Massage & Spas

Last verified July 2026 (2nd pass). Prices are in Thai baht; USD equivalents are generated live from the site's current rate. Prices drift — treat them as bands, not quotes. Most places take walk-ins but the good ones fill up in high season (Nov–Feb), so book a day ahead via LINE or a booking app.

Chiang Mai is one of the cheapest places on earth to make massage a weekly habit rather than a treat. A one-hour traditional Thai massage at a neighbourhood shop runs ฿250–350 ($7–10); a two-hour session at a smart award-winning spa with a herbal steam room and welcome tea still only costs about ฿2,000–2,500 ($59–74). This page splits the scene into four practical layers: the massage styles worth knowing so you can order what you actually want, the everyday neighbourhood massage shops you'll use most, the destination day spas for when you want the full ceremony, and the growing onsen / hot-spring options — both the Japanese-style bathhouses that have sprung up around town and the real geothermal springs an hour outside it. Beyond that there's a note on float tanks and salt caves, a look at the local multi-day wellness/detox retreat scene, practical guidance on pregnancy-safe massage, a short guide to booking apps and at-home massage, and — for the seriously smitten — where to learn massage yourself.

A note on the local massage culture before you dive in. Traditional Thai massage (nuad boran) is done clothed, on a mat, and involves deep stretching, thumb-and-palm pressure along energy lines, and a fair amount of the therapist climbing on you — it is not a gentle oil rub, and first-timers are often surprised by how firm it is. Say "bao bao" (softer) or "jep" (that hurts) freely; a good therapist adjusts. Oil massage and aromatherapy are the gentler, undressed options. Tipping isn't obligatory but ฿50–100 ($1–3) for a good hour, or ~10% at a spa, is normal and appreciated.

Massage styles — what to order#

The menu at most shops runs longer than "Thai or oil." Knowing the vocabulary means you get the treatment your body actually wants:

• Traditional Thai (nuad boran) — clothed, on a mat, deep stretching and pressure-point work along the sen energy lines. The default, and the firmest. Best for stiffness and general tune-ups.
• Oil / aromatherapy massage — undressed (or in disposable underwear), on a table, gentler gliding strokes with scented oil. The relaxing option; ฿350–600 ($10–18)/hr at neighbourhood shops.
• Foot reflexology — seated, fully clothed, pressure on the feet and lower legs (often with a knee/shoulder finish). The perfect ฿250–300 ($7–9) reward after a day of walking temples.
• Herbal compress (luk pra kob) — a steamed muslin ball of lemongrass, plai, camphor and kaffir lime pressed into the muscles. Usually a ฿100–300 ($3–9) add-on to an oil massage; deeply soothing and very Lanna.
• Tok Sen — a Northern-Thai signature: the therapist taps a wooden mallet and wedge along the muscles, sending gentle vibrations into tight fascia. Odd-sounding, genuinely relaxing, and hard to find outside the North.
• Deep-tissue / sports massage — offered at the more clinical shops and hotel spas for specific knots and injuries; say clearly where it hurts.
• Blind masseur shops — several Old City shops are staffed by visually-impaired therapists, who are often exceptionally skilled at reading tension by touch. Look for the "blind massage" signage; quality is usually excellent and the price is standard.

1. Everyday neighbourhood massage#

These are the workhorses — clean, cheap, no-frills shops you'll return to. Expect roughly ฿200–350 ($6–10) for a one-hour Thai or foot massage and ฿350–500 ($10–15) for oil/aromatherapy. The Old City and the streets around Tha Phae Gate have one every few doors; Nimman's are pricier and more polished.

• Lila Thai Massage — the standout of the budget tier and a genuine social enterprise. Founded by a former director of the Chiang Mai Women's Prison to employ women after release, Lila trains and hires ex-inmates who've completed the prison's massage programme. Several branches around the Old City (Prapokklao, Ratchadamnoen/Chedi Luang, Phra Singh, Tha Phae). A one-hour traditional Thai massage is around ฿300 ($9); foot and oil options similar. Reliable quality, good cause, easy to find.
• Old City walk-in shops — the cluster along Ratchadamnoen and the sois off Tha Phae Gate are interchangeable and fine for a quick ฿200–250 ($6–7) foot or Thai massage. Look for a busy shop with locals in it.
• Nimman boutique shops — more design-led and air-conditioned, priced ฿350–600 ($10–18) for an hour. Convenient if you live in the area, though you're paying a premium over the Old City for the postcode.

If you want the traditional style done seriously, the massage school at Wat Suan Dok / the Old Medicine Hospital (Shivagakomarpaj) area is where a lot of therapists train, and some clinics near there offer therapeutic (not spa) massage for stiff backs and injuries at modest prices.

2. Destination day spas#

For the full experience — welcome tea, foot wash, a menu of scrubs and wraps, herbal steam, and a calm garden setting — these are the names locals send visitors to. Booking ahead is worth it.

• Fah Lanna Spa — the consensus "best all-rounder." A former World Luxury Spa Award winner, built around a traditional Lanna house with the city's largest herbal steam room (packed with local ginger plai, camphor, lemongrass and tamarind leaf). Traditional Thai massage starts around ฿350 ($10)/hr; the signature packages are the reason to come — the 2-hour "Refreshing" (Thai + aromatherapy oil) is about ฿2,300 ($68), the 3-hour "Traveller's Retreat" (foot + Thai + Tok Sen) about ฿3,100 ($91), and the 4-hour "Romantic" (herbal steam, scrub, royal flower bath, oil massage and facial) about ฿5,900 ($174). There's a 10 × 1-hour Thai/foot coupon for around ฿7,200 ($213) if you're settling in and want a stash. Three branches — the Old City (Wiang Kaew Road), Nimmanhaemin Soi 15, and one by the Night Bazaar. Beautiful setting, professional, and still very reasonably priced for what it is.
• Oasis Spa — the polished mini-chain, with several outposts including a high-end one in the Old City and the Lanna-themed garden branch, plus a European-mansion branch in Nimman (eight private rooms, a hydrotherapy bath and a herbal steam room). Long menu, Ayurvedic and signature packages, resort-quality product and service. Pricier than Fah Lanna (packages commonly ฿2,500–4,500 ($74–133)+), and the one to pick when you want to feel thoroughly pampered.
• Zira Spa — a well-regarded Old City spa with a Lanna-era design theme and a broad treatment menu; a solid mid-to-upper option often a touch cheaper than Oasis.
• Cheeva Spa, Masumi (Thai–Japanese fusion), Ban Sabai, and the resort spas — several boutique spas and hotel spas around town (and in Mae Rim/Hang Dong resorts) offer similar quality. If you're staying at or near a resort, its spa is usually excellent and quiet mid-week.

Rough spa-tier price map: budget ฿250–350 ($7–10)/hr, boutique ฿500–900 ($15–27)/hr, award-winning day spa packages ฿2,300–5,900 ($68–174) for a multi-treatment session.

3. Onsen & hot springs#

Two different things get called "onsen" here, so it's worth separating them.

Japanese-style bathhouses in and near town#

A wave of Japanese-inspired onsen spas has opened in the city, offering hot mineral or heated baths, cold plunges and steam, usually bundled with massage packages. They're a good rainy-season or burning-season indoor option.

• Sense Onsen (Suan Dok) — a Japanese-style wellness spa near Wat Suan Dok offering private onsen baths, herbal steam and massage. Treatments start around ฿450 ($13) for 60 minutes, with onsen-inclusive packages from about ฿1,000 ($30). Central and convenient.
• Several other onsen-branded spas operate around Nimman and the Old City with private in-room baths — quality and authenticity vary, so check recent reviews before booking.

Onsen @ Moncham (Mae Rim) — the destination#

The flagship experience: Onsen @ Moncham, a Japanese-style onsen resort perched at ~1,200 m in the Mae Rim mountains, with genuine natural hot-spring water drawn from over 100 m underground (mineral-rich — copper, manganese, iron, zinc, calcium, sulfate). Gender-segregated indoor and outdoor pools, a Karesansui rock garden, restaurant and gym. Onsen access is complimentary for overnight guests; day access for non-staying guests runs roughly 11:00–17:00 (last entry 17:00) — book ahead by phone as it's popular and space is limited, and confirm the current day rate when you call. Overnight ryokan packages have started around ฿7,500 ($221) in 2026. About 45–60 minutes' drive from the city. Worth an overnight if you can; the cool mountain air and the ryokan atmosphere are the whole point.

Real geothermal hot springs (day trips)#

East of the city, out toward San Kamphaeng and Mae On, are natural sulphur hot springs — more of a fun, local, family day out than a serene spa. See also Day Trips & Getting Out for pairing these with the Sticky Waterfalls or Mae Kampong.

• San Kamphaeng Hot Springs (Roong Aroon area, Mae On) — the big one, ~35 km east. Twin geysers, hot streams you can boil eggs in, foot-soak channels, and private mineral bath rooms/tubs. Entry has historically been around ฿100 ($3) for foreigners, with private soaking rooms/tubs extra (order of ฿60 ($2)/person for a tub up to a few hundred baht per hour for a private room). A relaxed half-day trip, often paired with the Sticky Waterfalls or a drive out to Mae Kampong.
• Doi Saket Hot Spring — smaller and quieter, north-east of the city; private soaking rooms historically ~฿100 ($3) per 30 minutes per person. Good if you want the springs without the crowds.

Prices at the public springs are old-review figures and change; confirm on arrival. Bring a swimsuit and a towel, though towels can usually be rented.

4. Float tanks & salt caves — sensory therapy#

A smaller but genuine niche: float tanks (aka sensory-deprivation or isolation tanks) and salt caves have a handful of dedicated operators in town, useful for burnout, sleep problems, or just a very different kind of quiet than a massage gives you.

• Float Chiang Mai — the original and best-known float centre, part of the Chiang Mai Detox campus. A 60-minute float session is around ฿1,800 ($53), with regular discounts on quieter days (historically 20% off Tuesdays, 30% off Thursdays — confirm current days when booking). You float in warm, skin-temperature Epsom-salt water in a private room, in complete dark and silence; most first-timers find the second or third session more effective than the first, since it takes a visit or two to stop fidgeting.
• Blue Float Chiang Mai — a more affordable option at around ฿1,000 ($30)/session, using a larger float room rather than a pod-style tank, which suits anyone who finds an enclosed tank claustrophobic.
• Relaxing Emotions Spa — home to Chiang Mai's first Himalayan salt cave, plus its own flotation tubs, at prices well under international norms (a big open flotation tub rather than an isolation pod). A good one-stop option if you want to try a salt-cave session and a float in the same visit.

Not a substitute for the massage habit above — more of an occasional reset. Book ahead; some of these have only one or two rooms.

5. Wellness & detox retreats — multi-day resets#

Beyond a single spa afternoon, Chiang Mai and its surrounding valleys (especially Mae Rim) have a real cluster of residential wellness retreats — juice fasting, yoga, Ayurveda and "digital detox" programmes aimed at everyone from burned-out remote workers to long-stay retirees wanting a reset. This is a different budget tier from the massage/spa world above, and worth knowing about separately.

• Chiang Mai Detox — the long-running local specialist (also runs Float Chiang Mai, above), offering juice-fasting and colon-cleanse programmes with daily massage and yoga; multi-day fasting packages have historically started from around ฿38,000 ($1,122) for a seven-day programme. Popular with people specifically travelling here for a structured fast rather than a general holiday.
• Aleenta Retreat Chiang Mai — a resort-style retreat offering 3-, 5- and 7-night detox packages (Chi Nei Tsang Taoist abdominal massage, juice cleanse, lymphatic drainage massage), with longer stays adding private yoga, reflexology and wellness cooking classes; rates have been quoted from roughly €250/night (about ฿9,500 ($280)) including the programme.
• Mala Dhara Yoga Retreat (Mae Rim Valley) — a small, intimate centre capped at around 12 guests, running yoga- and Ayurveda-focused retreats (including a "Women's Renewal" kundalini-and-sound-bath programme) from about ฿48,000 ($1,417) for seven days with meals included.
• Expect an all-in seven-day residential wellness retreat in the Chiang Mai area to run roughly ฿45,000–180,000 ($1,328–5,313) depending on how clinical (colonics, supervised fasting) versus how yoga-and-relaxation the programme is, and whether it's shared or private accommodation.

If you're on a long-stay visa and just want the occasional deep reset rather than a full week away, several of the same operators (Kiyora Spa among them) also run shorter 3–4 day "burnout relief" mini-retreats that fit into a normal week — worth asking about if the full week-long programmes feel like overkill.

6. Pregnancy & prenatal massage#

Pregnancy changes what's safe to book, and not every walk-in shop is set up for it — this is one area worth choosing a spa specifically trained for it rather than assuming any therapist can adapt on the fly.

• First trimester (weeks 1–12): skip massage entirely. Reputable spas here (Fah Lanna and others) will decline any form of massage in the first three months and instead offer non-massage treatments — facials, body scrubs/masks, waxing — if you want to be pampered during this window.
• From roughly week 13–14 onward, a proper prenatal massage becomes available at spas that specifically train for it — expect a side-lying position with bolster cushions rather than lying face-down, lighter Swedish-style strokes rather than deep pressure or Thai stretching, and a therapist who asks how many weeks along you are before starting. Fah Lanna Spa offers a dedicated Pregnancy Massage from week 13, using aloe vera, moisturising cream or coconut oil (no strong aromatherapy oils). Kiyora Spa runs a "Mamma to Be" package with therapists specifically assigned to prenatal work, but caps it to weeks 14–30 to keep risk low, and throws in a free shuttle so you're not arranging a Grab. Ask any spa directly whether their therapists are prenatal-trained before booking — it's a fair question and a good one will have a clear answer.
• What's off-limits regardless of trimester: foot reflexology, standard aromatherapy oil massage and traditional Thai massage are generally avoided throughout pregnancy at reputable spas (reflexology and Thai massage work pressure points some believe can affect the uterus; deep abdominal/lower-back pressure is avoided generally). Saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs and body wraps are also usually declined because of overheating risk to the baby.
• Always mention it up front — how many weeks, any complications (preeclampsia, high-risk pregnancy, history of preterm labour) — and get your own doctor's sign-off if there's anything unusual about the pregnancy. A good therapist will ask; if one doesn't, that's a sign to pick somewhere else.

7. Booking apps & at-home massage#

You don't have to walk in and hope. Two booking platforms cover most of the good spas and let you pre-pay at a discount:

• GoWabi — the dominant wellness-booking app in Thailand, with a big Chiang Mai catalogue (Oasis, Cheeva, Masumi and dozens of neighbourhood shops). Discounted coupons and cashback, so a ฿1,000 ($30) spa treatment often lands nearer ฿700–800 ($21–24). You show the QR code from the app on arrival. Good for browsing by area, price and treatment type. See also Essential Apps.
• Fresha — a smaller footprint here but growing, especially for salon-style and boutique spas; worth a look if GoWabi doesn't list your target.

For a massage without leaving home — genuinely useful in burning season, after a long flight, or with a sleeping baby in the next room:

• At-home / mobile therapists — GoWabi offers an on-demand masseuse to your home or hotel (typically within a couple of hours, in the main city area). Expect to pay a premium over a walk-in shop for the convenience, plus a small travel fee for outlying areas.
• The Home Massage & Spa — a small local chain that offers complimentary pick-up and drop-off within about 5 km of its branches (including the airport), so you get a proper spa without organising a Grab. Open roughly 10:00–22:00.
• Many independent therapists also take direct LINE bookings for house calls once you've found someone you like — ask your regular shop whether they'll come to you.

8. Learn massage yourself#

Plenty of people arrive for a holiday and leave with a certificate. Chiang Mai is the world capital of Thai-massage training, and a short foundation course is a fun, cheap, only-here thing to do — many DTV and long-stay residents take one just for the experience (it also pairs neatly with an education-visa route if you go deep; see Visas & Visa Agents and Learning Thai & Classes).

• ITM (International Training Massage School) — the big internationally-accredited school on Chang Puek Road Soi 4. Courses are modular and clearly priced: an 18-hour "Introduction to Thai Massage" is ฿5,500 ($162), and each 30-hour level (Foundation, Intermediate, Advanced Sen Lines) is ฿7,000 ($207); the therapeutic upper/lower-body levels are ฿7,500 ($221) each. Specialist short courses — Tok Sen, herbal hot compress, oil, foot reflexology, hot stone — run roughly ฿5,000–9,900 ($148–292). Certificates are recognised internationally, which matters if you plan to practise back home.
• Old Medicine Hospital (Shivagakomarpaj / OMH) — the historic home of Northern-style Thai massage on Wua Lai Road, teaching since 1962. Its 5-day (30-hour) foundation levels are the classic "learn the traditional style at the source" course; fees are in a similar band to ITM's per-level pricing (confirm current rates on their site, as they're not always published online). Choose OMH for lineage and tradition, ITM for polish and international paperwork.
• Lila Thai Massage and several Old City shops also run short introductory workshops — a lighter-touch option if you just want a taste rather than a full certificate.

Quick chooser#

• Weekly habit on a budget → Lila Thai Massage or any busy Old City shop, ฿250–350 ($7–10)/hr.
• Treat yourself / entertaining a visitor → Fah Lanna Spa (best value ceremony, packages ฿2,300–5,900 ($68–174)) or Oasis (most luxurious).
• Best discount on a smart spa → book via GoWabi rather than walking in.
• Massage without leaving home → GoWabi's at-home service or The Home Massage & Spa (free pick-up).
• Indoor soak in town, esp. burning season → Sense Onsen (Suan Dok).
• Special occasion / overnight escape → Onsen @ Moncham, Mae Rim.
• Cheap, fun local day out → San Kamphaeng or Doi Saket hot springs.
• Total quiet reset / burnout → a float session at Float Chiang Mai or Blue Float, or a multi-day retreat (Chiang Mai Detox, Aleenta, Mala Dhara) if you want a full week off.
• Pregnant and want a safe massage → Fah Lanna's Pregnancy Massage (from week 13) or Kiyora's "Mamma to Be" package (weeks 14–30) — not any walk-in shop.
• Turn the obsession into a skill → a foundation course at ITM or the Old Medicine Hospital.

All the places on this page#

• Lila Thai Massage~฿300/hr Thai
  Budget-tier standout and social enterprise founded by a former Chiang Mai Women's Prison director to employ women after release; several Old City branches.
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• Fah Lanna Spapackages ฿2,300–5,900
  Consensus best all-rounder; former World Luxury Spa Award winner with the city's largest herbal steam room. Branches: Old City (Wiang Kaew), Nimman Soi 15, Night Bazaar. Offers dedicated pregnancy massage from week 13.
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• Oasis Spapackages ฿2,500–4,500+
  Polished mini-chain with several outposts (Old City, Lanna garden branch, European-mansion Nimman branch with hydrotherapy bath). Most luxurious tier.
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• Zira Spamid-upper
  Well-regarded Old City spa with a Lanna-era design theme and broad menu; often a touch cheaper than Oasis.
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• Cheeva Spa
  Boutique day spa, bookable via GoWabi.
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• Masumi Spa
  Boutique Thai–Japanese fusion spa.
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• Ban Sabai Spa
  Boutique/hotel-style day spa of similar quality to the destination spas.
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• Kiyora Spa
  'Mamma to Be' prenatal package (weeks 14–30) with therapists assigned to prenatal work and a free shuttle; also runs shorter 3–4 day burnout-relief mini-retreats.
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• Sense Onsen (Suan Dok)treatments from ~฿450/60min; onsen packages from ~฿1,000
  Japanese-style wellness spa near Wat Suan Dok with private onsen baths, herbal steam and massage; central indoor option for burning/rainy season.
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• Onsen @ Monchamryokan packages from ~฿7,500
  Japanese-style onsen resort at ~1,200m in the Mae Rim mountains with genuine natural mineral hot-spring water, gender-segregated indoor/outdoor pools and a rock garden. Day access roughly 11:00–17:00 (book ahead); ~45–60 min from the city.
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• San Kamphaeng Hot Springs~฿100 foreigner entry
  Geothermal springs where you can soak your feet, boil eggs and use mineral pools; often paired with a Mae Kampong run.
  Ban Sahakorn, Mae On District, Chiang Mai (~45 min east) · Map
• Doi Saket Hot Spring~฿100 / 30 min private room
  Smaller, quieter natural springs north-east of the city; good for the soak without the San Kamphaeng crowds. Confirm prices on arrival.
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• Float Chiang Mai~฿1,800 / 60 min float
  Original and best-known float centre, part of the Chiang Mai Detox campus; warm Epsom-salt water in a private dark, silent room. Historically discounts on quieter weekdays.
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• Blue Float Chiang Mai~฿1,000 / session
  More affordable float using a larger float room rather than a pod — suits anyone who finds an enclosed tank claustrophobic.
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• Relaxing Emotions Spa
  Home to Chiang Mai's first Himalayan salt cave plus its own open flotation tubs; one-stop for a salt-cave session and a float.
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• Chiang Mai Detox7-day fast from ~฿38,000
  Long-running local specialist (also runs Float Chiang Mai) for juice-fasting and colon-cleanse programmes with daily massage and yoga.
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• Aleenta Retreat Chiang Maifrom ~€250/night incl. programme
  Resort-style retreat with 3-, 5- and 7-night detox packages (Chi Nei Tsang abdominal massage, juice cleanse, lymphatic drainage).
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• Mala Dhara Yoga Retreat7-day from ~฿48,000 incl. meals
  Small eco yoga/Ayurveda retreat in the Mae Rim Valley capped at ~12 guests; includes a 'Women's Renewal' kundalini-and-sound-bath programme.
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• The Home Massage & Spa
  Small local chain offering complimentary pick-up/drop-off within ~5 km of its branches (incl. the airport); open roughly 10:00–22:00.
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• ITM (International Training Massage School)18-hr intro ฿5,500; 30-hr level ฿7,000
  Big internationally-accredited Thai-massage school on Chang Puek Rd Soi 4; modular, clearly-priced courses and specialist short courses (Tok Sen, herbal compress, reflexology).
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• Old Medicine Hospital (Shivagakomarpaj)
  Historic home of Northern-style Thai massage on Wua Lai Rd, teaching since 1962; classic 5-day (30-hr) foundation levels for learning the traditional style at the source.
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Related: see Health & Fitness for gyms, yoga and Muay Thai; Barbers, Salons & Nails for grooming; Day Trips & Getting Out for pairing the hot springs with the Sticky Waterfalls and Mae Kampong; and Things to Do for the wider Mae Rim area.

Sources (July 2026): Fah Lanna Spa official site (package pricing and pregnancy-massage page); Oasis Spa Chiang Mai; Lila Thai Massage official site; ITM International Training Massage School tuition-fee page; Old Medicine Hospital (Shivagakomarpaj) course pages; GoWabi Chiang Mai listings; Sense Onsen Suandok; Onsen at Moncham official site and 2026 booking listings; Time Out Chiang Mai spa & onsen guides; Tripadvisor listings for San Kamphaeng and Doi Saket hot springs, and for Relaxing Emotions Spa's salt cave; Chiang Mai Detox / Float Chiang Mai official site; Aleenta Retreat Chiang Mai and BookRetreats.com wellness-retreat listings; Kiyora Spa's prenatal-massage guide. THB→USD is generated live from the site's configured rate. Prices are indicative and were current or recently reported as of mid-2026 — verify before you go.