Chiang Mai Travel Guide

Chiang Mai is a city located in the north of Thailand and is also the second largest city in the country. It has a very long history and is home to many cultural monuments and temples that are popular with Buddhists and attract many tourists every year. Chiang Mai grows many roses and is therefore known as the "Rose of Northern Thailand". If you're planning to take a trip to Thailand, Chiang Mai could be on your wish list.

Top Attractions in Chiang Mai

Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep

Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep is a famous temple in Thailand. From the outside, the temple is surrounded by ancient trees, and there are two long dragons on both sides of the steps. Following the steps from the bottom up to the entrance of the temple, it is also called the "Double Dragon Temple". When entering the temple, the first thing that comes into view is a golden pagoda, which is located in the middle of the temple and contains the relics of Sakyamuni. At the top of the pagoda is a crystal lotus flower presented by the King of Thailand. At the innermost part of the temple, there is a Buddha Hall in each of the four directions. Each Hall has a Buddha statue, which attracts many Buddhists to visit. Since the temple is built on a hill, you can also enjoy other sights of Chiang Mai along the way if you go.

Opening hours: 6:00 to 18:00 daily
Admission: 30 baht (about 0.8 USD)

Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep

Chiang Mai Old City

Chiang Mai Old Town is one of the most important cultural sites in Thailand. Built-in 1296, the Old City is a quadrangle surrounded by walls and moats like many ancient cities. It was once the royal palace of the Lanna Thai dynasty in Chiang Mai. The Old City is home to one of Chiang Mai's most popular temples, the Phra Singh Temple, which houses the famous Buddha statue of Phra Singh. And if you are interested in Buddhism, you can experience for yourself the meditation classes offered exclusively for tourists inside the temple. The temple is also one of the main locations for the celebration of the Water Festival. A widely celebrated festival in Thailand where people throw water on each other to express good wishes. The Lanna Museum is a famous Thai-style building, is also located there. It used to be the seat of the Chiang Mai court, and there are many artifacts and relics from the Lanna period on display in the museum, so if you want to learn more about this period of history, you should definitely visit it. The nearby Chiang Mai Park is a very popular place for locals to visit, as there is a lake with green areas around it where they sit and have picnics or sing. Tourists can also go there to sit and relax if they are tired of touring, blowing the wind, and eating, and then continue on their way after resting.

Opening hours: Open all day
Admission: Free

Phra Singh Temple in Chiang Mai

Bhubing Palace

The Bhubing Palace is a very beautiful place with all kinds of flowers growing inside. Walking around the palace, you can not only see the beautiful scenery but also smell the fragrance of different flowers, which is charming and fragrant. One of the most special is roses because the Queen of Thailand especially likes roses, so an exclusive rose garden was set up in the palace, and a special person to look after it. Not only are there flowers, but there are also many trees in the Bhubing Palace. So the air is very fresh and visitors can not only see the beautiful scenery but also purify your respiratory organs. Here to remind you, every year from January to March, the Thai royal family will live here for a period of time. During this period, tourists are not allowed to visit, but you can walk outside the palace. The outside of the palace is also very charming.

Opening hours: 8:30 to 16:30 daily
Admission: 50 baht for foreigners (about 1.4 USD)

Chiang Mai Night Zoo

Chiang Mai Night Zoo is different from other zoos in that it is open at night, which makes it particularly interesting to visit. The zoo is very large, so visitors can choose to walk or take a bus tour. In the herbivore area, we can get close to them. When you walk in the herbivore area of the channel, the animals will take the initiative to come around and ask you for food, which will have to remind you. If you want to interact with the animals, please prepare snacks in advance when you first enter the park. There is a lake in the middle of the zoo, and visitors can take a break at the lake if they are tired of walking. Next, we can take the bus to the carnivore area Stroll, where the animals are very fierce. Taking the bus is a little safer. After dark, the park has a wildlife show for tourists to watch. The show is very hot, so if you want to go also please book a place in advance, so you can better watch the show. In the evening, there is a musical fountain on the lake in the zoo for the journey to a successful end.

Opening hours: 11:00 to 22:00 daily
Admission: 800 baht for adults (about 22 USD)
Children 400 baht (about 11 USD)
Note: Children under 100cm tall are free

Elephant Nature Park

Thailand has many elephants, and every year, tourists from all over the world visit Thailand specifically to see these gentle creatures. If you visit Chiang Mai, we recommend that you visit the Elephant Nature Park, which is home to many elephants. Through the fence, we can greet them in a friendly manner, observe their way of life, and even prepare food for them. If you are traveling with small children, Elephant Nature Park is a good choice because they will enjoy the gentle and lovely elephants while also broadening their horizons.

Opening hours: 6:00 to 22:30 daily
Note: Every Friday is from 6:00 to 13:30
Admission: 2,500 baht for one day (about $70, including lunch and transportation)
5,800 baht for two days and one night (about $162, including meals and accommodation)

Elephant Nature Park

Popular Things to Do in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai Water Lantern Festival

Each country has its own Valentine's Day, and the name and time are different. It is held in November every year because there is water in the name. So it is usually held at the riverside. People will light the candles in the water lanterns on the night of the festival, pray in their hearts, and then put them on the water. As the water lanterns gradually float away, the blessing also goes to the faraway places to bring the gods. Every year on this night, water lanterns can be seen in places where there is water, which shows the status of this festival in the hearts of local people.

Sunday Night Market

Are you dazzled by the above attractions? Now let's talk about something different, about shopping! It is the biggest night market in Chiang Mai, and it will be busy for the whole night. If you want to go to the night market, it is recommended that you go to Tapai Gate first because it is the most lively place of the whole night market from there. With all kinds of food stalls、 clothing stalls、handicraft stalls, and so on. Where you can eat Chiang Mai local specialties, Chiang Mai traditional clothing, and exclusive Thai cultural handicrafts! But although the night market is very lively stalls, the environment is very clean. There will not be a very dirty place, we all have to do care for the environment!

Sunday Night Market

Chiang Mai Flower Festival

In Chiang Mai, the time when the flowers bloom is usually in February every year. So at this time, the locals will hold a flower festival. People will pick all kinds of flowers and decorate the floats; each float represents a different meaning. The floats also sit on the boys and girls in traditional costumes, the lively crowd, along with the floats in the street parade. They sing and cheer together to celebrate this grand and beautiful festival. At the flower festival, we can feel the enthusiasm of the local people. Everyone has happiness and sadness in their hearts, but on this day, the sadness in their hearts seems to disappear along with the flowers, only happiness. Which is why the flower festival is popular, right?

Suggestions for Travelling to Chiang Mai

1. Prices in Chiang Mai are not very high, so there are many places where it is more convenient to use Thai baht, so it is recommended to exchange some baht in advance

2. Thais have great respect for the royal family and Buddhism, so don't point at the temples and don't discuss the Thai royal family, but respect the local customs and culture.

3. Temples are very sacred places, so don't wear too revealing clothes, as this will be considered blasphemy.

4. Finally: please choose the right time to visit Chiang Mai based on the above, and if you have questions, please contact us, and our experts will be dedicated to answering them for you 24 hours a day. We are looking forward to your arrival.