Get Around Chiang Mai

To get a cab from the airport you need to go to the taxi coupon booth.  At the taxi coupon booth you will be required to give the name of your hotel/B&B and to pay 50B.  This 50B is an airport tax/charge.  A driver will tell you to wait outside while they go and get their cab to pick you up.  This takes about 3 or 4 minutes.  The driver will then charge you the price on the meter.  This is usually around 70B.  So, the total airport transfer is approx 120B.

It is only a short distance (15 mins max) to most hotels in and around Chiang Mai.

One tip is to make sure you get the card from your cab driver with the driver’s phone number.  Cabs generally do not cruise the streets in Chiang Mai.  Most transport around town is by Tuk Tuk and Songthaew (the long red ute/trucks) with bench seats.  If you need an air conditioned cab you can then just call your driver by phone and organize a pick up.  You might also like to ask their half day and full day rates to drive you in and around Chiang Mai.

To get back to the airport either call your cab driver or get a songthaew to take you. 
This is easy to organize.  You have two kind of taxi's at the airport.

1. Chiang Mai Airport Taxi
2. Taxi Meter     For both taxi's there is a booth in the arrival hall at CNX Airport. 

Taxi Meter

There also is the service of taxi in Chiang Mai. I can say that going anywhere by taxi is very comfortable way to do. In early 2005 there were only 15 plying the streets (versus 2700 Song-Thaews), but one year later there were over 45, with the number growing monthly. About the cost, it’s very reasonable at 40 baht and 4 baht/ km. after that. It’s very easy if you come to the airport and write the telephone number of taxi which you might decide to use the service later.

Bus or Song-Thaew

The most common mode of public transportation is communal taxis called a Song-Thaew (two-row of seats in the back).The Song-Thaews which run on only the city, are painted RED. You'll be able to find a red one pretty much in Chiang Mai.

4 wheel red car or Rod Dang in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai Color Songthaew or Seelor

Riding a Song-Thaew is very easy; you simply flag one down and tell the driver where you want to go. If the driver is on the way to your destination, you simply hop in the back, and enjoy the ride. Quick tip: The base fare for Thais is 20 baht and 30 baht for foreigners, although drivers may try to charge foreigners more, especially if they're the only passengers. It's appropriate to pay more for distances more than a few kilometers or out of the way destinations, but on the whole, most places around Chiang Mai shouldn't cost more than 50 baht. You will pay the driver when you get out. So for relatively short distances, just pay and go and the driver may oppose, but won't chase after you over a few baht. Note: It's a good way to meet Thai people on traveling by Song-Thaew.

Car and Van

Cars and vans can be rented in Chiang Mai. The rental costs for cars are from around 2,000 to 3,000 baht per day and vans from 2,500 to 3,500 baht. There are a number of car rental agencies around town, including some of the international chains such as Budget, Avis and National. Regularly, international rental companies charge a bit more than local companies, and surely they offer a larger choice. A car can also be rented at travel agencies, which have many branches and offices in large- and medium-sized hotels. It is advisable to check whether a car is insured for liability before signing a rental contract. Driving in Chiang Mai is not as difficult as Bangkok, but you'd still be well advised to rent a care with driver.

Motorcycle

Motorcycles can also be rented in Chiang Mai and it’s a great way to get around town, if you’re able to ride. Actually, it has recently become a popular way to travel around Thailand by motorcycle, especially in the North. Rentals vary considerably from city to city. In Chiang Mai, there is an abundance of motorcycle rental shops; the costs are certainly much lower. Anyway, whether you rent a motorcycle from a big rental company or a small shop, it is advisable to check the machine over thoroughly before you take it out. Before renting, make sure that insurance is provided, though with an extra charge. And please note that both rider and passenger on a motor bike must wear a helmet.

Bicycle

One way I enjoy going around Chiang Mai is bicycle. As you see Chiang Mai is the old city walls’ and not big city, so biking is an easy option to get around. You will get in everywhere you want within 10 minutes. Bikes rentals are offered at every other street corner and for a simple bike start from 30 baht/day. And here it’s very difficult to find the stands to lock with. Don’t be worried about your bikes. I think Chiang Mai is going to have more stands for bicycle.

Important!
1. Thai drives on the left-hand side of the road.
2. Foreigners who wish to drive motor vehicles in Thailand need a valid International Driving License.
3. Driving license and passport must be carried at all times when driving.

Mini-Van

If you want to travel by car without driving by yourselves, it’s a great way to take a mini-van with the driver who takes joy in showing you around Chiang Mai and its environs. Maybe after hotel sent the driver to you to meet at the airport and later you can arrange to have the driver as your primary mode of transport in and around Chiang Mai. Meanwhile you are able to hire driver through the rental company and then arrange a deal on the side. It’s a private day trip for the travelers and getting sightseeing as described with transportation. The easy way is you can hire the English driver to be your guide or separately English-speaking guide (pay more extra money) or even Thai driver to consider you are in Thailand. . Normally, the driver picks you up at hotel or resort. For $20 a day (divided between 5 passengers), you get an air conditioned mini van and a driver that happily take you anywhere.

Tuk - Tuk

There are many tricycle motors called Tuk-Tuk to have a lot of fun taking all over town (and out of it) in Chiang Mai. Although the main town of Chiang Mai is relatively small and you can certainly get around on foot easily, it can get boring, if you are staying in the same area for a few days. This is where the LPG powered Tuk- Tuk comes in. The prices start from 50 baht (just over US$1), which takes you from one part of the town to any other part in it. For the traffic conditions, Tuk-Tuk rides do not usually take more than 5 minutes. Of course, if you have awesome negotiation, you may get a lower rate. But 50 baht is a standard quoted by most drivers and it’s reasonable. For further areas like the airport, the rate goes up to 80 baht (about US$2) and more. However, the limit of Tuk- Tuk is probably about 70km.

Sam-Lor (Pedicab or Tricycle)

Sam-Lor taxis are available in front of “Pratu-Chiang Mai or Chiang Mai Gate” market. It’s a good option, if you want to have a fascination for traveling with open-air transportation and get a gentle view of the Chiang Mai moats and its surrounding. Besides, you will visit Chiang Mai’s most important temples (Wat) and monuments with the Sam-Lor tour. It’s just a different way to see the city. This is a good chance to try your bargaining skill too and you must negotiate before beginning the journey. The service fees are 100 baht per hour and 150 baht per time for circling around Chiang Mai’s Moats. This type of transportation seems to appear right when you need it. You are going to have a small old guy with a bid smile and black teeth greeting you.