One Month in Chiang Mai: How We Traveled Slower, Spent Less, and Connected More

When we first decided to spend one month in Chiang Mai, it wasn’t some perfectly mapped-out, Pinterest-style plan. My husband said, “Let’s go to Chiang Mai,” and I thought—sure, why not? I knew it was up in northern Thailand, and I’d heard it was culturally rich and beautiful, with lots of temples and nature. A few other families had passed through and seemed to love it. That was enough for us. No spreadsheet. No long list of tourist attractions. Sometimes we just pick places based on the vibe, the budget, and whether it feels like a good fit for our rhythm as a family.

Chiang Mai made sense for all the reasons we care about: it’s manageable in size, incredibly family-friendly, and affordable for longer stays. We weren’t looking to pack our days, we wanted slower mornings, access to good food, places our kids would be welcomed, and a home base where we could catch our breath. And while I didn’t research every detail before we booked our flight, I had a gut feeling this would work for us. Spoiler: it totally did.

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Why We Chose to Spend One Month in Chiang Mai as a Family

To be totally honest, I didn’t do a deep dive on “top places to go in Thailand” or obsess over rankings and guides. We were planning our family travel around what felt doable, affordable, and good for our stage of life. That usually means we look for places with low daily stress, access to good food, and kind people. I get a better feel for that from Airbnb listings and blog posts from other families.

When we’re deciding where to go, we always plug in the same search filters so we can compare cities side-by-side. Here’s what I typically look for when planning a longer stay:

• A separate living room and at least two bedrooms
• A working kitchen with enough counter space to prep a few meals
• A washing machine (non-negotiable with kids)
• Walkability or access to family-friendly transportation
• A pool or outdoor space if possible

Chiang Mai ticked almost every one of those boxes. Based on other families’ posts and the housing options I saw, it looked like a place where we could comfortably slow down for a while. And it’s not just affordable, it’s consistently rated one of the best places for digital nomads and families because of the relaxed lifestyle, abundance of cafes, international food options, and access to both nature and city life. Even with the rising popularity, it’s still way more budget-friendly than southern Thailand or Bangkok.

And the best part? It’s incredibly kid-friendly. Like genuinely. People were sweet with our kids everywhere we went, from street vendors to Grab drivers to café owners. There was no eye-rolling or side-eye when the kids got a little loud. Just patience. Smiles. A sense that families are part of everyday life here. That alone made it worth the leap.

Where We Stayed for One Month in Chiang Mai—and Why It Mattered

We stayed in one place for the entire month, which is something we try to do whenever we are slow traveling with our kids. It gives everyone a chance to settle in, find their rhythm, and feel at home instead of living out of bags. Plus, booking one Airbnb for four weeks usually comes with a nice discount, and it just simplifies everything.

Our home base was in a quiet neighborhood just north of the Nimmanhaemin area, which felt like the perfect mix of local and accessible. It wasn’t in the center of the tourist scene, which we honestly prefer. It was quieter. A little more residential. Not quite as walkable, but it gave us breathing room, and that made a big difference with two small kids.

And all of that came to about $1400 for the month, which is pretty amazing considering the space and privacy we had. We were close enough to grab a coffee or bike to a café but far enough from the Maya Mall and Nimman strip that we didn’t feel pressure to spend just because everything nearby was shiny and expensive.

We also learned (again) that hotels just do not work for our family. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve entered “family of four” into a hotel search and been offered one king bed. That doesn’t work for us. We also avoid hostels and shared villas because we need the space to parent, rest, and reset without wondering who else is around or how thin the walls are.

So Airbnb wins for us every time, especially when we are planning to stay put for a while. Chiang Mai had a ton of options at all price points, but the value we got for what we paid in this neighborhood felt like a huge win. It gave us the chance to live, not just visit. And that’s what we always hope for when we’re picking a home for the month.

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Daily Life in Chiang Mai with Kids: Routines, Surprises & Sweet Spots

Our daily rhythm in Chiang Mai was slow and easy, exactly what we needed. We’re not the type of family that plans out every hour. One activity a day was our sweet spot, and then we’d see where the day took us.

What a Typical Day Looked Like

Most mornings started with something simple. Sometimes it was a walk through old town, a café stop with good coffee and a play corner, or a slow wander through the market. Other days we’d visit a temple, do a short hike, or just head out for groceries.

My husband would often ride the bike to the market early to grab fruit or snacks, or he’d head to the gym. We loved having that flexibility, being able to each sneak away for a bit of solo time made the whole month feel more sustainable.

Afternoons were usually:

• Pool time at home (our kids would have done this every day if they could)
• Play cafés or smoothie stops—some of our best finds had amazing drinks and play areas
• Rest time, especially when the afternoon rain rolled in
• Short walks or bike rides if the weather held

Rainy Season Rhythm

We were there during rainy season, which means you can expect unexpected afternoon showers, sometimes quick and light, other times a full-on downpour. We learned to do any big outings in the morning and keep afternoons open. Honestly, the kids loved swimming in the rain, so it never really threw off our day.

Toddler Sleep Regression Is Real

Now, not every day was magical. Our three-year-old hit a major sleep regression while we were there. She’d be wide awake until 1 a.m., or up for the day at 4 a.m., just totally unpredictable. But that wasn’t because of Chiang Mai. That was just… being three. The upside of having a whole house to ourselves? We weren’t trapped in one hotel room trying to stay quiet while someone was having a meltdown. We had space to handle it.

Local Parks and Hidden Gems

One little gem we found was a small park on the southwest corner of old town [click here for Google Map Location]. It had a simple playground and green space, great spot if you are staying in Old Town. It felt local and laid-back, and it gave the kids something familiar in the middle of a new place.

The Best Family-Friendly Things to Do in Chiang Mai

Here are some of the places we kept coming back to or still talk about as a family:

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Ginger Farm

This place is earthy, outdoorsy, and full of things for kids to do. They have gardens, animals, and big open spaces to run around. You can feed the pigs, collect eggs, and walk through a working farm. The café is also really good, with fresh, organic food that didn’t break the budget. It was calm and beautiful and didn’t feel overly curated, it just felt real. Definitely worth a visit if you’re looking for something a little outside the city that still keeps the kids entertained.

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After School Café

This indoor play area was a game-changer on rainy days or when we just needed a breather. It’s designed with younger kids in mind and has a mix of free play areas, sensory toys, and open-ended play setups. The best part? They had great coffee and seating for parents to relax while the kids played safely. I honestly wish we had one of these everywhere we traveled.

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Hello Māo Café

This was one of those random wins. Our kids are obsessed with animals, and spending an hour with a dozen fluffy cats was a dream for them. The staff were super patient with little ones, and the vibe was relaxed. It wasn’t overly expensive either. You get a drink with your entrance and the whole thing just felt like a fun little treat we hadn’t expected.

[read more about fun activities to do with kids by clicking here]

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The Wat Pha Lat Trail

This was one of our bigger “adventure” days, but it was manageable. The trail starts near Chiang Mai University and takes you up through the forest to Wat Pha Lat, a peaceful mountainside temple surrounded by jungle. It took us about 45 minutes with a 5-year-old walking and a 3-year-old in a carrier. Totally doable and incredibly worth it. The temple at the top feels like a secret spot, quiet and spiritual, with views over the city. You don’t need a guide, just water, snacks, and good shoes. 

[Click here to read more about the Wat Pha Lat Trail]

The Food Scene: Eating Out in Chiang Mai with Kids

Eating out in Chiang Mai with kids was honestly one of the easiest and most affordable parts of our stay, as long as we stayed away from the super touristy areas. Once you know how to navigate the food scene a bit, it’s full of options that are family-friendly, budget-friendly, and just really good.

What Our Kids Actually Ate

Let me just say this: our kids lived off rice. Sticky rice, jasmine rice, plain rice with a bit of soy sauce, didn’t matter. They were all in. If we added a little chicken, even better. But the second there was anything that looked remotely like a sauce, they would say it was “too spicy,” even if it was mild and sweet. We stuck to the basics and kept it simple.

If your kids are sensitive to spice, just ask for “mai phet,” which means “not spicy” in Thai. It worked most of the time. Chiang Mai has a ton of dishes that are naturally mild, like:

• Khao man gai (poached chicken and rice)
• Pad see ew (thick noodles with soy sauce and egg)
• Fresh fruit plates from markets and stands
• Smoothies with mango, banana, or coconut milk

There’s also plenty of western food around if you need a break. We saw wood-fired pizza places, cafés with pancakes, and even French bakeries.

Where We Ate

We didn’t eat out for every meal, but we tried to mix things up between cooking at home, casual cafés, and night markets. Some of our favorite spots were:

• Street food near Maya Mall – It’s tucked just behind the main building, and you’ll find everything from grilled meats to fresh smoothies. Prices were still reasonable, even in a popular area.
• Local cafés in our neighborhood – My husband biked to a gym café that served simple Thai meals and smoothies. It felt super local and had a relaxed vibe.

A Few Tips for Eating Out With Kids in Chiang Mai

• Bring your own utensils or kid chopsticks if your little ones aren’t used to using adult silverware or chopsticks.
• Most places are super casual, so don’t stress about dress codes or restaurant etiquette.
• High chairs are hit or miss. Some cafés have them, especially near Nimman and in the old town, but not always. We usually went without.
• It’s totally okay to bring your own snacks or water bottles for the kids. No one bats an eye.

If you’re planning one month in Chiang Mai, just know that feeding your family doesn’t have to be a struggle. There’s enough variety to keep everyone happy, even if your kids are going through a picky phase. Whether it’s grabbing fresh fruit from a stand, hitting up a quiet café, or discovering a new favorite noodle dish, food in Chiang Mai made life easier, not harder. And that’s a big win when you’re traveling with little ones.

How We Explored Temples and Culture in a Kid-Friendly Way

One of the reasons we chose Chiang Mai for our slow travel month was because it’s known for its rich cultural roots and beautiful temples. That said, we weren’t planning to drag our kids through ten temple visits a week. We wanted to expose them to something meaningful—without exhausting them or ourselves. We ended up visiting three temples during our stay, and that felt like the perfect amount.

Here’s where we went, and why each one worked well with kids:

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Doi Suthep

This is probably the most famous temple in Chiang Mai. It sits up in the mountains and has sweeping views over the city. Yes, there are a lot of stairs, but it’s totally doable if you take your time. We used a Grab to get there and didn’t feel like we needed a tour guide. The kids loved the golden chedis, the bells they could gently ring, and the fresh air at the top. It felt like a destination, not just a stop.

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Wat Pha Lat

This was hands-down our favorite. It’s tucked into the forest and can be reached by hiking the Monk’s Trail, which we did one morning with our 5-year-old walking and our 3-year-old in a carrier. The trail is quiet, peaceful, and just the right length for kids. Wat Pha Lat itself felt magical, waterfalls, mossy stones, gentle incense in the air. It didn’t feel crowded or overly polished. Just sacred and still.

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Wat Chedi Luang

This one is right in the old town and was a nice contrast to the forest temples. It has a massive ruined chedi and lots of space to wander around. We kept this visit short, but it was worth seeing and easy to reach. The kids were into the scale of it and the old bricks, and there were plenty of shaded areas to take a break.

[Take a more in-depth read about these temples with this blog post]

Making It Kid-Friendly

We didn’t structure our visits too tightly. Here’s what helped:

• We let the kids take their shoes off and explore at their own pace. They liked walking on the cool stone floors and looking at the small altars.
• We went in the morning when it was cooler and less crowded. That helped everyone stay in better moods.
• We kept visits short, under an hour, usually, and followed them with a smoothie or a snack so everyone had something to look forward to.
• We dressed respectfully without stressing about it. Our girls usually wear dresses that cover their shoulders and knees, which is perfect. No one said a word to us about clothing.

If you’re worried about whether temples are “too much” for kids, just pick a few and keep the mood relaxed. We didn’t try to explain every statue or ritual. We just let them observe and ask questions. And honestly, that felt more impactful than trying to teach them everything.

Getting Around Chiang Mai as a Family

Getting around Chiang Mai with kids was actually pretty straightforward for us, which isn’t something I say about every destination. We like to keep things simple when we travel, and that usually means finding a system that works early on and just sticking with it. For us, that meant using Grab and our bikes.

How We Got Around

We used Grab (Thailand’s version of Uber) almost every day. It was super easy to use, especially since the app is in English and lets you pay through your phone or in cash. We found the cars to be clean, air-conditioned, and the drivers were kind every single time. Even with kids in tow, we never had an issue.

We also had bicycles at our Airbnb, which gave us a little more freedom for nearby cafés, markets, or just to get outside. Our kids are still little, so we didn’t use the bikes for anything too far or stressful. Just neighborhood stuff.

Why We Skipped the Songthaews

Those bright red songthaew trucks are iconic in Chiang Mai, and if you’re staying near the old town or Nimmanhaemin, they’re super convenient. But we were staying a little farther out, and there wasn’t a stop close enough to us to make it worth the hassle. Honestly, walking 20 minutes with two kids to catch a shared truck didn’t sound appealing, especially when a Grab cost just a few dollars more and picked us up right at the house.

Traffic and Safety with Kids

Crossing the street in Chiang Mai was surprisingly manageable. It’s not like Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City where you’re constantly dodging scooters. Chiang Mai has traffic lights with longer wait times, but they’re predictable. Cars actually stop when the light turns red. We still held hands and stayed super aware, but we didn’t feel like we were risking our lives just to get across the road.

Walkability and Trade-Offs

The one thing that was a bit tricky for us was that our neighborhood wasn’t super walkable. There were cafés and little shops around, but they weren’t right outside our door. A lot of our food runs or coffee outings required a short bike ride or a quick Grab. That meant planning things out a little more than we might have if we’d stayed in a denser part of town.

But here’s the trade-off:

• We had a quiet street with hardly any traffic
• A private pool to ourselves
• And a neighborhood feel that made it easy to reset at home when we needed to

So yes, we gave up a bit of convenience, but we gained comfort. And with little kids, that’s often the better choice.

What Surprised Us (the Good, the Hard, and the Honest)

No matter how many places we visit, each one still throws us something new. Chiang Mai was no exception. Some surprises were magical. Some were frustrating. Most of them reminded us why we travel the way we do, slow, intentional, flexible, and always with the kids in mind.

The Good Surprises

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Kid Cafés and Nail Salons = Core Memories

One thing we didn’t expect? Kid cafés and nail salons becoming the highlight of the trip. We stumbled into these spaces not knowing they’d end up becoming part of our rhythm. The kid cafés were such a win. Imagine a place where your kids can play safely while you sip a proper coffee and have a real adult conversation. We found a few that felt clean, welcoming, and not overly expensive. Total lifesavers on long days.

And yes, our daughters loved getting their nails done. We found a tiny little spot near the Maya Mall, and for a few dollars, we all got our nails done together. It wasn’t fancy, but it was fun and totally in budget. These little moments? The ones you didn’t plan? They often become the ones your kids remember most.

The Budget Reality Near Tourist Zones

Here’s the thing no one says loudly enough, food and drinks near temples and major attractions are expensive. It makes sense. These are the areas where tourists pass through quickly, and prices go up accordingly. But still, it caught us off guard a few times.

• We paid double the price for ice cream across from Wat Chedi Luang than we did a few blocks away
• A simple meal near a big temple cost the same as three dishes at a neighborhood café
• Even smoothies were priced higher when sold in the middle of tourist foot traffic

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat there, but just know you’re paying for convenience. When we walked just a few minutes outside those areas, we found better prices and often better food.

The Hard Part: Finding Your Rhythm

Every time we land in a new place, there’s that awkward phase. The first few days where nothing feels easy. You don’t know where the good grocery store is. You can’t remember which corner has the pharmacy. You’re still figuring out what restaurants won’t break the bank or disappoint your kids.

That definitely happened in Chiang Mai. Even though the city is compact and family-friendly, it still took some time to:

• Locate affordable, reliable groceries (shoutout to Lotus’s Kham Thiang)
• Figure out which cafés were actually good for families
• Understand which spots were walkable or needed a Grab
• Establish a basic daily rhythm that worked for all four of us

And that’s okay. It always takes a few days to settle into a place, especially with kids.

What Got Us Through It

We’ve learned over the years that the best thing we can do when things aren’t working is to pivot quickly. We don’t try to power through just because we made a plan. If a market is too chaotic, we leave. If a temple feels too hot or crowded, we cut it short. We don’t always get it right, but we try to adjust fast and give ourselves permission to rewrite the day.

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Would We Recommend One Month in Chiang Mai to Other Families?

Absolutely. If you’re a family thinking about spending one month in Chiang Mai, I would say yes without hesitation. It worked for us in all the ways we needed it to. From comfort, cost, culture, connection, it has the kind of rhythm that supports real family life, not just vacation mode.

Why It Worked So Well for Our Family

We’re not “bucket list” travelers. We’re not trying to cram six countries into six weeks. We want slow mornings, a place to breathe, somewhere our kids can run around and be accepted for who they are. And Chiang Mai gave us that.

If you’re looking for a base where you can settle in, take day trips when you want, and still have space to just live, here’s why it’s a great choice:

• It’s affordable. Even with rising prices in recent years, you can still live well here on a modest monthly budget. Our Airbnb with a pool cost around $1,400 for the month. Meals, transportation, and activities were also very reasonable, especially if you skip the tourist traps.
• It’s kid-friendly. Locals are incredibly kind to children. We never once felt like our kids were a burden. In fact, people went out of their way to smile, wave, and talk to them.
• It’s manageable in size. Chiang Mai is big enough to have everything you need: markets, hospitals, parks, international food. However it’s small enough that you’re not overwhelmed with traffic or endless sprawl.
• The pace is slower. This isn’t Bangkok. It doesn’t feel rushed. You can fall into a real routine here, and your kids can, too.

Tips for Making It Work

If you’re planning your own one month in Chiang Mai, here are a few things I would keep in mind:

• Stay in or just outside the Nimman area. It’s central, full of cafés, and walkable spaces, but still quiet enough for family life. If you want more peace, look slightly north or west where you’ll still be close but with more space.
• Use Grab. It’s reliable, safe, and affordable. We used it daily and had no issues.
• Give yourself a buffer. That first week will be spent figuring things out, where to shop, what to eat, how to move around. That’s normal. Let the first few days be about settling in.
• Don’t overbook yourselves. One adventure or outing per day is plenty with little kids. Some of our favorite moments happened on the days we didn’t plan anything at all.

This city gave us space to slow down. To breathe. To reset. We left with fewer photos than usual, but somehow more memories. If that’s the kind of travel you’re craving right now, Chiang Mai might just be your next best move.

More on the Blog:

Royal Park Rajapurek is a must when visiting Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai Activities for kids

Wat Pha Lat Trail to a temple in the jungle