Attractions in Chiang Mai

On our site the city is described as "rich northern culture, ancient temples and green mountains", and those three things are also the three categories of a day in the city.

Mountains and nature

Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in Thailand, is the classic day trip from Chiang Mai: with waterfalls, traditional villages and the royal pagodas. We have a dedicated page for this trip.

Alongside this the area has jungle treks that pass through villages and waterfalls, for anyone who wants a more active day.

Elephants

The area has ethical elephant sanctuaries, where you watch elephants in their environment and care for them instead of riding them. That is the format we recommend, and it is also what appears in our routes.

Culture and temples

The old city, surrounded by a wall and a moat, holds Chiang Mai's historic temples and the atmosphere that makes people extend their stay there.

A Thai cooking class — which usually includes a market visit and gathering ingredients — is one of the most sought-after activities in the city, and it also appears on our list of attractions for the area.

Day trips from the city

Chiang Mai is a convenient base: from it you go out both to Chiang Rai and the White Temple and to Pai in the mountains. Anyone with four days in the north can combine city, mountain and temples without changing hotels every day.

It is worth knowing that the day trip to Chiang Rai includes a long drive each way. Anyone who does not want a day like that can spread the same area over three days with overnights along the way: we have routes in both formats.

How not to burn the days

The common mistake in Chiang Mai is trying to do everything: a mountain, elephants, temples, a class and Chiang Rai in four days. The result is four days of driving.

The layout that works: one big activity a day — a mountain, elephants or a day trip out of the city — and an afternoon in the city itself. The old city is worth time, not just passing through.

What to pack for the north

Chiang Mai is cooler than the south, and the mountains around it cooler still — especially in the morning. One warm layer is the difference between enjoying a sunrise on the mountain and giving it up.

For any day that includes temples: clothing that covers shoulders and knees and shoes that are easy to take off. It is not style, it is entry.

Want us to put it together for you?

Tell us when you plan to fly, with whom, and how much time you have, and we will come back with an itinerary, hotels and attractions that fit exactly that — in Hebrew.