Have a few extra days to spend in Chiang Mai and wondering what day trips you can make from this ancient city? Well, as it turns out, there are quite a lot in Chiang Mai other than the city itself.
Within this travel guide, you will find all the information you need to plan a day trip from Chiang Mai, from historical places like Lamphun to stunning nature spots like Doi Ang Khang. Without further ado, here are the best day trips you can make from Chiang Mai.
Chiang Mai Day Trip Itinerary Map
7 Best Day Trips/Short Trips from Chiang Mai
1. Spend a Day in Lamphun
If you have an extra day in Chiang Mai, I would recommend that you go and visit a nearby lesser-known, yet historically significant city, Lamphun. Lamphun used to be the capital city of an ancient Mon kingdom of Haripunchai, one of the last and most northern Mon kingdoms in the area.
The city dates back even before the time of the founding of Siam's first kingdom, Sukhothai, making it the oldest city in the country. It is said that the city was founded way back in the 9th Century during the Mon reign of the area when Siam was still part of the Khmer Empire.
One of the most popular and well-known temples in Northern Thailand that you must visit is Wat Phra That Hariphunchai, which is located in the center of Lamphun city. The temple was built in the early 12th century by a Hariphunchai King to enshrine another Buddha relic found here.
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In the 13th Century, the city was besieged by King Mengrai, and his Lanna Kingdom took over Lamphun. They expanded the temple even further and converted many structures into Lanna style.
There are also several temples in Lamphun that are worth a visit, such as the colorful Wat Mahawan Woramahawihan, Wat Chammathewi, and its ancient 21-meter-high chedi, as old as the city itself. There are also several other attractions to keep you occupied for a day.
Getting from Chiang Mai to Lamphun
From Chiang Mai, you will first have to make your way to the Talad Warorot Song Taew stop west of the city center, right by the Ping River. From the city center, you can catch a yellow song taew from Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 1 (Chang Phueak Bus Terminal) to Talad Warorot for 10 THB, and it should take about 10 minutes. Make sure you ask the driver whether they are going to Talad Warorot or not before getting on.
From Talad Warorot, you can then get on a blue Song Taew, often parked in front of the Song Taew stop along the road by the river, and the blue Song Taew will take you to Lamphun in 1 hour for 20 THB.
Once you arrive in Lamphun, the Song Taew will drop you off in front of Hari Phun Chai National Museum, which is where you will have to be to get back to Chiang Mai. The blue Song Taew connecting Chiang Mai to Lamphun runs from 5 AM to 8 PM every 30 minutes, so be sure to be back in time for the last bus back.
Once you get back to Talad Warorot from Lamphun, you can then find a yellow Song-Taew that goes to Mae Rim where you can then drop yourself back off at Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 1 (Chang Phueak Bus Terminal) just like before, or you can just call the Grab Taxi and get back to your accommodation from Talad Warorot.
2. Drive Up to the top of Doi Inthanon
Doi Inthanon is the highest mountain in Thailand, and you can drive all the way to the top in just 2 hours from Chiang Mai, making it one of the best things to do when you are in Chiang Mai.
There are several things to do around Doi Inthanon, such as the Kew Mae Pan Hike and visiting the Grand Pagodas of Doi Inthanon. However, these places are best visited in the early morning, where you will be able to witness the sea of fog as it descends down from the mountain into the plain below.
In order for you to get to the Kew Mae Pan hike or the Grand Pagodas of Doi Inthanon in time for the sunrise, you will have to leave Chiang Mai by 4 AM, and you should be at the top around 6 AM, just in time for the sunrise. Trust me, the view from the top of Doi Inthanon is definitely worth waking up early for.
Other than the Kew Mae Pan Trail and the Grand Pagodas, there are also other things worth visiting around there, such as the powerful Wachirathan Waterfall and the Mae Ya Waterfall, which you can continue to explore later in the day.
3. Drive the Samoeng Loop
Sameong Loop is a mountain road that goes around Doi Suthep and Doi Pui, starting from Mae Rim, going through the small town of Samoeng, and ending in Hang Dong. It is a great route to take a road trip around for a day from Chiang Mai and be with nature.
The Sameong Loop begins in Mae Rim where you will have to turn west at the large PTT Gas Station just before you arrive in Chiang Dao and go up the mountain, zig-zagging your way through some of the most beautiful scenery in Chiang Mai.
Along the way, you will find plenty of stops for you to take a break and enjoy the mountain view. There are several cozy cafes like Tha Chang Hill that you can visit along the way, as well as the stunning Samoeng Viewpoint just off the main road.
You can also stop by Samoeng to eat something at the flea market before you continue on the loop to Hang Dong, where the mountain road will merge back into the main road just south of Chiang Mai City.
The Samoeng Loop is approximately 90 km long, and it should take you around 2-3 hours to drive the entire length of the loop without stopping. It is a great day trip if you have your own vehicle and would like to quickly escape the bustling city of Chiang Mai.
4. Visit the Elephant Nature Park
I am often skeptical about recommending places like elephant sanctuaries, as they are often not as advertised and the animals are mistreated behind the scenes. However, the Elephant Nature Park, deep in the mountains of Mae Tang, Chiang Mai, really gets my vote as one of the most ethical elephant sanctuaries out there.
For one, the Elephant Nature Park is located on a huge swathe of land with a river running through, creating an almost ungated habitat for these intelligent animals.
They are not tied up and put inside a cage after they are done entertaining tourists, like in other places. They are allowed to roam the large area and do whatever they want.
You are not allowed to ride them or force them to bathe here. You are only allowed to observe and feed the elephants with a fruit basket provided. It is truly the best place to learn about the elephants and interact with them in a humane way.
It costs around 2500 THB for a one-day package that includes lunch and a pick-up/drop-off service from your hotel. They also help stray dogs and cats as well, so you aren't just seeing elephants here; you get the whole package.
The Elephant Nature Park's opening hours are from 7 AM to 5 PM. It is recommended that you book the trip beforehand as they only run private tours. To book for the Elephant Nature Park tour, you can click the link below:
Book the Elephant Nature Park Tour
5. Camp at Huai Nam Dang National Park
Along the mountain road that connects Pai, there is an awesome national park called Huai Nam Dang National Park where you can camp. It offers a nice view of Doi Luang Chiang Dao mountain, which is one of the most prominent and highest mountains in Thailand.
Huai Nam Dang National Park has several campsites facing east and west, allowing you to witness both the stunning sunset and sunrise in one trip.
The sunrise is exceptional at the Doi Kiew Lom View Point, where you will be able to see an unobstructed view of the Doi Luang Chiang Dao mountain.
Huai Nam Dang National Park's entrance fee is 300 THB for foreigners and 50 THB for Thais, plus 20 THB for your motorbike or 30 THB for a car. If you don't want to carry your own camping gear, you can rent everything at the National Park Office for 300 THB.
The National Park's office can provide you with a 3-person tent, a pillow, a sleeping bag, and a sleeping mat. There are no food available here, so be sure to buy some before you arrive at the national park.
6. Explore Chiang Dao District
Chiang Dao is a district north of Chiang Mai City, and it is home to the mighty Doi Luang Chiang Dao mountain, one of the most iconic mountains in Chiang Mai and the third highest in Thailand.
There are a ton of things to do in the Chiang Dao district, and you have to spend at least a week in the Chiang Dao district alone if you want to see them all. Within the city of Chiang Dao, you can visit the Tham Chiang Dao Temple where you can get a tour through the stunning cave that goes deep inside Doi Luang Chiang Dao mountain.
There are also several places where you can camp around Doi Luang Chiang Dao mountain, such as the San Pa Kia campsite on the southern side of the mountain. The San Pa Kia campsite is located on a mountain ridge where you have to take a 4WD drive onto another nearby mountain, and you will get a stunning view of Doi Luang Chiang Dao, as seen here.
You can either rent your own 4WD from Chiang Mai or you can contact 086 191 6149 to hire a 4WD for around 1600 THB for 8 people, round-trip.
You can also get there by a motocross bike, but do not attempt the road with a regular scooter or a car, as there are about 20 km of unpaved road that get extremely muddy when it rains.
At the campsite, there are only toilets and a small shop available, so be sure to rent your camping gear and prepare food before you travel to San Pa Kia Campsite.
If you are not into camping, you can also drive further north into Arunothai Town, a border town between Myanmar where the Chinese-Thai population is located. When you arrive, you will see just how foreign Arunothai is compared to the rest of Thailand.
The people here share many features with Chinese people, and they are often seen speaking Chinese among each other. There are also many Yunnan style restaurants that you can try, such as this Tayong Yunnan Noodle Restaurant. Their grilled dumplings are top-notch!
You can also spend some time exploring the national parks around that area, such as Pha Daeng National Park or continue on to Doi Ang Khang, which is what I will be covering next.
7. Explore the Beautiful Doi Ang Khang
Further north from Chiang Dao District, you will find another beautiful mountain called Doi Ang Khang where you should definitely camp. It is one of the few campsites here where you can camp right at the viewpoint.
You open up your tent and you are greeted with a stunning sunrise over the mountains. Doi Ang Khang is also very easy to reach, as all you have to do is drive and you will be at the campsite in about 3 hours.
That said, the road going up is one of the steepest roads I have experienced in Thailand, even steeper than the one going up to Doi Inthanon, so please be extra careful when you drive up to Doi Ang Khang.
You can camp at Doi Ang Khang for only 30 THB if you have your own tent or 350 THB to rent the national park's tent, which includes everything from pillows to sleeping bags.
There are restaurants at the Doi Ang Khang campsite, so you do not need to prepare any food prior to traveling here. Basically, all you need is to drive up here safely, and you are golden.
It's not just the view that makes Doi Ang Khang one of my favorite places to camp in Chiang Mai; it's the variety of things you can do around the mountain that make it so great to visit.
From 80 Botanical Garden, where you can see a ton of colorful flowers like the Himalayan Cherry Blossom and several other plants that are cultivated here, to the Ban No Re's strawberry fields, right at the borderline between Thailand and Myanmar, Doi Ang Khang deserves a travel guide of its own.
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