Chiang Mai is the largest city in Northern Thailand. If it’s not already on your travel list, it will be after you see these stunning pictures! Northern Thailand is not as popular of a destination as the south is since most people know Thailand as a beach destination. Even though there are no beaches in sight, Northern Thailand, Chiang Mai specifically, is well worth a visit.
Chiang Mai has a very different landscape to the south as it is mountainous rather than beachy. But, there are still plenty of beautiful temples to see and delicious Thai food to try. Take a look at these 14 gorgeous photos of Chiang Mai to let them speak for themselves!
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Speaking of beautiful temples, Wat Phra on top of Doi Suthep mountain is one of our favorites! Wat Phra is a stunning, gold Buddhist temple that is still a very sacred site to many Thai people. Although it is 15 kilometres from Chiang Mai 1,073 meters up, it is relatively easy to get to. You can drive yourself, take a taxi, or hike if you’re up to it.
Once you get to the entrance, you face a 306-step staircase to the top unless you opt for the funicular cable car. We recommend the staircase because either side has decorative serpents so it’s a great place for a photo op.
At the top, you can spend hours exploring the temple and the grounds as you get a great view of Chiang Mai from the top. Just make sure you cover your shoulders and knees when you enter the grounds out of respect.
Wat Chedi Luang
Another beautiful temple in Chiang Mai is Wat Chedi Luang. Wat Chedi Luang is conveniently located in Chiang Mai Old City so you won’t have to travel far to get to it. Wat Chedi Luang is a Buddhist temple that has been around since the 1400s. The Emerad Buddha, one of Thailand’s most significant religious objects, was originally in Wat Chedi Luang. The original Emerald Buddha now resides in Bangkok, but Wat Chedi Luang has a replica.
Visitors can spend a few hours exploring Wat Chedi Luang as the grounds also house two other beautiful temples: Wat Ho Tham and Wat Sukmin. Some visitors take a guided tour to see Wat Chedi Luang, but thanks to its central location, visiting on your own is easy. As with every Buddhist temple in Thailand, you must cover your knees and shoulders to enter the grounds.
Chiang Rai
Although we’re discussing Chiang Mai, it’s almost impossible to mention the city without also mentioning Chiang Rai. Chiang Rai is the northernmost city in Thailand and is easily accessible from Chiang Mai by bus or car. Chiang Rai houses well-known temples such as the White Temple, the Blue Temple, and the Black House.
Visiting the city is also a great way to acquaint yourself with nature as you will be up in the mountains and the surrounding luscious green trees. No trip to Chiang Mai is complete without a stop in Chiang Rai as well.
Night Market
One of the things Thailand is well-known for is having bustling night markets and Chiang Mai is no exception. One of the biggest night markets in the city is the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar at Chang Khlan Road and Loi Khro Road. The market opens every day from 18:00 to 22:30 and visitors can find anything from clothing, handicrafts, artwork, homeware, furniture, and of course, food!
Another great night market in Chiang Mai is the Sunday Walking Street. It happens every Sunday from Tha Pae Gate to Ratchadamnoen Road as the city shuts the road down and vendors come to play. You can find typical souvenirs, accessories, and handicrafts here, but the street also comes alive with makeshift bars, live performances, and even roadside massages.
Yee Peng Festival
One of the best times to be in Chiang Mai is when the Yee Peng Festival is on. The dates change every year as the festival is based on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, but is typically mid-November every year.
The Yee Peng Festival is a magical lantern festival where Thai people wish for good fortune in the new year by lighting lanterns into the sky or floating candles into the river.
Thousands of lanterns will be let off into the sky throughout the night and tourists can take part as well. Seeing all of the lanterns spread throughout the night sky is breathtaking.
Hotels can book up fairly quickly when the Yee Peng Festival is on, so it’s best to look up the dates and book something in advance to avoid disappointment.
Padaung People
Last on our list is a controversial one, visiting the Padaung people of Northern Thailand. You have likely seen pictures of these long-neck women like the one above. This community in particular is known as the Padaung people that came to Thailand from Myanmar over two decades ago.
As people have been quite curious about the tradition these tribes follow of elongating their necks with gold rings, tourism villages were created in 1985. Many tours to these villages from Chiang Mai still exist but many of the women that work there are treated poorly.
If you do want to learn more about the Padaung people, you should find a private tour guide that can take you to their own village. This way, the villagers will benefit from your money directly.
Visiting any city in Thailand will be a great experience, but Thailand is all just about beaches and partying. Beautiful cities like Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand are well-worth a visit as well. These pictures are only a taste of the beautiful scenery, temples, and people of Chiang Mai but hopefully, they were enough to inspire you to travel there yourself!