Chiang Mai Travelers Recommend

The verdant hills surrounding cosmopolitan Chiang Mai have long been dotted with hill tribe villages of Thailand’s many ethnic minorities. Visiting one or more of these rural outposts has become a quintessential northern Thailand experience. Here’s what you need to know about the region’s diverse peoples.

Karen Village

Originally from Myanmar, the Karen is the largest hill tribe group in Thailand, with a population of about half a million. A subgroup of the Karen, known as the Padaung or Long Neck Karen, are perhaps the most famous local hill tribe due to the heavy brass rings the women wear around their necks.

Hmong Village

Residing throughout northern Thailand and southern China, the Hmong have long been a fiercely independent group. Today, they live in mountainous areas and are known for their elaborately embroidered black jackets and hemp batik pleated skirts.

Lahu Village

Originally from the Tibetan highlands, the Lahu build their houses on high stilts. Most villages, which are often quite remote, have a central temple where a village guardian spirit is worshipped. Women traditionally wear black and red jackets, while the men don baggy green pants.

Mien Village

The Mien tribe, which originally comes from China and is also known as the Yao, is known for its silversmithing and embroidery. The tribe’s impressive traditional dress includes long black jackets with red lapels worn over intricately embroidered pants.

Akha Village

Ceremonial gates mark the entrance to each Akha village, where the houses sit on low stilts with steeply pitched roofs. The Akha are well-known for their elaborate headdresses decorated with silver coins, silver balls, seashells, and red taffeta.

Lisu Village

Hailing from eastern Tibet, the Lisu live mainly between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son. Extended families reside in bamboo houses, and the women often wear traditional knee-length tunics and bright multicolored hats.

Three days in Chiang Mai gives you enough time for a diverse array of Northern Thailand experiences, from touring Buddhist temples and night markets to adventuring in the outdoors. You even have time for a day trip outside the city. Here’s how to spend the ultimate 36 hours in Chiang Mai.

Day 1: Essential Chiang Mai

One of the best ways to get your bearings in a new city is on a guided sightseeing tour. Spend your first day in Chiang Mai exploring the historic heart of the city with a local guide. Within the crumbling old city walls are more than 30 Buddhist temples plus parks, museums, and monuments. Visit the gold-encrusted Wat Phra Singh to see the city’s most revered Buddha statue, and then continue to Wat Chedi Luang to see the ruins of a 15th century stupa carved with stone elephants. Don't miss a climb to the top of Doi Suthep Temple. To get your blood pumping, opt for a cycling tour; you’ll cover more ground and see some of the countryside beyond the city walls. After a day of sightseeing, spend your evening exploring the city’s famous night bazaar in search of trinkets to bring home and street foods to fill your stomach.

Day 2: Outdoor Adventure

Chiang Mai attracts outdoor adventurers from around the globe with its myriad opportunities for recreation. Spend the day learning about ethical elephant conservation at one of several nearby sanctuaries, go on a zipline through the rain forests of Northern Thailand, conquer the rapids of the Ping River, or trek through the jungle to visit one of the region’s hill tribes. Many tours combine two or more of these activities. If you prefer something more laid-back, spend your second day in Chiang Mai learning to prepare traditional local cuisine in a hands-on cooking class or unwinding with a Thai massage and spa package. No matter what you choose, end your day at a ringside Muay Thai boxing match, one of Thailand’s most popular sports.

Day 3: Temples of Chiang Rai

Now that you’ve had a couple of days to experience the best of Chiang Mai, it’s time to head further afield to enjoy more of Northern Thailand. One of the most popular day trips from Chiang Mai is to Chiang Rai, home of the glistening White Temple (Wat Rong Khun). Depending on the trip you choose, an excursion to Chiang Rai might include a long-tail boat ride on the Khong River or a chance to visit the Golden Triangle at the borders of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. Back in Chiang Mai, wind down your day with a traditional khantoke dinner show. This ceremonial-style Northern Thai meal consists of small plates served at a low table. Watch a series of Thai dance performances as you eat.

With 48 hours to spend in Chiang Mai, you have enough time to wander the historic streets of the walled city, tour the region’s famous Buddhist wats and temples, shop the street markets, and even pick up a new skill to take home with you. Read up on our tips for how to make the most of your two days in Chiang Mai.

Day 1: City Sightseeing

**Morning:**Start with a sightseeing tour of the former Lanna kingdom capital. Cover more ground faster on two wheels on a bike tours through the historic streets of Chiang Mai as you roll past temples, markets, and museums. Alternately, explore the walled city on foot.

**Afternoon:**The countryside surrounding Chiang Mai is dotted with quiet temples, wats, and pagodas, some thousands of years old. Visit several of them on a temple-themed tour. Most tours stop at the famous Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, but consider a visit to Wat Chiang Man, Wat Phrasing, and Wat Chedi Luang. 

**Night:**After a day of sightseeing, treat your tastebuds to the flavors of Northern Thailand on a street food tour through a night market. With the help of a local foodie, sample several favorite traditional dishes, including Thai curry, sticky rice, skewered meats, fresh fruit, and sweet treats.

Day 2: Thai Culture

**Morning:**Chiang Mai is famous for its elephants, and it’s possible to observe these giants while helping to ensure their well-being at an elephant conservation park. On a visit, you learn about elephant behaviors while feeding and caring for the animals under the supervision of caretakers. 

**Afternoon:**Many a visitor comes away from Thailand in love with the cuisine. Take the flavors home after spending an afternoon in a Thai cooking class. Most classes include a trip to a local market, as well as time to prepare and eat several traditional dishes.

**Night:**Finish your trip to Chiang Mai with a bang by booking a seat for Thailand’s national sport, Muay Thai boxing. Opt for a basic admission ticket, or upgrade to ringside seats with a chance to have your photo taken with the match champions.

Seeing an elephant in Thailand has long been a favorite of adventurous travelers, and visiting a Chiang Mai elephant conservation camp gets you close to the magnificent animals while ensuring their preservation and well-being. Here are some of the best ways to experience elephant conservation in Chiang Mai.

Baanchang Elephant Park

The privately owned and operated Baanchang Elephant Park cares for its elephants in a natural habitat with elephant welfare as a top priority. Visitors to the park get an introduction to the behaviors and lifestyles of Asian elephants, while learning how to use signals to communicate with them much like a traditional mahout, or elephant trainer.

Lanna Kingdom Elephant Sanctuary

Situated next to a river and rice paddies in rural Northern Thailand near Chiang Mai City, Lanna Kingdom Elephant Sanctuary rescues elephants from circuses and inhumane riding camps, giving them a place to roam freely. Visitors to the sanctuary can interact with the majestic mammals by learning to feed them, walk them for exercise, or make them vitamin balls, all under expert supervision.

Kindred Spirit Elephant Sanctuary

The not-for-profit Kindred Spirit Elephant Sanctuary works with local communities to rescue elephants, allowing them to roam in a semi-wild environment. This facility offers a unique opportunity book a volunteer experience at the sanctuary, where daily activities might include researching behaviors of elephants in their natural environment, taking part in community outreach programs, and learning about traditional hill tribe culture through a homestay program. 

Elephant Nature Park

Elephant Nature Park, an elephant rescue and rehabilitation center, provides a natural habitat for rescued elephants, buffaloes, dogs, and cats to heal and live out their lives in peace and comfort. The park offers a variety of visitor and volunteer programs to learn about the conservation work while interacting with the elephant herd.

Chiang Mai, Thailand’s second city, is a blend of ancient temples, modern hotels, busy night markets, and some of the country’s most crave-worthy cuisine. Whether you’re looking for an active vacation or relaxing getaway, there’s much to do. Here are some suggestions for how to spend 24 hours in the former Lanna kingdom.

Morning: Essential Chiang Mai

Start your day in Chiang Mai with a breakfast of pad thai followed by a walking tour of the walled city. Explore some of the city’s most famous Buddhist wats and temples, markets, and lively streets. To cover more ground, opt for a cycling tour, which allows you to go beyond the city walls to take in some of Chiang Mai’s ancient ruins and serene landscapes. 

Afternoon: Adventure or Relaxation

Now that you have your bearings in the city, get out and stretch your legs at one of Chiang Mai’s most famous attractions, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Most tours to this temple on a mountain just outside Chiang Mai include visits to other area temples and hill tribe villages, or a hike in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. If you’re in the mood for something more relaxing, opt for a traditional Thai massage instead. Options include couples massages, foot reflexology, or a traditional full-body massage.

Night: Night Market

Chiang Mai is famous for its night markets, and even the shortest trips wouldn’t be complete without a visit. The most colorful mix of shops and stalls can be found at the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, where the atmosphere remains lively from sundown to around midnight. Do some shopping and fill up on Thai street food at some of the market’s many stalls. The choice can be overwhelming, so join a street food tour to sample several local favorites—noodles, dumplings, stewed pork, and sweets—with insight from a foodie guide.

You haven’t truly been to Chiang Mai until you’ve visited some of its three dozen beautiful Buddhist temples. From Doi Suthep Temple in the mountains outside the city to a clustering of ancient temples within its ancient walls, here are a few of our favorites.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, simply Doi Suthep Temple for short, overlooks Chiang Mai from the mountains just outside of town. It’s considered among the most sacred temples in Northern Thailand—one very much worth the 306-step staircase travelers must climb to get there.

Wat Chedi Luang

Dating back to the early 15th century, Wat Chedi Luang was once the largest structure in Northern Thailand’s Lanna Kingdom. Today, the temple sits partly in ruins thanks to an earthquake that knocked down its 282-foot (86-meter) spire, but visitors can still see its main assembly hall and reclining Buddha statue.

Wat Suan Dok

This 14th-century temple is known for its 157-foot (48-meter) chedi, or Buddhist monument, which towers above the rest of Chiang Mai’s old city and is believed to enshrine a relic from Buddha himself. The temple also hosts meditation workshops and conversation sessions where novice monks practice their English by chatting with tourists about Buddhism and Thai culture.

Wat Phra Singh

The 14th-century Wat Phra Singh ranks among Chiang Mai’s most popular and spectacular temples—an excellent example of Lanna (northern Thai) architecture with a three-tiered roof, intricate goldwork, and an enormous chedi.

Wat Pha Lat

One of Chiang Mai’s least-known temples, Wat Pha Lat sits at the end of the 45-minute Monk’s Trail hike within Doi Suthep National Park. Surrounded by forest, the temple grounds include an old chedi and a grotto filled with images of the Buddha.

Muay Thai Boxing Experiences in Chiang Mai

With a more than 500-year history, Muay Thai (also known as Thai boxing) has a deep resonance in Thai culture—so much so that it is considered the national sport. The fast and furious form of kickboxing is sure to get the heart pumping, whether as a participant or spectator. Here are your options for experiencing it in Chiang Mai.

Muay Thai Boxing Matches

Chiang Mai is home to two boxing stadiums with multiple events per week. Each event typically consists of eight fights, and the boxers may be Thai nationals or foreigners from a local Muay Thai training camp. Visitors can avoid the hassle of lining up outside for tickets by prebooking admission and securing grandstand, ringside, or VIP seating—packages often include transfers from Chiang Mai hotels.

Muay Thai Boxing Lessons

If you enjoy watching the spectacle of Muay Thai, you can try it out for yourself in a Muay Thai boxing class in a Chiang Mai-area training camp. Classes are generally suitable for all ages, experience, and fitness levels, and can be a taster for those wanting to get into the sport or simply a fun, energetic experience. Classes typically include transportation and a filling lunch. 

Chiang Mai is not only Thailand's cultural capital, it's also home to street stalls, markets, and shophouses where flavorful plates of food can be had at budget prices. Unlike that of Bangkok, Chiang Mai cuisine is more heavily influenced by neighboring Myanmar, China, and Laos.Here are a few dishes and activities you won't want to miss.

Must-Try Dishes

Chiang Mai's most beloved dish, khao soi, is made up of egg noodles topped with mustard greens, shallots, crispy fried noodles, and fresh lime wedges, all set in a bowl of spicy coconut milk curry. Curries are as ubiquitous in Chiang Mai as in the rest of the country, but here you can sample gaeng hang lay, a Burmese-style sweet curry, or gaeng hoh, a mixed curry with pork belly, glass noodles, and an assortment of veggies.

Minced meat salads, called larb, are spicier in this part of Thailand and often include beef, pork, chicken, or fish. For a quick snack while perusing a market, grab some sai oua, a northern-style sausage made from minced pork, chilies, and herbs.

Must-Do Experiences

• Head out to the city's many street food stalls on foot or by bike and fill up on the flavors of Northern Thailand

• Bring the taste of Chiang Mai home with you by spending time touring a local market and learning how to prepare iconic local dishes with the aid of a Chiang Mai chef

• Taste a traditional Thai breakfast and lunch on a daytime food tour