Things to do in Chiang Mai: top sights and where to go
Chiang Mai's Old City is a moated square of brick walls about 1.5 km on each side: inside stand Wat Chedi Luang with its huge ruined stupa, Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chiang Man, the oldest temple in town, and from Tha Phae Gate on the east side the Night Bazaar is a ten-minute walk. Spend day one on foot in the Old City, at the Silver Temple by the south wall and at the evening market; on day two ride half an hour up the mountain to the golden stupa of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and see the forest temple of Wat Umong. Give a full day to Doi Inthanon, Thailand's highest peak, or to Elephant Nature Park.
Sights
Wat Phra Singh
Chiang Mai, Thailand
45 min≈ grounds free; Lai Kham ≈ 20 bahtchurcheshistoryancient ruins
Doi Inthanon
Chiang Mai, Thailand
4 h≈ entry 300 baht, children 150; car 30; pagodas ≈ 100natureviewsoutdoors
Chiang Mai itineraries
Chiang Mai travel guide
Before you go: Old City temples, Doi Suthep, the night bazaar, an elephant sanctuary, Doi Inthanon, the airport, seasons and weather.
Chiang Mai on your own: the essentials
- How many days
- 3–4 days: temples, hills, elephants
- When to go
- November–February: dry and fresh
- Visa
- Depends on your passport — many are visa-exempt
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Arrival card
- Online TDAC before you fly
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Currency
- Thai baht (THB); cash for markets
- Airport
- Chiang Mai (CNX) — 15–20 min to the centre
- From Bangkok
- ≈ 1 h 10 min by air, or the night train
- Spring haze
- February–April — smoke from field burning
- Temples
- Cover shoulders and knees, shoes off
- Time zone
- UTC+7 all year
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Chiang Mai”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Doi Inthanon”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Wat Phra That Doi Suthep”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Chiang Mai”Things to do in Chiang Mai
The top things to do in Chiang Mai are the Old City temples — Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh and the oldest, Wat Chiang Man — Tha Phae Gate, the Silver Temple Wat Sri Suphan, forest Wat Umong and the night bazaar. Above town is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep; further out, Doi Inthanon and an elephant sanctuary. Every place with its YesGo score is in the list above.
| Old City | Chedi Luang, Phra Singh | ½ day |
|---|---|---|
| Old City | Chiang Man, Tha Phae | 1 h |
| South | Silver Temple | 30 min |
| Evening | Night bazaar | evening |
| West | Wat Umong, Doi Suthep | ½ day |
| Out of town | Doi Inthanon, elephants | 1 day each |
Rather not plan it yourself? The list above has ready itineraries for 1–2 days, with places in a sensible order.
Getting to Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai International (CNX) is almost in town — 15–20 minutes to the Old City by taxi or Grab. From Bangkok it is about 1 hour 10 minutes by air or an overnight train. Around town, use red songthaews, Grab and Bolt.
| Taxi, Grab | CNX airport | ≈ 15–20 min |
|---|---|---|
| Flight | Bangkok | ≈ 1 h 10 min |
| Night train | Bangkok | ≈ 11–13 h |
| Bus | Bangkok | ≈ 9–10 h |
Where to stay in Chiang Mai
Where to stay in Chiang Mai: inside the Old City to walk between temples; around the night bazaar and the river for hotels and evening markets; or in Nimman for cafés, malls and a younger crowd.
| Old City | Temples on foot | Narrow, busy lanes |
|---|---|---|
| Night bazaar, river | Markets, hotels | Touristy |
| Nimman | Cafés, malls, nightlife | ≈ 10 min to the Old City |
Chiang Mai weather by month
The best time to visit Chiang Mai is November to February: dry, ≈ 28–31 °C by day and fresh at night, ≈ 14–19 °C. March to May brings heat up to 36 °C and haze from field burning. June to October is the green rainy season, when hill roads can wash out.
°CiLong-term averages, °C: day and night air, sea water near the shore, rain — rainy days a month. Any given year can be warmer or cooler. Tap a month for details below. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 29° | 32° | 35° | 36° | 34° | 32° | 31° | 31° | 31° | 31° | 30° | 28° |
| Night | 14° | 15° | 18° | 22° | 23° | 24° | 24° | 23° | 23° | 22° | 19° | 15° |
| Rain | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 17 | 10 | 4 | 1 |
Warm — 20 °C and above by dayBest time to go: January and November–December
- day ≈ 29°
- night ≈ 14°
- rain 1 days
Dry, ≈ 14° at night — the best time.
- day ≈ 32°
- night ≈ 15°
- rain 1 days
Dry; haze begins.
- day ≈ 35°
- night ≈ 18°
- rain 2 days
Heat and haze.
- day ≈ 36°
- night ≈ 22°
- rain 6 days
Peak heat; Songkran.
- day ≈ 34°
- night ≈ 23°
- rain 15 days
Rains begin.
- day ≈ 32°
- night ≈ 24°
- rain 17 days
Rain, green hills.
- day ≈ 31°
- night ≈ 24°
- rain 20 days
Rainy season.
- day ≈ 31°
- night ≈ 23°
- rain 22 days
The wettest month.
- day ≈ 31°
- night ≈ 23°
- rain 17 days
Rain.
- day ≈ 31°
- night ≈ 22°
- rain 10 days
Rains easing.
- day ≈ 30°
- night ≈ 19°
- rain 4 days
Dry; lantern festival.
- day ≈ 28°
- night ≈ 15°
- rain 1 days
Dry and fresh.
The Yi Peng lantern festival is in November — book hotels early.
What to eat in Chiang Mai
Northern Thai food differs from Bangkok’s: the signature dish is khao soi, a curry noodle soup. Also try sai ua sausage, nam prik noom chilli dip with vegetables and anything at the night markets.
- Khao soi — curry soup with chicken and crispy noodles.
- Sai ua — spiced northern sausage.
- Khao niao — sticky rice, eaten by hand.
- Walking streets — the Saturday and Sunday night markets.
Chiang Mai ticket prices
The Old City temples, Tha Phae Gate, Wat Umong and the night bazaar are free or nearly so. You pay for Wat Chedi Luang, the Silver Temple, Doi Suthep (the lift is extra), Doi Inthanon National Park and the elephant sanctuary.
| Wat Chedi Luang | 39 | 1 h | ≈ 40–50 baht |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wat Sri Suphan (Silver Temple) | 39 | 30 min | ≈ 50 baht |
| Wat Phra Singh | 38 | 45 min | grounds free; Lai Kham ≈ 20 baht |
| Wat Phra That Doi Suthep | 31 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ 30 baht, funicular ≈ 20 |
| Doi Inthanon | 17 | 4 h | entry 300 baht, children 150; car 30; pagodas ≈ 100 |
| Elephant Nature Park | 16 | 4 h | half day 2,500 baht, ages 3–11 1,250 |
Free — 4 places: Wat Chiang Man, Tha Phae Gate, Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, Wat Umong.
Tips
- Choose an elephant park with no riding and no shows — it is better for the elephants.
- Go up Doi Suthep in the morning or at sunset for the city view.
- Doi Inthanon is ≈ 5–10 °C at dawn — bring a jacket.
FAQ
Is Chiang Mai worth visiting?
Yes, for hundreds of temples, mountain scenery, ethical elephant sanctuaries and a cooler, calmer pace than Bangkok.
Do I need a visa for Thailand?
It depends on your passport: many nationalities are visa-exempt for a set number of days, and all visitors fill in the online TDAC arrival card. Check the official rules for your passport.
How do I get from Bangkok to Chiang Mai?
By air in about 1 hour 10 minutes, by night train in 11–13 hours, or by bus in 9–10 hours.
What to do in Chiang Mai in one day?
Doi Suthep in the morning, the Old City temples — Chedi Luang, Phra Singh, Chiang Man — at midday, and the night bazaar in the evening.
What is the weather like in Chiang Mai in December?
Dry: about 28 °C by day and 15 °C at night — bring a light jumper.
When is burning season in Chiang Mai?
Usually February to April, when field burning hazes the air.
When is the lantern festival in Chiang Mai?
Yi Peng falls on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, usually in November.
Where can I see elephants ethically?
At sanctuaries such as Elephant Nature Park — no riding or shows, just feeding and watching.
How do I get to Doi Inthanon?
By car or tour, about 2 hours each way, ≈ 100 km.
Where to stay in Chiang Mai?
The Old City for temples on foot, Nimman for cafés and nightlife.
Sources and fact-check
- Wikipedia, “Chiang Mai”; “Doi Inthanon”; “Wat Phra That Doi Suthep”; Chiang Mai climate (1991–2020 normals)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand — official website
- Doi Inthanon National Park — official information