The Best Things to do in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai was my favourite place I visited on my month-long trip around Thailand. It is a great city with plenty to do, surrounded by incredible nature. I spent 4 nights there, but could have easily spent longer. Here is a guide of the best things to do.

Chiang Mai

If you want more on Thailand, check out my one month itinerary and guide here.

Visit an Elephant Sanctuary

I will start by saying you have to be very careful with all of the elephant sanctuaries in Thailand, as many claim to be ethical but are the opposite of that. It is the number one thing to do in Chiang Mai, so please do your research before booking an experience at one. The best things to look for are hands-off experiences where you have no physical contact with elephants. I went with Chai Lai Orchid and wasn’t overly impressed by the ethics of the place - there was elephant feeding and bathing involved in the day which seemed excessive and unnecessary for the animals.

Elephant Nature Park is the best one at the moment, but you will need to book this somewhat in advance, because it does sell out. Their half day packages start at around 2,500 baht (approx. £55). You can also choose to spend the night there for a full immersion experience, and they have volunteering programmes too. This would be incredible.

Elephants at Chai Lai Orchid

Temple Hopping

There are countless Wats (temples) in Chiang Mai, and all of them are beautiful. You can easily spend a day walking around the city and finding the best ones. Most of them are free to visit with the exception of a few, but the entrance tickets won’t cost more than 50 baht (approx. £1.10). Make sure you have your shoulders and knees covered, and note that you will have to take your shoes off to go inside any of them.

Wats in Chiang Mai

Doi Inthanon National Park 

About an hour from the centre of Chiang Mai is Doi Inthanon National Park, a beautiful park with stunning waterfalls, mountain scenery, and temples. I did a full day tour of the park that I booked through Get Your Guide for £44. It included a stop at Wachirathan Waterfall and

Siriphum Waterfall, as well as the highest point in Thailand, a handicraft village, and the King and Queen Pagodas. It was a great trip and I definitely recommend getting out there if you can!

King and Queen Pagodas

Take a Cooking Class

Chiang Mai is one of the best places to do a cooking class in Thailand, and I recommend booking with Sammy’s Organic Thai Cooking School. It is mostly backpackers who do this class, so it is a lot of fun and is in a great setting. You will need to book this about a week in advance too because it is very popular.

Chiang Mai Wats

Other Things to Do!

I didn’t get around to doing everything in Chiang Mai, but I also recommend heading to the Sticky Waterfalls for a fun day climbing up them and having a swim. Grand Canyon Water Park is also a lot of fun! You can also spend days enjoying the food and drink scene in Chiang Mai, as it honestly has some of the best Thai food and some great restaurants and cafés. If you’re looking for veggie and vegan-friendly food spots, have a look at my vegan food guide to Chiang Mai.

Doi Inthanon National Park

I hope this gives you a good overview of the best things to do in Chiang Mai. I loved it there and hope you will too. Please remember to look after the places you visit, especially out in nature, and as always, only leave your footprints behind :)