There is a distinct physical sensation that comes with arriving in Chiang Mai. As you step off the plane at CNX airport, you are greeted by the humid embrace of the tropics and the stunning view of Doi Suthep mountain looming in the distance. The excitement is palpable—you have finally arrived in the “Rose of the North.”
However, your body likely tells a different story.
Whether you have flown in from Bangkok, taken the sleeper train from the south, or endured a long-haul international flight, the journey takes its toll. The pressurized cabin air dehydrates your skin; the cramped economy seats compress your spine; and the sheer exhaustion of travel leaves your muscles feeling like tight, rusted cables. Your ankles might be swollen (the dreaded “cankles”), your lower back aches, and your circadian rhythm is completely out of sync.
You are here to explore ancient temples, hike through lush jungles, and navigate bustling night markets. But you cannot do any of that if your body is broken. You need a reset. You need a recovery protocol.
Chiang Mai is famously known as the massage capital of Thailand. In the Old City alone, you can hardly walk ten meters without hearing the inviting call of “Massaaaage?” But not all massages are created equal, and not all recovery methods are efficient.
At HazeBuds Cannabis Dispensary, we have mastered the art of relaxation. With our three prime locations across the city—Old City (Sunday Walking Street), Chiang Mai Gate, and Sridonchai—we are situated right in the heart of the city’s best wellness districts. We know our neighbors, and we know exactly how to get you back on your feet.
But before you lay down on the massage mat, there is one crucial step you shouldn’t skip.
The Secret Ingredient to Recovery
“Enhance your massage with our local CBD oil selection before you go in.”
This isn’t just a sales pitch; it is a bio-hack for your travel-weary body. While traditional Thai massage works on the mechanical manipulation of muscles and energy lines, Cannabis—specifically CBD (Cannabidiol)—works on the chemical signaling of your body.
When you fly, your body enters a state of mild inflammation. The change in air pressure and the lack of movement cause fluid retention and micro-tears in muscle tissue. A standard massage oil provides “slip” for the therapist’s hands, but a CBD-infused topical or a pre-massage CBD dose acts as a potent anti-inflammatory agent.
By stopping at HazeBuds first, you can prepare your body to receive the massage more effectively. CBD helps to desensitize the surface of the skin just enough to allow the therapist to work deeper into the tissue without causing you to tense up in pain. It quiets the mental noise of travel anxiety, allowing you to drift into that sweet spot between sleep and wakefulness where true healing happens.
Here is your ultimate guide to the best massage shops located right next to our dispensaries, and how to pair them with our menu for the ultimate post-flight recovery.
1. The Old City Sanctuary: HazeBuds Sunday Walking Street
The Vibe: Historic, Cultural, and Convenient.
Our Old City branch is located in the beating heart of Chiang Mai. This is where the history lives. You are surrounded by crumbling brick walls, centuries-old temples like Wat Chedi Luang, and the vibrant energy of the Sunday Walking Street market.
For many travelers, this is “Base Camp.” But the Old City can be overwhelming. The heat radiates off the pavement, and the crowds can be dense. When you need to escape, you don’t want to look at a map. You want immediate relief.
The Neighbor: C&R Thai Massage
Location: Directly next door to Hazebuds Old City.
We are thrilled to be neighbors with C&R Thai Massage. In a city filled with tourist traps, C&R stands out as a beacon of authentic, unpretentious healing.
The Convenience Factor The greatest luxury when you are tired is convenience. C&R is located literally steps away from our dispensary. This makes it the perfect “One-Stop Recovery Shop.” You don’t need to navigate confusing sois (alleys) or hail a tuk-tuk. You can browse our selection of premium flowers, pick up your recovery supplies, and immediately step next door into a cool, quiet sanctuary.
The Atmosphere Stepping into C&R from the bustling street is like putting on noise-canceling headphones. The contrast is immediate. The air is cool and scented with lemongrass and camphor. The decor is simple but clean and welcoming, focusing on comfort rather than over-the-top luxury. It feels like a place visited by locals and expats “in the know,” rather than just tour groups.
The Treatment: Traditional Thai Massage (Nuad Thai) If you have just landed, skip the oil for now. You need structural realignment. Traditional Thai massage is often called “lazy man’s yoga.” The therapist will use their hands, knees, legs, and feet to move you into a series of yoga-like stretches.
Why it works for jet lag: Flying compresses the spine. Thai massage decompresses it. You will likely hear a few satisfying cracks and pops as your joints release the built-up nitrogen gas. It improves range of motion and gets the blood flowing back into your stagnant legs.
The HazeBuds Pairing: “Grandpa’s Cookies” (Indica Dominant) Before you head next door to C&R, we recommend picking up a gram of Grandpa’s Cookies. This Indica-dominant strain is famous for its heavy body sensation. It melts away tension almost instantly. Smoking a small amount before your massage will make your limbs feel heavy and loose, preventing you from fighting the therapist’s stretches. You will sink into the mat, and the two hours will feel like twenty minutes.
2. The Local Market Experience: HazeBuds Chiang Mai Gate
The Vibe: Authentic, Foodie-Focused, and Bustling.
Chiang Mai Gate (Pratu Chiang Mai) is the southern entrance to the Old City and arguably the best spot for street food lovers. In the morning, it’s a wet market selling fresh jungle herbs and curry pastes. At night, it transforms into a street food haven.
This area is grittier and more “real” than the polished center of the Old City. The massage shops here reflect that vibe—they are affordable, effective, and often run by older “Aunties” with decades of experience and incredibly strong hands.
The Neighbor: The Home Massage & Spa
Location: A short walk from our Chiang Mai Gate branch on Ratchiangsan Road.
If C&R is about convenience, The Home Massage is about comfort and hospitality. As the name suggests, walking in here feels less like entering a business and more like visiting a relative’s home.
The Atmosphere The Home Massage strikes a balance between a budget street shop and a day spa. It is impeccably clean, with comfortable chairs for foot massage and private curtained areas for body work. It is quiet, respectful, and deeply relaxing. The staff here are known for their “Motherly” energy—kind, smiling, but absolutely firm when it comes to working out knots.
The Treatment: Foot Reflexology + Head & Shoulder Combo If you are at Chiang Mai Gate, you have likely been walking—a lot. Maybe you explored the Saturday Walking Street (Wualai Road) nearby. Your feet are throbbing.
The Technique: Thai reflexology is not just a foot rub. They use a wooden stick to apply deep pressure to specific points on the sole of the foot that correspond to internal organs. It can be intense (sometimes bordering on “good pain”), but the rush of endorphins afterwards is undeniable.
The Combo: Ask for 60 minutes on the feet and 30 minutes on the head, neck, and shoulders. This flushes the lactic acid from your legs while relieving the tension headaches caused by dehydration and travel stress.
The HazeBuds Pairing: “Purple Thai” (Sativa – 23% THC) You don’t want to be asleep at Chiang Mai Gate; there is too much good food to eat! We recommend the legendary landrace-style Purple Thai.
The Effect: At 23% THC, this Sativa provides a clean, energetic cerebral buzz without being overwhelming. It fits the cultural vibe of the area perfectly. It will keep your mind engaged and happy while your feet are being worked on. You can sit back in the recliner, enjoy the reflexology, and people-watch the market crowds. Once the massage is done, you won’t be groggy—you’ll be ready to cross the street and hunt for the famous Khao Kha Moo (stewed pork leg).
Alternative: If you prefer a Hybrid balance, try Air Mail (22% THC). It’s perfect for travelers who want to relax but stay alert enough to check their itinerary.
3. The Night Bazaar District: HazeBuds Sridonchai
The Vibe: Neon Lights, Nightlife, and Entertainment.
Sridonchai Road connects the Old City to the Chang Klan area, home of the famous Night Bazaar. This is the entertainment district. The hotels are bigger, the lights are brighter, and the energy stays high late into the night.
If you are visiting our Sridonchai branch, you might be staying at a nearby hotel or heading to watch a Muay Thai fight. The massage scene here caters to the night owls and those looking for a slightly more polished experience.
The Neighbor: IVY Massage Health and Spa
Location: On Sridonchai Road, near our shop.
IVY Massage caters to a crowd that has been shopping at the Night Bazaar or traveling on business. It is professional, efficient, and open later than many temple-style massage schools.
The Atmosphere IVY has a modern, dimly lit interior designed to induce sleepiness immediately upon entry. The noise of the busy Sridonchai road disappears. The staff wear smart uniforms, and the service is standardized and high-quality. It feels safe and reliable—exactly what you want when you are in a new city late at night.
The Treatment: Aromatherapy Oil Massage While Thai massage is done dry with clothes on, Oil Massage is done on the skin. Sridonchai can be a dusty road with heavy traffic, so your skin might feel gritty and dry.
The Technique: This uses long, gliding strokes to push blood toward the heart, improving circulation and lymph drainage. It is much gentler than Traditional Thai massage. It is purely about relaxation and hydration.
Why it’s great post-flight: It rehydrates your skin and soothes the nervous system. If you are too sunburned or too sore for the stretching of Thai massage, this is the gentle option.
The HazeBuds Pairing: “Cashew Sundae” (Indica – 20% THC) or “OG Kush” (Indica – 23% THC) This is likely the end of your day. You want to go from the massage table straight to your hotel bed.
The Effect: We recommend Cashew Sundae. With 20% THC, it offers a smooth, creamy smoke with a relaxing body high that feels like a treat at the end of a long day. It’s not as overpowering as the Banana Melt, making it perfect for an oil massage where you want to drift in and out of consciousness gently.
For the Heavy Smoker: If you have a high tolerance and want to be knocked out, grab the Bangkok OG (Hybrid – 30%) or Super Kush (Indica – 24%). These will ensure you sleep through the night and wake up without jet lag.
Deep Dive: Understanding the “Lanna” Approach to Recovery
To truly appreciate the massage you are about to receive next door to our shops, it helps to understand the history behind it. You aren’t just getting a back rub; you are participating in a 2,500-year-old medical tradition.
Northern Thailand (the Lanna Kingdom) has a unique heritage of healing. Unlike Western massage, which focuses on anatomy and muscles, Thai massage focuses on “Sen Lines” (Energy Lines). The theory is that the body is supplied with energy (Lom) through these invisible channels. When you fly, sit for too long, or get stressed, these lines become blocked.
A blockage leads to pain and illness. The therapist’s job is not just to squish your muscles, but to unblock the flow of energy. That is why they press so hard on specific points that might not seem related to your sore back. They are opening the highway so traffic can move again.
Cannabis and The “Sen” Lines
Interestingly, ancient Thai medicine also utilized cannabis. Before it was criminalized in the 20th century, cannabis was a staple in the Thai herbal medicine cabinet, often used in soups to aid digestion or in salves for muscle pain.
By combining HazeBuds cannabis with your massage, you are actually returning to a more traditional, holistic form of Thai healing. The cannabis relaxes the mind (the Shen), while the massage repairs the body (the Jing).
Etiquette Guide: How to Be a Good Customer
We want you to have the best experience possible with our neighbors. Here are a few tips to ensure you get great service:
Cleanliness is Godliness: If you have been sweating all day, try to shower before your massage. If you can’t, most shops (like C&R and The Home) will wash your feet with warm water and lime before you begin. This is a ritual of respect.
Communicate: Thai therapists are intuitive, but they aren’t mind readers.
“Jep” = Pain/Hurt (Use this if they are going too hard).
“Bao Bao” = Gently, please.
“Nak Nak” = Harder, please (Use with caution!).
Tipping: Massage is hard physical labor. The therapists earn a commission, but tips are greatly appreciated. A standard tip is 50 to 100 Baht per hour. If they fixed a major problem for you, 200 Baht is a generous gesture that will make their day.
Don’t go too high: While we love our products, we recommend finding a “sweet spot” dosage. If you are too intoxicated, you might not be able to communicate effectively with your therapist, or you might fall asleep and miss the best parts of the massage! Ask our budtenders for a “functional” recommendation.c
Your Post-Flight Itinerary
To make it easy for you, here is a step-by-step plan for your first hours in Chiang Mai:
Drop your bags at your hotel or hostel.
Locate the nearest HazeBuds (Old City, Chiang Mai Gate, or Sridonchai).
Hydrate: Drink a bottle of water. Flying dehydrates you, and massage releases toxins that need to be flushed out.
Visit Us: Come in and tell our staff, “I just landed, and I need a massage recovery pack.” We will sort you out with the perfect strain or CBD oil.
Walk Next Door: Head to C&R, The Home, or IVY.
Disconnect: Put your phone on airplane mode (again).
Recover: Let the combination of ancient Thai healing and premium cannabis reset your body.
Chiang Mai is a magical city, but it is best enjoyed when you feel your best. Don’t let jet lag steal your first few days here. Stop by, say hello to us at HazeBuds, and let our neighbors take care of the rest.
Welcome to the slow life. Welcome to Chiang Mai.


