When I first arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand, I wasn’t sure if I could find tennis courts and players to play with. The internet was not helping much, so I took it upon myself to explore the local tennis scene, find the best courts, meet players, and determine the best places to play.
The best places to play tennis in Chiang Mai are the 700-Year Stadium Courts and the Nawarat Tennis Courts. They have the most players and the most courts. You can also play at Nut Tennis Courts, the Four Seasons Hotel, and Palm Springs Place. The 700-Year Stadium Courts sell tennis racquets, tennis shoes, balls, and racquet restringing.
Because of the language barrier, you may find communicating with local tennis players in Chiang Mai difficult. English is not widely spoken, but there is usually a foreigner (expat) who can communicate with you, as well as a few Thais who know English. Tennis is beautiful because you do not need to speak the same language to play tennis with someone.
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The players in Chiang Mai are friendly and welcoming. You can play pickup games in the morning and afternoon at some of the courts listed below. The Facebook group – Chiang Mai Tennis Players – is a good resource if you have further questions or to find out which court to attend on a particular day. It is what I used upon arrival in Chiang Mai.
Where to Play Tennis in Chiang Mai
There are quite a few good tennis options in Chiang Mai. Most of the courts are hard, except for the synthetic grass courts at Four Seasons Chiang Mai Resort.
700th Anniversary of Chiang Mai Stadium Courts
This multi-purpose facility was opened in 1995 to host the Southeast Asian Games and to commemorate 700 years since Chiang Mai’s establishment. The facility is home to 11 hard tennis courts, plus a two-sided tennis wall you can practice on.
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The vibe at the 700-year stadium is terrific. They have a lot more than just tennis: An Olympic-size public swimming pool, a weight-training gym, and a variety of sports, and it is a good place to do long-distance running.
The cost is 60 Baht per court per hour. There is atennis shop on-site, next to the courts, where you can buy racquet restringing, balls, tennis shoes, and apparel. This is the only place I found in Chiang Mai where you can buy actual tennis shoes.
Players show up in the morning and the afternoon. I showed up in the afternoon, sat on the bench, and, within minutes, was invited to join the players in pickup games. You do not need to book a court in advance. They have lights, but the facility often closes at 8 pm.
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Nawarat Tennis Courts
If you are a visitor in Chiang Mai there is high chance you are staying near the Old City. The Nawarat tennis courts are the closest ones to the Old City.
Nawarat’s facility is made up of six hard courts. Two are used for tennis lessons and coaching, and the other four are used for match play. Guest fee is 50 Baht to play per day, cash only.
At Nawarat, I met Thor, who runs a tennis academy and is the head coach there. Check out his website. He is a great tennis coach and super friendly. I actually got to see him running some drills and was impressed. You can book a lesson with him or one of his assistants.
If you want to play at Nawarat, you can show up with a partner. Or if you don’t have one, players show up for pickup games at 7-8 am, or 4 pm. The courts do have lights.
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Nut Tennis Court
Nut Tennis Court has two really nice tennis courts in the Mae Rim District. My favorite thing about the courts was the beautiful background of the mountain.
Court availability is hard to come by at peak hours. In the morning, the courts are often booked for lessons or matches. In the afternoon, until 8 pm the courts are used for their junior academy. The coach there, Nut, and his brother are very good instructors. They are highly recommended by the locals that I talked to.
They have a small coffee shop/bakery on site, which makes it a nice place to grab a snack. You can buy tennis balls and accessories in their small pro shop.
If you are staying in the Old City, the biggest downside to the Nut Tennis Courts is the distance. It is about a 20-minute drive.
Court fee: 80 Baht per hour
Four Seasons Chiang Mai Resort
Four Seasons in Chiang Mai has two synthetic grass courts. They are the most beautiful tennis courts in Chiang Mai. I had the time of my life playing there, and it was my first time on synthetic grass.
The court plays fast like real grass, especially on slice shots, but slow enough to still have good rallies. For annual court maintenance, they add sand to the court, which slows down the court’s speed a little.
You do not need to stay at the Four Seasons Resort to play tennis there. But they prefer that you book your court in advance. As a walk-in, I got lucky that the tennis pro was already on-site because I did not have a partner. Court rental is 350 Baht per hour.
For up-to-date pricing check here.
From the menu, I chose a hitting partner, costing 1500 Baht, which came out to 1765, including a service charge. I also tipped on top of that. The price is high, but it is expected with Four Seasons. I was assigned a man named Oh, who spoke English well, was a good player, and was very friendly.
The biggest drawback of the Four Seasons tennis courts is the distance you travel to get there. It’s a 30-45 minute drive from the Old City, but well worth it if you are a tennis enthusiast.
Where To Stay In Chiang Mai
Regarding accommodations, there are two ideal options for staying in Chiang Mai and playing tennis. You can stay at my favorite hotel, Top North Hotel (link to book on Agoda), or the Four Seasons Chiang Mai Resort.
If you want to stay in the Old City, near the walking street and many restaurants, you can’t beat Top North Hotel. It is located right next to the Tha Phae Gate in the center of Chiang Mai. For a secluded, resort-like luxury experience, go for the Four Seasons.
My Favorite Things To Do In Chiang Mai
One of the reasons Chaing Mai is such a wonderful place to visit is the abundance of world-class tours you can do. A first-time trip to Chaing Mai would be incomplete without a trip to an elephant sanctuary and a day trip to the Doi Inthanon National Park for hiking and waterfalls.
For more information on booking these tours, check them out on Viator: Chiang Mai Elephant Sanctuary & Doi Inthanon National Park.
Elephant Sanctuary
Doi Inthanon National Park
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Thank you so much for reading, and I hope this article has helped you play tennis in Chiang Mai!