15 Best Things to Do in Chiang Mai: Hidden Gems I Loved + Must-Sees
Wondering what the best things to do in Chiang Mai are? Then, I’ve got you! Chiang Mai is a place where you can slow down, especially if you’ve just been in Bangkok. I loved my visit here and spent 4 nights exploring as a solo traveler. I stumbled upon some hidden gems and also visited some places that my friend living here suggested. So in this little guide, I’ll share the must-visit places and some local secrets along the way.
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Where to Stay
The Old City
I personally stayed at Marigold Lanna for £50 a night. It was a really good location in the heart of the Old Town, and the staff were friendly. This is a great option if you’re a solo traveler like me. I also looked up a hotel called Nine-Kai-Mon and it looked great! If you’re short on time, stay in the Old Town as I did.
Nimman
Not too far away from the Old City is Nimman, which is a super cool neighborhood full of cafes and nightlife. If I were to visit again, I think I’d stay here as I loved the vibe. In Nimman, I’d recommend Wannamas Chiangmai Boutique House.
Elephant Sanctuary
I also decided to stay an hour out of the city center to wake up to elephants at my door at the Chai La Orchid. This unique stay is a must, plus the elephants are rescued from abuse, and all proceeds go to a non-profit cause.
Mountain stays
If you have longer, I highly recommend a night or two in the mountains (Mon Jam / Pong Yaeng / Mae Rim area). There are some truly stunning properties there. I wish I had stayed at them! The two that really had my eye were Skyview Monjam and Vianna Villas – the views at these hotels look incredible. You must check them out!!
15 Best Things to Do in Chiang Mai
1. Admire all the beautiful temples
Chiang Mai is full of beautiful temples, so you should definitely pay a visit to one, if not a few of them.
The Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is the most famous temple, on the mountain with city views. It’s a bit further out of Chiang Mai, so I got a Grab here, and it took 45 minutes to get there. However, I also recommend doing a tour like this one which lets you see the temple at night and pairs it with another one along the way.
Wat Phra Singh is an easy one to visit as it’s right in the city center. This classic Lanna-style temple is not too far from Chedi Luang. Another temple in the Old City. And if you haven’t had enough temples by now, I really loved Wat Sri Suphan, the Silver Temple. It’s just that, silver. Just know, females can’t enter the inside of the actual temple – only males.
2. Visit an Elephant Sanctuary
Elephant Nature Park and Chiang Chill are the most truly ethical sanctuaries in Chiang Mai.
I visited Chai Lai Orchid, a hotel where you can stay peacefully and see elephants from your room. They clearly care for their elephants. They rescue abused animals, don’t allow elephant riding, and break the cycle by renting instead of buying elephants. They also operate as a non-profit that supports Daughters Rising, an anti-trafficking organization.
This hotel is extremely popular and books up months in advance. I was able to get a last-minute booking by checking daily for a room to be cancelled, and I was in luck! I thought the best room was the mountain view ones near the reception. However, I booked the river view room and was nervous about it being good, and it was fine. The rooms were all pretty similar. The river view rooms are further away, and you need to take the hotel transport there. The staff helped with my luggage, so no worries on that side!
Since I was solo, I hired a photographer who freelances for Chai La Orchid, and he helped me with some incredible photos with the three elephants above!
I do want to caveat that because Chai Lai Orchid allows feeding and touching, it is not as ethical as the strictest sanctuaries. Even gentle interaction removes the elephant’s ability to choose when and how they engage with humans, which can cause stress over time. This is why places like Elephant Nature Park and Chiang Chill, which limit human interaction, are considered the most ethical.
What classifies an ethical sanctuary: I did a lot of research on this, and a truly ethical sanctuary lets elephants roam freely in their natural state with minimal touching, feeding, and bathing opportunities. You might be wondering why this is bad for the elephants. Well, elephants are naturally in the wild, and if you can pet them, they must have been abused or stressed at some point. The elephant, in a sense, loses control of its freedom when you bathe it, for example.
Absolutely don’t book an experience blindly or trust when a place calls itself ethical because it may not really be. Do not ride or bathe elephants. If a place offers elephant rides or unnatural performances like painting a photo, please steer clear.
Viator is a booking platform for tours that only promote ethical experiences. I would say booking a tour through Viator is the safest way to ensure you don’t book a tour that exploits animals. But please do your research ahead of time.
3. Shop at the many local markets
One of the best things to do in Chiang Mai is to visit the many amazing markets, I have to admit, some can be on the touristy side. That’s clearly not my thing, and if it’s not yours, let me tell you what the best local markets in Chiang Mai actually are!
My absolute favorite was Baan Kang Wat, but below are some others I liked too.
- Baan Kang Wat: My absolute favorite – everything was handmade, and you could do crafts at so many of the stalls!
- Nimman White Market: Located in an artsy/trendy neighborhood. Has really nice clothing and souvenirs.
- Jing Jai Market: had lots of nice handmade items and an amazing food market to pick up fresh produce or freshly cooked food.
- Coconut Market: The shops weren’t as impressive as the first 3 markets listed here, but the setting is beautiful as it’s lined with coconut trees.
- Saturday Walking Street (Wua Lai): best for street food, but the souvenirs are too commercialized.
- Chiang Mai Night Bazaar: also great for food.
4. Try different Thai food on a Street Food Tour
I love food, so whenever I travel, I always try the local food. Chiang Mai has some amazing specialties, including Khao Soi, a spicy noodle. You have to also try mango sticky rice – it’s one of my favorite Thai dishes.
There are so many cheap eats at the street markets, and some of them are recommended in the Michelin Guide. If you’re a foodie like me, I’d recommend this food tour specifically for the Michelin Guide’s highly rated spots!
Food tours are great because you get to try a lot of different things rather than one big dish at one place. However, if you do go on your own to the street markets, there’s plenty to choose from. The
Saturday Walking Street (Wua Lai) and the Northgate Food Market are two I went to.
5. Take a cooking class
I visited Chiang Mai twice, and the first time, I did a cooking class. It was one of my most memorable travel moments. I truly loved the experience. We visited a market and picked fresh produce for our lesson. I made pad thai from scratch! Was given the recipe to follow and recreate at home. Although I’m probably not the best at cooking! They made it super easy to follow. Then, we enjoyed our meal outside under a cute covered area with low seating. And, yes, it was soooo good! Grandma’s cooking school is the best one to book, and I’ve linked the exact tour below. They have a morning or evening option via Viator.
6. Make jewelry at Lanna Artist Gallery
For a donation of only 50 Baht ($1.19), you can make your own silver handmade piece of jewelry! I went to this place, and everyone was focusded on their work, creating their own little masterpiece. Tapping their hammer to make anything from bracelets to rings. The staff are really helpful, giving you your supplies and ensuring it’s to perfection when you’re done. It’s a very busy and popular spot, but there are tons of spots to sit. The experience is really fun, and even if you’re a solo traveler like me, you’ll surely meet friends while you do this activity!
7. Get a Thai Massage
Thai massages are seriously the best thing ever and so affordable! I chose Chinola Massage for mine. It was very relaxing, and the staff were really welcoming. The cost was around $10 USD for an hour massage. Highly recommend this place, and it was also very nice compared to some of the other massage salons around.
8. Watch the sunset from a rooftop bar in Nimman
There are many rooftop bars in the trendy neighborhood of Nimman. I checked out Arise Rooftop, which has some of the best cocktails in town. They have a pool and nice views here, too.
9. Try the famous Khao Soi
Khao Soi is a traditional soup from Northern Thailand and is a must-try if you come to Chiang Mai. The soup is coconut curry flavoured and is on the spicy side, just be aware! I tried mine at Khao Soi Nimman, and it was delicious! This place can be busy at times, but I was able to walk in on a Friday and get a table.
10. Go to the most beautiful cafe with a waterfall
Dantewada Land of Angels Waterfall Park is one of the most magical places I’ve ever been. This man-made waterfall park is actually just so stunning. I was a bit skeptical at first, knowing it was man-made and they actually dye the water blue to make it look more attractive. But it was still one of the prettiest cafes in all of Thailand. To enter, there’s a 60 baht (~$2 USD) fee. I recommend going at opening time because it can get busy after 11 am. This place is huge, and I was so impressed.
The place is quite remote and is an hour out of Chiang Mai. Plus, you may have trouble getting a Grab (Asia’s version of Uber) back. I had my driver wait for me and paid him extra for that. As a solo traveler, I’ve been stranded before and it’s not fun! You might be able to get a ride if you wait a bit longer though. If you don’t want to deal with any of that fuss, then I recommend this tour which brings you to the cafe and the waterfalls I mention next.
11. Hike to the Sticky Waterfalls
You can easily pair the visit with Dantewada since the drive is only 30 minutes. I didn’t have a chance to go but I hear it’s really beautiful.
Bua Tong Waterfall is a limestone waterfall an hour outside Chiang Mai. The mineral-rich rocks create a naturally grippy surface. Because of this, you can actually climb up and down the waterfall without slipping! It’s a short, easy stop in case you’re looking for something to do other than temples. Make sure to wear water shoes as flip flops aren’t ideal plus a change of clothes and towel in case you get wet.
The tour below will take you to the waterfalls and Dantewada!
12. Listen to jazz music at The North Gate Jazz Co-Op
Every evening, this cozy bar has live jazz music, and it’s such a great vibe. The music starts around 9 pm, and I recommend getting there an hour early to get a seat. It gets very busy, and the crowds roll into the streets to listen to the music. The actual band plays inside, but you can hear it outside too. They do come outside towards the end of the show as well. The best part is, it’s completely free, and you can just turn up and listen!
13. Have a cocktail at a speakeasy bar
The White Rabbit is a nice speakeasy bar right next to the North Gate Jazz co-op. It is not on most lists of best things to do in Chiang Mai, as it’s more of a hidden gem. I was so surprised Chiang Mai had a cocktail bar like this! It was so very cool. I loved the ambience, which included cozy seating by the bar or seats inside. The place is small and intimate. Since it’s a speakeasy, it was located discreetly on a side street, and once you walk in it looks a bit dodgy, but once inside, it’s truly amazing. I found this place because a local showed me. The cocktails are a bit on the high end for Thailand, costing around $10-13 USD a drink. In my opinion, well worth it. I visited on a Friday evening at 9 pm, and we had a short wait to get inside.
14. Day trip to Chiang Rai
I highly recommend visiting Chiang Rai (<–read my full guide on it!) next on your Thailand itinerary. You can take a 3 hour bus to get there (cost is around $17). The bus company is Green Bus and you can book the tickets online here. I did spend 2 nights here but if you’re short on time, it is doable as a day trip from Chiang Mai.
The top things to do in Chiang Rai include a visit to both the White and Blue temples. I recommend staying in the center of Chiang Rai for amazing food and cafes to explore. If time allows a visit to one of the most instagrammable cafes in the world, Lalitta Café. Just a 20 minute walk from it is the stunning Budda Temple, Wat Huay Pla Kang. This tour will take you to all these places mentioned as a day trip!
15. Go to the most magical lantern festival
If you’re lucky enough to be visiting Chiang Mai in early November, then don’t miss the Yi Peng Lantern Festival. It’s actually been my dream to visit for years, and I haven’t had the chance to go yet. The whole sky is filled with lit-up lanterns, and there are fireworks. It’s a spectacular moment so you should try to plan your visit around the timing! Tickets sell out quite in advance, so book early! You get to light and release your own lantern into the sky.
When is the best time to visit Chiang Mai?
November to February is the most ideal time to visit. Starting at the end of Feb to April, it’s burning season. If you’re sensitive to air pollution, I would avoid coming at this time.
Is Chiang Mai good for solo travel?
Chiang Mai is one of the best places in Thailand for solo travel. It’s so safe, and if you’re a digital nomad, it’s just perfect! There are so many nice cafes, walks, and temples to visit here.
Is Chiang Mai worth visiting?
Absolutely! It’s one of the best places to visit in Northern Thailand. If you love cafes, temple hopping, shopping at unique markets, then Chiang Mai is for you.
For more reading, you may also like:
Chiang Rai Best Things to Do
