Chiang Mai
Thailand's second-largest city: Chiang Mai. There is a nice atmosphere within the walls of the old city center and it feels anything but crowded (except at the Sunday night market). Outside the city there is more than enough to see and do, so there is certainly no lack of variety! What to see and do in Chiang Mai? Read everything you need to know in this article!
How to get to Chiang Mai?
Chances are that you will travel towards Chiang Mai via Bangkok. You can choose to go by train or bus, with the bus being the cheapest (also the most efficient) option. If you want to travel by train, you will pay about €25 (850 Baht) for a bed. A bus ticket from Bangkok Busline costs about €17.50 (594 Baht).
I personally did the round trip by bus, just fine. Not one of those sleeper buses like in Vietnam, but you can put the seat back far enough and stretch your legs. I can't sleep very well in a bus anyway, so for those few times I take it for granted.
You can buy a ticket for the bus either at the bus station or at your ho(s)tel.
What to do in Chiang Mai?
Various day trips, visiting the highest point in Thailand, cooking and exploring the city center!
Doi Inthanon National Park
Doi Inthanon National Park is located near Thailand's largest mountain: Mount Doi Inthanon (2,565 meters above sea level). The mountain (and thus the national park) is named after one of the last kings of Chiang Mai: Inthawichayanon. He was concerned about the forests and mountains of northern Thailand and dedicated himself to their preservation.
Because the park is located in the mountains, it is a lot cooler than Chiang Mai itself. In the winter months it is still quite cold, especially in the morning: about 4 to 8 degrees, with a chance of frost every now and then. Once the sun starts shining and the temperature rises during the day, it immediately becomes a lot more pleasant.
The entrance fee for the National Park is 300 Baht per person, if you come by scooter you pay 20 Baht extra per scooter.
Highlights of the Doi Inthanon National Park
- Thailand's highest point
There is not much more than a sign there, but you can at least tell everyone that you've been to Thailand's highest point. There is a short (200 meters) hike through a patch of forest, but I didn't find this one very special.
- Waterfalls
There are several waterfalls in the National Park. Personally, I found only the Wachirathan really worthwhile. The Sirithan waterfall was not very special during my visit, possibly because I was there in the dry season. The Mae Klang waterfall looked beautiful from a distance, but once a lot closer it was hard to see.
Wachirathan waterfall
- Temples
I call them the scrabble temples: Pra Mahatat Noppamethanedon & Pra Mahatat Nopphonphusiri. Two temples that belong together, surrounded by colorful flower fields. Entrance fee is 100 Baht per person, if you go by scooter you need to park it +/- 500 meters from the entrance.
- Walking route!
For hiking enthusiasts, there is a (guided) hike in the park: the Kew Mae Pan hike. A walk of about 2 hours through the forest on the way to a panoramic viewpoint of the mountain landscape. Cost of the guide: 200 Baht.
On the way back, you can for example visit the Wat Phra That Sri Chomthong temple, it is practically on the route from the National Park back towards Chiang Mai!
Elephant Sanctuary (ethical)
A controversial activity, as not everyone believes that keeping elephants is ethical per se. The elephant is the national symbol of Thailand and wild elephants still live in the north of the country. These are not ideal living conditions for wild elephants, especially since they eat about 125 KG of food a day. Something the farmers are not always happy about this, as occasionally the wild elephants eat the farmer's crops.
Elephant sanctuaries catch some of these wild elephants and try to give them the best living conditions. Feeding an elephant costs quite a bit, especially when I saw how many bananas, for example, are eaten by an elephant each day. So here they really depend on the tourist. Without the arrival of tourists there would be no income and they would have to work many extra hours themselves.
Elephant Dream Project
Elephant Dream Project
I myself visited Elephant Dream Project's elephant sanctuary with a half-day tour. The owner spoke passionately about the history of the elephant in Thailand, why he started this project and what his mission is. Then it's time to feed the elephants, make a special "medicine" for them, go with them towards the river and finally you get a Thai lunch.
Cost: 1600 Baht
Travel time: +/- 2 hours from Chiang Mai center
You can always weigh the extent to which it is ethical if the elephants make the same round every morning with a new group of tourists, but it didn't stop me. I found the visit absolutely worthwhile and am happy to have been able to support the elephant sanctuary in this way.
Cooking class
Northern Thailand has several local specialties, such as the Khao Soi and (mango) sticky rice, making it an ideal place for a cooking course. Highly recommended is the cooking course of Thai Farm Cooking. More about that can be found here!
Temples
Both in and outside Chiang Mai there are several temples to visit. To be honest, I often saw it after a few temples, because up to a certain point, most are quite similar. Some highlights:
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Wat Buppharam
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Wat Pha Lat
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Wat Chedi Luang
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Chet Yot Temple
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Wat Phra Singh
- Golden Doi Suthet Temple
Wat Buppharam
Wat Phra Singh
Open air market (Sunday night market).
Every Sunday the local open air market in Chiang Mai takes place. The market is big, but really big. In total, the market stretches on both sides all along Ratchadamnoen Road, about 1 KM. It is one of the most famous markets in Thailand, so no wonder it is chaotic and crowded. You can keep looking around and get lost in all that the local vendors have to offer.
At the market, vendors offer a wonderful combination of handmade crafts, you can find practically everything you can think of in a market geared toward tourists:
- Numerous souvenirs
- Various types of clothing
- Paintings and other creations
- Various products for your interior, such as bowls
- Massage treatment
Street food
For me, a market is not complete without street food. Along the main road there are some stalls with food, but for the most complete offer, take a side road towards the food court. You can score a meal starting at 40 Baht on average, but you can also score a snack (spring roll, samosa, grilled chicken skewer) for smaller amounts, for example.
My favorite street food:
- Papaya Salad
- Pad Thai
- Noodle soup
- Grilled meat skewers
- Mango Sticky Rice
- Cocunut pancakes
Prices
What I have generally noticed is that the closer you get to the heart of the market, the higher the prices get. At the beginning/end of the market and in the side streets it is usually a little cheaper. It doesn't make a huge difference, but if you are looking for something specific you might want to consider this. Chances are that people in the heart of the market are trying to take advantage of the massive flow of tourists.
Negotiate
All food has a price, but not all products you can buy at the market are priced. So as in Vietnam and Cambodia, the key is to get your bargaining skills out of the closet. Again, about 50% of the original price is a good deal. Some sellers will go along with it, others may not.
In short
- When: Every Sunday from 4 p.m. to midnight;
- Location: Ratchadamnoen Road (start from city gate Tha Pae Gate).
- Avoid the crowds: Between 6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. it is at its busiest. So be there a little earlier if you want to avoid the crowds.
Muay Thai Class
A visit to northern Thailand is not complete without a lesson in Muay Thai. Thailand's national, also most famous martial art is quite intense. Whether you are a beginner or already experienced in a martial art from home, the classes are suitable for everyone. I only took a beginners class at the Chiang Mai Muay Thai Gym, but you could also go for multiple classes here. Cost for a single lesson: 390 Baht.
You can "just go" to the boxing gym at the desired time of class and sign up, no need to book in advance.
Route 1095
The trip from Chiang Mai to Pai is one that I recommend everyone to take by scooter. About 130 KM of riding, of which about 80 KM is on the beautiful route 1095. Here 762 bends (combinations) await you, if you look around every now and then you can immediately enjoy beautiful views. You can read more about this wonderful ride in this blog!
Restaurant tips
There is nothing like enjoying your own cooking skills during a Thai cooking class, but of course there are plenty of other venues for culinary enjoyment.
- It's Good
The name secretly gives away the quality of this Thai restaurant: (more than) good! So good that I went to eat here 3 times. In that respect, I'm an easy person: once the food is good you will definitely find me there again.
- Ploen Ruedee Night Market (Mon-Sat)
In Chiang Mai I stayed at the Stay Thapae Hostel, which after a short walk turned out to be the perfect location. In fact, on the same street is the Ploen Ruedee Night Market. A small-scale street food market with a lovely vibe due to the (live) music.
There is a lot of choice from Thai, but also some western dishes like pizza or a burger. Prices are a little bit higher than the Sunday night market, though. My favorite? The stall with the noodle soup (back left, near the stage).
How many nights in Chiang Mai?
There is more than enough to do in Chiang Mai. So 3-5 nights is the minimum you can spend there, depending on the time available in your itinerary. Ideally, plan your stay to be there on a Sunday to experience the chaos of the Sunday night market.
From Chiang Mai you can go to: