Mai, oh mai, Thailand’s got a lot

A three day itinerary for Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai is one of the most popular destinations in Thailand. Located in the north of the country, it’s famous for its historical temples and beautiful mountains. One of the biggest draws for me (okay, if we’re being honest, the biggest reason for the trip) were the region’s famous elephant sanctuaries. While it’s worth the trip alone just to get a kiss from an elephant, don’t miss out on the Old City’s vibrant night life.

Day 1

Stay at Chiang Mai Marriott Hotel: When we went to Chiang Mai in 2020, this property was a Le Meridien. It has since been fully renovated into a Marriott and looks even nicer now! It’s conveniently located just outside of the Old City wall, about a 15-minute walk or a 5 minute tuk-tuk ride to the Tha Phae Gate. We actually found staying outside of the Old City to be more relaxing. Plus I’ll take any excuse to ride in a tuk-tuk (see below for my first experience!).

Indulge in a Thai massage at Fah Lanna Spa: My first stop upon arriving in Thailand was to get the famous Thai massage. You can definitely find cheap places, but I was willing to spend a little bit more (which still wasn’t that much) to get a relaxing, spa experience. Fah Lanna Spa is an award-winning spa with three locations in Chiang Mai, and we went to their Old City location. The spa was impeccably clean, the attendants were lovely, and the massage was so divine that it probably added three years back to my life. The best part was that it only cost 800 baht or roughly $21 USD.

Chiang Mai Street Food Tour: Chiang Mai is famous for it’s night bazaars, and there are multiple running simultaneously at different locations throughout the Old City. The best way to experience multiple in one evening is to go on a guided street food tour. Locals know these markets backwards and forwards and are invaluable in making sure you try the best street eats Chiang Mai offers (and steer clear of things you should not be eating). We booked this one through Trip Advisor and had a great experience in our small group of six!

Of note, I also had my own running list of stalls to try – courtesy of this Culture Trip article – and we actually hit a couple of them on the tour!

Day 2

Morning Alms For Monks: Giving alms to monks has evolved from a local religious practice to a must-have experience when in Thailand. Young monks, aged 8-20, walk with brass bowls collecting alms ranging from money to fruits and other goods. This practice is believed to improve a monk’s future life or reduce the number of reincarnations needed to reach nirvana. Almsgiving occurs from dawn until 8 AM, and head to the courtyard around the 3 Kings Monument for the best view.

Take a walking tour of Chiang Mai’s highlights: There are over 300 wats, or temples, scattered throughout the city and surrounding countryside in Chiang Mai. While there’s no way we could have covered them all in three days, this walking tour helped us hit the most well-known ones! The guide was also very knowledgeable on what made each one unique (as they all started to look a little similar to us after a while).

Lunch at Sorn Chai: I found Sorn Chai through the Culture Trip article referenced above and it was, without a doubt, some of the best laab khua (a pungent, smoky mincemeat salad often made of duck, chicken, or liver) I’ve ever had. A heads up that the shop is TINY, there’s zero English, and pay no attention to the hissing cat in the corner. But we ended up going back for thirds, so…worth it.

Cocktails at Brit Bar at 1921 House: Located in the beautiful Anantara Resort, 1921 House was originally the old British consulate in Chiang Mai. It has been transformed into The Service 1921 Restaurant & Bar, which has an old-school, colonial aesthetic. If the mosquitoes aren’t swarming, sit outside of the veranda, which has great views of the Mae Ping River.

Chiang Mai Night Bazaar: After an organized food tour the night before, we gained a little confidence in our ability to pick out street eats. We hit up another night market, the Night Bazaar, in search of the best khao soi (coconut curry noodle soup) and som tum (green papaya salad). My Thai is a little rusty, so I don’t actually know the name of the cart we got it from but I took a picture of it below!

Day 3

Spend the day at an elephant sanctuary: Elephants are undoubtedly one of Chiang Mai’s highlights, so we couldn’t leave without making a few friends! We spent the day with Elephant Jungle Sanctuary at a no ride camp about an hour and a half outside of Chiang Mai. There were no babies at our particular camp (*sad face), but I honestly teared up at the first sight of a fully grown elephant; a baby might have put me over the edge.

We spent the morning by feeding the elephants bananas, which we learned are like dessert to them! Lucky for me, this meant being able to bribe them for endless kisses and hugs, which are every bit as magical as you’re probably thinking they are (see my joy evolve below).

After lunch, we walked with the elephants to the mud spa area and then to the river, where we got to bathe and brush them. One of my favorite parts of the day was watching the interactions between elephants and their handlers. Each elephant had a designated caretaker, and the bond / comfort they had with one another was incredible.

After the river, it was time to say farewell and hit the road back to Chiang Mai. As someone who had only ever seen elephants in the zoo, it warmed my heart seeing how well these elephants were cared for and loved by the local village.