This post is a comprehensive guide on what to do in Chiang Mai, we'll cover the best things to do in Chiang Mai in 4 Days, including:
- Elephant Sanctuary
- Doi Inthanon National Park
- Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Temple - Thailands Floating Pagodas
- Old City Temples
- Chiang Mai Night Bazaar Market
- Where to stay in Chiang Mai
- Where to eat in Chiang Mai
- Chiang Mai Night Life
- Where to listen to live music in Chiang Mai
- Hiring a private driver in Chiang Mai
- And a link to more Thailand Tips & Tricks as well as the rest of our Thailand Destinations
Chiang Mai, Thailand -
The Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields
Chiang Mai is the largest city in Northern Thailand, known for it's mountainous, natural beauty. It was formerly known as the capital of the Kingdom of Lanna, which means "Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields." Why I love this fact? My cat is named Lana, so she got a new nickname when we got back "Rice Cake"...can you say cat lady?! Anyways...
Chiang Mai is about an hour flight from Bangkok. The airport in Chiang Mai is only 10-15 mins away from Old City, which refers to the old walls that are still (somewhat) standing that surround the city, 1.5 km by 1.5 km square, however there is much outside the city walls to discover.
Chiang Mai is known for it's beautiful natural scenery, day trips to extraordinary temples and hilltop tribes, delicious street food, night markets, handicrafts and of course Elephant Sanctuaries!
Suggested Stay: 4-5 Days
Where to Stay
Hands down, stay at Green Tiger House within the Old City. It's one of our favorite hotels we've ever stayed at. What makes Green Tiger House a must stay is their friendly service, the big clean rooms, the atmosphere, location and the FOOD!
Included in your stay is free breakfast and not your ordinary breakfast buffet, it's cooked fresh to order and it's f-ing delicious! Each morning they get a food delivery with tons of fresh fruit and veggies, they're a vegetarian and vegan friendly restaurant, but don't let that scare you if you like meat, it'll satisfy anyone! We would each get their Muesli with Fresh Fruit and freshly squeezed Pineapple juice plus another entree, usually an Omelet, but the last day Jake got their Banana Pancakes...YUM!
Not only is their breakfast amazing, their lunch and dinner menu are equally amazing and super cheap! My favorite was the Spicy Papaya and Cucumber Salad. Even if you don't stay here, go here to eat, you won't be disappointed!
They also help schedule tours, taxis and whatever else you would need. The location is in walking distance to everything we did with great street food options a few blocks away. And they have the cutest cats, Mango and Hero!
What to do in Chiang Mai - 4 Day Chiang Mai Itinerary
Day 1 - Chiang Mai Temples & Night Bazaar Market
We flew from Bangkok to Chiang Mai on Thai Smile, a budget option of Thai Airways. We were served a small lunch, but we weren't fans of the food, but everyone else seemed to eat their entire sandwhich... Flying is the best way to travel within Thailand and the flight was only 1 hour long.
Once you land in Chiang Mai, order a Grab Taxi using the GrabApp, it should be around 200 Baht to get to the Old City and only a 10-15 minutes drive. After freshening up & a bite at our hotel, we headed out to visit a handful of Temples within the Old City walls.
Wat Phra Singh
Wat Phra Singh is known as the "temple of the Lion Buddha”, it's a working temple, with hundreds of monks and novices living there. It has many beautiful structures and Chiang Mai's most revered temple.
Entrance Fee: 40 Baht/person
Opening Hours: 6:00 - 17:00
Wat Phantao
Wat Phantao is a wooden teak temple right next to Wat Chedi Luang. It's known as “temple of a thousand kilns”. We walked to the back behind the temple and found this beautiful display of umbrellas with colorful ribbons.
Entrance Fee: Free
Opening Hours: 6:00 - 17:00
Wat Chedi Luang
Wat Chedi Luang was once home to the Emerald Buddha who now resides at the Grand Palace in Bangkok. It was once the largest structure of all of ancient Chiang Mai until the top of the chedi was destroyed in either an earthquake or cannon fire. It's unique Lanna style architect was built in the mid 1400s and very different than the other Wats that we visited, for that it was one of our favorites.
They also have a Monk Chat, where you can ask young monks questions about Thai life, Buddhism and anything else you are curious about, in turn they can practice their English.
Entrance Fee: 80 Baht/person
Opening Hours: 6:00 - 17:00
Wat Chedi Man
We were going to visit Wat Chedi Man, Chiang Mai's oldest temple, but we were a little templed out so we ventured to grab a refreshing drink.
Entrance Fee: Free
Opening Hours: 6:00 - 17:00
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar Market & Ploen Ruedee Live Music
We decided to walk towards the Night Bazaar to grab a drink since we wanted to check out the market, but it didn't open until 6pm. As we passed all the vendors getting ready for the night, we stumbled upon Kalae Bar where we got Big Changs for 90 Baht. Nice atmosphere compared to some of the dark hole in the wall bars we passed on our way.
Once it got dark, the Night Bazaar was hopping. Along the Changklan Road are hundreds, of street vendors that run up and down the street for about a mile. There are also side streets and buildings branching out from Changklan Road, selling everything under the sun. Remember negotiating is expected, never pay full price! Once we got all our shopping in, we decided to check out Ploen Ruedee Night Market which is off the main street.
Ploen Ruedee Night Market within the Night Bazaar has more of a modern day vibe, surrounded with hip food trucks and live music in the center of it all. The beers here are more expensive, about 120 Baht for a big Chang or Leo, but the free entertainment is worth the up-charge. The bands were awesome! Don't miss this part of the market, it was definitely one of our favorites nights in Chiang Mai!
Day 2 - Doi Inthanon National Park, North Gate Street Food & The North Gate Jazz Co-op
Doi Inthanon National Park
Doi Inthanon National Park is a 2+ hour ride from Chiang Mai. The best way to get here is to hire a private driver. You could also rent your own car, but the drive is long or you can take a tour which we try to avoid unless it's the only option. Plus if you get a private driver that speaks your language, you can learn sooo much about the Thai culture, day to day life, the government, their religion, how younger generations are becoming more Westernized and even what they think about Pizza...our driver isn't a fan of pizza, can you believe it?!
Tip: The best way to hire a private driver is through WhatsApp. I found most drivers didn’t respond through email. I used this article for recommendations and would highly recommend Ann. She responded within 24 hours and we were set after a few texts! She contacted us 2 days prior to confirm our reservation and details with no payment up front.
Before arriving to the National Park, we made a pit stop at a gas station and rest stop...this is where I experienced my first porcelain hole in the ground toilet...I didn’t have to go that bad so I passed. In the National Park there are cleaner bathrooms, but the same porcelain hole in the ground. So i had to face my fear...BUT I came prepared, I purchased a GoGirl prior to coming, I tested it out in the shower, but not an actual toilet...let me tell you, it was soooo weird to use...peeing standing up...what?! It was working great...for a while, but the situation was so bizarre that I started to laugh and that's when things got a little messy. I tried it a few other times and realized that squatting is a lot easier and less of a hassle, but then again in my other experiences I was wearing a dress.
If you're a male reading this, I'm sure you didn't want to read that, just want to give my lady friends the honest and not so glamorous truth. Now lets move on.
Doi Inthanon National Park is part of the Himalayan mountain range and nicknamed "The Roof of Thailand" because this is where the highest point in Thailand is. Don't worry, most of the elevation gain is done in the car. The highest point is 2,565 meters high or 8,415 feet high in elevation. It's famous for waterfalls, trails, hilltop villages, two towering Chedi's for the late King and Queen as well as picturesque views.
Entrance Fee: 300 Baht/foreign tourist
Opening Hours: 5:30 - 18:30
Kaew Mae Pan Nature Trail
We started our journey at Kaew Mae Pan Nature Trail. First thing to note is that you need a local guide to accompany you on the trek, it's 200 Baht per group. The guide comes from the local Hmong Hill Tribe, they speak little to no English, but they are there to conserve the natural state of the National Park. Our guide was young and very friendly, we found ways to communicate like when we motioned to a plant asking if people ate it, he motioned with a cut of the throat and immediately we understood that it was poisonous. He knew the term "selfie" and we referenced Tarzan and he laughed. We thought we'd prefer the trek on our own, but it was a fun experience with the local guide. He even laughed when I got pooped on by a bird, we eventually found out that Thai's also think it's good luck!
The trail is a short and rated moderate 2.78 km or 1.7 mile trail that starts out heavily wooded, then clears out into a beautiful golden meadow and then the real views hit as you get closer to the mountain side. Gorgeous panoramic views for days, utterly breathtaking and unexpected! (You forget a few things after you've planned detail after detail).
Tip: The elevation on the trail is 2,200 meters or 7,218 feet high in elevation, it's windy and a bit chilly with temps in the mid 50s to 60s, so be sure to wear layers.
After the panoramic views, we walked downhill along the mountainside and eventually saw views of the two Chedi's and then made our way back into the woods and back where we started.
At the end of the trail, you need to sign out and leave a comment. Normally, the local guide would sign their name as well, but our guide thought it would be funny to have Jake write his name and it was, but he did a pretty good job!
Entrance Fee: 300 Baht/foreign tourist
Estimated Time: 2-3 Hours (we spent 2 hours)
Highest Point in Thailand
The Highest Point in Thailand is marked with a huge sign, there was a cluster of tourists all trying to get their picture in front of it. If you keep walking up the trail, you'll hit a memorial for King Inthawichayanon, who is the reason why Doi Inthanon National Park is preserved. The trail will lead you back to a parking lot and just across the street is the trailhead for Ang Ka Luang Nature Trail.
Ang Ka Luang Nature Trail
Ang Ka Luang Nature Trail, also known as Angkha Natural Trail. It's a short loop along a boardwalk, all wooded and a very easy trail. The hardest part is coming up the hill to make it back to the parking lot. If you are strapped for time and already did the Kaew Mae Pan Nature Trail, we'd recommend skipping this.
Two Royal Chedis
Next, we got dropped off at the Two Royal Chedis. The Two Chedis are dedicated to the late King and his wife. They were gifts from the Royal Thai Air Force for their 60th birthdays. The King’s was built in 1987 and the Queen’s in 1992. Ann told us how much it cost to build each one, but we can't recall the numbers, we just know it was a lot of money and what we found interesting is that the Queen's chedi actually cost a lot more than the Royal King's.
They are both 60 meters tall and sitting on the mountaintop. Looking up from the parking lot can be daunting, but don't worry there's an escalator going up if you choose not to take the stairs. Each of them houses a Buddha with different postures, the postures were determined based on the day of the week of their birthday. Both are intricately decorated all the way up to the ceilings.
Karen Hill Tribe
There are two protected groups in Doi Inthanon National Park. The Hmong and the Karen Hill Tribe, not the long neck Karen Tribe. There are 4 sub-groups of the Karen people. We were told that the Karen Hill tribe in Doi Inthanon National Park are referred to Karen White by our guide because single women wear all white until they are married, but that might be common among other groups. We first took a short walk through their village, said hi to the piggies and stopped at their weaving hut. I absolutely love handmade crafts, especially woven crafts. So many beautiful colors and designs! Next we got coffee that they grow in their fields, we even “tried“ to help with the grinding of the coffee beans, it’s very hard! During busy season, you can even stay in the village.
Hmong Hilltop Tribe Market
The Hmong Market is pretty large, but most vendors sell similar things. Our first stop was to try their fruited wine, we tried a few samples and bought a bottle...I’m glad we could support the people, but the wine wasn’t drinkable. A must buy is the strawberries! Soooo good! They also have a variety of dried fruits and nuts.
Wachirathan Waterfall
There are many waterfalls in the park, but this is considered the best.
After the falls, we headed home. We were both exhausted and eventually fell asleep on the drive back, another reason to hire a private driver! If you take this trip, remember to bring snacks, we didn't and didn't realize how famished we were until we got back so we hit of the North Gate Street Food Market once we were dropped off.
North Gate Street Food
Just outside the North Gate of the Old City is a Street Food court. If you're a fan of Anthony Bourdain, you've probably heard of the Cowboy Hat Lady...well this is where she slings her, who knows what, daily and yes she wears a cowboy hat. We planned on eating here and we should have, but we had no idea what the mixture of meat was and we try to refrain from eating too much meat so we got scared and said pass. There were so many other options that we weren't missing out too much. We ate at 5 different street food vendors...hey we didn't have lunch ;)
The North Gate Jazz Co-op
We thought about going back to listen to the music at the Night Bizarre, but the thought of walking all that way after such eventful day was too exhausting. So we looked to see if there was live music closer to us and there was! Just across the street!
The North Gate Jazz Co-op is no secret, the tiny venue's entire bar front opens up to the streets and there were people flooding out onto the sidewalk. The venue is 3 levels so there's additional seats upstairs and in a tiny nook as well as a second bar on the 3rd level, but there weren't viewing seats there.
We've never really thought of ourselves as Jazz people, but they killed it! They had a super unique style, we didn't want it to end.
Day 3 - Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Temple - Thailand's Floating Pagodas, Kat Tung Kwian Market, Silk Factory, Muay Thai Boxing
Kad Tung Kwian Market
Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Temple or Thailand’s Floating Pagodas is a 2.5-3 hour ride from a Chiang Mai. We had our private driver, Ann take us there. But first she took us to Kad Tung Kwian Market on the superhighway Lampang - Chiang Mai and I was absolutely in heaven. I could have spent hours here. It was hands down my favorite market of Thailand.
Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Temple - Thailands Floating Pagodas
When we arrived to Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Temple, we were a little nervous about this hike as we stared upwards towards the pagodas in the far far distance. Not to fret, you must take a songtaew truck for most of the elevation gain, it's a bit like going to the tippy top of a rollercoaster, we literally didn’t even think we’d make it up, even on the truck. The hike itself was steep, but most of the trail is well maintained, and only about 800 meters to the top.
The entrance fee is 200 Baht per person plus 60 Baht for the songtaew ride.
Once you reach the top, there are different viewpoints on the pagodas, lots of bells to chime and a few temples where you must remove your shoes. Luckily there wasn't the strict dress code, but i still felt a little guilty for wearing shorts and a tank, but it's hot!
So how did theses pagodas get to the peaks of this mountaintop? They were carried up piece by piece by a revered local monk and a team of almost 50 workers just over a decade ago.
It's truly a remarkable sight to see, something that you won't find anywhere else.
There's a small coffee and smoothie shop at the base of where you get off and on the songtaew truck. They make delicious drinks with an amazing view. We hung out on the tree top deck just to take in the views for a little longer.
Entrance Fee: 200 Baht/person + 60 Baht for the ride up
Estimated Time: 3 Hours
Opening Hours: 7:30-16:30
Silk Factory
On our way back to Chiang Mai, Ann asked if we wanted to go to a silk or a silver factory. She really got me ;) I would have loved to see both, but chose the silk factory.
We were greeted with open arms and we got to walk through the entire process of silk making. From the silk worms, to the spinning of the fabric, to the looms. It was so interesting to see! They had a shop full of beautiful garments, we opted for a printed silk screen of an elephant.
Alas, our 2 days with Ann came to an end. She was an amazing private driver and really went above and beyond to make our trip amazing.
Dinner along the Ping River
We decided to have a nice dinner along the Ping River, I mean it was Valentine's day. And we decided to walk there, when we arrived, the restaurant was already closed! So we opted for a place next door.
Muay Thai Boxing at Tha Phae Stadium
Nothing like celebrating Valentine's Day than going to a boxing match....just kidding, it was my idea since this was our only opportunity to see it, which I really wanted to see. It was a lot of fun! It was our first boxing match, I read that it was all rigged, to me it looked really legit so I'd definitely recommend. Also, we ran into that craziest game, it was like volleyball soccer. The guy pictured is about to do a scissor kick flip...mind blown.
Day 4 - Elephant Sanctuary
Elephant Nature Park - Highlands Project
The Elephant Nature Park - Highlands Project Elephant Santuary was hands down the highlight of our entire trip! And this was what I was looking forward to the most and it was more than I could have expected!
We were picked up from our hotel and headed north to the Highlands Project which is outside of Elephant Nature Park Elephant Sanctuary. Repeat, this is an offsite location, not the actual park. On our drive up, we watched a video about the history of the elephant sanctuary and a safety video. Immediately, I thought, "ugh this isn't going to be as amazing as I thought, maybe I picked the wrong tour, we won't even be able to get that close to the elephants."
When we arrived, we cut up giant tubs of watermelon. After all the chopping we were told to stand in a hut surrounded with railings as we watched the 3 beautiful elephants approach us for feeding time, they are truly magical! I could have fed these babes all day.
But then our guide told Jake and I to jump over the railing...we weren't sure if we heard him correctly, but he really did want us to jump the railing...so I guess If everyone jumped off a bridge we would too....or however that saying goes. So we put all our trust in our guide and were sandwhiched between 2 giant elephants (completely against all the rules from the video), their trunks and ears alone were stronger than 1,000 of me. And it was absolutely the most thrilling thing and I immediately felt so comfortable around these gental giants!
After the watermelon feeding, we were handed sacks of bananas and started our hike. I’m crying just thinking about it. The setting was absolutely gorgeous and walking along these beautiful elephants was unbelievable! It’s really hard to describe in words, so I’ll just show pictures!
All 3 were females in their mid 30s. My soul sisters! I truly felt so connected to them, I really think they enjoyed our company.
They were all previously abused in either the logging industry or tourism. Saddles from elephant riding have removed the hairs on their back. When elephants get hot, they spray dirt on their back and the hair helps the dirt stick, without the hair, the elephants can’t cool down. I’m not crying, you’re crying...
After the hike, we ate a delicious vegan meal and took down some cold Changs.
We then changed into our swimming clothes. Tip: Even if you don’t plan to swim, you will get wet, so bring an extra pair of clothes and sandals. We hiked a little further until we got to a watering hole. We watched as they sprayed themselves with dirt.
We walked a little further to a pool, one by one the elephants got in and started washing away all the dirt. We didn't plan to go swimming, it just kind of happened. Aka Jake fell in and so ”you jump, I jump” right?! (Titanic...)
We ended our day at the elephant sanctuary by making medicine balls and fed these magnificent creatures one more time before we had to say goodbye...tears!
If you go to Thailand, you must visit an elephant sanctuary or 5 like one of the couples in our tour!
Hope you find some useful information or got inspired to visit Chiang Mai, Thailand.
For more information on other destinations check out the links below. Cheers!
Comments