Chiang Mai: Thailand’s Cultural Heart

With its ancient temples, historic streets, and ease of access to nearby beautiful countryside, Chiang Mai is easily one of the best destinations to visit in Thailand. Perfect to discover over the course of a long weekend, in this travel guide we’ll show the very best things to do in Chiang Mai, including top attractions and hidden gems.

We’ll begin our time in the city by spending a day within the historic town walls, where we’ll meet local cats, discover centuries old temples, and indulge in the local coffee scene. We’ll even visit a beautiful flower festival and explore the Chiang Mai artistic scene.

The next day it’s time to head out of the city. We’ll drive to the mountains to a charming wooden-house filled village by the name of Mae Kampong. Frozen in time, it’s even home to its own stunning waterfall. Just a short drive away, the Muang On Cave is home to one of the most unique temples in Thailand.

Chiang Mai is also just a stone’s throw (or, rather, a two hour drive!) away from the ‘rooftop of Thailand’. Doi Inthanon National Park is so-called because it lies at the tail end of the Himalayas and is home to the highest point in Thailand. There we’ll discover a local cloud forest before heading to the stunning twin Royal Pagodas. From there we’ll head to a local rice growing area before ending the day at a beautiful waterfall.