Elephant Nature Park is an elephant rescue and rehabilitation sanctuary in the Mae Taeng valley north of Chiang Mai. Its visits focus on watching elephants in their herds and learning about their individual histories...
Chiang Mai Area – Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is the cultural heart of northern Thailand, combining historic temples, lively markets, modern neighbourhoods, northern Thai food and easy access to mountains and nature. The current Chiang Mai Travel Hub inventory includes major attractions such as Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh, Tha Phae Gate, the Night Bazaar, One Nimman, MAYA Lifestyle Shopping Center and many more places across the city.
The city is easy to explore by area. The Old City is best for temples, walls, markets and heritage; Nimman is known for cafes, shopping and contemporary dining; the Night Bazaar and riverside districts are strong for evening activity; and Doi Suthep provides mountain scenery and one of Chiang Mai’s most important temples.
Explore Chiang Mai
- Old City and temples – Visit Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh, Tha Phae Gate and historic streets surrounded by the old walls and moat.
- Doi Suthep and mountain attractions – Head west of the city for Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, viewpoints, forest scenery and nearby mountain experiences.
- Markets and shopping – Explore the Sunday Walking Street, Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, local markets, One Nimman, MAYA and larger shopping centres.
- Food and nightlife – Discover northern Thai dishes, street food, cafes, rooftop bars and restaurants across Nimman, the Old City and riverside districts.
- Culture and local experiences – Add museums, cooking classes, Muay Thai, massage, festivals and traditional Lanna experiences to a city itinerary.
Browse the listings below to discover Chiang Mai attractions, temples, markets, neighbourhoods and things to do across the city.
Elephant Nature Park
Kuet Chang, Mae Taeng
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Suthep, Mueang Chiang MaiWat Phrathat Doi Suthep is one of the holiest Buddhist Temples in Northern Thailand. Its location overlooks Chiang Mai City from the mountain slopes.
Wat Chedi Luang
Si Phum, Mueang Chiang MaiWat Chedi Luang is one of the many Buddhist temples that dot Chiang Mai City, and which seeks to direct devout locals and foreigners to enlightenment.
Bhubing Palace
Suthep, Mueang Chiang MaiBhubing Palace is a working royal residence in the mountains above Chiang Mai, beyond Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. When public access is available, visitors explore the gardens and designated grounds rather than touring...
Doi Inthanon National Park
Ban Luang, Chom ThongDoi Inthanon National Park protects Thailand’s highest mountain, rising 2,565 metres above sea level southwest of Chiang Mai. A visit combines cool high-elevation forest, waterfalls, nature trails, royal pagodas...
Wat Phra Singh
Phra Sing, Mueang Chiang MaiWat Phra Singh ranks as one of the most revered temples in the northern parts of Thailand. Consequently, it attracts visitors from all over the world.
Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden
Mae Raem, Mae RimQueen Sirikit Botanical Garden occupies a forested hillside in Mae Rim, northwest of Chiang Mai. Its glasshouse collections, elevated canopy walkway and outdoor trails let visitors move between carefully managed plant...
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
Chang Moi, Mueang Chiang MaiChiang Mai Night Bazaar is the city’s best-known nightly shopping district, stretching along Chang Khlan Road and into covered markets, arcades and side streets east of the Old City. Souvenir browsing, food and...
Chiang Mai Night Safari
Nong Kwai, Hang DongChiang Mai Night Safari is a large zoological park southwest of the city, combining open-sided safari trams with a walking trail, animal presentations and evening entertainment. Savanna Safari and Predator Prowl are the...
Grand Canyon Chiang Mai
Nam Phrae, Hang DongGrand Canyon Chiang Mai is a water adventure attraction built around a flooded former quarry in Nam Phrae, Hang Dong. Orange banks and blue-green water give the setting its distinctive appearance, while the managed...
Tiger Kingdom Chiang Mai
Rim Tai, Mae RimTiger Kingdom Chiang Mai offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come up close with tigers in their different stages of growth.
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park
Suthep, Mueang Chiang MaiDoi Suthep-Pui National Park rises west of Chiang Mai, bringing forest temples, waterfalls and cooler mountain country within reach of the city. Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is its best-known landmark, but the park also...
Chiang Mai Sunday Walking Street Market
Si Phum, Mueang Chiang MaiChiang Mai Sunday Walking Street Market transforms Ratchadamnoen Road into a large weekly pedestrian market through the Old City. Every Sunday afternoon and evening, the road fills with handicrafts, artwork, clothing...
Royal Park Rajapruek
Mae Hia, Mueang Chiang MaiRoyal Park Rajapruek is an expansive botanical park southwest of central Chiang Mai, featuring landscaped gardens, international displays and one of the city’s most impressive examples of modern Lanna architecture...
Tha Phae Gate
Si Phum, Mueang Chiang MaiTha Phae Gate is Chiang Mai’s best-known city gate and one of the main landmarks marking the boundary of the historic Old City. Its red-brick walls, broad pedestrian square, and central location make it a popular...
Chiang Mai Saturday Night Market
Hai Ya, Mueang Chiang MaiChiang Mai Saturday Night Market is a weekly walking street filled with northern Thai food, crafts, silverware, clothing and informal entertainment. Also known as Wua Lai Walking Street, it follows Wua Lai Road...
Chiang Mai Zoo
Suthep, Mueang Chiang MaiChiang Mai Zoo is a large hillside zoological park on Huay Kaew Road, beside Chiang Mai University and the road climbing towards Doi Suthep. Animal exhibits, forested slopes and landscaped visitor areas spread across...
San Kamphaeng Hot Springs
Ban Sahakon, Mae OnSan Kamphaeng Hot Springs is a landscaped hot-spring park in Mae On, east of Chiang Mai. Visitors come to see the steaming geothermal water, cook eggs in designated boiling pools, soak their feet in cooled channels and...
Warorot Market
Chang Moi, Mueang Chiang MaiWarorot Market is the most popular market in Chiang Mai, and for very good reason. Located in the heart of the city, it is obvious why this is a must-visit.
Central Chiangmai
Fa Ham, Mueang Chiang MaiCentral Chiangmai is a major shopping, dining and entertainment centre in Fa Ham, northeast of Chiang Mai’s Old City. Formerly known as Central Festival Chiang Mai, it combines a Central department store with...
One Nimman
Suthep, Mueang Chiang MaiOne Nimman is a shopping, dining and cultural complex at the northern end of Nimmanhaemin Road in Chiang Mai. Red-brick arcades, a clock tower and an open courtyard give it a recognisable setting, while independent...
Bua Thong Waterfalls (Sticky Waterfalls)
Mae Ho Phra, Mae TaengBua Thong Waterfalls, also spelt Bua Tong and known as the Sticky Waterfalls, is a forest outing north of Chiang Mai with an unusual attraction: climbing up pale limestone while water runs over your feet. Mineral...
Maya Mall
Chang Phueak, Mueang Chiang MaiMAYA Lifestyle Shopping Centre is a modern shopping, dining and entertainment complex at the intersection of Huay Kaew Road and Nimmanhaemin Road. Commonly called MAYA Chiang Mai or Maya Mall, it is particularly...
Siam Dragon Cabaret Show
Chang Pueak, Chiang MaiSiam Dragon Cabaret Show is a seated theatre performance on Huay Kaew Road, near Chiang Mai’s Nimman area. It combines choreographed dancing, lip-sync numbers, elaborate costumes and stage lighting, with...
Pongyang Jungle Coaster & Zipline
Pong Yaeng, Mae RimPongyang Jungle Coaster & Zipline is a mountain adventure park in Pong Yaeng, Mae Rim, northwest of Chiang Mai. Its rail coaster, aerial zipline activities and other rides offer different ways to experience the...
Sacred Heart Cathedral
Chang Khlan, Mueang Chiang MaiSacred Heart Cathedral is the principal Roman Catholic church of the Diocese of Chiang Mai. It stands on Charoen Prathet Road in Chang Khlan, southeast of the Old City, and serves a living parish community as well as...
Elephant Jungle Sanctuary
Mae Wang, Chiang MaiElephant Jungle Sanctuary offers several Chiang Mai programmes, from short feeding visits to longer days involving care activities, observation and water contact. Choosing the programme matters: a half-day bathing visit...
Patara Elephant Farm
Ban Pong, Hang DongPatara Elephant Farm offers guided, hands-on elephant programmes in the Ban Pong area of Hang Dong, outside Chiang Mai. Feeding, walking and learning about daily care are central to the visit, with staff guiding how...
Chiang Mai University
Suthep, Mueang Chiang MaiChiang Mai University offers a leafy campus setting at the foot of Doi Suthep, with Ang Kaew Reservoir as its main draw for sightseeing visitors. The water, wooded edges and mountain backdrop provide a quieter change of...
Art in Paradise
Tha Sala, Mueang Chiang MaiArt in Paradise is an indoor illusion-art attraction in Chiang Mai where visitors become part of the pictures. Painted scenes use perspective and visual tricks to make a photograph look as though you are balancing over...
Zipline Adventure
Don Kaeo, Mae RimZipline Adventure is a guided aerial course at Huay Tung Tao Reservoir in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim area. The lake and surrounding hills give it a different setting from a course deep in the mountains, with longer...
Wat Chiang Man
Si Phum, Mueang Chiang MaiWat Chiang Man stands out as one of Chiang Mai’s most remarkable temples simply because it is the oldest Wat in the city, yet still stands strong.
Wat Suan Dok
Suthep, Mueang Chiang MaiWat Suan Dok is believed to have been constructed in the 14th century under the reign of King Keu Na who ruled over the ancient Lanna Kingdom.
Chiang Mai Gate
Phra Sing, Mueang Chiang MaiChiang Mai Gate marks the southern edge of the Old City, where a surviving gateway, brickwork and moat meet a busy food-market neighbourhood. It is a useful landmark for a short heritage stop, a street-food meal or the...
Maesa Elephant Camp
Mae Raem, Mae RimMaesa Elephant Camp is a long-established elephant attraction in the Mae Sa Valley, west of Mae Rim. A visit now centres on seeing the elephants and following the camp’s feeding arrangements, with a basket of...
Elephant Retirement Park
San Pa Yang, Mae TaengElephant Retirement Park offers booked elephant visits in San Pa Yang, Mae Taeng, north of Chiang Mai. The experience centres on learning about the animals and spending time around their daily care, with feeding, a...
Doi Ang Khang
Mae Ngon, FangDoi Ang Khang is a highland area in northern Chiang Mai province where cool-weather gardens, agricultural research and mountain viewpoints form the main visitor experience. The Angkhang Royal Agricultural Station...
Wat Phan Tao
Si Phum, Mueang Chiang MaiWat Pan Tao is a small but very interesting temple, especially for visitors who are thrilled by Thailand’s unique heritage and religious framework.
Huay Tung Tao Lake
Don Kaeo, Mae RimHuay Tung Tao Lake is a reservoir and recreation area in Don Kaeo, north of Chiang Mai. Its mountain backdrop, lakeside food huts and surrounding rural scenery make it a pleasant place to slow down over lunch or spend...
Wat Umong
Suthep, Mueang Chiang MaiWat Umong, in full, Wat Umong Suan Puthatham, is an old temple nestled in Chiang Mai in the northern parts of Thailand. Locals also refer to it as Oomong.
What are the best attractions in Chiang Mai?
Popular attractions include Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh, Chiang Mai Old City, Tha Phae Gate and the city's famous markets and shopping districts.
What is Chiang Mai best known for?
Chiang Mai is best known for its historic temples, Lanna culture, markets, northern Thai food and mountain setting. It is also a major base for nature, adventure and day trips across northern Thailand.
Which areas of Chiang Mai are best to visit?
The Old City is best for history and temples, Nimman for cafes and modern dining, the Night Bazaar area for shopping and nightlife, and Doi Suthep for mountain scenery and cultural attractions.
Can you explore Chiang Mai without a car?
Yes. The Old City is especially walkable, while songthaews, tuk-tuks and other local transport make it easy to reach areas such as Nimman and the Night Bazaar. Attractions farther outside the centre, including Doi Suthep, are easier to reach by vehicle.