Things to Do in Chiang Mai in April
April weather, activities, events & insider tips
April Weather in Chiang Mai
Is April Right for You?
Advantages
- Songkran Festival transforms the entire city into the world's largest water fight (April 13-15) - streets become rivers, temples hold traditional ceremonies, and locals welcome everyone into the celebration. Hotels book up months ahead, but the energy is unmatched anywhere else in Thailand.
- Post-hot-season timing means you catch the tail end of the burning season with improving air quality by mid-April. The AQI typically drops from 150+ in March to 80-100 by late April as pre-monsoon rains start clearing the haze. You get better visibility for mountain views and temple photography than earlier spring months.
- Mango season peaks in April - street vendors sell nam dok mai and ok rong varieties at ฿40-60 per kilo, night markets serve khao niao mamuang (sticky rice with mango) everywhere, and locals consider this the best eating month of the year. The fruit you get now won't taste the same in any other season.
- Shoulder season pricing kicks in after Songkran week - accommodations drop 30-40% compared to December-February high season. A guesthouse that costs ฿1,200 in January might be ฿700 in late April. Domestic tourists leave after the festival, so you get breathing room at popular temples like Doi Suthep without the tour bus crowds.
Considerations
- Heat reaches its annual peak with temperatures hitting 37°C (98°F) most afternoons and overnight lows barely dropping below 23°C (74°F). Budget guesthouses without air conditioning become genuinely uncomfortable - that ฿400/night fan room that works fine in December will leave you sweating through sheets in April. Plan indoor activities between 11am-4pm or accept moving very slowly.
- Songkran week (April 13-15) shuts down most of the city - banks close, government offices stop operating, many restaurants take the week off, and getting anything practical done becomes impossible. If you need to extend visas, ship packages, or handle logistics, avoid this week entirely. The festival is incredible, but it's not compatible with productive travel days.
- Air quality remains unpredictable through mid-April due to agricultural burning in surrounding provinces. Some years see AQI over 150 (unhealthy) until April 20th, other years clear by April 10th depending on rainfall patterns. Check current readings at aqicn.org before booking if you have respiratory sensitivities - this genuinely affects outdoor comfort and mountain visibility.
Best Activities in April
Songkran Festival Participation
April 13-15 brings Thailand's traditional New Year celebration, and Chiang Mai hosts the country's most authentic version. The moat area becomes water fight central, but temples like Wat Phra Singh hold merit-making ceremonies where locals pour scented water over Buddha images and elder family members. Early morning (6-9am) you catch traditional rituals before the water chaos starts around 10am. Afternoons turn into full street parties with water guns, pickup trucks with barrels, and everyone soaked regardless of age or nationality. The heat actually makes this perfect - 37°C (98°F) temperatures mean the water feels refreshing rather than cold. Locals genuinely enjoy including tourists in their biggest holiday, though respect matters - avoid soaking monks, elderly people who aren't participating, or anyone clearly trying to stay dry for work.
Early Morning Temple Cycling
April heat makes afternoon temple visits genuinely unpleasant, but 6-8am offers perfect cycling weather around the Old City's temple circuit. Start at Wat Chedi Luang when monks finish morning chants around 6:30am, cycle the quiet moat road (4 km / 2.5 miles loop) hitting Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chiang Man before tourist crowds arrive at 9am. The golden hour light hits temple spires beautifully, and you finish before temperatures climb above 30°C (86°F). Most temples have covered salas where you can rest in shade between stops. Locals do this year-round, but April's extreme afternoon heat makes the early timing non-negotiable rather than just pleasant.
Doi Inthanon National Park Day Trips
Thailand's highest peak at 2,565 m (8,415 ft) offers genuine temperature relief - expect 18-22°C (64-72°F) at the summit when Chiang Mai city swelters at 37°C (98°F). April sits between the burning season haze and monsoon mud, giving you clearer mountain air and accessible trails. The twin pagodas (Phra Mahathat Naphamethanidon and Nopphamethanidon) photograph beautifully in April's variable cloud cover. Morning glory and rhododendrons bloom at higher elevations through mid-April. The Ang Ka Nature Trail (360 m / 1,181 ft boardwalk through cloud forest) stays comfortable all day at this altitude. Drive time from Chiang Mai is 2 hours (90 km / 56 miles) each way, so this needs a full day commitment.
Cooking Classes with Market Tours
April's heat makes indoor activities appealing, and morning cooking classes (typically 9am-1pm) get you into air-conditioned kitchens during peak temperature hours. The seasonal advantage is real - April brings peak mango availability, so you learn mango sticky rice with fruit at its absolute best. Markets like Sompet or Tanin have incredible produce variety before the monsoon shifts what's available. Most classes start with a 30-minute market walk around 9am (still tolerable heat), then move to cooking spaces with fans or AC. You make 5-7 dishes, learn paste-pounding techniques, and actually eat enough for lunch. Classes accommodate dietary restrictions better than restaurant ordering, and you leave with recipe cards that actually work back home.
Evening Riverside Dining and Bar Exploration
April's brutal afternoon heat makes evening activities more appealing than midday sightseeing. The Ping River area and Nimmanhaemin neighborhood come alive after 6pm when temperatures drop to 28-30°C (82-86°F) and locals emerge for dinner. Riverside restaurants along the east bank offer breeze and atmosphere - the sunset around 6:30pm hits beautifully across the water. Night markets like Saturday Walking Street (Wualai Road) or Sunday Walking Street (Rachadamnoen Road) run 5pm-11pm with better shopping conditions once the sun drops. Rooftop bars become genuinely pleasant after 7pm rather than sweltering observation decks. This is when Chiang Mai's social scene actually happens in April - locals avoid midday heat just like tourists should.
Elephant Sanctuary Visits
April's heat affects elephants too, making ethical sanctuaries focus on morning bathing and mud spa activities when temperatures are tolerable for both animals and visitors. Genuine sanctuaries (no riding, no shows) typically run half-day programs 8am-1pm or 1pm-6pm. Morning slots are significantly more comfortable in April - you finish before the worst afternoon heat. The elephants are more active in cooler morning hours, and you get better interaction during feeding and bathing times. Mud baths become especially important in April heat for elephant skin protection, so you see this behavior naturally rather than as performance. Programs 40-60 km (25-37 miles) north of Chiang Mai in Mae Taeng or Mae Wang valleys offer slightly cooler temperatures than the city.
April Events & Festivals
Songkran Festival (Thai New Year)
The country's most important traditional celebration transforms Chiang Mai into a three-day water festival mixed with Buddhist merit-making. April 13th (Maha Songkran Day) marks the official new year with temple ceremonies where locals pour scented water over Buddha images and receive blessings from monks. April 14th (Wan Nao) continues religious observances while water fights intensify. April 15th (Wan Thaloeng Sok) traditionally honors elders, though by this point the entire city is engaged in water battles. The moat area becomes the epicenter - Tha Phae Gate sees massive crowds with water guns, buckets, and pickup trucks with barrels. Locals mix thanaka paste (traditional cosmetic) with water and apply it to faces as blessing. Hotels near the Old City fill up months ahead, and the city essentially shuts down for the week - banks close, many restaurants take breaks, and normal tourism activities pause. This is Thailand's biggest domestic holiday, so expect genuine local participation rather than tourist performance.
Poi Sang Long (Shan Ordination Festival)
The Shan ethnic minority communities in Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son hold elaborate ordination ceremonies for young boys entering monkhood temporarily. Boys aged 7-14 dress in ornate costumes resembling Shan princes with heavy makeup, jewelry, and decorative umbrellas. Families parade them through streets to temples accompanied by music and dancing. The ceremony represents the moment Prince Siddhartha left his palace to seek enlightenment. Mae Hong Son hosts the most famous celebrations, but Chiang Mai's Shan communities (particularly around Wat Ku Tao and Wat Pa Pao) hold smaller versions. The exact dates shift based on lunar calendar, but typically fall in early April. This is genuine cultural tradition rather than tourist attraction - you might stumble upon processions if you're in the right neighborhoods, though predicting exact timing and locations requires local knowledge or luck.