Things to do in Chiang Mai

You can't move in Chiang Mai without tripping over a temple — there are over 300. These are the ones to prioritise.

• Wat Phra That Doi Suthep — the golden mountain temple that watches over the city, and the single most iconic thing to do here. Our full ride-up guide →
• Wat Phra Singh — the grandest temple inside the Old City, all gilded Lanna woodwork. Our full guide →
• Wat Chedi Luang — a huge, half-ruined 14th-century chedi smack in the centre; best at dusk. Our full guide →
• Wat Suan Dok — photogenic white chedis out toward Nimman, famous for its open "monk chats". Our full guide →
• Wat Pha Lat — a hidden, mossy jungle temple on the way up Doi Suthep (the Monk's Trail).

The moat-ringed Old City is the historic heart — easy to wander on foot, easier to potter around on a scooter. Come evening, it's all about the markets.

• Tha Phae Gate & the moat — the old walls and the city's main gathering square.
• Sunday Walking Street — the famous one, filling Ratchadamnoen Road every Sunday evening.
• Saturday Walking Street (Wualai) — the silversmith district's market, a touch more local.
• Chiang Mai Night Bazaar — the nightly market east of the moat.
• Warorot (Kad Luang) — the big, bustling daytime local market.

This is where Chiang Mai really shines — and where a scooter pays for itself. Some of the best riding in Thailand starts right here. These are the ones we've ridden and mapped:

The Mae Hong Son Loop: Thailand's best motorbike road trip

Thailand's most famous motorbike road trip — 600-ish km, 1,864 curves, and some of the best riding in the country. Here's how to do it without rushing it.

Read the guide →

Chiang Mai to Pai by scooter: riding the legendary 762 curves

135 km, 762 curves, and one of Thailand's most loved rides. Here's the road to Pai, the best stops along the way, and what to do once you arrive.

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The Samoeng Loop: the perfect first ride from Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai's easiest great ride — a ~100 km half-day loop through the Mae Sa valley, the flower farms of Mon Cham and the sleepy town of Samoeng. All paved, perfect for first-timers.

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Wat Phra That Doi Suthep: how to visit Chiang Mai's mountain temple

Chiang Mai's golden mountain temple — the naga staircase, the view over the city, and the easiest, most scenic way to get up there.

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Doi Inthanon: how to visit Thailand's highest mountain

Thailand's highest mountain is a big, brilliant day trip from Chiang Mai — waterfalls, royal pagodas and a 2,565 m summit. Here's the ride, the stops and what to know (bring a jacket).

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The Sticky Waterfalls (Bua Tong): climb a waterfall near Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai's quirkiest day trip: a limestone waterfall you can walk straight up, an easy hour's ride north — and completely free. Here's how to get there and what to know.

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5 motorbike trip ideas around Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai isn’t just about ancient temples and night markets. The surrounding countryside is packed with stunning natural destinations you can reach on a scooter to enjoy a day in the saddle.

Read the guide →

More day trips worth the ride:

• Hang Dong Grand Canyon — a flooded quarry for a swim and a cliff-jump.
• Chiang Rai — a longer day trip to the surreal White Temple (Wat Rong Khun).

If you visit elephants, go ethical — choose a sanctuary that doesn't offer riding. Beyond that, the hills are full of waterfalls, viewpoints and adrenaline.

• Ethical elephant sanctuaries — observe, never ride. Several genuinely welfare-first projects sit in the hills around the city. How to pick one →
• Doi Inthanon National Park — cloud forest, waterfalls and the highest point in the country. Ride up there →
• Sticky Waterfalls (Bua Tong) — a limestone falls you can climb, an easy ride north. How to visit →
• Ziplining & jungle — flight-of-the-gibbon-style courses through the canopy.

Chiang Mai is a food town — arguably the coffee capital of Thailand, and a lot more fun after dark than people expect.

• Khao soi — the creamy northern curry-noodle dish you have to try at least once a day. Our northern Thai food guide →
• A cooking class — half- and full-day classes are a Chiang Mai rite of passage.
• Nimman cafés — the city's coffee-and-co-working district, packed with specialty roasters.
• A break from Thai food — when you need one, Chiang Mai does a surprisingly great burger. Where to find the best →
• After dark — the cocktail scene punches well above the city's size. Our honest pick of the bars →

Chiang Mai is a great place to keep training while you travel — the gyms have come a long way, the muay thai is world-class, and there's more climbing than you'd expect.

• Gyms for lifting — clean, air-conditioned and properly kitted out, from no-frills iron rooms to full commercial setups. Our pick of the best gyms →
• Muay thai — the north's signature sport; real camps take complete beginners, whether for a single session or a month of training.
• Climbing & bouldering — indoor walls in the city, plus the limestone crags at Crazy Horse Buttress out east.
• Run or ride it out — loop the moat early morning, or head out to Huay Tung Tao lake for flatter, greener kilometres.

Almost all of this is easier — and a lot more fun — on your own scooter than waiting on songthaews. We run new models only and deliver them anywhere in Chiang Mai, so you can roll straight out to the temples, the markets and the mountains. New to renting? Start here →