Chiang Mai is one of those rare places where entrepreneurial opportunity and lifestyle collide. For many expats, starting a business here isn’t just about chasing a dream — it’s a smart way to secure a long-term visa, contribute to a spouse’s family business, or solve a problem they couldn’t find an existing answer to.
The result? A city full of ventures that feel personal — coffee shops born from caffeine obsessions, creative spaces dreamed up by people who couldn’t find the kind of community they wanted, services started because someone needed them and figured others probably did too. Over time, these businesses have become part of the city’s social fabric, and we’re lucky to call many of the people behind them friends.
In this guide, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite local businesses in Chiang Mai. Think of it as both a map and a mood board: you’ll get a sense of what’s possible if you’re dreaming of starting something yourself, plus a way to plug into existing communities through cafés, creative hubs, and coworking spaces. And if you’re simply looking for trusted service providers—whether it’s legal help, childcare, or someone to fix your car—this list will point you to some of the people we know and recommend.
Coworking, Coliving & Creative Hubs
The Coco Club — Ern
One of our favorite coworking spaces in Chiang Mai recently reopened and rebranded as the Coco Club, located in Jed Yod. This is not your stale, office‑style coworking. It’s a gorgeously decked‑out tropical villa. Beautifully designed, full of light, with amenities that really add value to your day pass, like bottomless coffee and access to their saltwater swimming pool. For a little extra, you can also order a delicious healthy lunch or jump in the ice bath. We’ve been friends with owner Ern for a while and Lily was helping to give her tips for engaging the digital nomad community when she was first building the space years ago. If you’re in the neighborhooss this is a hidden gem. If you’re not, it’s worth the trip!
Alt_Chiang Mai / Alt_Ping River — John & Sompor
We have become good friends with John Ho, founder of Alt_Chiang Mai, who has also added a second location at Alt_Ping River. Definitely Chiang Mai’s premier coliving and coworking brand. You need to plan out in advance if you want to stay here. These rooms are designed especially for remote worker friendliness and community, but you can also get a day pass to their coworking space, enjoy coffee at their cafés, or come to the many events that they host in and around their spaces.
Weave Artisan Society — Julian
Weave Artisan Society is a stunning arts and lifestyle hub located in the highly underrated Wualai neighborhood. This beautiful industrial‑chic space is part of an old ice factory and you’ll find a café, craft beer bar, chocolatier, and barbecue restaurant inside, and soon they’ll be reopening a newly designed co‑working space. Owners Julian and Nok have created a wonderful space for hosting community and the arts. A highlight of last year’s Christmas season was their annual market. So keep an eye out for their events calendar, and we’re so excited to see what they do with this new premium co‑working launch.
Hub53 Coliving & Coworking – Natika
We will always have a soft spot in our heart for Hub53 co‑living and co‑working. When Kris moved to Chiang Mai a few years ago, this was the first place he lived and the center of his community. Owner Natika has always been a lovely and receptive person, open to ideas and feedback when she was (back then) a newcomer to the digital nomad scene. Her space is actually the OG, even though there are many more co‑living spaces, many more upmarket co‑living spaces on the scene now.
Coffee, Food & Experiences
Bella Goose Café — Zach
Bella Goose Café on the Pond was one of our first go-to kid-friendly cafés, and we’ve gotten to know owner Zach Price pretty well over the past year. Kris was the one to suggest he offer their coffee beans as a subscription delivery service, and we’ve been really excited to help them promote it through CNX Local. We love that this is a mission-based organization supporting coffee growers across Northern Thailand, but they really deliver when it comes to quality coffee and delicious food at their many café locations.
Heritage House & Garden — Patty
Another amazing Chiang Mai venue is the Heritage House. It’s amazing to see a European-style garden in the usually chaotic tropical jungle environment, but this wedding venue and café out on the Samoeng Road is one of our favorite places. Our toddler is obsessed with owners Patty and Vincent’s eldest daughter, and we’ve loved getting to know this family.
Firefly Factory — Nabil
Check out the Firefly Factory in Chang Phueak, an immersive art space and fusion dining concept. Definitely one of Chiang Mai’s most Instagrammable destinations. Lily has been friends with the owner Nabil as they both attended the same London graduate school, but we’ve also gotten to know them better as parents of little kids as well.
Rosy Cheeks — Chef Fuji
One of Lily’s favorite restaurants in town is Rosy Cheeks. And when she first moved back to Chiang Mai and was doing freelance web design, Fuji was literally her first customer. She always loved his food and we were sad to leave them behind after we moved away from Suthep. So it’s actually just the most amazing coincidence that they moved out to Hang Dong as well. Rosy Cheeks serves delicious health-oriented Thai fusion cuisine and Fuji also runs a healthy meal delivery service. This was clutch for us postpartum, by the way.
Dinky’s BBQ — Davis
Kris would prefer to basically have a carnivore diet, so Dinky’s BBQ is one of his favorite places in town. It’s especially tempting because he shares an office with a friend practically across the street. Owner Davis hails from the USA and is real serious about smoking and grilling. The food is delicious, the staff are attentive, and located next to Green Dog in Lan Siew, this is just a lovely little corner in Chiang Mai for gathering and connecting.
SukiShake Café — Suki
Suki runs a wonderful brunch spot on the moat where she really focuses on creating yummy, healthy eats, and even goes through the trouble of baking all her bread in-house. Lily met her when she started training at CNX Pole, and when Lily shifted out of the business to focus on other things, including motherhood, Suki bought the business and has since grown it into the premier pole dance and fitness space in Chiang Mai, where she offers regular group fitness classes and also hosts world-class teachers who come through Chiang Mai.
Fitness, Health & Wellness
CNX Pole — Suki
Double mention for Suki here under the fitness section in case anyone skipped down past her other business listing for SukiShake Cafe. CNX Pole is one of Chiang Mai’s most active pole fitness communities and a wonderful place for beginners to get their start and for pros to train and teach.
The Cocoon — Felix & Jan
Kris has always been a fan of ice bathing, so when The Cocoon first opened in Hang Dong a couple of years ago, we were really excited to check it out. This is a beautiful space with a saltwater pool, steam room, sauna, and ice bath. They also have a yoga shala and host regular wellness events and chill parties. Felix and Jan are really lovely people. They make a lot of the yummy food and treats that they sell on-site themselves. When we decided to rehome our beloved pupper after baby number two arrived, we were so, so happy that she was joining this family and would have lots of space to run around and people to give her the cuddles and attention she really deserved. Definitely check out their space.
Ferment Space — Tai
Also, a wellness and recovery center in Hang Dong. We love Ferment Space. Lily really connected with P’Tai as a fellow crunchy mompreneur. They frequently swap recipes and wellness tips for families. Ferment Space offers co-living, co-working, and wellness with a pool, two huge dry saunas, an infrared sauna, a cold plunge, a small gym, and ample space to lounge and hang out. Their weekend parties are really chilled out and a nice addition to the community. While not designed specifically for families, she’s always made us feel welcome to come with our kiddos.
Pure Thai Naturals — Marike
Marike van Breugel runs Pure Thai Naturals, and when Lily moved back and was first networking in Chiang Mai, this experienced social entrepreneur took the time and trouble to sit down with her and introduce her to Chiang Mai’s many impact ventures. This Aussie-Dutch TCK has lived and worked in Chiang Mai for over 17 years, creating eco-friendly beauty and health products and does a lot of work in capacity-building and education as well.
WildSide CNX
Neua is the owner of Wildside, which first started out as a bike shop but has grown into so much more. They now have a café, a climbing gym, and a pump track for little kids at their space off the Canal Road. Neua also co-founded Leaf Eco Products and does a lot to help business owners launch values-aligned projects in Chiang Mai. (Also, by the way, one of the best annual Christmas markets in town.)
Elephant Organic — Sasa
Sasa runs Elephant Organics, a health food store that really punches above its weight, given its tiny location behind the big market in Chang Phuak. I don’t get out to that part of town much, so it’s nice that we can order for local delivery through Sasa. She’s done a great job of curating and creating health foods, supplements, natural beauty products, eco-friendly home goods, and more.
Marketing & Creative
Shot by Char / Studio By Char — Charlotte
Our dear friend, Charlotte, has been hustling for years, building up her photography business focused on personal branding. And recently, she’s launched her first brick-and-mortar extension, Studio By Char, which is a photography studio, podcasting studio, and Airbnb located just southeast of the moat. If you want personal branding photos, Charlotte really understands the essence of photography that doesn’t just look good, but ticks all the boxes for your business needs. And we really think she’s on to something with this multi-service space.
Green Light Studio — Jake Mooney
Lily first met Jake Mooney when he was hired to do video at an event she was running. And they’ve had the opportunity to do more collaborations since, with his marketing agency, Greenlight Studios, helping do social media support for some of Lily’s clients. Jake and his wife, Amber, have five kids. And our children are part of an elite club in Thailand, blonde-haired, blue-eyed Thai citizens. Our little girl obviously gets her Thai citizenship through Lily. But Amber’s family have long roots in the community as early missionaries, which granted them a special opportunity to get full citizenship. These two do a lot to help connect folks in Chiang Mai.
DLC Photography — James de la Cloche
James Delacloche, a.k.a. DLC Photography, is another highly recommended photographer in Chiang Mai. These days he works almost exclusively with Chai Lai Orchid, Eco Lodge, and Elephant Sanctuary. If you’ve seen dreamy engagement shoots or family photos with stunning soft lighting and happy elephants, that’s likely his work. When Lily was running a hostel in Nimman, he kindly came in and took a bunch of 360 photos for her as he was building out his experience in architectural photography by playing with new tech. He’s also a whiz with drones.
Capture Creation — Annie & Dream
Capture Creation did a fantastic photo shoot for our family recently capturing the magic of Chiang Mai and this special moment with our toddlers during a time in life which can be so fleeting. While Dream focused on taking beautiful photos, his wife Annie, who is a kindergarten teacher, played production assistant and babysitter and really made a difference in helping the shoot go well.
Chiang Mai SEO Conference — Matt Diggity
Matt Elmore, aka Matt Diggity, and Lily go way back to the days of their misspent youth hanging out at the Small House Kafe. These days Matt is a respectable family man and the leader of an SEO empire. He runs a number of online businesses related to SEO, does a lot of local mentorship and investment, and still somehow finds time to organize Chiang Mai’s annual SEO conference. His wife, Niw, is an entrepreneur in her own right with several food businesses in her portfolio, our favorite of which is the coconut pancake stand she has outside of Rimping Kad Farang.
Real Estate
Expat Homes
Expat Homes helped us get into our current house and they have been a pleasure to work with. Their agents know exactly what expat families need and cover everything from buying and selling, renting and property management, to repairs and maintenance service. We go to church with the owner’s family and they are lovely people we’re so happy to support.
Perfect Homes
We’d also recommend Perfect Homes, Chiang Mai. Lily used to run events and workshops with their support, and I’ve always found them to be knowledgeable and trustworthy realtors. They have a pretty incredible portfolio across Chiang Mai. They also serve a mainly expat clientele.
Relocation, Visa & Legal Services
Settle In Abroad — Amanda Gedney
Amanda Gedney runs Settle In Abroad, which started out as a placement service for English teachers, but these days, she services a range of clients, big and small, and has special expertise and connections when it comes to the Smart Visa, the LTR Visa, and the new DTV. As if this entrepreneur didn’t have enough going on, she and her husband Shawn also run Green Dog, a cannabis dispensary, café, and community hub. Amanda also plans and organizes destination weddings! They’re sweet people who are very community-minded, and we love supporting their businesses.
Iglu.net
Iglu.net were once the anchor for the digital nomad community in Chiang Mai when they were an employer-of-record service. These days, they focus less on the relocation side of the business and have leaned into building out their IT outsourcing business. If you’re a developer who’s looking to secure a job prior to moving to Chiang Mai, you should definitely check out their open positions.
Siam Visa & Business Law (SVBL) — Somluck “Sally” Choopinij
Iglu has also spun out SVBL, who do business, legal, accounting, and compliance. Iglu’s longtime head of legal is Lily’s good friend, Somluck Choopinij, who usually goes by her nickname, Sally. These two go back to their days running the monthly Chiang Mai Entrepreneur Meetups.
MJ & Co. — Maneeporn “MJ” Jankra
MJ & Co. is run by Lily’s good friend and fellow meetup host, Maneeporn Jankra, nicknamed MJ. When she first stepped into the nomad scene, this paralegal decided to host an event offering free legal advice to digital nomads when she opened In the City Hostel and Coworking space back in the day. She’s since sold that business and these days focuses on providing business and legal support. She still handles visas for loads of digital nomads, including our CNXlocal relocation clients.
Chiang Mai Business Community — Lone Andersen
Lone Andersen runs the Chiang Mai Business Community (CMBC), one of the few expat networks that actually works. She’s a corporate banking & FinTech veteran turned community builder and strategic advisor, with years thick in the thick of entrepreneurship. Lone leads regular visa and business meetups, shares insider resources – the kind of group where you don’t just swap business cards, you actually leave with real guidance and clear next steps.
Childcare & Education
Asiarina Academy Language School — Suda
Our neighbors, the Chengs, have been one of the greatest blessings of moving into the neighborhood we’re currently living in. Suda is pivoting the language school she’s been running out of the World Club Land Sports Complex for a couple of years to provide a small cooperative daycare. Our kids have been visiting as they’ve been testing out their curriculum and have been having a great time.
The Mud House — Kru Anthony
The Mud House, also known as Chiang Mai Grow-operative, is a cooperative preschool founded by Kru Anthony, who Lily has been friends with since her earliest era in Chiang Mai. Anthony has been teaching in Chiang Mai for a long time with experience in Thai-run schools like Sarasas Witiadet, and more recently, he was at Panyaden International School for a number of years before branching out with the support of parents to launch this small, very play-based, very attentive learning environment. We have friends who send their kids here – some flexible, some fulltime – and they all seem to have a great time and we know that they’re in great hands.
Soulcraft Studio — Coni
We recently heard about Soulcraft Studio, which offers art classes and Montessori-inspired learning, from our friend Coni, who we met back when we were going to Victory Church. As a mom of a four-year-old herself with experience in art and education, it looks like she’s put together a wonderful environment to bring together kids and parents to get creative.
Other
Expat Auto
After years of trying out different mechanics and assuming that because Lily spoke Thai we didn’t need to pay the surcharge that would come with patronizing an expat-oriented business, we sent our Honda CRV to Expat Auto for a full service, repair, and bodywork — and now we’re lifetime customers. The owner (Amber Mooney’s uncle and longtime Chiang Mai resident) gave us an itemized quote detailing parts and labor that was super reasonable, and even lent us a car while we waited on the repairs. We’re so happy with the work we had done, and our friends have also reported good experiences buying and selling used cars with their help.
Conclusion
If we’ve forgotten a friend, apologies — give us a nudge so we can add you. And if we’re not yet friends but you’d like to showcase your business to the CNXlocal audience, shoot us a message and let’s talk. We focus on Chiang Mai newcomers, remote-working families, and anyone building something interesting in the city we call home.
You can learn more about partnership opportunities on our About page → partners section.
