If you are visiting Chiang Mai between May and October, chances are it is going to rain. It is also very likely you will be seduced by great prices and lots of shopping around you, and while in Nimman…all roads lead to Maya Lifestyle Mall!
I live in Chiang Mai full time and ever since my partner showed me this town I loved Nimman area and Maya Mall for its convenience, food options, and generally peaceful vibe. It is a great hideout for extreme heat thanks to super powerful ACs or when it pours down.
I was shocked to find out how outdated and openly misleading blogs are in regards to this mall. Here is all you need to know to plan your shopping around Maya and tips to spend a rainy day in the mall + things besides shopping this lifestyle shopping center is good for.
And if you see me at the Camp, come say hi!
What Is Maya Mall?
Maya is a mid to smaller size shopping mall depending on what you are comparing it with. If with shopping centers in Kuala Lumpur or richer Middle Eastern countries, it will feel small. But it has all you need.
- Opening hours: 10 AM to 10 PM every day, exceptions are co-working, gym, and movies, I will talk about it below.
- Maya Lifestyle Mall has a supermarket (Rimping), gym, cinema (SFX Movies), stores, food courts, and more.
- Mall is busiest in the afternoong and evening.
- Google Pin (55/5 Huay Kaew Rd, Chang Phueak, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50300)
What Does Maya Lifestyle Mall Chiang Mai Have?
Maya Mall has 6 levels, five are for shopping, entertainment, and food, and level 6th is a rooftop with fantastic panoramic views of the city and mountain with Doi Suthep Temple.
Floor-by-floor, the setup looks like this:
- Basement level: food court, tea and coffee, pharmacy, nail salon, TOPs wine store, book store, and Rimping supermarket. There are also lockers for bags here, near Huay Kaew road entrance where you can leave your suitcase or backpack while you are shopping.
- Ground floor: luxury shopping, H&M, clothing, Starbucks and its Asian sibling – CHAGEE, and newly opened Pop Mart to shop for labubus, if you’re into it. Money exchange booth with very good rates (K Bank) is near the Huay Kaew entrance.
- Second floor: Watsons, Boots, Eve and Boy, tech stores to fix your electronics,
- Third floor: banking,
- Fourth floor: food court, restaurants, kids zone and Japanese store Daiso with all sorts of useful, and dirt cheap, yet durable stuff for the house and traveling.
- Fifth floor: coworking CAMP (with printer), Terrace with a views, karaoke booths and arcade, SFX cinema, Maxx gym
- Sixth floor: viewpoint to enjoy the mountains and a couple of restaurants.
Local Brands that are worth checking out re Jaspal, Panpuri, CC-00 and Herb Basics.
Banks / ATM / Money Exchange
The KBank money exchange booth is on the ground floor. They have the best rates in my experience. Just make sure to bring 100s (USD). It is also here where you can get a Pay and Tour prepadi card to enjoy paying by QR code and withdrawals without fees. Easy to get for Europeans and Americans (all, Northen or Southern), but some countries are on a no-go list in Chiang Mai.
Banks and ATMs are on the X floor, right by the elevator on the X side.
SIM Cards
I always use AIS. You can go in, pick a number and sign up with your passport. You will be able to see your data usage and packages on the app, too.
How to get here
- If you’re staying in Nimman area, walking is a good idea. Otherwise Grab or Bolt taxis can drop you off at the Huay Kaew Rd entrance or at the drop off/pick up point in front of the main entrance on Nimmanahaeminda Road.
- If you rent a bike or car, parking is multi-level and the entry is behind the mall, you can ride in from Starbucks or Huay Kaew road. It is free!
- There is a free shuttle going between Maya Mall and Chiang Mai University area, too. It leaves according to its timetable or once it is full. Here is its schedule:
Entrances
There are three main entrances to the Maya Mall that open doors at 10 AM.
How to enter before 10 am? If you are going to gym or CAMP, noone is going to ask you any questions, but main entrances will be locked.
You need to go around the building and enter through B1 level, then take the elevator to level 5:
Camp Creative
Camp Maya at the 5th floor is one of my go-to places for a quite focused work. It is usually packed with Thai students and foreigners working online, but earlier in the morning it is super empty, and it is actually open pretty early.
Lots of nooks and crannies to sit down and work, all with plugs to charge your electronics.
The catch is that you need to spend 50 baht to get a 2-hour wi-fi password. They have lots of drinks (including matcha and hot cocoa) and food, so it is easy to spend those 50 baht or more.
A major plus is that they have a print and copy machine too that you can use. You upload you documents to print online or through and app, pay (foreign cards are accepted) and it prints! I love it, and I have printed probably a good 200 pages already there.
The only downside I can think of is that during the peak hours (weekdays aroun 1-2 pm) sometimes wi-fi gets really slow when everyone is connected to it. Otherwise, this place easily rivals a high-end coworking spaces in the Nimman area for me.
It used to be 24-hour but it is not anymore.
Maya Mall Chiang Mai Food & Restaurants
There are many cafes but in my opinion the basement food court is a hidden gem.
I love pad thai there, chinese dumplings, teriyaki chicken with rice, and mango sticky rice is one of the best I’ve had in the area with a whole fresh mango in big portion.
Restaurants on the top floors are also popular, I just prefer affordable and delicious food in the basement. I want to try The Duke’s though as they have been in Chiang Main for almost 20 years and make good American-style food like burgers, ribs, and pizza.
There are a few sushi places upstairs, I tried Shinkansen sushi and I think the price is fair but it is quite far from authentic Japanese food.
You can find good coffee and matcha in Maya: thai milk tea (basement), matcha (basement and upstairs), coffee (on many floors). Blue coffee and matcha have lots of matcha varieties but prices are higher.
You can get tea, coffee, iced drinks, or matcha latte at CAMP, too which will also give you 2-hour wi-fi password.
Lots of sweets, from the most intricate and luxury at Saruda (central area of the ground floor) to fluffy donuts and matcha-based sweets at the basement.
Rimping Supermarket
Rimping is an upscale supermarket that is always incredibly well stocked with fresh produce, including organic options, fresh meat and fish, including Norvegian salmon, a range of local and Western treats, and a lot of Japanese products. For example, you can easily buy milk from Hokkaido here (it is delicious!)
If you are staying long-term you can sign up to collect point through their website. Membership doesn’t give you any discounts but points can be exchanged for goods or promos.
EX10 Karaoke & Entertainment
You can play endless arcades and sing karaoke alone with friends anytime!
Prices are super affordable, small booths are about 100-150 Baht for 30-60 minutes (3-4.5 USD).
Movies at SFX Cinema
I have a membership at SFX because I love movies and members always get cute bonuses and surprises like collectible tickets and postcards or special prices.
There are:
- regular theaters, prices start from 100 baht on movie days (Tuesday and sometimes Wednesday)
- First class theater with separate lounge and toilet, comfortable seats with a blanket, popcorn and a cold drink included. Prices are 600 baht per person.
- Zigma Stadium theater with better sound system. All recorde live music concerts and big premiers are shown here. I’ve watched two Billie Eilish concerts here.
This SFX does not have IMAX.
Fair note on premium theater here, though. It is not as luxurious as first class or Bed in Bangkok, and even Bangkok ones cannot beat Indulge Cowex in Kuala Lumpur *just saying*
Infamous Maya Crossing
The crosswalk and lights by Maya mall take forever. Especially to cross Huay Kaew Road – as, my theory, you need people requesting crossing from both sides of the road for it to actually work. I have stood there many times alone and the light never came green.
In May 2026 they seem to have upgraded the lights and they work fine for now!
Workaround
Not an advice! Exercise caution!
If you go through the little Japanese subway station imitation a bit further up from the crossing, you can actually cross the street there to Maya when the traffic is light.
Another option is for those living on Maya side of the Nimman area. You can walk through the back streets of the neighborhood and cross the street usign a by-request crosswalk near 7 eleven (here). It works really well and you don’t need to wait.
What Maya Doesn’t Have
- No UNIQLO, Zara, or Muji. They have H&M and Daiso instead.
- Not many high-end brands. There is Coach bags section on the first floor, but no LV or things like that. Plenty of affordable and cool clothes and shoes though like LYN, Bata, American Eagle, Kaneko, and others.
- No Sephora. For cosmetics, head to Watson, Boots, and Eve and Boy. Eve and Boy is the biggest, has make up, hair products, and even accessories.
- No appliances. This is a lifestyle mall. You can buy phones, laptops, smart watch or camera here (both Samsung and Apple stores available), but not a fridge or TV.
FAQs
Is Maya Mall expensive?
No, Maya Mall is very affordable, you can easily eat for under 5 usd and find crafts and clothing at affordable prices, too. It is not a department store with fancy boutiques.
What time does the Maya Shopping Mall open?
Maya Shoppinig Mall in Chiang Mai opens at 10 AM every day.
What is Maya Lifestyle known for?
Maya Lifestyle Mall in Chiang Mai is known as a landmark thanks to amazing panoramic views from the top level (Nimma Hill) and incredible combination of good Thai and Wester food, shops, entertainment, gym, and co-working space under one roof.
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