Chiang Mai Nimman Area Starter Guide – Thailand

The Chiang Mai Nimman area is a popular hub for many digital nomads, expats, and travelers.
The neighborhood gives a modern city vibe without the tall buildings and loud street traffic.

This is a list of essential shops you will need when staying in the Nimman area longer than just a few days.

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Why Stay in Nimman Chiang Mai?

Are you thinking of spending time in Chiang Mai for longer than just a few days? Maybe you want to stay a month in the area where digital nomads congregate but don’t know where to start.

If you are like me, the first time I lived in Chiang Mai for six months, I was lost when I first arrived. I needed to buy groceries, and a few household items for my condo, get a haircut, and do some laundry ASAP.

Luckily I was staying in the Nimman Chiang Mai area, and a fellow nomad stopped me in the street and asked me if I was lost. Which I was! He pointed me to a few places to get me started and after that, I fell in love with the neighborhood.

I will preface this by saying there are dozens of restaurants, cafes, salons, and stores in the area. It would be impossible to name them all.

This list is to help you find quick necessities so you can spend more time exploring and meeting new people and less time searching for locations!

Where is Chiang Mai Nimman?

The Nimman Chiang Mai area is named after the main roads that run throughout the area, called Nimman Haemin Road (Lane 1-17). It is known for its vibrant street life and bustling social scene and is popular with tourists.

It is located in the North West of Chiang Mai, just a 5-minute drive from the Old City.

Nimman Chiang Mai Essential Locations

Scooter rental

The most popular location is Mango Motorbike and Scooter Rental but there are many in the Nimman area to rent from if Mango is sold out. I have an entire article about renting a scooter in Chiang Mai to help you with the process.

Groceries

The International Market, Rimping Supermarket, is in the basement of Maya Mall.

If you just need quick packaged items and water, there are 7-11’s on every street corner, as well as Lotus Go Fresh for your basics.

You will need to leave the Nimman Chiang Mai area via Grab taxi or Scooter to get to larger supermarkets, like Tops.

Household Items

Located on the third floor of Maya Lifestyle Shopping Center, is Daiso. This store is your go-to shop for everything. You can buy hammers, snacks, kitchen gadgets, even Halloween costumes. | Google Maps Address

Laundry

Bear Wash Laundry has both washers and dryers, as well as plenty of space to fold your clothes. They will let you hang dry items while you wait for the dryer. They take credit cards and Thai baht. | Google Maps Address

Nail Salon

Located a block from Bear Wash laundry is Coquette Nails. I got a mani-pedi for approximately $30 USD in late 2023. The place is very clean and they have nice large chairs to relax in during the treatment. | Google Maps address

Haircut

I like New York New York Hair Studio for both men’s and women’s color and cut.

They do charge higher prices than other locations ($12 USD – $50 USD for cuts) but for me, they have always been super nice, give you the hairstyle you want, and speak English. This helps me get my haircut idea across more easily than using Google Translate. | Google Maps Address

Co-Working Space

There are some REALLY great co-working spaces in Chiang Mai Nimman. I went to several of them over the years, but for condensing purposes, I will mention Yellow Coworking Space.

They have a good community in which to get to know other nomads as well. Prices are listed on the site, starting at 429 THB ($12 USD) for a one-day pass. | Google Maps Address

How to Get Around + Traffic

The Nimman area is very walkable. From the north end to the south end, it will take approximately 16 minutes to walk from Maya Mall to the Princess Mother’s Health Garden. The roads are paved and easy to manage.

Traffic can be very bad on Huay Kew Rd throughout the day so walking is your best option. To leave the Nimman area, you can call a Grab taxi or hail a tuk-tuk or Songthaew.

Where to Eat in Nimman Chiang Mai

If I had to list my favorite places it would be a VERY long article so I will just mention some highlights in the Chaing Mai Nimman to get you started. There are so many amazing places you can spend days trying them all!

Thai food – I like to eat at the local stands, the ones with outdoor seating and no AC. Cat Graffiti is one example | Google Map

Khao Soi – A Northern Thai dish, Khao Soi Chiang Mai is also Michelin-rated. It’s technically not in Nimman but only three blocks from the outskirts | Google Map

Vegan/ Vegetarian Food– There is a food stall located in the basement of Maya Mall serving vegetarian Thai dishes for under $2.00 USD each. Google Map

Artisanal Local Cuisine (Fancy) – Blackitch is where to go for a special occasion meal | Google Map

Italian Food– Why Not? is the perfect Chiang Mai restaurant to take a break from eating Thai food every day | Google Map

Mexican Food– Salsa Kitchen is just two blocks outside of the Nimman area serving up fresh Mexican cuisine | Google Map

Cheese Shop– Curdy Craft Cheese Shop is a quick 3-minute scooter ride from the Nimman area. I love cheese so I had to give a shout-out! | Google Map

Final Thoughts

I could go on and on with locations in the Nimman area but then we would be here for days reading the article.

The Nimman area is a great starting point for your first visit to Thailand. Once you get acclimated you can try other neighborhoods and just know that Nimman Chiang Mai will be there with all of your essentials when needed!

Any questions just contact me!

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