Chiang Mai is a historic city in northern Thailand that’s a hub of culture, cuisine, and architecture, all surrounded by natural beauty. And that variety is what makes exploring Chiang Mai such a rewarding experience.
One minute indulging in delicious Thai food or cuisines from all over the world, and the next, discovering beautifully intricate temples.
And to balance out the urban life, beautiful adventures in nature are never far away. So, you’ll notice a fair amount of the things on our list are not in the city itself, but day trips outside the city.
Chiang Mai City Arts & Cultural Center
The Chiang Mai City Arts & Cultural Center is a great museum for learning about the history of Chiang Mai and northern Thailand in general.
Admission is 90 Baht for adults ($2.78 USD) and 40 Baht for children ($1.24 USD).
The museum has a variety of interesting exhibits about Chiang Mai’s history and culture throughout various time periods.
I find that learning some background about the place you’re exploring provides added appreciation. You will gain a little perspective about how this unique city came to be.
Built in 1296, Chiang Mai is the former capital of the ancient Lanna Kingdom. Evidence of this ancient civilization can still be seen to this day, with the remains of the fortress walls, moats, and ancient religious buildings.
Explore Old Town Chiang Mai
The area in and around the ancient kingdom walls is known as Old Town, and is a must-visit when coming to Chiang Mai. It’s full of temples, restaurants, spas, markets, art, and other iconic landmarks.
It’s got old, narrow streets and is quite pedestrian-friendly for exploring on foot.
One of the most famous spots is Tha Phae Gate on the east side. Or sometimes referred to as the pigeon wall. We kind of have mixed feelings about this spot. It definitely makes for some fun photos and videos. But being swarmed by pigeons isn’t exactly our idea of fun.
You can spend a whole day or more wandering around the Old Town findings cool gems or just enjoying the scenery.
Oh, and don’t miss this Mango Sticky Rice Cart right along the Thae Pae walking street. The sweet elderly woman is always here serving up this delicious sweet treat. She is usually found on this corner.
Visit Some Temples
One of the most remarkable things to explore in Chiang Mai is the Buddhist temples. The area is scattered with so many beautiful and unique temples. And while temples often share similar characteristics, really, no two temples are exactly alike.
I made this custom map of temples in Chiang Mai, and before I started, even I didn’t realize just how many there are. Even with 60 temples on the list, I’m sure I missed some.
One thing we love about Chaing Mai is that you can basically stumble upon temples by accident.
Some temples are free to enter, while others require a small fee.
But one of the most famous temple complexes is Wat Chedi Luang. Known for its massive 15th-century Chedi monument, which remains partially crumbled from an earthquake in 1545.
But a few other temples in the city that we really enjoyed are Wat Sri Suphan (The Silver Temple) and Wat Lok Moli, Wat Chiang Man, and Wat Saen Mueang Ma Luang.
And just some important things to know about visiting temples.
Temples are active religious buildings, so you need to be respectful and follow certain guidelines.
- Dress modestly, which basically just means clothes that cover past your knees and shoulders. Though on more than one occasion, people told us shorts were okay for men.
- If you want to enter the temple, be sure to remove your footwear and hats.
- Explore quietly as to not disturb anyones religious practice.
- Don’t extend your legs pointed towards the Buddha.
- Some temples only allow men inside
- No Smoking
The dress code is easy enough to follow, but hot weather sometimes complicates things. On a hot day exploring Chaing Mai, you’re not going to want to be in pants and long sleeves.
So we usually carry a sarong or coverup to put on just in case we come across a temple we want to check out. Or having flowy linen type clothes are good. And if you don’t have your own, you can always stop into just about any store and buy the official tourist uniform of Thailand: the elephant pants!!
Visit A Night Market
Chiang Mai is known for its abundance of awesome night markets to explore. Like, you’ll instantly wish you had more room to spare in your suitcase. There are practically a dozen great markets right in Chiang Mai.
And they range from real, authentic Thai markets packed with locals and tourists alike, to some that are clearly more catered towards tourists. And some are once per week walking markets in the street, while other markets are open every night and have their own dedicated buildings.
You can peruse rows and rows of art, clothing, jewelry, housewares, and more. And you can really find some very well-made locally produced items.
But I will admit you may need to be a little discerning to sort the cheap imported junk from the true local artisan crafts.
Oh, and if something doesn’t have a price tag, the price is usually up to negotiation.
Also, some of the best food to be had in Chiang Mai is from the street vendors at these markets.
Here’s a list of some popular markets in Chiang Mai:
- Wua Lai Walking Street (Saturday Night)
- Tha Phae Walking Street (Sunday Night)
- Phapleon Market
- Chiang Mai Gate Market
- Lang Mor Night Market
- One Nimman
- White Market
- Malin Plaza
- Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
- Think Park Night Market
- Share Market @morespace
- Kalare Night Bazaar
- Chiang Mai University Night Market
- Chang Phuak Gate Night Market – Food Stalls
Use this map to explore the different markets around the city.
Get Some Khao Soi
It might be weird to put a single Thai dish on our list, but that’s just how much we love Khao Soi!
And while the dish has spread to other parts of Thailand and around the world. There’s no better place to get it than right here in Northern Thailand, where it originated.
And it’s hands down our favorite Thai dish. It’s a coconut curry noodle soup, typically served with egg noodles, a chicken drumstick, and garnished with red onion, pickles, cilantro, and crispy fried noodles.
When it’s at its best, the creamy, rich broth is like a flavor explosion, contrasted with the crunchy texture of the fried noodles and the sour bite of the pickles. And chicken so fall-off-the-bone that even our pathetic chopstick skills are plenty good enough.
And for what it’s worth, you can get Khao Soi with other protein options or vegetarian.
I’m sure there are dozens of great restaurants around Chiang Mai to get Khao Soi, but a few places we tried and really enjoyed are Huen Muan Jai and Garden To Table.
But that being said, I’ve never had a Khao Soi I didn’t like!!
Spend A Day Exploring West Of The City
One of the best things about Chiang Mai is all the cool adventures to be had just outside the city. And you don’t even need to go far to quickly leave the buzz of city life behind for the tranquility of the forests, rivers, and mountains.
There are a number of interesting sites just west of the city, that are fun to explore for the day.
One highlight for us was renting motorbikes and driving up the road to Doi Suthep. A huge Buddhist temple grounds famous for its dragon staircase, glimmering gold stuppa, and sweeping views of the city.
But honestly, Doi Suthep, while gorgeous, can be a little overwhelmingly touristy. So I really enjoyed the other temple we stumbled upon on the way up, Wat Pha Lat. It’s really tucked into the forest, and just has this incredible ‘reclaimed by nature’ feeling.
And there’s plenty of other things to explore up this road, other temples, viewpoints, waterfalls, hiking trails, and more. And if you don’t feel like driving yourself, there are plenty of tours or taxis that make the trip daily. But you have a little less freedom to explore on your own.
And a couple of other nice places to check out at the western edge of the city are Wat Umong, a monument built above underground tunnels, the Angkeaw Reservoir, and the Huai Kaeo Arboretum.
Visit The Elephant Nature Park
This is another can’t-miss day trip from Chiang Mai. Seeing Elephants up close is an almost unbelievable experience that should be on everyone’s Thailand Itinerary.
And Elephant Nature Park has been a leader for decades in promoting ethical elephant tourism. And guiding Thailand’s elephant tourism away from the harmful and cruel practices used to turn these majestic animals into submissive photo ops for tourists.
Because sadly, there is a dark side to Thailand’s elephant tourism, and it’s important that you support the right organizations. Especially stay away from anything that involves riding them, circus tricks, or anything that feels orchestrated for the amusement of humans.
So just be careful when signing up for tours that include elephant experiences, because you may end up supporting the wrong places by accident. Because people are commonly still brought to these places, and then feel guilty and misled that their money went to supporting elephant abuse.
Elephant Nature Park is one of the best ethical places to see and learn about elephants.
They have taken in over 100 elephants into their care, many of whom are physically injured and/or socially from a life of torture. But that makes your heart melt when seeing the elephants enjoying their new, better life here.
Nothing about the elephants’ behavior is forced for the visitors’ enjoyment. You simply get to enjoy observing the elephants living normally. You can take your picture with a few exceptionally friendly elephants, but it’s very much on their terms.
The elephants here are given open range of the property, forming social groups, playing in the mud, and cooling off in the river.
The blind elephants make friends who help guide them around the property, and the baby elephants find foster parents willing and able to nurture them. It’s really sooo heartwarming.
This is the tour we booked that includes transportation from Chiang Mai.
Do A Thai Cooking Class
Joining a cooking class is the most fun way to expand your horizons and participate in actually making Thai favorites yourself. And it can also introduce you to other dishes you might not be familiar with.
It helped us come a long way from being the tourist who comes to Thailand and only ever orders Pad Thai. And no shade to Pad Thai, but there are so many more delicious dishes you are missing out on if that’s all you know.
Our personal favorites are Panang Curry, Massaman Curry, Tom Kha Soup, and of course, the aforementioned Khao Soi.
We highly recommend booking the same class we did because it was very fun and informative.
First, we were guided through a market and purchased ingredients for our meals. And having someone show you around one of these markets helps make them a little less intimidating the next time.
One of the best parts about this class is that we each got to select several different dishes to make. Honestly, it was basically too much food by the time we were eating our last dish.
And they shared with us a digital booklet of recipes, so you can make some of your favorites at home. Though I should say, sometimes it’s hard to find all the exact ingredients at your home store. But there’s usually some decent substitutes.
Explore The Nimman Neighborhood
This is the newer trendy district in Chiang Mai. Packed with excellent cafes, restaurants, and shopping. It’s located just between the Old City and the University. There’s a little bit of something for everyone here, and you’ll probably find your own favorites. But here are some of our favorite spots
One Nimman is a gorgeous shopping center that’s definitely worth exploring. There are lots of shops selling a wide variety of goods. The first floor has some really unique shops. And the second floor is a large market with all kinds of vendors, again selling everything from cheap souvenirs to really unique custom artwork, clothing, jewelry, and more.
It’s especially nice in the evenings when the outdoor square has the street food vendors, and sometimes live music. And then on the street behind, they also have the pop-up White Market. Which hosts lots of true artisan crafts, clothing, and more.
One of the restaurants in Nimman that we really liked is Okada Izakaya. This type of lively Japanese restaurant is really fun to visit with friends. They are known for the casual service style, where you continually order small share plates and drinks over many rounds.
Doi Inthanon National Park
Doi Inthanon National Park is another incredible day trip, about 1.5 hours from Chiang Mai. Featuring the tallest mountain in Thailand, waterfalls, hiking trails, incredible views, rice terraces, and more.
The mountains can provide great weather for outdoor exploration. But be prepared for some muddy trails and cooler temperatures.
Something to be aware of is that there is an admission fee to the park, but also fees per vehicle, and then individual fees for the most popular attractions. So it’s a little annoying to have to break out your wallet for every little thing. And have plenty of cash on hand, because most things were cash-only, if I remember correctly.
Entrance Fee per person = 300B
Car Fee = 30B
Motorbike Fee = 20B
Twin Pagodas = 150B
Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail = 200B (for guide)
Pha Doc Siew Trail = 200B (for guide)
Cars can actually drive all the way to the summit of Doi Inthanon. At the summit, there is a short loop trail through the forest.
The park elevation ranges from 400ft to over 2,500ft above sea level. Which creates a variety of different forest types and biodiversity. At the highest elevations in the park, you enter into the Cloud Forest. A rare tropical rainforest biome with persistent clouds and fog that only makes up about 1% of all woodlands worldwide. So if you go expecting views from the mountaintops, just know that cloud cover is very likely.
But if you do get lucky with a clear day, for the best views in the park, I recommend the Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail. This loop trail takes about an hour and a half and passes through lush forest before reaching a grassy ridge with possibly the best views in the entire park. The trail requires a guide for each group for 200 Baht. Personally, the guide provided little additional value to our experience. But you don’t have a choice.
The Royal Pagodas are another popular attraction in the park. They are surrounded by beautifully manicured gardens, though the flower beds weren’t all blooming when we visited. There is a separate parking lot where you pay a separate entry fee and take the shuttle over.
Wachirathan Waterfall is an easily accessible attraction. You can already see the waterfall from the parking lot. But be warned, this waterfall will get you soaked if you hang out too long. But the cool mist can be refreshing on a hot day.
Another, arguably more impressive waterfall we checked out is Mae Ya Waterfall. It’s nearly an hour detour from the main section of the park and requires a short hike to reach. So, going here will eat up a substantial amount of time. But it is one of the bigger and more impressive waterfalls I’ve ever seen.
Here’s a link to all the best trails in Doi Inthanon National Park.
And keep in mind that all these things I’ve mentioned are pretty much the most popular things to do in the park. So here are some less popular spots if you are worried about crowds, or want to find a little more solitude in the park:
- Pha dok siew (Guided hike with multiple waterfalls to Mae Klang Luang Village)
- Huai Sai Lueang Waterfall
- Visit a Coffee Farm
- Sirithan Waterfall
- Siriphum Waterfall
The best ways to visit the park are by driving yourself, hiring a private driver, or joining a tour group.
For driving yourself, I would recommend a car over a motorbike. But that’s just because, personally, we don’t like spending hours on a motorbike on highways.
We had 3 people, so hiring a private driver for 3200 Baht ($98.77 USD) for the day felt like the best balance of price and experience. We got to choose our own itinerary and spend as much or as little time as we wanted at each stop.
Group tours are probably the cheapest way to visit the park, but you definitely trade away some freedom. We will leave a link to some tours in the description.
And just remember to consider if any of the National Park fees are included in tours when comparing prices.
The park is home to a huge variety of plants and animals, with many different biomes that change with elevation.
Visit A Rooftop for Sunset
There are a handful of rooftop bars and restaurants in Chiang Mai. Being surrounded by mountains, Chiang Mai is an amazing place to visit a rooftop bar.
We love going to these places about an hour before sunset for drinks or dinner. And obviously, this is somewhat weather-dependent. But at least for us, we have had great luck with beautiful sunsets a few times.
One that we liked the most is called Barglory. They have a beautiful west-facing rooftop with a pool, full bar, and food menu, and even a live DJ to set the mood.
But here’s a list of a few others around the city you could check out:
- Arise Rooftop
- Mai The Sky Bar
- Tha Pae Grill
Where To Stay In Chiang Mai, Thailand
Choosing where to stay in Chiang Mai really depends on the type of trip you want. The city is fairly compact, but different neighborhoods have completely different vibes, from historic temples inside the Old City to trendy café districts and quiet riverside resorts.
Personally, we like staying in the northwest area of Chiang Mai, close enough to easily visit the Old City but also near the trendy Nimman neighborhood.
Below are a few of the best areas to stay in Chiang Mai depending on your travel style:
- Old City (Central) – Best for temples, street food, and walkable sightseeing.
- Nimman (Northwest) – Trendy cafes, restaurants, and digital nomad hub.
- Night Bazaar (Southeast) – Night markets, shopping, and nightlife.
- Riverside (East) – Quiet stays with boutique hotels and riverfront restaurants.
Use the map below to find the perfect accommodation for your trip.
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