Chiang Mai, Thailand
Thailand: book the domestic hop with the long-haul
November to February is the window. Elephants in the morning, night market after, and the domestic hop booked with the long-haul so it actually connects. £624 return.
- Best booking window
- 14–20 weeks out. Christmas and New Year need booking by September.
- Visa
- No visa for UK passport holders staying under 60 days. Proof of onward travel is occasionally checked.
- Flights, shoulder
- £480–£700 return
- Guesthouse, per night
- from £29
- Beach bungalow, per night
- from £46
The connection trap
If you book the Bangkok–Chiang Mai hop separately from the long-haul, the connection is not protected. A delayed inbound means you buy a new internal ticket at the airport, at the counter, at whatever the walk-up fare is. Booked on one ticket, that is the airline's problem rather than yours.
This is the single most common way people lose money on a Thailand trip.
When to go
November to February: dry, cooler, and comfortably the best time to be there. March to May is punishingly hot. The wet season is cheaper and less bad than it sounds — rain arrives hard and briefly rather than settling in.