Top 15 things to do in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai, the 'Rose of the North,' is one of the best destinations for the active traveler. There are so many great things to see and do! We have been living in Chiang Mai for over five years and seen a lot of the city and province. By now, we know the best day tours and places to go. Let us take you on a journey of the top activities in Chiang Mai to help you plan the best trip possible!
Chiang Dao
Chiang Dao is our favorite town in Chiang Mai province. Chiang Dao means the city of stars and a short 60 km ride north of Chiang Mai city. It’s hardly a city, though; a pleasant sleepy town is a more accurate description. The town is out of the way enough to not have mass tourism, and most resorts, hotels, and guesthouses are situated outside the town, near the Chiang Dao cave. A beautiful temple to visit is Wat Tham Pha Plong, but for a fantastic view, you should go to the Golden Temple.
Located on the foot of the Doi Luang Chiang Dao mountain and surrounded by jungle, the town is the jump-off point of some of the best trekking in Thailand. You can climb the mountain, but also hike some excellent nature trails that wind around the hills and valleys. You can rent a motorbike and drive up the mountain yourself, enjoying the view and cold air (bring a warm jacket if you go in the winter!) but you can also opt for an organized trek.
We organize one-day and two-day treks in Chiang Dao with our experienced guides, and these are available every day. The trekking tours depart from Chiang Mai or Chiang Dao and will see you trek through the lush green jungle around Chiang Dao’s Doi Luang, the 3rd highest mountain in Thailand. You will be able to learn about local plants, coffee plantations, and wildlife and visit the hill-tribes in the area. The two-day trek includes an overnight stay at the house of the guide in a tiny mountainside village.
Doi Inthanon National Park
When you want to escape from the heat in Chiang Mai, Doi Inthanon is where you want to go. On the summit, the temperature will be as low as between 5 and 15 degrees Celsius, depending on the season and weather. Doi Inthanon is Thailand’s highest mountain and a top-rated destination for locals for precisely this reason. It is also a beautiful nature park with some of the prettiest nature trails of Northern Thailand.
Doi Inthanon National Park is about a 1,5-hour drive south of Chiang Mai. The best time to visit Doi Inthanon is during winter (between November and February) because of the clear skies and, therefore, amazing views. Popular spots in Doi Inthanon national park are the summit, the beautiful King and Queen Pagoda’s, and some of the many waterfalls, such as the impressive Wachirathan waterfall.
To get the full experience of Doi Inthanon National Park, we recommend a day tour that includes trekking on the mountainside. Trekking, for example, the Pha Dok Siew Nature Trail (two hours), which will take you through forest and rice fields, next to waterfalls and includes spectacular views of the mountainside and a visit to the White Karen hill-tribe, where you drink coffee fresh from their plantation.
Read our full Doi Inthanon blog HERE.
Temples
With dozens of temples within the old city walls and hundreds spread out in Chiang Mai province, it is not hard to find one. More difficult is to find the right ones and to make a temple tour because it can be overwhelming, and you don’t want to miss the best ones. The ancient Wat Chedi Luang, the golden stupa at Wat Phra Singh, and the fantastic views from Wat Phra That Doi Suthep are all must-visits when in Chiang Mai, but there is so much more. Check out our temple blog to make your city temple walking tour much more comfortable and informative.
Doi Suthep
The mountain overlooking Chiang Mai city is called Doi Suthep. Legend has it that an ancient king decided to build a temple after his white elephant chose the site. The temple, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, is a beautiful complex of buildings and statues that attracts flocks of Buddhist worshipers all year, but especially during religious holidays. From the old city, it is easy to catch a Songthaew (red cab) up the mountain to the temple, for as little as 60 Baht.
But why not make a hike of it? Before there was a road, there was the Pilgrims Trail, and it is still there. You find the start right at the foot of the mountain, next to the Chiang Mai Zoo Entrance 2. It is about a 4,5 km trek that winds up the slope under a green canopy, as you follow the orange strips of cloth tied around the trees. Halfway, you cross a little bridge and find Wat Pha Lat: the temple on the waterfall. Further up, when taking a breather or having a snack, you can enjoy some great views of the city and the surrounding country-side.
Probably the best way to visit Wat Doi Suthep is at night. The golden temple lights up beautifully at night, and the view over Chiang Mai in the darkness is magical. We offer a special night-tour that also includes a visit to Wat Umong (the Tunnel Temple). The monks built these tunnels to meditate.
Rafting
Have you ever gone rafting? It is incredibly fun! Especially during and just after the rainy season, the rivers are full, putting the white; in white-water rafting. Paddling down the river at top speed, with an expert guide in the boat to keep things safe is one of those adventures you shouldn’t say no to. Especially when you can have them in such beautiful surroundings as the jungles around Chiang Mai.
The rafting day tour we offer includes transportation, guides, equipment, lunch, and a visit to the Phachee waterfall, where you can jump and slide down from the cliffs and, of course, swim below.
Night Bazaar and the Street Markets
Street markets are a part of Thai culture. Traditionally, the markets allow people from the province to offer their produce and wares for sale in the city. Yes, some of the markets in Chiang Mai attract a lot of tourists, but that doesn’t mean they cater to just tourists. To visit a “Walking Street”; such as the excellent one you find in Chiang Mai is a typical Thai thing.
There are several night markets and traditional shopping centers; in Chiang Mai, in and around the old city. Probably the most well-known one is the Sunday-night Night Market (the Sunday-night Walking Street). Near the end of the afternoon, vendors start setting up their stalls on and around Rachadamnoen Road, which leads to the Tha Pae gate. You will find delicious food, clothes, hand-made jewelry and statues, and other accessories for sale. The market keeps going until about 11 pm. Similarly, you can find the Saturday Night market outside the south gate of the old city on Wualai Road.
The Night Bazaar and the surrounding area is something else; it is a physical complex of shops and food places located close to the river. As the name suggests, it comes alive at night, with the main market popping up every night on the sidewalk of Changklan road, between Tha Pae road and the Pantip Plaza shopping center. The bazaar itself features shops, a food court, and bars, some of which have live music. Don’t forget to visit the hilarious ladyboy show located inside the Anusarn Night bazaar. This cabaret show starts at 9:30 pm, and the admission fee is 350 Baht per person.
Elephant Sanctuaries
The most popular thing to do in Chiang Mai is to visit one of the elephant sanctuaries, and rightly so. Elephants are amazing and impressive animals, not because of their size but because of their intelligence and characters. Elephants and humans have been living and working together for centuries in Chiang Mai province and Thailand, but the animals have often drawn the short end of the stick. However, there is and has been a growing awareness that elephants deserve and need better treatment.
Elephant sanctuaries make that possible. Many elephants now live better lives with enough food, health care, social lives, and space to do what they want. Elephant sanctuaries allow tourists to visit and learn about the elephants and, in this way, support the sanctuaries financially. You can visit them ethically in parks like Elephant Nature Park, Happy Elephant Home, Into the Wild Elephant Camp, Elephant Freedom Village, and Maeklang Elephant Conservation Community.
Read our full blog about what ethical elephant sanctuaries are and do HERE.
Waterfalls
The natural beauty of Thailand is undoubtedly one of the reasons you are traveling here. For us, some of the most beautiful natural spots around Chiang Mai are its waterfalls. The soothing sound of water, the cool mist in the air, and of course, a refreshing dive: what is not to like?
When driving your self or using a red cab, there are several worthwhile waterfalls to visit nearby Chiang Mai. Two of the locally famous ones at Mae Sa and Bua Thong. The Mae Sa waterfall is located in Doi Suthep National Park, close by Chiang Mai. It has ten different ‘levels’ or steps, each with its marker. There are many pools to bathe in and some great platforms to take excellent photos. The Bua Thong waterfall is also called the ‘sticky waterfalls’ because of unique minerals in the water. The effect of these minerals is that you can walk up the waterfall because the stones are ‘sticky’ and not slippery at all! It’s a great morning/afternoon of fun and a real one of a kind experience. Alternatively, there are several tours we offer that include travel arrangements that allow you to some ‘waterfall hopping’. Like our trekking in Mae Wang and our trips to the Sticky Waterfalls. Read more about the waterfalls of Chiang Mai in our waterfall blog.
Zipline
Zipline? What is that exactly? Ziplining is an adventure activity high up in the trees. You will zip from tree platform to tree platform using a long cable. A fascinating way to view the jungle from above. Over the years, ziplining became a real Chiang Mai ‘thing’ The rolling hills and high trees in the jungle nearby are a perfect setting for this adrenaline- pumping activity. There are quite a few zipline tours on offer in Chiang Mai, and our favorite is Jungle Flight. They have a zipline of 1000 meters, the longest in Thailand! Got excited? You can read more in our Zipline Blog.
Trekking
Trekking is the second most popular thing to do in Chiang Mai. The green rolling hills surrounding our beautiful city have hundreds of hiking trails waiting to be explored. The lush Mae Wang National Park with its rice paddies, waterfalls, and Karen villages, off the beaten path Chiang Dao with its mountains and coffee plantations or the pretty trails in the fantastic Doi Inthanon National Park. Our guides cover it all. Read more about all the options in our extended trekking blog.
Chiangmai Boxing Stadium
Muay Thai is the national sport of Thailand. Even if you are not into professional martial arts, seeing a Muay Thai match is part of the experience of visiting Thailand. The best place to do this in Chiang Mai is at Chiang Mai Boxing Stadium. It is where the locals go, where they still take traditions seriously, and where you will see the best fighters and talents perform their art.
There are fights from Monday till Saturday night, starting at 9 pm until midnight. The evening begins with talents and slowly builds up to the main fights. Match 4 and 5 are usually the best professional fighters, so don’t walk out disappointed after the 3rd fight. Part of the fun is betting on fights. Though PM Tours, of course, does not condone betting, you can test your luck (or knowledge?) betting on the fights with the Thai guys in the crowd.
Read our full blog about Muay Thai at Chiang Mai Boxing Stadium HERE.
Thai Cooking Class
Thai cuisine is famous for its curry’s, Pad Thai, stir-fried dishes, and spicy salads (like papaya salad). You may have tried your hand at Thai cooking at home, but why not learn from the experts? Learn the basics of Thai cuisine in Chiang Mai at one of the many cookery schools and surprise your friends and family at home with a delicious self-made dish!
The Northern Thailand food culture is called Lanna (after the ancient Lanna Kingdom) and offers some great original dishes. One of our favorites is probably Khao Soi, a great-tasting noodle curry. Want to eat Khao Soi in Chiang Mai? Find out where by reading our dedicated Khao Soi BLOG.
Cooking classes can be taken for a half or a whole day and therefore can include a ‘shopping lesson’ at the local market. They are a lot of fun, and of course, you get to eat some delicious food. Plus, when you book one with us, you get a Thai recipe book for free!
Mae Ngat Dam Lake
You can find this giant freshwater reservoir about 55 kilometers north-east from Chiang Mai in Sri Lanna National park. The lake was created by the damming of the Mae Ngat River and is a beautiful place to relax. It’s an excellent place for swimming, fishing, kayaking, and chilling at one of the houseboats floating in the middle of the lake.
You can even spend the night here, but we have to warn that the accommodation is basic. Mass tourism hasn’t touched this place yet. That’s also why it is one of our favorite spots to come with friends for a day of swimming and relaxing while eating and having drinks. Go here during the week, and you will have the whole lake for yourself. During the weekends, it can get quite busy with Thai families. It is a fantastic experience to go kayaking on the lake, and that’s why we offer an organized kayaking tour on the Mae Ngat Dam Lake, leaving daily from Chiang Mai city.
Samoeng loop by motorbike
This 100-kilometer loop around Doi Suthep and Doi Pui mountain is one of the best motorbike routes in Northern Thailand. Starting at the northern Chang Phuak gate in the old city, you will ride up to Mae Rim and follow the winding road to Samoeng. You will ride past many exciting places like the Mae Sa waterfall, Queen Sirikit Botanical garden, Orchid farms, and the X-center where you can go bungee jumping and do many other adventure sports. Have a delicious Thai lunch at one of the riverside restaurants and drink coffee at little coffee shops with fantastic mountain views. You can finish your day at the Grand Canyon in Hang Dong, where you can swim and jump off the cliffs.
We highly recommend Cat Motors to rent a motorbike and also advise everyone to wear proper gear, helmets and to carry an international motorbike license.
Three-day highlights of Chiang Mai
Most people visit Chiang Mai for three days. Although we believe three days is too short, you can still visit most of the highlights if you plan your stay thoroughly. We have made a Three Day Chiang Mai highlight blog for you to be able to enjoy our city to the fullest and to get the most out of your stay in the Rose of the North. Check it out by clicking on the link below.
