Top Things to do in Chiang Mai:
- Visit an Elephant Sanctuary. Chiang Mai is known for their love of elephants, so you will have plenty to choose from! You can read here why I chose Elephants at Home. These gentle giants were full of personality and the full day experience was well worth my time.
- Rent a scooter. If you want to get out of the city or just get around the city square a bit quicker, renting a scooter is about $7 US/day. There is sooo much traffic at all times of the day, that it made me a bit anxious. So, make sure you are pretty comfortable driving one before renting!
- Eat at Tikky cafe. Or really any off the beaten path restaurant. Tikky was near a few hostels, so there weren’t any language barriers and their menu was SO fresh and good! Our AirBnb host had recommended a place next door to us, which was good – just hard to communicate (and know what we were ordering).
- Sip on a street smoothie. Really, any street vendor selling smoothies should have their fresh fruit on display! We found one that you could mix whatever fruit you wanted and it had an amazing and eccentric taste!
- Go to the markets. There are two, one on Friday evening and the other on Sunday. I’ve heard the Sunday market is the larger, better out of the two and that it hosts more local artists. But if you only have time for one, either will be a great experience!
- Visit the temples. For those that may be hesitant on getting temple overload, you have to at least go to a few. Some of the oldest temples date back to the 13th century! The Buddhist temples were the highlight of the old “northern capital”. They are all unique and beautiful in their own ways! If you are short on time or want to go more in depth, I would recommend hiring a tour!
- Attend the Lantern Festival. If you plan to be there during November, definitely buy tickets in advance! It was a sold out event when we were there. But it was worthwhile to partake in all of the events, and to truly understand the meaning behind it all.
- Visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. As a bonus, on your way there on the left hand side, there is a big Buddha. Make your way down the hill (via scooter or car) and it will take you to another temple. Trust me, the views and serenity of this active temple are worth it.
- Watch the parade. If you are there during the lantern festival, they also have a huge parade! Be sure to get there early to get a good spot!
- Visit with a monk. Before we left for our trip, I met a musician who told us about his travels. He not only learned about different religions, but also spoke about his time with a monk and how it had a profound effect on his life. At many of the temples you will see signs that offer the opportunity for you to engage in conversation with them to learn about the buddhist religion and way of life.
