Hot Air Balloon Chiang Mai

A ride in a hot air balloon in Chiang Mai is unlike any other experience. Floating gently above the landscape, travellers get a peaceful view of rolling hills, open fields and city skylines. MakeMyTrip offers 0 hot air balloon tours in Chiang Mai for 2026, with both sunrise and sunset options. The flights are led by trained personnel who ensure safety while sharing insights about the region below. The calm journey makes it ideal for couples, photographers and families who want to see the city from a unique angle. With Chiang Mai hot air balloon ticket prices starting from INR 0, this activity is within reach for most travellers. Book your hot air balloon ride in Chiang Mai this January with MakeMyTrip and create moments worth remembering.

Dawn Over the Mountains: The Magic of Hot Air Balloon Chiang Mai

A hot air balloon Chiang Mai begins in the morning, quietly, slowly, with the kind of calm that sneaks under your skin. From above, everything looks different. Paddies stretch out like green mirrors, mist curls around the hills, and the old city fades into patches of rooftops. Sometimes you spot monks walking barefoot on their morning rounds, or thin trails of smoke rising from kitchens where someone is already cooking rice.

If you’re here during the Chiang Mai hot air balloon festival, the sky is a patchwork of colours. Dozens of balloons rising together, drifting into the sunrise like lanterns set loose.

The ride usually lasts about an hour, but it feels shorter because your eyes don’t stop moving. Some flights end with a small breakfast, sometimes even a glass to toast the morning. The hot air balloon Chiang Mai price starts from INR 18,000 per person. When you think about what you saw, the stillness, the colours, the city waking up, it feels like the kind of memory you don’t measure in cost at all.

When to Go

November to February: This is when the air feels sharp on your skin before sunrise, but the reward is clear skies and some of the best views you’ll get on a hot air balloon Chiang Mai flight. Mist clings to the valleys, and as the sun rises, you watch it peel away slowly, revealing the ridges and rice fields below.

March to April: The mornings turn warmer, and the land beneath looks dry, almost golden. Flights still give you sweeping views, and if you’re around during the Chiang Mai hot air balloon festival, the sky fills with colour as dozens of balloons rise together at dawn. It’s busy, lively, and worth the early start.

May to October: Rain shows up more often, and flights sometimes get cancelled at the last minute. But when the clouds break, you’ll see a different side of the landscape, green fields washed fresh, rivers fuller, and the air carrying that damp, earthy scent. A hot air balloon ride Chiang Mai in this season feels unpredictable, but also surprisingly beautiful when the weather clears.

Types of Hot Air Balloon Experiences

Chiang Mai Sunrise Balloon Flight and Luxury Spa Day

Overview: The day starts in the dark, when the streets are still quiet and you’re barely awake. Soon, the balloon is glowing against the night sky, and before long you’re floating over paddies and forests while the sun rises. A hot air balloon Chiang Mai flight like this feels unhurried, almost dreamlike. And when it ends, instead of heading back to your hotel, you melt into a luxury spa tucked inside the city, with massages, herbal steam, and the kind of calm that makes you forget what time it is.

Locations: You’ll drift over Chiang Mai’s countryside, rice fields shining silver in the morning light, clusters of villages below, and mountains looming hazy in the distance. Later, you’re taken into the Old City to unwind at a tropical garden spa, where the air smells faintly of herbs and lemongrass. The mix of sky and earth makes this more than just a Chiang Mai hot air balloon festival–style moment; it’s a full day of balance.

What you’ll see: From the basket, monks may appear as tiny dots on their morning walks, temple roofs flashing gold as the sun catches them. Birds cut through the mist, and the countryside seems endless. Then, when your feet are back on the ground, it’s the spa gardens that take over your senses, soft music, warm oil, and the rustle of leaves in the breeze. Few activities pair adrenaline and stillness in quite this way.

Package options: Shared baskets include the flight, snacks before take-off, a champagne toast on landing, and a two-hour spa package with Thai and aromatherapy massage. Private baskets stretch the spa indulgence further, with herbal steam and a longer session. Either way, transfers are included, so your day flows without effort.

Cost: It starts from INR 39,866 per person, covering both the flight and spa. Considering what you get, the sunrise, the views, the treatments, the hot air balloon Chiang Mai price feels more like an investment in memory than just a ticket.

Premium vs. Standard: Premium flights mean fewer people in the basket and a more tailored spa package after. Standard gives you the same sunrise skies, the same calming massages, just with more fellow travellers sharing the ride. Whichever you choose, the hot air balloon Chiang Mai morning leaves you with the kind of stillness that stays long after the day ends.

Private Hot Air Balloon Flight with Luxury Couple’s Spa Package

Overview: If you’ve ever wanted a day that feels stitched together just for two people, this is it. You start with a sunrise hot air balloon Chiang Mai flight, rising quietly above fields and temples, the morning air still cool on your skin. Then, instead of heading back into the city, you’re whisked away to a spa in the Old City where four hours of steam, oils, and massage erase any trace of routine. A glass of champagne, a long meal, and suddenly your morning has stretched into a memory that feels like a secret.

Locations: The balloon lifts off from the countryside just outside town, taking you over rice paddies, villages waking slowly, and temple roofs catching the first rays of sunlight. Later, the day shifts to a luxury spa garden inside Chiang Mai, hidden among tropical plants and quiet courtyards. The contrast between open skies and grounded calm makes this one of the most complete experiences you can have during the Chiang Mai hot air balloon festival season or any other.

What you’ll see: From above, monks appear like tiny figures walking barefoot on morning alms rounds. Mist hovers in the valleys, then thins as the sun climbs higher. Birds skim just below the basket, and the land stretches endlessly until you land again. At the spa, it’s the details you notice, the warm tea pressed into your hands, the faint sound of water trickling through the garden, the quiet pause between treatments. Few activities pair adrenaline and calm this seamlessly.

Package options: The flight itself lasts around 45 minutes, with morning tea before and a champagne toast once you’re back on the ground. From there, you’re driven straight to the spa for a four-hour couple’s package. Shared baskets aren’t part of this one, it’s designed as a private experience. Lunch at the spa café is included, adding another layer of slow indulgence to the day.

Cost: It starts from INR 39,800 per person, covering both the flight and spa. For what you get, the sunrise views, the treatments, the exclusivity, the hot air balloon Chiang Mai price feels less like a ticket and more like an occasion.

Premium vs. Standard: This is already premium. No crowds, no sharing space in the basket, just a private flight and a spa day that belongs entirely to you and your partner. If the standard rides are about sharing the skies, this hot air balloon Chiang Mai option is about carving out your own quiet piece of it.

What to Expect on a Hot Air Balloon Ride

• Your morning begins before sunrise, when Chiang Mai is still quiet and the fields outside are wrapped in mist. At the launch site, the sudden roar of fire lights up the balloon, glowing orange in the dark. Stepping into the basket feels strange at first, but once it lifts, your hot air balloon Chiang Mai journey is underway.
• The silence is what stays with you. Apart from the occasional blast of the burner, it’s just the soft rush of wind carrying you above fields and hills. A hot air balloon ride Chiang Mai isn’t about speed; it drifts, steady and unhurried, like moving through a dream.
• Flights usually last 45 to 60 minutes. Some finish with a light breakfast or champagne toast, others simply with the quiet satisfaction of seeing the city and countryside from above. However it ends, a hot air balloon Chiang Mai morning lingers long after you’re back on solid ground.

Safety and Tips

• Book early. Seats are limited, and the cooler months fill up quickly. Weather in the hills can change without warning, so having a confirmed spot gives you room to reschedule if your flight gets delayed.
• Dress in layers. Before sunrise, the air can be crisp enough to make your fingers sting, but once you’re drifting, the sun warms everything fast. Comfortable shoes matter too, you’ll be standing for nearly an hour during your hot air balloon ride Chiang Mai.
• Carry light. Leave bulky bags behind. A camera, sunglasses, maybe your phone, that’s all you need. The less you hold, the easier it is to lean into the basket and really take in the view.
• Age and health rules do apply. Children usually need to be over five, and those with heart or back problems may have to skip. It’s better to sit this one out than push through, since the best memories come when you’re relaxed enough to enjoy the flight.
• Trust the calls on weather. Strong winds or thick fog mean flights are cancelled, sometimes at the very last minute. It’s frustrating, but it’s also what keeps a hot air balloon Chiang Mai ride one of the safest activities you can do here.
• Remember what you’re paying for. The hot air balloon Chiang Mai price isn’t just the view. It’s skilled pilots who read the sky, ground crews tracking your landing, and the calm assurance that everything is handled while you focus on the horizon.