The trendy, creative district by the university — a grid of specialty coffee roasters, design shops, cool restaurants, rooftop bars and the city's best nightlife, drawing students, expats and digital nomads. Modern, walkable and buzzing, a short ride from the Old City; the base for travellers who want great cafés, co-working and a lively night out.
A look around
What you’ll be living next to. Swipe through.
€50–120
typical per night in Thailand
The sensible middle
Typical prices for Chiang Mai — neither steal nor splurge.
Where it sits
The circle is Nimmanhaemin and roughly a 10-minute walk around it.
How far is everything?
From the middle of this area to the city's headline sights — pick your own on the city page and these become your list.
- Wat Umong forest temple27 min walk2.2 km
- The Old City temples27 min walk2.3 km
- Sunday Walking Street9 min taxi2.9 km
- The Night Bazaar11 min taxi3.6 km
- A Thai cooking class12 min taxi3.9 km
- A traditional Thai massage12 min taxi3.9 km
- Wat Phra That Doi Suthep15 min taxi4.9 km
- An ethical elephant sanctuary55 min taxi18.4 km
On your doorstep
What you’re living next to if you stay here.
- 4.Khao soi & northern Thai food — The north has its own glorious cuisine, and its star is khao soi — a rich, creamy coconut curry noodle soup topped with crispy noodles, a dish you'll crave forever. Add sai ua (herby sausage), nam prik dips, sticky rice and green-chilli relishes; eat it at a humble roadside shop or a famous specialist. The single best reason to love Chiang Mai's table.
- 7.Nimman cafés & design — Nimmanhaemin is café heaven — some of Thailand's best specialty coffee, matcha and dessert spots, tucked among design boutiques, galleries and the trendy One Nimman plaza. Café-hop your way around, browse local design, and see the young, creative, laptop-toting side of the city. The base of Chiang Mai's digital-nomad and hipster scene, and a lovely lazy afternoon.
- 12.A night out in Nimman — Chiang Mai's nightlife is relaxed and fun, and Nimman is its heart — rooftop cocktail bars, craft-beer spots, live-music venues and the buzzing Think Park and One Nimman crowds. Lower-key than Bangkok, but a great, walkable scene; start with a sundowner over the mountains, then bar-hop with the students, expats and travellers. Easy, friendly and cheap.
When are you staying?
Booking.com & Airbnb open searched to Nimmanhaemin; flights via Google Flights.