I have visited Chiang Mai twice now, the first time for three days in 2019 and again in 2023 for five days. I fell in love with the quaint Northern Thai city on my first visit so I made sure I had more time on my next visit. Five days still wasn’t enough, I would go back again in a heartbeat.
In 2019 my trip was a normal two week vacation with my then boyfriend (now my husband.) My visit in 2023 was part of my “Year Long Honeymoon” read more about my trip here: Year Long Honeymoon – January 2023: 8 Months of Full Time Travel!
There are so many activities to do and sights in and around Chiang Mai, that it’s impossible to do everything in three days. I would recommend staying at least 4-5 days, and possibly more if you have the time.
However, I understand people often have limited time, so in this post I will share the perfect three day itinerary in Chiang Mai! I will also include some of my favorite spots to eat and more activities to do if you are staying longer than three days.
Table of Contents
Day 1.
Explore Chiang Mai's Old City
The Old City is a nearly perfect square surrounded by ancient stone walls. It contains dozens of Buddhist temples and is a beautiful place to walk around.
You could spend an entire day walking all the streets and stumble upon a different temple every few minutes. It really is a great part of the city to explore.
It’s also where most tourists stay, as there are many small hotels, hostels and several dozen restaurants.
Even though it’s the touristy part of Chiang Mai, most of the restaurants are still very affordable (around $3-$5 a meal). There’s also a big group of street food vendors just outside the Old City’s southern wall for even cheaper eats ($1-$3 a meal.)
After walking around in the morning, grab lunch at Khao Soi Kun Yai. It’s a little outdoor stand selling khao soi. It even came up on a couple searches as one of the best bowls of khao soi in the city. It’s located directly outside the northern wall of the Old City here.
If you don’t know what khao soi is, you’re in for a treat! It’s a Northern Thai specialty, so don’t expect to find it in Bangkok or the Thai Islands. The dish consists of homemade noodles in a coconut curry broth with meat in it, typically a chicken leg or slow roasted beef. The soup is then topped with crunchy fried noodles, lime juice, pickled veggies and shallots or red onions. It is one of my favorite foods in the whole world!
Two bowls of the delicious noodle soup and a bottle of water cost us $3 USD at Khao Soi Kun Yai. For one of the best bowls of khao soi in Chiang Mai, I’d say that’s quite a deal! If you want to try it, the restaurant is only open for lunch.
Attend a Cooking Class
One of the things I was most excited about doing in Thailand was attending a cooking class! There are many cooking schools to choose from, and most are between $25-$40 for around 4 hours of cooking, and 3-4 courses.
On my first visit to Chiang Mai I booked our class through Airbnb Experiences. The class was located in the Old Town and it also included a trip to a food market.
On our second visit we attended a cooking class again but this time we booked it through our hostel. We went with a different company and this time our class was located on a farm outside of the city. We also visited a food market before the class but it was further outside the city too.
At the market, we learned about different kinds of Thai vegetables, herbs, tofus, and noodles.
At both of the cooking classes I attended, each student gets to choose their own menu to cook. You get to pick a stir fry, a curry, and a soup. We also had fried spring rolls as an appetizer that everyone made together. The class I took the first time also included dessert, but the one out on the farm did not.
Making Tom Yum soup was one of my favorite parts, because I finally figured out what all the bits and pieces in the soup are. Some of them you’re supposed to eat, and some you pick out like the lemongrass stalks.
If you take an afternoon cooking class you’ll have so much food that you definitely don’t need to get dinner afterwards. I love activities that double as a meal; it’s great for the budget!
Day 2.
Day Trip to Doi Inthanon National Park
As much as I love visiting cities, I always try to schedule some time for hiking and exploring outside of the city.
I found this Airbnb experience, and it had so many great reviews that I had to book it! It really was a wonderfully planned day trip and I highly recommend it.
Coffee with the Hill Tribes
Our guide picked us from our hotel, then our first stop was at a village in Doi Inthanon National Park, whose residents all belong to the Karen tribe.
The tribe used to grow opium, but when the government cracked down on opium production in the mid 20th century, they started to grow coffee.
We got to hand grind our coffee and then enjoy it before our hike.
Hiking in Doi Inthanon
We did one longer hike which took us around rice fields and beautiful water falls, then we did two smaller hikes at a higher elevation.
The high elevation forest looked like a magical fairy forest with moss covered pathways.
Twin Pagodas
Inside the park are the Twin Pagodas, which were built for the previous king and queen’s 60th birthdays.
Women are required to cover their knees and shoulders; so don’t forget to bring something to cover up with if you plan to visit.
Highest Point in Thailand
There truly are so many different natural, cultural, and man made wonders inside the park, including the highest point in Thailand!
This park has something for everyone, and is a can’t miss during your visit to Northern Thailand.
If you are renting a car, you could do most of it on your own, but certain parts of the park you must have a member of the Karen tribe with you as a guide, so booking a tour is the way to go.
Dinner in the Old Town
After a long day of hiking and sightseeing, a simple dinner in the Old Town is a good choice. My favorite restaurant for Thai food is Coconut Shell Thai Food which I ate at during both of my visits to Chiang Mai.
We have tried fried rice, curry, papaya salad, and mango sticky rice, and they’re all delicious. The restaurant is also affordable; expect to spend around $5-$6 per person for an entree, drink, and appetizer or dessert.
Click one of my posts below to learn more about traveling in Thailand!
Year Long Honeymoon – January 2023: 8 Months of Full Time Travel!
Day 3.
Visit The Sticky Waterfalls and Wat Ban Den
We booked a tour through Airbnb Experiences, but you could do this on your own if you want to rent motorbikes.
First we stopped by Wat Ban Den around 9:45. It was a perfect time to get there because we got to walk around and explore before it got too crowded and too hot. By the time we left there were a lot of people there and it was hard to get good photos.
Next there is an optional stop at the Buddha cave. It only takes a few minutes to visit and is really close to the sticky waterfalls. When we went, no one else was there which was pretty cool!
Finally get ready for some waterfall fun! The official name of the falls is “Bua Tong”. People call them sticky waterfalls because you can walk up and down them without slipping. Don’t worry, there are ropes to hold onto on the steep sections.
Explore Nimman Road & Get Dinner
If you’ve walked most of the streets in the Old City, get out and and explore the “trendy” part of Chiang Mai, close to the city’s university!
There are many restaurants, cafes, and bars in the area, as well as a night food bazaar. One of the best restaurants in the area is Cherng Doi Roast Chicken.
The roast chicken was wonderful, especially dipped in the spicy sauce. It all paired well with papaya salad and sticky rice. The restaurant also had a very cool outdoor seating area.
Transportation To & Around Chiang Mai
You can take a quick one hour flight from Bangkok, which was my method of travel for both visits to Chiang Mai. Another option that many backpackers choose is to take an overnight train or bus up from Bangkok.
The airport is an easy10 minute drive from most hotels and hostels in Chiang Mai. You can typically find flights from Bangkok to Chiang Mai for well under $100 USD so I recommend flying unless you’re on a reallllyyyyy tight budget.
Once you’re in the city, you can walk almost anywhere, especially if you’re staying in the Old City. If you’re staying outside of the Old City, you can use Grab (similar to Uber) and get anywhere for just a couple dollars.
There are also songthaews which are pickup trucks with benches built into the bed of the truck. They operate like shared taxis. If you see one on the street you can wave it down, tell the driver where you want to go and hop it. Arrange the price with the driver before you get in and pay at the end of the ride.
Where to Stay in Chiang Mai
Most people visiting Chiang Mai choose to stay in the Old City, or just outside it. There are hundreds of hostels, guest houses, Airbnb’s, and hotels to choose from.
On my first visit to Chiang Mai in 2019 I wasn’t on a tight budget soi I decided to try out one of Thailand’s 5 star resorts. My boyfriend and I chose to stay at Parc Borough City Resort, which was close to the airport, and just over a mile from the southern wall of the Old City.
We loved that they had a pool and large spacious rooms, but disliked that there weren’t many places we could walk to from the hotel. Luckily Grab is very easy and affordable to use, but if we were staying in Chiang Mai for longer than 3 days that would have gotten annoying and cost would add up.
On my last visit in 2023 I was on a budget so we stayed at Family Home Chiang Mai hostel. We had a private room and it was spacious and very nice for the cost. It was also in a great location, just a five minute walk from the Old City.
Staying Longer than Three Days? More Activities around Chiang Mai!
- Visit and hike around Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Ratchaworawihan, a large temple located in the hills just outside of town.
- Visit an elephant sanctuary – There are many elephant sanctuaries in Northern Thailand. If you choose to visit one, please do your research and only visit ethical sanctuaries. If anyone is allowed to ride the elephants, it’s not an ethical facility. Please do not ride elephants.
- Grand Canyon of Thailand – Less than an hour outside the city there is a waterpark located inside an old quarry. There are inflatables, cliff jumping, zip lining and rope swinging.
- Saturday Night Market – every Saturday night there is a market just south of the Old Town on Wua Lai Street. There is a large section of food stalls plus clothes, souvenirs and even places to get a foot massage. The market is popular with locals and tourists alike.
- Sunday Night Market – The Sunday market is on a different street than the Saturday market. It’s on Tha Phae Street in the Old Town.
Even after my two visits to Chiang Mai, I would love to come back and explore more in the city and the surrounding area. There are countless temples I haven’t visited, and several great elephant sanctuaries. I really think you could spend at least two weeks in Chiang Mai and not run out of new sights and activities.
Many people also choose to use Chiang Mai as a base for exploring other Northern Thai cities like Pai and Chiang Rai. I still have yet to visit Chiang Rai, but click here for my First Timer’s Guide to Pai. If you’re traveling for a month or more in Thailand, I definitely recommend a visit to Pai!
Is there anything else I need to add to my itinerary the next time I visit Chiang Mai? Let me know in the comments!
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19 Comments
1》 mae kampong village..mae kampong waterfall
2》Mae sa waterfall.
3》Mai Heun 60 .a restaurant nearby.
4》Hmong Doi pui village over to doi suthep.5》 eat lok Moli temple..wat Hmong suan puff suthep, mueang.CM.5》 HUAY TUENG THAO RESERVOIR.MUCH MORE.
Nice Blog!!!
I didn’t get a chance to go to Chang Mai when I was in Thaialand in 2016. I would love to go back and see more and especially stay in Chang Mai. Your photos are so lovely and the food and views look amazing!
I’d love to visit the Hill Tribes — that’s so cool you got to grind your own very locally grown coffee. I’d also like to see the temples in Chiang Mai it looks very beautiful.
Chiang Mai is on my list for my next trip to Thailand. So far Doi Inthanon National Park was not on my itinerary, but your pictures convinced me to add it!!
The cooking class with a market visit sounds like a fun experience. I love Tom Yum and would love to learn how to cook it. All the recipes I have found so far are just not right
Your post pretty much what I have suspected. Two weeks are just not enough for Thailand. It makes more sense to go there for 3.
Yes, I wish I had known that before I scheduled my two-week trip!
Chiang Mai looks like so much fun, I would love to take a cooking class and learning how to make some authentic food, I’m not much of a cook so it would be a great help! Thanks for sharing
This is such a useful guide! And those hikes look stunning, I’m very jealous
This sounds like my perfect kind of holiday! You got to go hiking, see a gorgeous waterfall, try your hand at cooking aaaand see those amazing temples. Chiang Mai sounds like a fantastic place to stay!
The only thing that is a bit of a shame is the highest point in Thailand, I would have been hoping for a bit more of a view through the trees!! Ah well, at least it looks lush!
Now I can see why Chiang Mai is a draw. Very much like Baguio…a lot of nature, relaxation, and still a tinge of Thai religion and food!
We’ve been to Chiangmai and I can agree your 4-5 days for minimum stay in this area. My plan when we get old I wanna stay here in Chiangmai. I love the people, culture and food! I am jealous you manage to do the cooking class during your visit. I wish to come and enroll in cooking class too. Hopefully soon.
I would LOVE to know how to make Khao soi…. maybe the next blog post idea?? tell me your secrets. haha
This post really made me want to go visit! Going to a Thai cooking school is such a good idea – I would love to learn how to make authentic Tom Yum. And that hike looks absolutely incredible.
Where is the dress you’re wearing by the waterfall from?
It’s “The Exercise Dress” from Outdoor Voices! I love it!
Would love to visit next ! It’s definitively on my bucket list! Thanks for the guide!! 🙂
Chiang Mail looks like an amazing city! Would love to visit Inthanon National Park
Khao soi sounds and looks so delish! I need to try that especially with chicken!
Yes you do!I wonder if I can find any here in Chicago!