← CHIANG MAI TRAVEL GUIDE🐘
SOUTHEAST ASIA · THAILAND
The 6 Best Things to Do in Chiang Mai
Temples, night markets, jungle, and ethical elephants
Chiang Mai is Thailand’s laid-back north — a moated old town of golden temples, buzzing night markets, mountain jungle, and ethical elephant sanctuaries. Cheap, friendly, and easy.
BEST TIME
November–February (cool, dry)
TYPICAL BUDGET
$500–$1,200 per person for a week
6 best things to do in Chiang Mai
3
Sunday Walking Street market
4
Ethical elephant sanctuary
6
Jungle waterfalls and Doi Inthanon
How to fit it into a day
Doi Suthep temple
Spend the morning on the highlight, then in the afternoon or evening: old town temple-hop.
See it laid out day by day: the 3-day Chiang Mai itinerary →
LOCAL TIP
Choose an elephant sanctuary that’s no-riding, observation-only — it’s the ethical kind.
Turn this list into a real trip
ShowUp builds a personalized Chiang Mai plan around these — real hotels, restaurants, and live prices, booked piece by piece, with one honest all-in total. Free.
Build my Chiang Mai trip — free →Chiang Mai itineraries by length
Things to do elsewhere