Destination guide
November to early February for cool, clear days. March for the smoke, August for the rain.
The best time to visit Chiang Mai is November to early February. The rains are over, the days are dry and sunny, the nights are cool, and November brings Loy Krathong and the Yi Peng lantern festival. From mid-February to April comes the burning season, when smoke from crop and forest fires fills the valley and March has some of the worst air of the year, so that's the stretch to avoid. May to October is the rainy green season, wettest in August and September, with full waterfalls, quiet temples and lower prices. Pai and Chiang Rai follow the same pattern.
Averages for the Chiang Mai weather station, which also stands in for Chiang Rai, Pai and the north. Tap a month to jump to it.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Rain days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30°C | 16°C | 11 mm | 1 | Cool and dry |
| February | 33°C | 17°C | 10 mm | 1 | Driest, haze late |
| March | 35°C | 20°C | 20 mm | 2 | Burning season peak |
| April | 37°C | 23°C | 54 mm | 5 | Hottest, Songkran |
| May | 35°C | 24°C | 168 mm | 12 | Rains clear the air |
| June | 33°C | 25°C | 118 mm | 12 | Green season |
| July | 32°C | 24°C | 149 mm | 14 | Rainy |
| August | 32°C | 24°C | 223 mm | 17 | Wettest month |
| September | 32°C | 24°C | 207 mm | 15 | Very wet |
| October | 32°C | 23°C | 124 mm | 9 | Clearing, lush |
| November | 31°C | 20°C | 41 mm | 3 | Dry, Yi Peng |
| December | 29°C | 17°C | 14 mm | 1 | Cool and clear |
Highs of 30°C and lows of 16°C, 11 mm of rain on about 1 day, 8.3 hours of sun a day.
The coldest nights of the year and clear, sunny days. Bring a jacket for mornings, and a warmer one for Doi Inthanon, which can approach freezing before dawn. Peak season, so book ahead.
Highs of 33°C and lows of 17°C, 10 mm of rain on about 1 day, 9 hours of sun a day.
The driest and sunniest month, with the Flower Festival on the first weekend. The burning season usually starts around mid-month, so the first half is the better bet.
Highs of 35°C and lows of 20°C, 20 mm of rain on about 2 days, 8.6 hours of sun a day.
Hot and dry, and the worst month for air quality. Smoke often hides Doi Suthep from the Old City, and the air can be unhealthy for days at a time. I'd go somewhere else this month.
Highs of 37°C and lows of 23°C, 54 mm of rain on about 5 days, 8.4 hours of sun a day.
The hottest month of the year and still hazy until the first rains. Songkran (13–15 April) around the Old City moat is one of the biggest in Thailand, and the water fight takes the edge off the heat.
Highs of 35°C and lows of 24°C, 168 mm of rain on about 12 days, 7 hours of sun a day.
The rains arrive and wash the smoke out of the valley, and the hills start turning green. Hot, with storms building through the month.
Highs of 33°C and lows of 25°C, 118 mm of rain on about 12 days, 4.9 hours of sun a day.
Regular rain, often in the afternoon, but the countryside is lush and the air is clean. Quiet and good value.
Highs of 32°C and lows of 24°C, 149 mm of rain on about 14 days, 3.7 hours of sun a day.
Rainy and green, with misty mountains and waterfalls at their fullest. Trekking trails get muddy.
Highs of 32°C and lows of 24°C, 223 mm of rain on about 17 days, 3.6 hours of sun a day.
The wettest month of the year, with rain on most days. Flash flooding happens in some years, and mountain roads can be slippery.
Highs of 32°C and lows of 24°C, 207 mm of rain on about 15 days, 5.1 hours of sun a day.
Still very wet, a little less than August. The countryside is at its greenest and the city is quiet.
Highs of 32°C and lows of 23°C, 124 mm of rain on about 9 days, 6.3 hours of sun a day.
The rains ease off and the hills are still green. Late October is a lovely, quieter time before the high season starts.
Highs of 31°C and lows of 20°C, 41 mm of rain on about 3 days, 7.6 hours of sun a day.
Dry, clear and cool, and the most atmospheric month of the year. Loy Krathong and Yi Peng fall on the November full moon (24 November in 2026), and the city sells out that week.
Highs of 29°C and lows of 17°C, 14 mm of rain on about 1 day, 7.7 hours of sun a day.
Cool, dry and sunny, with the year's mildest days. The best month for trekking, Doi Inthanon and the road to Pai.
Figures are 1991–2020 averages for the Chiang Mai station from WMO Climatological Standard Normals 1991–2020 (Thai Meteorological Department stations). Rain days count days with at least 1 mm.
Arriving in Chiang Mai
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Every year, farmers in northern Thailand and the neighboring countries burn crop stubble and forests are set alight, and the smoke settles in Chiang Mai's valley. It usually starts in mid-February, peaks in March and lasts until the first heavy rains in April or May. On 30 March 2026, Chiang Mai's PM2.5 reading hit 188 micrograms per cubic meter, about twelve times the WHO's recommended 24-hour limit.
It's more than a view problem. The haze is a health risk, especially for children and anyone with asthma or a heart condition. If you have to go in this season, check the air quality each morning, wear a well-fitting mask outdoors and pick a hotel with good air-conditioning. If you have a choice, go north in November to early February and spend March on the beaches.
For temples, markets and the Old City, November to early February. For trekking and Doi Inthanon, December and January. For festivals, Yi Peng and Loy Krathong in November, the Flower Festival on the first weekend of February and Songkran in April. For waterfalls, green rice terraces and lower prices, July to October.
Common questions about best time to visit chiang mai.
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Written by
Mac Kiley
I lived in Bangkok for four years and traveled the country from there. The guides are my own opinions, written the way I'd explain them to a friend planning a trip.
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