3 Unforgettable Things to Do in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai Must dos: Doi Inthanon, Grandma's Kitchen & Wat Pha Lat
Chiang Mai was one of those places we really looked forward to and we were not disappointed. If you stay inside the center of the city, you are behind ancient walls and will find many temples. Chiang Mai is well known for it's 300 temples, but what also surprised us was the bustling cafe culture, amazing food (you must try Khao Soi) and the nature that was close by.
If you are heading to Chiang Mai, here are three activities you should add to your itinerary! If you are ready to book now, check out here!
Tip: you get 5% off using our discount code on www.getyourguide.com KAYLINAANDRYAN5
Activity One - Doi Inthanon National Park & Pha Dok Siew Trek
Doi Inthanon is Thailand’s highest peak and this tour will take you there! We decided to do a group tour (which we will link here) and it made for a smooth day. They picked us up directly from our accommodation and we took the drive to the national park, it’s about and 1.5 hours from the city center.
First stop was the waterfall - it was a quick walk from the car and an outstanding site to see. It’s a popular location, so there are lot of people, but who doesn’t love a waterfall.
Next stop, was to walk around at the peak before heading to the market. There isn’t much to see view wise, but it was a nice walk!
After the market, the tour bus can’t go the temples, so we packed into a small open air pick up truck and made our way to Pra Mahatat Noppamethanedon and Pra Mahatat Nopphonphusiri. This location was beautiful, with amazing temples and great views!
Lastly, we took a guided trek with a local guide on the nature trail. We really enjoyed this part and the walk was not super challenging. We passed a few more waterfalls and wrapped up the day with a local coffee tasting!
Although it felt a bit touristy, it was a great way to see some of the key sights and enjoy the ease of having someone else plan!
Activity Two: Grandma’s Cooking School
This was such a fun cooking school! They pick you up and drive you to their beautiful cooking school and garden. We were able to cook two Thai dishes and dessert, while learning about local ingredients.
It was very beginner friendly and it was a highlight of our trip! Plus they even took and gave us photos (of us cooking) and recipes.
We did the basic class (which we linked here), but you can also take a longer session.
Activity Three: Hiking to Wat Pha Lat
This one we did on our own and it’s definitely possible, but a guide/tour could be helpful if you don’t want to worry about transportation. We linked one here that we think looks good.
We took a grab to the trail head and followed the path up, it can be considered fairly challenging especially with the humidity! I’d bring lots of water, sunscreen, a hat and dress comfortably.
Once at the top, you have an opportunity to explore the beautiful grounds, waterfall and temples! This is a working temple, so please respect the quiet rules.
Once we left, it was a bit more complicated to get back into town, but thankfully at the exit there was a pick-up truck style taxi (you sit in the back) that was able to take us down! If you decide to take this route, note that they are not always there and a grab can be hard to call for it. The ride was also a fun adventure!
We hope these ideas help make your itinerary for Chiang Mai special! Let us know if you have any comments and we linked the tours here.
Here is the recap of tours here!
Tip: you get 5% off using our discount code on www.getyourguide.com KAYLINAANDRYAN5
Please note, we do make a small commission if you book a tour, but we try to share things we believe in!
