Chiang Mai, located in the north, is Thailand’s second-largest city and my personal favorite! Our November WorldStrides excursion took us to Chiang Mai for the weekend, but I decided to stay a few extra days to enjoy all it had to offer.
Chiang Mai’s center is the old city: a perfect square surrounded by the ruins of ancient walls and a canal. The old city and the areas around it are wonderfully walkable, with tiny streets full of shops, restaurants, cafes, and, of course, temples.
The canal not only serves as a reminder of the city’s defensive history but also adds a peaceful charm to its bustling streets.
Elephants
Thailand is synonymous with elephants, and Chiang Mai is home to several ethical sanctuaries that allow you to interact with these majestic creatures responsibly. Our program manager booked us a half-day excursion to an elephant sanctuary where we got to feed and bathe the elephants.
We got to participate in activities like preparing food, learning about elephant behavior, and even helping with their daily care, such as giving them mud baths and assisting in river bathing.
A seating area overlooking the nearby mountains at the elephant sanctuary—a peaceful place to sit and watch the elephants in the river.
Temples
Chiang Mai is often referred to as the “Rose of the North,” and its more than 300 temples are a testament to its rich history and spiritual heritage. On our first day in the city, I visited the glittering Wat Lok Molee, a temple just outside the city’s north wall, with some friends from the program.
The tree next to this temple held dangling pieces of leaf-shaped metal, each with different prayers and words of thanks written upon them
After the rest of the group left, I set out on my mini solo trip through the ancient city. I considered doing a guided tour of the larger temples but decided to simply wander and see where the winding streets would take me!
Temple details—I love the different architecture and designs of all the temples in Chiang Mai!
These gorgeous lanterns were hung outside of one of the temples I saw. Chiang Mai used to be part of the Lan Na Kingdom, and this distinctive lantern style is named after it.
Nature
I couldn’t leave Chiang Mai without exploring some of the beautiful nature surrounding the city. Monk’s Trail was my next stop. This serene trail begins near the Chiang Mai Zoo and winds through dense jungle, leading to the peaceful Wat Pha Lat, a hidden temple that feels like it’s straight out of a fairytale.
The path is named for the monks who once used it for meditation.
There were so many hidden statues and ancient temple ruins at the end of the hike, it was like a garden full of art!
My last day in the city, I booked a tour of the Bua Thong Sticky Waterfalls through my hostel and set off in a Songthaew (Chiang Mai’s classic red pickup truck taxi). It took about an hour to get there, but I got to chat with fellow solo travelers from my hostel, and we had so much fun swapping stories about traveling Southeast Asia!