Also known as the “Rose of the North”, Chiang Mai, Thailand is steeped in immaculate history and houses intricate architecture. The Old City is quite an attraction in itself with such rich culture, temples, museums and other unique sites.
The temperature also is not as harsh as in Bangkok due to its northern location. Therefore, you can spend long hours sightseeing and not get affected by the weather conditions. The inhabitants of Chiang Mai are some of the most welcoming and laid back people you would come across in all of Thailand.
It was pretty difficult to list just a few things to do in Chiang Mai, but have a look at the best of all what we have shortlisted out of the many. You may like to explore on your own or hire Chiangmai tours to get the most out of the city’s attractions.
1) Doi Suthep
Doi Suthep is one of the most popular attractions in all of Chiang Mai. It's the first recommendation that comes from the taxi drivers and tour organizers, like Big Ben in London. It is about 12 km outside Chiang Mai and is a mountain that provides a fantastic view of the city. It is the location of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, which is a 13 century Theravada Buddhist temple housing a white temple shrine and a replica of Emerald Buddha.
2) Nimmanhaemin Road
Nimmanhaemin Road is the most happening place in Chiang Mai where all the hip bars, pubs and restaurants are open to welcome you for a delectable treat. It has many high end clothing brands as well as there is a mall at the end of the road that offers a variety of designer shops plus a multiplex cinema. It is the most expensive neighborhood in Chiang Mai when it comes to property values as well as prices for eating out.
3) Night Safari
Similar to Singapore's Night Safari, Chiang Mai's Night Safari offers three animal zones, Savanna Safari, Predator Prowl, and Jaguar Trail, which can be covered either on foot or a tram. It has a lot to offer to keep you entertained from petting tiger cubs to hand-feeding animals to laser shows and dancing fountain.
4) Elephant Jungle Sanctuary
The Elephant Jungle Sanctuary is as one of the best elephant sanctuaries in Chiang Mai. It is an organization that exists for the welfare of the animals. It houses those elephants who have retired from different tourists attractions and prioritizes to provide them an environment similar to their natural habitat as possible. The elephants are more than friendly to bathe them and soak yourself in water with them, while riding on them may not be allowed.
5) Doi Inthanon National Park
Doi Inthanon is one of the most popular national parks in Thailand, famous for its waterfalls, trails, remote villages, and picturesque viewpoints. The park is part of the Himalayan mountain range. Its elevation ranges between 800 and 2,565 meters with the highest peak at Doi Inthanon, which is the highest mountain in Thailand. It is also well known to be home to various species of animals and is one of the best places in the world for bird watching. Around 362 species are found here that are not to be seen anywhere else in Thailand.
6) Lanna Folklife Museum
The Lanna folk museum is quite an interesting place to visit for people who are curious to know about the history and culture of the Lanna people of northern Thailand. It has information about the people, lifestyle, and activities of the Lanna. After renovation, the building now looks like white colonial style building, and has a lot of information in English, Chinese and Thai.
