Chiang Mai Old Town and Nimmanhemin are two popular areas to stay in Chiang Mai. These areas are located in central areas of the city and offer a wide range of tourist amenities like restaurants, bars, and shops. The Old Town has a historic atmosphere, while Nimmanhemin offers a modern vibe.
In this article, I’ll compare Old Town and Nimmanhemin, focusing on their locations, accommodations, nightlife, shopping, food, and attractions.
I’ve stayed in several hotels in Chiang Mai Old Town and Nimman, so I hope to give you the best recommendations based on my personal experiences. If you’re trying to decide between staying in Old Town or Nimman, keep reading.
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Is it better to stay in Chiang Mai Old Town or Nimmanhemin?
In my opinion, Chiang Mai is a better location for first-time visitors and those who want to be within walking distance from the major historical and cultural attractions of the city.
The Old Town is the historic heart of Chiang Mai, packed with ancient ruins, temples, museums, as well as many restaurants, bars, and shops. Major night markets are located in and near Chiang Mai Old Town, which are excellent places to try local street foods and buy souvenirs.
Nimmanhemin is the better area for long term travelers, expats, and a digital atmosphere. This area is the modern, upscale part of Chiang Mai, located 1.5km north west of the Old Town. It is known for its trendy cafes, restaurants, bars, and close proximity to the city’s big shopping malls.
If you’re a first-timer to Chiang Mai, I highly recommend staying in the old town. You can easily walk to the most famous point of interest of the city and you can take a day trip to Ninmam easily within a short Grab taxi/ bike ride.
I also suggest spending the first few days in the Old Town, and after that move to Nimmanhemin for a few days to experience both the historic and contemporary sides of Chiang Mai.
My recommended Hotels in Chiang Mai Old Town:
- Luxury: Chala Number6
- Mid-range: Pingviman Hotel
- Budget: At Home At Chiang Mai
Top places to stay in Nimmanhemin:
- Luxury: AMANOR Hotel
- Mid-range: G Nimman
- Budget: ALEXA Nimman
See more:
- Where to Stay in Chiang Mai: All areas
- Where to Stay in Nimmanhaemin
- Best Places to Stay in Old City Chiang Mai
Location
The Old Town and Nimmanhemin are both located in the city center of Chiang Mai. Nimman is around 1.5km north west of the Old Town.
The Old City is a square-shaped area in central Chiang Mai that is surrounded by ancient walls and a moat. It’s bounded by Sri Poom Road on the north, Bumrung Buri Road on the south, Moon Muang Road on the east, and Arak Road on the west.
Major points of interest in the old town are Chiang Mai Night Market, Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chedi Luang, Tha Phae Gate, and Three Kings Monument….
Nimmanhemin is the area around 1.3km long Nimmanhemin Road, stretching from MAYA Lifestyle Shopping Center to Suthep Road. The central area of Nimmanhemin is from Nimmanhemin Soi 1 to Soi 17 (soi is a small alley in Thai).
Nimmanhemin is home to MAYA mall, One Nimman Mall, a couple of museums, as well as many trendy fashion shops, cages, restaurants, and fast food chains.
The Old Town is closer to Chiang Mai Night Bazaar and Chiang Mai River. Staying in the old town means you can walk to the night bazaar to enjoy vibrant nightlife with dozens of bars and street vendors.
Chiang Mai Old Town is a bit closer to Chiang Mai Train station and Chiang Mai Bus terminal 2 & 3. They have a similar distance to Chiang Mai airport.
If you are traveling to and from Chiang by long distance train or bus, staying in the Old Town is a better choice. The traffic in Chiang Mai can be pretty hectic in the peak hours, especially in the area around Nimman. Staying close to these stations can help you save both time and money on transportation.
Accommodations
Both Chiang Mai Old Town and Nimmanhemin have a wide range of accommodations for all budgets. The old town has more low rise boutique hotels and guest houses, while the Nimmanhemin area has more high-rise hotels and serviced apartments.
Both areas offer hundreds of accommodations within a compact space, but they are very popular areas in Chiang Mai, so make sure to book your hotel in advance no matter where you choose to stay.
I spontaneously booked my stay at the last minute when I traveled to the city around early December. Most quality hotels were fully booked, so I had to arrange my accommodations across several different places, as each was only available for a short period of time.
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Nightlife
Both Chiang Mai Old Town and Nimman have a vibrant nightlife scene. Nimman has good modern malls, trendy restaurants, and bars, while Old Town has lots of night markets and is within walking distance to Night Bazaar, the vibrant nightlife area of the city.
In Nimman, you can check out One Nimman Mall, the White Market, as well as walk around its small alleys to explore its trendy restaurants and bars and live music venues.
Similar to Nimman, Chiang Mai old town has many restaurants, bars, and shops to explore. Additionally, the old town is home to several traditional night markets where you can eat local street food and buy souvenir.
Major night markets in the old town include the Sunday Walking Street Night market, Chiang Mai Gate Market, Chang Phuak Market, and Wua Lai Walking Street Saturday Market.
The old town has the advantage of being closer to Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, which is the nightlife hub of the city. You can find many go-go bars, night clubs, massage shops, along Loi Kroh Road, as well as several night markets along Changklan Road.
The old town is generally a better place to go for budget conscious travelers and those who are enjoying cheaper drinks and street food. You might need to spend more at stylish bars, rooftop lounges in a more modern design in Nimman.
Shopping
Both Nimman and Old Town have good shopping scenes. While Nimman has modern shopping malls with more expensive designer and boutique items, The Old Town has more open‑air markets with cheaper souvenirs, street goods, and local crafts.
In Nimman, you can shop for everything at MAYA Lifestyle Shopping Center and One Nimman. These places have good air-conditioning systems, high‑quality home decor, trendy clothing, lifestyle accessories, with both international and local brands.
Additionally, there are many stylish local boutiques around the small alleys in Nimman. These shops have beautiful clothes and accessories and often attract lots of young people.
In the Old Town, you can shop at the night markets as well as independent boutiques. You can easily find a wide variety of typical Thai souvenirs, as well as Traditional handicrafts, Lanna style goods, silver jewellery, textiles, local arts, wood carvings.
Food
Both Old Town and Nimman have good food scenes. There are more international dishes in Nimman than in the Old Town. If you want to try a variety of international cuisines, trendy cafes, and fast food chains, you can head to Nimman. For authentic local food, the old town has more choices.
In Old Town, you can find many restaurants and street food stalls at the night markets. These places are great places to try local food at a reasonable price. You can try traditional food like Khao Soi or pork leg over rice. Locals often go to Chiang Mai Gate and Chang Phuak Night Market.
The night markets in the old town are more chaotic, crowded, but incredibly atmospheric. Food often comes with characters such as old vendors, family-run places, alleyway finds.
In Nimman, there are many mid-range to upscale restaurants as well as food courts in the malls. These places offer international and fusion food like Korean BBQ, Japanese izakayas, Italian, vegan bakeries, even Mexican.
The eateries in Niman are usually clean, aesthetic, air-conditioned spots with more expat-friendly menus. These places have staff who speak English, dishes less spicy by default.
Attractions
The Old Town is filled with dozens of temples, ancient gates, cultural landmarks, and historic ruins. Strolling through the Old Town is like taking a journey into the past.
Major attractions in the old town include Tha Phae Gate, Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chiang Man, Watchediluang, and other many smaller temples.
Attractions in Nimman are mostly about the shops, restaurants, and bars. Additionally, it has several small temples and museums such as the Museum of World Insects and Natural Wonders, Lanna Traditional House Museum, and Wat Suan Dok.
Nimman is also a bit closer to the famous Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and Wat Phra Lat. You can have a good day hiking to these beautiful temples of Chiang Mai.
Family-friendly atmosphere
Both areas are family-friendly areas with easy access to tourist amenities and a wide range of kid-friendly accommodations.
Generally speaking, if your family enjoys a historic and traditional atmosphere, the old town is the place to go. If your family wants a modern and hip environment with more international cuisines, Nimman is a better option.
See more:
- 23 Things to Do in Chiang Mai
- My 4-5 Days In Chiang Mai Itinerary
- How to get to Chiang Mai & Get Around
So, you have it, my comparison between two popular areas of Chiang Mai. Overall, The Old Town is the better location if you want to be in the historic heart of the city, surrounded by ancient temples, ruins, and cultural attractions.
Nimmanhemin is the better choice if you want to experience the modern side of Chiang Mai. It is also a popular area for expats, digital nomads, and long-term travelers.