, markets and ideas for exploring Chiang Mai.
Neighbourhoods
Useful guides to Chiang Mai's different neighbourhoods and what it is actually like to spend time or live in them.
Travel
Practical information for getting to, from and around Chiang Mai, including flights, transport and nearby destinations.
News & Updates
Useful Chiang Mai developments, openings, changes and other information worth knowing about.
Our guide library holds the evergreen reference material that sits alongside that coverage.
What we're trying to do
Our goal is simple: make Chiang Mai easier to understand.
That means useful information, clear explanations and practical guides rather than trying to cover everything. Some articles are designed to answer everyday questions. Others help readers discover places, neighbourhoods and experiences around the city.
Chiang Mai changes constantly, so the site will continue to be reviewed, updated and expanded over time.
Keeping information current
Chiang Mai changes quickly. Prices, opening hours, visa requirements, transport options and other practical details can change over time. We review and update our guides, but readers should always confirm important information directly with the relevant business, service or official authority.
If you spot something out of date, tell us.
Editorial principles
How we decide what to publish
Specific over general
We name places, quote prices and give dates. A recommendation that doesn't tell you where to go isn't a recommendation.
Current where it matters
Information that changes, including visa rules, fares and opening hours, is reviewed and updated as the site evolves.
Useful over promotional
We're not selling tours, property or visa services. If something isn't worth your money, we'll say so.
Local over touristic
We write for people who will still be here next month, which tends to produce better advice for visitors too.
Newsletter
Get the Brief in your inbox
Twice a month: new openings, events, changes worth knowing about, and our latest guides. No filler.
The Chiang Mai Brief
Got something we should cover?
Openings, closures, changes, corrections: we read everything. The best tips come from readers who live here.