Most people arrive in Thailand with the beaches in mind, and of course, they’re gorgeous. But it’s often Northern Thailand that really steals our clients’ hearts. It’s greener, more relaxed, and has a way of life that really gets under your skin.
From the beautiful temples and night markets of Chiang Mai to the rice fields of Pai and the misty mountains of Mae Hong Son, you’ll see a completely different side of the country. For ease, Chiang Mai is the best place to base yourself. It connects well with Thailand’s best beaches and is ideal for exploring the surrounding area on day trips. However, if you’ve got more nights to play with, we’d highly recommend adding a couple of nights in Chiang Rai too. It’s also worth building in an extra night or two in Pai and Mae Hong Son, for a more in-depth exploration of Northern Thailand.
Chiang Mai is brilliantly placed for exploring the North of Thailand, and it’s also a fabulous city in its own right. We’d recommend between three and four nights to explore the city itself, which gives you time for a cooking class, exploring some temples, the night markets and a day trip. But if you’d like to use it as a base and explore further, you could easily extend this to five or seven nights.
When it comes to temples, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is the must-see, and simply breathtaking. Perched on the mountainside, the 306-step staircase (or funicular if you’d prefer) leads you up to a golden chedi with wonderful views back over the city. There are also lovely temples in the city, many of which you’ll probably stumble on as you wander, with several running informal ‘monk chats’ where you can sit and talk with the resident monks.
An elephant sanctuary visit is a must-do if you’re an animal lover. Always look for an ethical one, such as Elephant Nature Park, where the elephants roam freely and there’s no riding or performing.
A Thai cooking class is another essential. Most start with a wander round a local market to pick up ingredients before you cook four or five dishes yourself and sit down to eat them. Top tip: don’t eat breakfast before you go!
One of the most special parts of Chiang Mai, though, is its night markets where you can spend the evening browsing the stalls, sampling delicious street food and enjoying live music.
Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s highest mountain (pictured above), is about two hours’ drive from Chiang Mai and offers a complete change of scenery. Wachirathan Waterfall is one of the main highlights of the park, with a huge drop that throws spray and rainbows right across the viewing platform. Near the summit, the twin royal pagodas stand in beautiful gardens with long views over the valleys below, and the Ang Ka nature trail takes you through cloud forest on raised platforms.
Chiang Rai is around three hours’ drive from Chiang Mai, and home to some of Northern Thailand’s most distinctive and impressive temples – three of which are absolute must-sees. The most famous is the White Temple (pictured below), or Wat Rong Khun. Its brilliant white architecture and intricate details give it a striking appearance, and the whole site is magnificently surreal, with the famous bridge leading through a sea of reaching hands. The Blue Temple, or Wat Rong Suea Ten, is a complete contrast, with bright blue interiors and elaborate golden details. Meanwhile, Wat Huay Pla Kang is known for its enormous white statue of Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, and its hilltop setting.
Also visit Baan Dam, known as the Black House. This unusual collection of dark wooden buildings, artworks and sculptures was created by Thai artist Thawan Duchanee.
Chiang Rai is ideally placed for a day trip to the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet. From the viewpoint at Sop Ruak you can see all three countries at once, with the hills of Myanmar rising on one side and Laos sitting across the water.
Pai is all about the great outdoors, with rice fields, waterfalls, hot springs and spectacular mountain views to enjoy. It’s best visited from Chiang Mai and is about three to four hours via Route 1095, a famously winding road with 762 bends. While it is doable as a day trip from Chiang Mai, we’d recommend staying one or two nights if you can. That way you get to see the valley at sunrise, enjoy a proper evening on the walking street, and have time to slow down.
One of the highlights is Pai Canyon (pictured above), where you can walk along the narrow ridges and watch the sunset over the surrounding mountains. For something more relaxing, head to Sai Ngam Hot Springs, tucked away in the forest, and soak in the warm natural pools surrounded by trees.
The countryside around Pai is simply stunning. Bamboo bridges cross the rice fields, giving you an easy way to wander through the farmland and take in the scenery. Another must-do is to head to Yun Lai Viewpoint to watch the sunrise over the misty mountains and valleys around Pai, then climb up to the Big Buddha at Wat Phra That Mae Yen.
Near the Myanmar border, Mae Hong Son is the more remote part of Northern Thailand, with beautiful mist-filled mountain scenery, hot springs, caves and hill tribe communities. If you want to get further off the beaten track and experience a quieter side of Thailand, it’s the perfect choice.
The surrounding villages are home to several hill tribes including Karen, Lisu, Lahu and Hmong communities, and the best visits are arranged through community-based tourism initiatives where the villages run and benefit from the experience themselves.
Another highlight is Tham Lot Cave, where you can take a bamboo raft along the underground river and explore the enormous chambers.
Also make sure you visit Ban Rak Thai (pictured below). This picturesque Yunnanese tea village sits beside a lake close to the Myanmar border, with tea plantations and traditional Yunnan-style buildings giving it a completely different feel from the rest of Northern Thailand.
In Mae Hong Son town itself, head up to Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu for sunset. The temple sits high above the town and has wonderful views across the mountains, making it one of the best spots to watch the sun go down.
If you’re mainly interested in Chiang Mai, it works great as a base for three to five nights and can be combined with Bangkok and pretty much any beach resort. Our Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket is our most popular option, giving you time for trips to an elephant sanctuary and Doi Inthanon.
If you want to include both Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai in your Thailand holiday, we recommend flying into Chiang Rai first for a night or two of temples and culture, then drive down to Chiang Mai for three nights before flying on to the beaches. Our Complete Thailand Experience runs this way round.
For the full Northern Thailand experience including Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Doi Inthanon, Pai and Mae Hong Son, we’d recommend allowing about eight to ten nights in the north to really enjoy each place. Our Northern Thailand Explorer with Chiang Rai as an optional extra does just this, and also completes your trip with a few days at the beach.
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