A walled city in the mountains
The north is where our Thai guides are happiest, and it shows: Doi Suthep at dawn before the tour groups, khao soi at a stall in the moat streets, and an afternoon at a sanctuary where the elephants are watched and fed, never ridden.
The north's largest city, Chiang Mai, centres on an old town still ringed by its original moat and walls, in place for more than 700 years. Frequent flights connect Bangkok to its own airport, Chiang Mai International, so adding it to a Bangkok trip needs no lengthy road journey.
Sitting among mountains keeps temperatures here markedly lower than in Bangkok or on the southern islands, particularly between November and February, the season when walking through the old town's temples and the hills around it is most pleasant. Most visitors head first for Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, perched on a hill overlooking the city, then to Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh within the old walls.
For anyone after culture, nature and a pace gentler than Bangkok or the beach resorts, we point them toward Chiang Mai. A three- to four-night stay fills out nicely with a visit to an ethical elephant sanctuary, a Thai cooking class, a trip to a hill-tribe village and the weekend Sunday Walking Street market.
What fills the days here
- Wat Phra That Doi Suthep — a golden temple on a hilltop, looking down over the city
- Within the moat and walls — the old-city temples of Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh
- A visit to an ethical elephant sanctuary, where you feed, bathe and watch the elephants without ever riding them
- The city's leading markets — the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar in the evenings, Sunday Walking Street at the weekend
- A hands-on half-day cooking class introducing the food of northern Thailand
- A day trip to Doi Inthanon, the country's highest point, taking in waterfalls and hill-tribe villages
- The Yi Peng lantern festival each November, when thousands of paper lanterns drift up into the night sky
Falling together on November's full moon, Yi Peng and Loy Krathong push hotel rates and availability here more than anything else in the calendar, so build your dates around them if you can.
The practical bits
| Details | |
|---|---|
| When to come | November to February is cool and clear; March to May hot and hazy; June to October green and wet |
| Getting in | Chiang Mai International Airport, roughly 70 minutes' flight from Bangkok |
| Money | Thai Baht |
| How long | Three or four nights, usually paired with Bangkok or a beach |
Our trips that pass through Chiang Mai
6D/5N Chiang Mai & Bangkok
Chiang Mai's northern culture combined with a look at Bangkok's temples and cityscape.
A Chiang Mai stay can always be reordered or extended to include Bangkok. Let us know your dates and party size and we will put together a day-by-day plan and hotel options.