This article was updated in 2026.
As it is one of the most visited cities in Thailand, you can imagine there are loads of things to do in Chiang Mai. And not only tourists love it – Thai people do too. Many of them would like to live there. Chiang Mai is beautifully located in the northern part of the country between mountains and national parks.
It is much calmer than crazy capital. You can take a deep breath and relax there. I spent a few days in Chiang Mai during my travel around Thailand and another week during my volunteering as an English teacher. And I would gladly go back there anytime 🙂
So what to do in Chiang Mai and its surroundings?
Things to do in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Please note that this post contains affiliate links. This means that I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through these links. Thank you for your support!
Dorota
Practical information
Where To Stay In Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is a large city, but most of the main attractions are located within the historic centre, the Old City. The area has a distinctive square shape surrounded by ancient walls and a moat. It is best to stay inside the Old City or in its immediate surroundings.
Accommodations inside the Old City are often more convenient. Those just outside the old city walls are often cheaper while remaining very close to the main attractions.
Recommended hotels
Kiri Hotel – a charming and cozy four-star hotel. The rooms are clean, modern, and comfortable, with thoughtful details throughout. The location is great, central and convenient, yet still quiet. Staff are friendly and welcoming
Villa Thai Orchid – this villa offers accommodation for adults only – great for couples looking for a peaceful getaway. Perfect location in the very heart of Chiang Mai. The staff genuinely go above and beyond to make sure you have a wonderful stay, always kind, attentive, and incredibly helpful. The price–quality ratio is excellent.
Recommended guesthouses
Jimmy and Jeng Homestay – we lived in this place for all our stay in Chiang Mai. The rooms are basic but the owners are the nicest people on Earth. Right after we entered, they told us, “Hi. You can relax now. You’re home” 🙂 They can make you feel like you really are. It’s cheap and in a great location close to the night market and the center. And I still miss their pineapple pancakes… Highly recommended!
Ma Guesthouse – it’s a guest house located within the main “square” of Chiang Mai. It has outstanding reviews and the price is great too. Breakfast is included.
Getting Around Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is a relatively easy city to navigate, especially if you stay within the Old City or close to it. Many attractions in the centre can be reached on foot, but for longer distances or trips outside the city, it is useful to rely on local transportation.
The most common options are scooters, ride-hailing apps, songthaews (shared taxis), and organised tours.
Scooters are most popular way to get around Chiang Mai and explore the surrounding area. It gives you a lot of flexibility and allows you to reach places such as Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, one of the most famous temples overlooking the city.
Good to know:
- traffic in Thailand drives on the left
- you need a valid motorcycle license to rent a scooter legally. Most rental places do not care and rent them out to everybody – but you may get a fine from the police and in case of accident – the insurance company may refuse to cover the costs.
Grab (ride-hailing taxis) – works similarly to Uber and is widely used in Thailand.
Songthaew – red pickup trucks with benches in the back that function as shared taxis. Cheap and widely available.
Organised tours – the easiest option to get to some of the attractions, like elephant sanctuaries or Doi Inthanon. You can book them online or with tour operators in Chiang Mai directly.
Quick summary:
- most freedom: scooter
- most convenient in the city: Grab
- most local experience: songthaew
- easiest way to explore outside the city: organised tours
In practice, many travellers combine several options – for example using Grab within the city and joining organised tours for attractions further away.
1. Ploen Ruedee Night Market and dance shows
The most famous night market in Chiang Mai takes place every Sunday and is located along Rachadamnoen street from the main city gate Tha Phae. You can buy everything there – traditional Thai food, fruits, spices, souvenirs, clothes. You will meet a ladyboy ready to take a photo with you, street artists and musicians.
But should you regret if your plan doesn’t include a Sunday in Chiang Mai? In my opinion – not at all.
On all other days the night market in Chiang Mai takes place outside of the very center, east of the main “square” – and in my opinion, it is much better than the terribly crowded Sunday market.
Ploen Ruedee Night Market is the perfect place for an evening beer, a traditional Thai dinner, and some relaxing time with music. Every day around 7:30 pm you can see Thai dance shows. If you are looking for the best hostels in Chiang Mai, I recommend one close to this market. It definitely is my favorite thing to do in Chiang Mai, and it’s great for all travelers. Single, couples, or families with kids will love Chiang Mai and the market.
2. Temples in the city
You will see many Buddhist temples in Chiang Mai – more and less impressive, famous ones and the ones surprising you when you go around the corner.
Which ones are worth seeing? My recommendation is – the ones you like at the first glance 😉 Personally, I liked Wat Chedi Luang – it’s ruined but interesting stupa differs from other temples in the city. And it dates back to the XIVth century! In many temples you can also meet a monk. They are happy to answer the questions you may have about Buddhism, which is a great opportunity to learn.
3. Elephant Sanctuary
Elephants are amazing animals and seeing them is one of the best things to do in Chiang Mai and the whole South East Asia.
If you don’t know it yet, remember – do not ride elephants.
If you do your research you will find many reasons – I will just say that the animals are tortured to let people ride them. Also carrying something (or someone) on their back affects their health and causes an early death. Don’t support this.
Luckily, in Thailand you can see more and more places which take good care of elephants. They promote ethical interactions with them. The most popular place is Elephant Nature Park (here you can check a review of Elephant Nature Park). Make sure to book your visit before – in high season they are booked even a few months in advance! I was late unfortunately and all days which could work for me were already booked in ENP.
As an alternative, I found Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and that’s where we went. My visit was great but a few days after it a storm started on the EJS Facebook page. Someone claimed to see the elephants chained for the night without food and water.
EJS reacted immediately explaining that yes, the animals have to be chained because the terrain isn’t surrounded by a fence. The elephants could escape, endanger the inhabitants of nearby villages and risk being attacked by people too. They said animals never lack food and water and such a claim is a lie.
I am not an elephant behavior specialist – but they seemed taken care of, happy and in good shape. I didn’t notice any of the symptoms of a stressed elephant (swaying from left to right, constant ear movements).
We spent the whole day in the sanctuary. We met a few elephant families, we could feed the animals, take a “mud bath” with them and wash them in the river. They were not chained, they walked on a big terrain and we didn’t notice any violence. I hope this was really a good place and that elephants are well taken care of. It seemed so – and I loved my time there, it is among the best things to do in Chiang Mai.
Seeing an elephant from close by is amazing. I always thought an elephant’s skin is rough and unpleasant to touch – but actually, it’s soft. And what is more – elephants have hair! I was shocked!
The trunk is agile and the elephant – seemingly clumsy, is actually a graceful animal! I recommend you to visit one of the elephant sanctuaries. Just check opinions before and try to make sure it is an ethical one.
4. Doi Suthep Temple and Hmong hill tribe village Doi Pui.
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep i