What to see and do in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand

Chiang Mai is very easy to reach. It has an international airport, several buses run from the south of the country to Chiang Mai, and it also has a train station.

You can find all the options and see prices on 12go.asia, a website we use to buy all our transfers around Asia.

We went from Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai by bus. The trip felt a bit long, about 12 hours, but it was pretty cheap.

The best time to visit Chiang Mai is during the cool season, from November to February. During these months, temperatures are pleasant, with lower humidity and dry weather.

One of the standout events is the Festival of Lights (Loy Krathong and Yi Peng), which is usually held in November and is a spectacular experience, with thousands of lanterns lighting up the night sky. This also used to happen on Western New Year, but it was recently banned. It still goes on anyway, just not as such a big celebration.

We recommend avoiding the agricultural burning season, which usually falls in March and April, when air quality can be very poor because of the fires in the fields.

1. Wat Doi Suthep

This is one of the most sacred temples in Chiang Mai. It sits about 12 km from the old city, high up on a mountain (Doi Suthep – “doi” = mountain / “wat” = temple).

To reach the temple, you have to climb about 300 steps. It's an extremely long staircase flanked by two dragons. Impressive!

The grounds are quite large, with several viewpoints, places to pray and temples.

• Open from 5am to 9pm
• Entrance fee: 30 baht

Tip: Go as early as you can to avoid the tourists and see the monks praying. The first time, we went at midday, and it was definitely the worst time to visit the most touristy place in the city. The second time, we went at 6 in the morning and had it to ourselves, and we also got to see the monks pray.

There are different ways to get to the temple. We took a songthaew for 80 baht; you can also go by Grab or motorbike. Songthaews usually take you as far as the zoo (30 baht), at the foot of the mountain, and from there you take another one to the temple (40 baht). By songthaew, it takes about 1 hour from the area around the city wall.

If you have time, there are several hiking trails from Doi Suthep mountain. That's also where you'll find Wat Phra Lat temple, set in the middle of nature. You can reach it by hiking the Monk Trail, which takes about 40 minutes, or you can ask your driver to drop you off at the entrance.

2. Doi Inthanon National Park

The national park is 100 km from the city and is one of the most important in Thailand. Mount Inthanon, at 2,565 m (8,415 ft), is the highest mountain in the country, which is why it's also known as the roof of Thailand. The mountain is named after King Inthawichayanon, who worked very hard to conserve the forests of northern Thailand.

What to see in the national park

• Wachirathan Waterfall: The park is known for its beautiful, spectacular waterfalls. This is one of them, and it's easy to reach by car. It has a drop of about 80 meters.
• Hike in the park: We did the Kiu Mae Pan hike and loved it! It takes between 2 and 3 hours, and you have to do it with a local guide. The trail passes through semi-jungle forest and waterfalls, and you get to enjoy nature in a spectacular way. The views along the trail are really beautiful.
• Twin Pagodas: Almost at the top of Mount Inthanon are the twin pagodas, built to honor the 60th birthdays of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (in 1987) and Queen Sirikit Kitiyakara (in 1992). Besides the pagodas and the incredible views, there are some really nice gardens!

We did this trip on a tour we booked in Chiang Mai. It lasts all day and also includes a visit to a village and a market. You can book the group tour or, if there are several of you, take the chance to get a private one here.

You can also go on your own, but we preferred the tour, since the park is quite far from Chiang Mai.

We recommend bringing warm clothes, since the temperature drops a lot up on the mountain.

3. Wat Phra Singh

This is another of Chiang Mai's most important and revered temples. It's inside the walled city. This Buddhist temple was built in 1345. It has a huge golden pagoda and a very important Buddha image (during the Thai New Year celebrations, the statue is taken out of the temple and carried in a procession through the streets of the city).

• Open from 6am to 8pm
• Entrance fee: 50 baht

4. Wat Chedi Luang

This temple is also inside the walled city. It has a huge 50-meter stupa in a style that mixes Sukhothai and Burmese. Originally, though, it stood 80 meters tall and housed the famous Emerald Buddha. The grounds also have a beautiful reclining Buddha to see and a large standing Buddha.

• Open from 6am to 6pm
• Entrance fee: 40 baht

5. Wat Chiang Man

This is the oldest temple in all of Chiang Mai, founded by King Phaya Mengrai in 1296. It's in the northeast of the walled old city, and it stands out for its pagoda with elephant statues.

• Admission is free.

6. Visit an elephant sanctuary

One of the most common things to do in Chiang Mai is to visit an elephant sanctuary. It's very important to pay close attention when choosing which one to go to, since many call themselves “sanctuaries” but actually aren't.

We found this video from IATI that explains very well how to responsibly choose an elephant sanctuary to visit in Thailand.

7. Get lost in the walled city & Night Market

One of the best ways to get to know the walled city is to wander aimlessly. It's full of markets, temples, shops and cafés. Don't forget to try khao soi, the typical dish of the north. If you're looking for jewelry or silver goods, Chiang Mai is a great place for them, since it's known for its high-quality handicrafts and unique designs.

If your stay happens to include a Sunday, make the most of it and go to the night market, a huge market that sets up in the walled city.

Another way to get to know the temples and the history is on a free walking tour with a Spanish-speaking guide, like this one.

Look at the place we found on our aimless walks.

8. Day trip to Chiang Rai to see its temples

If you aren't planning to visit Chiang Rai, you can take a day trip to see its unusual temples. They include:

• Wat Rong Khun (the White Temple)
• Wat Rong Suea Ten (the Blue Temple)
• Wat Huay Pla Kang
• Wat Rong Khun (the Black Temple)

You can choose this group tour or, if there are several of you, as there were of us, take the chance to do it privately.

9. Wax monks

One thing that really left us curious after Chiang Mai was all the wax monks we saw in its temples. From what we found online, they depict important monks in Thai culture who have passed away.

The detail on these sculptures is incredible! It took us a good while to realize they weren't real monks.

10. Wat Sri Suphan

This temple is completely covered in silver, aluminum and nickel. It's quite small but has hundreds of details. Only men can enter the prayer hall.

• Open from 6am to 5pm.
• Entrance fee: 50 baht

11. Wat Umong

The temple's name translates as “Temple of the Tunnels and the Garden of the Buddha Dhamma.” It's a forest temple to the west of the city of Chiang Mai, with meditation tunnels and caves with several Buddha images. The temple is over 700 years old.

It's also a famous meditation center. If you're interested in spending a day or a week on this practice, Wat Umong could be a good place to do it.

• Open from 6am to 6pm.

12. Wat Suan Dok

It's outside the city wall. The temple has several small white stupas and a larger golden one. Since it isn't so well known, there are hardly any tourists.

• Open from 6am to 9pm.
• Admission is free.

One thing to keep in mind when deciding where to stay in Chiang Mai is the layout of the city. The old part is clearly set apart from the new part, since it's walled. You can see this better below:

The nightlife, the night market, most of the restaurants and bars, and many temples are in the old part. In other words, it's the most touristy area, and for that reason it's one of the best areas to stay in.