When I think of Thailand, the first things that comes to mind are blissful beaches and island hopping. But if you venture away from the shore and up north, the terrain looks different: jaw dropping mountains, dense jungle, and interesting nature everywhere you turn. The best hub for witnessing the beauty of northern Thailand is the capital, Chiang Mai.
Chiang Mai is a modest city with population just shy of 1.2 million people as of 2022. The city was founded as the capital of the Lanna Thai Kingdom in 1292, it fell to Myanmar in 1558, then gained independence in 1774. It has proceeded to develop as a unique cultural hub, famous for its astounding 300 wats (temples), artisan handicrafts, and beautiful mountainous terrain. Chiang Mai has a quaint old section surrounded by a wall and moat as well as bustling markets and developed highway systems jutting towards other Northern cities and villages.
Marissa and I spent 4 days in Chiang Mai, and here’s the rundown of what we did, where we stayed, and what we ate.
Getting to Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is a quick 1hr 10min flight away from Bangkok, and we scored a ticket for just $25USD each. There are also overnight trains and buses. But when flights are so cheap and fast, why not save yourself 10 hours?
Where We Stayed (And Where You Should Stay Too!)
We stayed at POR Tha Phae Gate in the old city for $34.71USD/night, and it was exceptional. There was a delicious included breakfast, free water refill stations, a 24/7 coffee machine in the lobby (a true treat an addict like myself), as well as complimentary fresh fruit at all times. The Por Tha Phae Gate staff were attentive, friendly, and helpful, and did all the work in our car rental, laundry, and airport transfer. Plus, there were 2 adorable cats.
We could have stayed somewhere for half the price, but the service and experience were truly top notch, and I highly recommend Por Tha Phae Gate if you find yourself in Chiang Mai.
What We Did During Our 4 Days in Chiang Mai
Explored the City
The old town is comprised of winding backstreets that are speckled with cafes, street art, and quaint shops. Impressive wats reveal themselves around every corner, and it’s the perfect place for getting lost. Outside the walls there is more traffic, more restaurants, and amazing local markets that sell everything from live fish to knock off crocs.
There were very few tourists and so many empty restaurants, hotels, and shops. COVID or off season? My guess is a double whammy of both. Selfishly, I enjoyed the quiet streets. The vibes of Chiang Mai are very “yoga, vegan, I’m finding myself in Thailand”, which draws a crowd that feels ironically inauthentic. So experiencing the city with fewer tourists and more locals felt special.
Fun Fact: The regions around Chiang Mai are famous for their coffee. So trying out local brews is a must!
Visited Doi Inthanon National Park
Doi Inthanon National Park is famous for its walking tails, beautiful waterfalls, mountain villages, and wildlife. It’s also “The Roof of Thailand”, as its home to the highest peak in the country. We rented a car for the day which cost 1100 THB ($30.28 USD). Insurance wasn’t included nor was it an option, but the max out of pocket expenses would be a mere 11,000 THB ($300USD)… seemed reasonable enough.
Marissa took the driver’s seat, and she navigated the hectic traffic and left side of the road driving like a champ. And oh yeah… it was down pouring. For the first half of the day, the weather was relentless, so we did the only thing we could– hike in our swimsuits.
We visited Sitithan Waterfall, Huai Sai Luang Waterfall, Wachirathan Waterfall, and two others that weren’t on the maps. The journey brought us through coffee fields, rice fields, and dense, beautiful jungle. The rain let up around noon, and exploring the nature was a treat.
Watched Muay Thai
Muay Thai is an important part of Thai culture, and going to a fight was a cultural experience in of itself. The ring was at the end of a stretch of a very specific type of bar. You see, sex tourism is big in Thailand. There’s a specific type of bar that’s full of beautiful women (that are often men). Foreign men will go to said bar and pay to hang out with said women. They will buy them drinks, play pool, shoot the breeze, and perhaps buy additional services… if you catch my drift. For a more in depth review of sex tourism in Thailand, check out my post on Pattaya HERE.
The Muay Thai fight itself was amazing. There were 6 different matches with fighters from Thailand, France, China, and even the US. The agility, flexibility, power, and quick thinking one must have to fight Muay Thai is spectacular to watch.
Entry Fee: 600 THB
Spent the Day at Elephant Nature Park
Chiang Mai is known for its surrounding elephant sanctuaries. However, not all “sanctuaries” are ethical. After plenty of research, we settled on Elephant Nature Park. We got to see and learn about so many elephants (including a few babies!), and the guide was friendly, informative, and respectful of the animals. Check out my full rundown HERE.
Ticket Price: $75 USD
Explored the Markets:
Chiang Mai has a mix of day and night markets that are full of unique and delicious eats. For local day markets, don’t miss the Muang Mai Market and the Tha-In Market. You’ll likely be the only tourist, and they are great spots to really get a feel (and taste!) of local culture.
While there are a handful of night markets, most are completely geared towards tourists. Which often means higher prices and less flavor. The Chiang Mai Saturday Night Market, however, is a must-do. Wui Lai walking street becomes the ultimate shopping strip with artisan crafts for sale beyond your standard elephant pants and keychains along with so many local eats to choose from.
Which leads me to….
What We Ate During Our 4 Days in Chiang Mai
First things first, the breakfast at the hotel was deletable. There was always scrambled eggs, skewers of meet, a Thai soup, a curry, toast, yogurt, fruits, and all types of sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves. I love an included breakfast, and you better believe I filled up!
Outside of the hotel, we ate plenty of Khao Soi, (my favorite spot was Khao Soi Khun Yai), tried out a vegan spot because the woman was so darn nice (despite the food not being so darn good), checked out the Chang Puak Gate Market among other mostly un-notable night markets.
Fun Food Facts: Khao Soi is a curry noodle soup that’s a specialty of Northern Thailand. It’s spicy, a bit sweet, and exploding with flavor. Get the full rundown on what it is and how it’s made HERE.
The highlight foodie experience was the Saturday night market. 20 minutes of monsoon level rain was tricky to navigate, but once it let up we had some papaya salad, kimchi, roasted chicken, khao soi, and a unique fried sesame pancake dessert. Check out my Instagram post below:
Wrapping Up our 4 Days in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is a perfect hub in Northern Thailand for a wide range of experiences ranging from temple hopping to hiking to waterfall adventures. It has a unique culture and landscape that you won’t find in other parts of Thailand, and it’s also a great launch point for other cities and villages including Chiang Rai and Pai (which I intend to return to see!)
