Luxury hotels in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai guide

Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep and the old city temples

The golden temple above the city, three hundred temples within the moat and ethical elephant sanctuaries.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a golden temple on the mountain above Chiang Mai, reached by a stairway flanked by naga serpents, is the city's most cited sight; go early for the view and the morning chanting. Inside the old city's moat, Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh are the most beautiful of many temples.

An ethical elephant sanctuary, where you observe and feed rather than ride, is the other classic experience, and a cooking class and the Sunday walking street market complete the visit. November to February is cool and dry, and the Yi Peng lantern festival takes place in November.

Ethical elephant sanctuaries

A day at an elephant sanctuary in the hills around Chiang Mai is one of the most cited experiences in northern Thailand. The best sanctuaries rescue elephants from logging and tourism, do not offer rides or shows, and let visitors observe and feed them in a natural setting.

Elephant Nature Park, founded in the 1990s, is the best known. We recommend sanctuaries that limit group sizes and put the animals' welfare first. Most tours include transfers and a vegetarian lunch.

Northern Thai cooking and khao soi

Chiang Mai is known for its cooking schools, and a cooking class on an organic farm outside the city, starting with a market visit, is one of its most cited experiences. Students learn curry pastes, papaya salad and stir-fries in a single day.

Khao soi, egg noodles in a coconut curry broth topped with crispy noodles, is the city's signature dish, best at simple local restaurants. The Warorot market and the Sunday and Saturday walking streets are the places to try northern sausage, sticky rice and sweets.