Chiang Mai in July and August is warm and wet. Both months fall in the rainy season, and the city's long-term climate table shows July averaging 148.6 mm of rain across about 14 rain days, with August heavier at 223.3 mm across about 17 rain days. Average daytime highs are around 32.1°C in July and 31.6°C in August. For families travelling in the summer school holidays, it will rain at some point. What matters is when, and how to plan days that bend around it.
What is Chiang Mai like in July with kids?
July in Chiang Mai is hot and showery, and it still works well with children. Rain tends to come as downpours or thunderstorms that pass, and mornings are often the drier part of the day. Plan outdoor outings early and keep a sheltered option for the afternoon. In return you get lush green countryside and plenty of excuses to stop for a cold drink in the shade.
One travel writer sums up the late summer pattern as a dry or even sunny morning, then a heavy downpour in the afternoon, with showers lasting anything from ten minutes to several hours. July has less rain overall, so the same rhythm holds. That makes the day easy to read: the hours after breakfast are your best bet for anything outdoors.
Small children feel the humidity more than the heat. Average relative humidity is close to 79 percent in July, so shade, water and a slower pace keep everyone happier. If you are travelling with very young children, our guide to Chiang Mai with toddlers covers nap-friendly pacing.
Is August wetter than July in Chiang Mai?
Yes. August is the wettest month in Chiang Mai, with roughly half as much rain again as July and a few more rain days on average. It is slightly cooler and more humid too. Most days still have dry spells, so you plan the same way: outdoor plans in the morning and flexible afternoons, with somewhere covered to retreat to when the clouds build.
If your dates can move, travelling earlier in the holidays gives you a slightly drier window. If you are set on August, choose where you stay with care. The same August guide warns against lowest-floor riverside rooms because streets can flood.
How do you plan a family day around the rain?
Split each day in two. Spend the morning on anything that needs dry ground, such as temples, gardens, farms or a round of mini golf. Then head somewhere covered or close to your hotel for the afternoon. Keep journeys short so a downpour never strands you far from base, and build in time to sit out a storm with a snack.
A good rhythm is an early start, the main outing before lunch, and an early meal before the afternoon clouds gather. After that, plan pool time between showers, a cooking class or a covered market. The August guide recommends exactly this kind of flexible mix of outdoor and indoor plans for families.
Book anything rigid, like a full-day trip into the hills, for the start of your stay. If one gets rained off, you still have spare days to move it to.
What can kids do in Chiang Mai when it rains?
Cooking classes, covered markets, temple halls and hotel pools between showers will carry most rainy afternoons. Children often enjoy a downpour if they are dressed for it and the next stop has a roof and something to eat. Save outdoor attractions for the morning, and keep one indoor plan ready for each afternoon so nobody spends the storm deciding what to do.
Plenty of good options cost very little. Our roundup of cheap things to do in Chiang Mai with kids suits budget-minded rainy days, and older children will find more ideas in Chiang Mai with teenagers.
Where does mini golf fit into a rainy-season holiday?
A garden course works best as a morning or early afternoon outing in July and August. Mini Golf CNX is an 18-hole garden course in Chiang Mai, open every day from 09:00 to 18:00, with no booking needed. You can walk in on whichever morning looks dry. A round takes about 1 to 2 hours, with shaded seating and cold drinks for breaks.
| Detail | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Course | 18-hole garden mini golf |
| Opening hours | Every day, 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Booking | None needed, walk in |
| Round length | About 1 to 2 hours |
| Food and drink | Cold drinks, snacks and ice cream |
| Seating | Shaded garden seating |
| Extras | Cornhole, board games, frisbee |
| Groups | Groups, birthdays and events welcome, message ahead |
Since there is no booking, you can wait to see the morning sky before you commit. Siblings who finish early can move on to cornhole or frisbee on the lawn while the slower putters finish, and ice cream works as a reward for the last hole. If you are planning a holiday birthday or bringing a bigger group, message ahead so space is set aside. You can see the layout on the course page.