Chiang Mai is in Northern Thailand. It was the second stop of our Thailand trip, and maybe my favorite stop! (Read more about our adventures in Bangkok and Phuket here.) The scenery was beautiful and we were so excited to do more adventure type activities. We stayed for 4 days but could easily have spent another 4, exploring the actual city, relaxing at the hotel pool and spa and finding more adventures. Chiang Mai will always hold a special place in my heart because of my day with Mokoo the elephant, but more to come on that. Check out all of my favorite things from Chiang Mai below.
Chiang Mai Top 5
1 – Ran-Tong Save and Rescue Elephant Centre
One of the absolute, most incredible experiences of my life has been interacting with the elephants in Thailand. They are the most gentle creatures but also have spunk and personality. Our elephant was named Mokoo and her mahout (trainer) was Ellie. Ellie was hilarious and made us laugh non-stop, in addition to taking tons of great photos to document our amazing day. They provide you with traditional clothing to wear during your time at the camp and great information about the elephants and how the centre is helping to rescue them from horrible situations. We were given tamarind and sugar cane to feed the elephants before the morning riding lesson.
Natalie rode in the front as the driver during the first lesson, where we walked around the grounds, allowing Mokoo to stop for food and water along the way. She was a feisty girl and loved to play and spray us with muddy water. Between riding lessons they provided us with a delicious traditional Thai lunch and time time to socialize with the others in our group. After lunch was the second riding lesson, where I was the driver and led Mokoo around the camp, to the watering hole where we bathed her and played in the water with the elephants.
Initially I was afraid to get too close to the elephants, but I quickly realized their personalities were so sweet and nothing to fear, which allowed me to engage with them and make the most of the day. It was the most amazing, magical experience and I still have a hard time believing that it was actually a day I lived, because it was just too wonderful. In Chiang Mai you absolutely must visit an elephant conservatory and get up close and personal with these beautiful animals. It truly was one of the best days of my life. Be well Mokoo…we will miss you!
Bargain shopping, food and massages, what more can I ask for?! The Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is every night starting around 6pm. We went most nights for pre dinner foot massages, dinner and entertainment. The food at the night bazaar is really good and cheap. It is set up with multiple stalls serving a variety of food and drinks from which to choose. It’s so much fun and you can get tons of gifts and souvenirs while you’re there. One of my favorite purchases was a roller with multiple essential oils for improving alertness, clearing sinuses and even reducing hangovers….and it works! Night Markets are famous in Asia and this is definitely one not be missed when visiting in Chiang Mai.
3 – Doi Inthanon National Park
We did a day trip to Doi Inthanon National Park with Touch Chiang Mai. It cost 1190 Baht (around $34) for the full day tour, including lunch, with pick up and drop off at your hotel. It was about an hour drive to the park and included many stops along the way. We saw the amazing Wachirathan waterfall, hiked to the highest point in Thailand, visited the King and Queen’s Pagodas (commemorating their 60th birthdays) and saw some beautiful scenery along the way.
The tour also included a stop at a local village where the women weave scarves and blankets and a roadside market with fresh and dried fruits, nuts and wine. It was a lovely day and a nice way to get a little bit of exercise and see the Thai country side.
We went zip-lining at Eagle Track for 2000 Baht (around $57), which included pick up and drop off at your hotel, the actual course, lunch, a t-shirt and a certificate of completion. The course also includes abseiling and other obstacle course features. Abseiling is essentially repelling from a platform, which this particular course offered 3 different heights. It is exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. I had food poisoning the night before zip-lining, but I decided to still try to go and power through. It was rough, but it ended up being a really fun day so I’m glad I went.
After completing the course, they provided a traditional Thai lunch (unfortunately I felt too sick to eat it, but Nat said it was great) and gave us a certificate of completion and our t-shirts, before taking us back to our hotels. I’ve gone zip-lining before, but this course had more elements than the previous one I had done, so it was different but equally as fun. The obstacle course elements also made it a pretty decent work out so be prepared to sweat!
I had heard about the Ladyboys Cabaret show before coming to Thailand and knew it was something I wanted to see. I love a drag show in NYC so I had high expectations for the ladyboys, and they delivered. We went to the Ladyboys show at Anusarn Night Market with 2 girls we met during our elephant day and had a blast. It was 290 Baht (about $8) to go to the show, which also included a drink and a snack (chips or peanuts). The performers were glamorous and talented, with choreographed dances to many well known songs. There was audience participation, lap dances and straight up sexual grinding on stage and it was perfection. Definitely find a ladyboys show to see one night when you are visiting, a little cheesy but so much fun!
There is tons to do in Chiang Mai. Find time for some adventure but don’t leave without seeing the elephants. There are many places to go, just do your research to ensure they treat the animals well. I promise you it will be one of the best days of your life.
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