Chiang Mai in Thailand’s Northern Highlands

Chiang Mai is a popular destination in Thailand’s Northern Highlands. Situated in the foothills of the Himalayas, Chiang Mai offers a cooler climate to explore elaborate Buddhist temples or enjoy a variety of mountain sports.

Chiang Mai

Chaing Mai was the capital of the Lanna Kingdom in the 1200s. It has lost many of the historical buildings from that time, but there are still a few remnants. Old Town was once surrounded by a brick wall with large arched gates. Parts of the 600 year old wall have been restored making it easier to envision how the city looked at that time. Running around the outside of the wall was a moat. Today its is a lovely water feature lined by tall trees providing shade to the sidewalk that follows along its side.

Like most Thai cities, Chiang Mai has plenty of Buddhist wats (temples), many of them are within the walls of the Old City. Wandering up and down the streets without a plan, we stumbled on a few spectacular wats. Some were built out of teak and are still in excellent condition. Teak was often used for construction and it makes for a unique design. Others are covered in golden leaves or have fabulous multi-tiered roofs.

  • Teak Wat, Chiang Mai
    Wat Phan TaoTeak Wat, Chiang Mai
  • Wat Lok Molee, Chiang Mai
    Wat Lok Molee, Chiang Mai
  • Wat Pra Singh, Chiang Mai
    Wat Pra Singh, Chiang Mai
  • Wat Pra Singh, Chiang Mai
    Wat Pra Singh, Chiang Mai
  • Wat, Chiang Mai

Many of the wats have 1200 year old stupas next to them. Some of these stupas have been restored, and others are crumbling with neglect.

  • Stupa at Wat Buppharam, Chiang Mai
    Stupa at Wat Buppharam, Chiang Mai
  • Wat Lok Molee, Chiang Mai
    Wat Lok Molee, Chiang Mai
  • Stupa, Wat Chiang Man, Chiang Mai
    Stupa, Wat Chiang Man, Chiang Mai

Monk Chat

At Wat Chedi Luang we attended a ‘monk chat’. At this wat, monks invite English speaking tourists to ask them questions about Buddhism and their lives as monks. In return, the monks are able to practice their English. We thought this would be very popular, but when we arrived there was only one other lady.

We spent about an hour speaking with 2 monks who are studying at university. It was interesting to learn about their lives. Their day begins at 5 am with a puja where they chant mantras and light butter lamps. Then they go into the city to collect food donations. This food collectively feeds the monastery for their 2 meals of the day; breakfast and lunch. They do not eat supper. Then in the afternoon, those monks still in university have classes. In the evening there is another puja followed by either free time or school work. They also told us about Buddhism. The most important principle for a monk is mindfulness. Being mindful of your actions and their consequences on themselves and others. The five tenets that all Buddhists should obey are: not to cause harm to another person, never steal, never lie or gossip, not partake in inappropriate sexual activity, and not to take alcohol or drugs. We really enjoyed learning first hand about the daily life of a monk.

  • Monks at 'Monk Chat', Chiang Mai
    Monks at ‘Monk Chat’, Chiang Mai
  • Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai
    Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai
  • Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai
    Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai

As with many cities in Thailand there are a lot of massage therapy businesses in Chiang Mai. We were surprised however when we saw the sign for one massage business. As the sign says, the therapists are ex-convicts. What began in one small business as a way to give formerly incarcerated women the ability to work in a legal trade has become a popular industry in Chiang Mai. There are now several busy locations throughout the city.

Explore the Highlands

Chiang Mai’s location in the foothills of the Himalayas means there are a lot of things to see and do outside of town. On a day trip from town you can vist an opulant wat or a hill tribe. If you want to be more adventurous you can go whitewater rafting or rock climbing. The range of activities is vast. Since its the foothills, the mountains are more like high, treed hills than tall rocky mountains, but it is still a beautiful part of the country. Here are a few of the things to do in the Highlands around Chiang Mai.

Wat Phra That

In the mountains, outside of Chiang Mai, is a very important and incredibly opulent temple, Wat Phra That. Its location on the top of Doi Suthep Mountain adds to its mystique. From Chiang Mai, the route follows a very winding mountain road. We got there using the share-riding Songthaew. These are basically pick up trucks with bench seating in the cargo bed and a roof. They are used as communal taxis everywhere in Thailand. It made for a very uncomfortable ride on the rough road to the temple.

We arrived at the base of the wat complex and looked up to see a staircase of more than 200 steps leading to the temple. At the top of the stairs we entered into a gold-filled courtyard with a 600-year-old golden ‘chedi’ (stupa) in its centre. The chedi is surrounded by chapels, bells, statues and butter lamps all decorated with gold leaves.

The legend of Wat Phra That says that a white elephant carried a relic of Buddha to this site. The relic was enclosed in the chedi making it very important in Buddhism. When we were there dozens of Buddhists were doing a kora around the chedi. A kora is a way of worshipping and has the same effect as saying one of the Buddhist mantras.

  • Wat Phra That, Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai
    Wat Phra That, Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai
  • Wat Phra That, Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai
    Wat Phra That, Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai
  • Wat Phra That, Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai
    Wat Phra That, Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai
  • Wat Phra That, Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai
    Wat Phra That, Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai

Long Neck Karen Hill tribe

There are many different hill tribes in northern Thailand. The Long Neck Karen hill tribe is one of the most interesting. At the age of 5, girls begin to wear brass coils around their neck. Every year of their life another coil is added. An adult woman’s coil weighs approximately 20 lbs. There are different theories on why these tribes began wearing the coils. Most believe it was to show wealth, but some say it was to protect the neck from tiger bites. Today the women also wear coils below their knees and above their ankles as jewelry. Most of the women were very friendly and although visiting the village is a touristy thing to do, it allows the women to earn money for their village.

We were so curious what their x-rays would show. Apparently studies have been done, and the neck bones are not elongated at all. Instead the collarbone and upper ribs are weighted down to give the appearance of a longer neck. Over time however, the neck muscles become so stretched and weak, and the collarbone so deformed that the women can never take the coils off. We lifted one coil and couldn’t imagine wearing that on our necks for 5 minutes. These women wear it for years. 

  • Long-Neck Karen Hilltribe Lady playing rustic guitar
    Long-Neck Karen Hilltribe Lady playing rustic guitar
  • Long-Neck Karen Hilltribe Lady, Northern Thailand
    Long-Neck Karen Hilltribe Lady, Northern Thailand
  • Long-Neck Karen Hilltribe Lady, Northern Thailand
    Long-Neck Karen Hilltribe Lady, Northern Thailand

Huay Kup Kap Waterfall

Not far from the Long Neck Karen hill tribe is a small but fun waterfall. A 15 minutes trek on a rough sandy trail through a dense jungle takes you to Huay Kup Kap Waterfall. It’s a nice waterfall with a dramatic 25 foot sheer drop into a deep pool. Richard had a blast canyoning down the polished wall of the waterfall.

Canyoning at Huay Kup Kap Waterfall

Visit elephants

Elephants used to be an important part of the work force in northern Thailand, and there are still wild ones in the jungle. Outside of Chiang Mai are several elephant sanctuaries as well as a few places to ride an elephant. The elephant owners sell bananas to feed the elephants, but we already had some, so we fed him our own. We realized later that our elephant was lucky to feast on a much higher quality banana than usual.

  • Feeding elephants, Chiang Mai
    Feeding elephants, Chiang Mai

Orchids and Butterflies

Not far from Chiang Mai are a few different orchid and butterfly gardens. They are fairly small gardens, but filled with dozens of kinds of orchids and hundreds of butterflys. Visiting one of these gardens is the perfect activity for a half-day trip from Chiang Mai.

  • Orchid, Chiang Mai
    Orchid, Chiang Mai
  • Orchid, Chiang Mai
    Orchid, Chiang Mai
  • Butterfly, Chiang Mai
    Butterfly, Chiang Mai
  • Butterfly, Chiang Mai
    Butterfly, Chiang Mai

Whitewater Rafting

Whitewater rafting is a very popular activity around Chiang Mai. The rapids we went down weren’t as forceful or fast as in Borneo or Nepal but we rafted over a few big drops that were a lot of fun. On this river though we had one of the most amazing rafting experiences to date. As we floated along the river, we saw 2 elephants bathing in the river just ahead of us. Our raft calmly floated toward them until we were right beside these large animals. The elephants didn’t seem to mind our being there. It was a really awesome experience.

  • Whitewater rafting, Chiang Mai
    Whitewater rafting, Chiang Mai
  • Elephants bathing in the Mae Taeng River, Chiang Mai
    Elephants bathing in the Mae Taeng River, Chiang Mai
  • Elephants bathing in the Mae Taeng River, Chiang Mai
    Elephants bathing in the Mae Taeng River, Chiang Mai

New Year’s Eve Lantern Festival

New Year’s Eve is a big celebration in Thailand and if you’re lucky enough to be in Chiang Mai you will see one of the most beautiful light displays. Thailand follows the Buddhist Era calendar but in Chiang Mai they celebrate New Year’s Eve on Dec 31st as well as on the Thai New Year in April.

Beginning around 7 pm on Dec 31st, people begin to gather in a few different parks throughout the city. They light their paper lanterns and release them into the sky. The lanterns slowly rise in the dark sky and fill it like stars. We went to the main area near the Tha Phae Gate and released our lanterns just before midnight. It was fun to be a part of this celebration. By the end of the night thousands of lanterns had been released. The sky was spectacular.

  • Lantern Festival, Chiang Mai
    Lantern Festival, Chiang Mai
  • Lantern Festival, Chiang Mai
    Lantern Festival, Chiang Mai
  • Lantern Festival, Chiang Mai
    Lantern Festival, Chiang Mai
  • Lantern Festival, Chiang Mai
    Lantern Festival, Chiang Mai
Lantern Festival, Chiang Mai

Lanterns can be purchased from vendors on the sidewalks and in the parks. They sell thousands of them but give absolutely zero education on how to set them up or release them. As a result, many lit lanterns landed in trees. Since it had been raining a lot the trees were wet, and thankfuy none caught fire. The next morning however, we heard that a temple had sustained fire damage caused by a lantern. That made us realise that these lanterns may not be the best activity. Not only are they a fire hazard, but they travel far and wide landing in rivers and fields where they accumulate as garbage.

  • Some lanterns got stuck in the surrounding trees
    Some lanterns got stuck in the surrounding trees

Tips for visiting Chiang Mai

As the largest city in northern Thailand, Chiang Mai is a very popular with tourists and expats. The downtown core is filled with tourist hotels, restaurants and coffee shops and the sidewalks are crammed with tourists. If you stay in or near the Old City, you won’t have a problem finding accomodation or restaurants.

Wifi in Chiang Mai in 2018 was awful. It was widely available, but painstakingly slow.

During the winter, Nov to Feb, it’s quite cool in Chiang Mai, especially at night. Don’t forget to bring a light sweater.

Red trucks (songthaews) are available everywhere and are a shared taxi option to get to most destinations in town or close to town. Grab is also available and a good option.

Coming Next – Pai – Thailand’s Mountain Town

To see more of our pictures go to Gallery at Monkey’s Tale

To read our trips from other places in the world visit Destinations.

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55 comments

  • Wow, look at those wats! The one constructed using teak wood looks so elegant, and the gilded one stunning. The one in your fifth photo looks as if it was a palace, and the seventh photo somehow reminds me of the intricate details of the temples in Bali. I know I will take lots and lots of photos if I visit Chiang Mai. On a side note, thank you for writing about the things many tourists don’t realize when they take part in releasing all those lanterns. People should know the impacts of this activity.

    Liked by 2 people

    • The wats in Chiang Mai are truely breathtaking. Some of the teak ones are so old and yet still so impressive. I admit I was caught up in the fun of releasing the lanterns, even though I hadn’t done it in Vietnam or other places because I could see their impacts. The next day hearing about the wat and seeing them lying in the streets, trees and river really brought it back home. I’m sure that tradition will continue, but maybe my words will reach a few people. Thanks Bama, I hope you make it to Chiang Mai with your camera 🙂 Maggie

      Liked by 1 person

  • Absolutely beautiful post and place. All the gold really sets off the temples. The talk with the monks must have been a great experience. So many times and places, we just walk by people like that without any information. The lantern festival must have been a beautiful sight. Thanks for sharing. Have a great week. Allan

    Liked by 2 people

    • Thanks Allan, it was really great to speak with the monks for an hour. It was so interesting to hear about how they live and to learn more about Buddhism. It allowed us to see the temples in a different light. Thanks for reading! Maggie

      Liked by 1 person

    • Very. From our experience and the people we met they are very devout Buddhists. Even those that work in less law-abiding jobs are mostly quite devout. Partly that’s what makes it a safe place to travel.

      Liked by 1 person

  • I’ve enjoyed your post tremendously – thanks for sharing all your wonderful photo’s!
    It was great to see so many different wats … and I can absolutely understand that the monk chat was very interesting!
    But what did I love most about your post – aww, those gorgeous elephants in the river while you’ve slipped past them … just amazingly stunning!

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  • Thank you for this review of the main hilights of the region. I only hope that these unfortunate girls will soon not be forced to wear these necklaces only for tourist purposes.

    Liked by 1 person

    • It is a tough things to see. They told us that many women chose to continue to wear them, but I’m not sure how much of an actual descision they get. Laetley they’ve started wearing them on other parts of their body for jewlery,which seems to be their choice. We have also read that there are quite a few villages that don’t allow tourists and the women still wear the coils. It’s likely more cultural pressure/spousal abuse than it is for tourists.

      Liked by 1 person

    • There’s a lot to do in Chiang Mai. I think it’s so popular because there are so many western comforts which takes away from it, but helps the locals to earn more of an income I guess.

      Liked by 1 person

  • Sounds like an incredible experience to visit Chiang Mai during New Year’s Eve and see all the paper lanterns in the night sky. It’s too bad they don’t provide any tips to safely set up and release them.

    Liked by 1 person

  • i do really love Chang Mai! I have not spent much time there, but would like to go back. Seeing the elephant in the river – wowza…so awesome. Wonder if they could make the lanterns out of some bio-degradable materials??!! It’s such a cool tradition!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Rafting passed the elephants was surreal. I wish I could recreate it : I know, I feel bad now that we participated in the lanterns, but we got caught up in the festivities. Hopefully they do look at other options for it, it really is a beatuful sight. Hope you get back some day 🙂 Maggie

      Liked by 1 person

  • Seeing thousands of lanterns being released into the sky all at once must be an amazing experience, Maggie, but every year, flights are cancelled due to safety concerns as a result of the number of lanterns being released in proximity to airports. They say that for travellers who want to participate in the festival is best to just take in the celebrations and capture some extraordinary pictures without releasing a lantern themselves. Experiencing the festival this way respects local religious traditions while not adding additional strain on the environment. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva

    Liked by 1 person

    • Yes, I admit we got caught up in the celebration. It wasn’t until the next day that we started to think about all of the downsides of it. Thanks for reading Aiva, Maggie

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  • One incredible experience after another! White water rafting near to elephants? Wow! I am glad you got to see orchids in the wild too 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    • The rafting trip was uneventful until we saw the elephants. I have to admit I was a little afraid at first, but they just carried on with their bath as if we weren’t there. It was awesome! Maggie

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  • Thailand looks better and better in every post and those temples look incredible. Love the elephants bathing in he river, great photos. Not sure the lanterns are a good thing at all as so much wildlife is affected by them and so much damage caused. Is it all tourists or are there locals as well?

    Liked by 1 person

    • The next day we regretted releasing a lantern, but got caught up in the festivities. It was a mix of locals and tourists depending on the part of town. Thailand is a fascinating country with so many different places to explore. Thanks for reading! Maggie

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  • What a remarkable experience. The Wats that are maintained look spectacular. The lives of the Karen ladies is so unique. The encounter with the elephants on the river, and the lighting of the lanterns on New Years, must have both been so thrilling.

    Liked by 1 person

    • We usually found the monks to shy away from tourists, which is understandable so it was so nice to spend time with them, learning about their lives. Mongolia would be cool, it’s on our list! Maggie

      Liked by 2 people

    • I hope it’s not true either. We actually heard that there are quite a few villages that don’t allow tourists where the women wear the coils. It’s quite possible that they are forced to wear them by their culture but it’s not for tourists. Either way I do hope the tradition ends.

      Liked by 2 people

  • The long neck Karen Hill tribe is so interesting, and so nice that they were willing to visit with you. It looks painful, are younger generations still conforming to this practice? What a treat to be there for the lantern festival.

    Liked by 1 person

    • The long neck Karens were very interesting, they let tourists visit to make money for the village. The women and girls still do continue this practice which is obviously very controversial. Apparently it is also very common in villages that do not allow tourists so it seems to be cultural pressure rather than for the tourist, but who really knows. They were lovely people regardless. Thanks for reading Ruth, Maggie

      Liked by 2 people

  • Pai, Thailand’s Mountain Town – Monkey's Tale

  • Such a beautiful place. I visited years ago and wanted to return with the kids, but had to cancel because of travel restrictions. Your photos look great – I definitely need to rebook!

    Liked by 2 people

  • We there a couple a couple of years on our second visit. It is an interesting site to see. Seeing the Long Neck Karen Tribe is interesting..they had open brass coils for tourists. We put them on us and sat with them to have a photo taken. Chiang Mai is a great place ..so many historic sites to see.

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  • Travel Guide For Thailand – Monkey's Tale

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