Why I Liked Chiang Mai WAY More Than Bangkok (+ How I Spent 3 Days There)
Why Chiang Mai Stole My Heart
Look at me. Just LOOK at me, standing next to this gigantic elephant like it's a normal Tuesday. What is my life? We'll get to the elephants, I promise, but first let me just say this: I loved Chiang Mai. Like, LOVED it. Way more than Bangkok, and I didn't expect that at all.
Bangkok is big and loud and fast, and don't get me wrong, I had fun there. But Chiang Mai is laid back. It's country. There's green everywhere, little houses tucked into the trees, and everybody just moves a little slower. Honestly, it reminded me a lot of Louisiana, how nature-y and chill it is. I was only there for about three days and I already know I'd come back and stay a whole month.
So here's exactly what I did, what I ate (oh my God, what I ate), and what I'd tell you to book if you're planning your own trip. Let's get into it.
Getting There: Fly Nok Air From Bangkok
I flew Nok Air between Bangkok and Chiang Mai and highly recommend it. Look at this plane! It's painted like a bird with a big yellow beak, and I'm sorry, but that's just cute. Nok Air flies out of Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport (DMK), and the flight to Chiang Mai (CNX) is only about an hour and ten minutes, so you're there before you even finish your snack.
You can take the overnight train or a bus too if you've got time and want the experience, but the flight is cheap and quick. Search flights from Bangkok to Chiang Mai
Where to Stay in Chiang Mai
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 137 Pillars House — The splurge pick – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Anantara Chiang Mai — Riverside resort – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ AMANOR Hotel — Rooftop pool – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ U Nimman — Heart of Nimman – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tamarind Village — Old City oasis – Click here for rates & availability
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Art Mai Gallery — Artsy & affordable – Click here for rates & availability
Day 1: The Best Meal I Had in Thailand, Country Vibes and a Pool Dip
Ban Khiang Phu Restaurant (Go. Just Go.)
The first thing I did when I got to Chiang Mai was eat, obviously. I went to a little place called Ban Khiang Phu Restaurant, and y'all, this was one of the best meals I had in all of Thailand, if not THE best. I don't even know how to pronounce it, so just screenshot the name and show your driver. The owners were so friendly, everything was fresh and made to order, and I was in heaven.
I started with these little fried crab balls. Crispy on the outside, crab on the inside, and the sauce they came with was PHENOMENAL. I could have just ordered three more plates of these and called it a day.
Then I got this fried rice situation with crispy pork rinds on top. Like, what the fuck? Pork rinds on fried rice? Genius. And it came with this spicy chili and fish sauce on the side that was so fresh and bright and light. Literally the best. Oh my God.
And then this soup. It was spicy, it was creamy, it was unbelievable. And I know what you're thinking: hot soup in the hot Chiang Mai sun? Girl, stop thinking about it and just stick it in your mouth. It's so fucking good. (And if you want THE Chiang Mai soup, get khao soi, the curry noodle soup this city is famous for. I made it in my cooking class, keep reading.)
Chiang Mai Is So Cute and Country
Can we talk about the architecture? Chiang Mai is just so cute. Little wooden houses with tiled roofs, doors tucked into gardens, plants growing over everything. It's country in the best way. This is what I mean when I say it reminded me of Louisiana. It's green, it's slow, it's got that small-town feel, and I was here for every second of it.
And the flowers! There are beautiful flowers everywhere in Chiang Mai, hibiscus and bougainvillea just popping out of every corner. Bangkok is concrete. Chiang Mai is a garden.
Pool Time at the Airbnb
After lunch it was time to cool off, so I put on my little red Speedo, honey. You know I had to.
My Airbnb had a pool, so I took a nice little dip and just floated there for a while. Chiang Mai is HOT, so if you can get a place with a pool, do it. It's the best way to end a day of eating and walking around. Find a place with a pool in Chiang Mai
Day 2: A Museum, a Massage and Running Late
Chiang Mai City Arts & Cultural Centre
The next morning I went to the Chiang Mai City Arts & Cultural Centre, right in the middle of the Old City by the Three Kings Monument, and child, it was so fun. The museum walks you through Chiang Mai's whole history across 15 rooms, from way back before the city existed to now. And then you turn a corner and BOOM: bright yellow walls, old-school barber chairs, walls covered in retro posters and cassette tapes. It's giving vintage Thailand and I was here for it. It's open Wednesday to Sunday, 8:30am to 4:30pm, and it's only 90 baht to get in, so it's an easy morning stop before it gets too hot. (museum info)
And yes, I had to take a picture in the old phone booth. Who are you calling, Nick? Nobody. I just wanted the picture.
Fah Lanna Spa
Then I went to Fah Lanna Spa, and this was an INCREDIBLE spa experience. Look at this place. You walk in on this little wooden boardwalk over the water with palm trees everywhere, and you already feel your shoulders drop. It's all Lanna style, the traditional northern Thai look, and they're known for their Thai massage. Massages in Thailand are cheap and so good, and Chiang Mai is the place to treat yourself. There are two locations, and the one in the Old City is the prettiest. Book ahead, because it fills up.
One tip, though: don't book your massage right before something with a start time, like I did. I was having such a good time on that table that I was LATE to my cooking class, and they were stressing me out. Worth it? Yes. But leave yourself a buffer.
Baan Farm Thai Cooking School (Do This!)
This is me in the car on the way to the cooking class, trying to get there before they started without me. Tuk tuks everywhere in this city, by the way. You'll see them all over town.
Before class, we did a little market tour, and it was so cool. Our teacher walked us through the local market and showed us all the ingredients we'd be cooking with: the herbs, the vegetables, the curry pastes, all of it.
And look at all those chilies! Red ones, green ones, little ones, long ones. They look so good and so SPICY. Thai food doesn't play.
Then we headed out to Baan Farm Thai Cooking School, which is set on a farm just outside the city with gardens all around. Straw hat on, peace sign up, let's cook.
Here's our whole crew in our aprons before we got to work. This cooking class was AMAZING. We made five dishes. Five! It was a lot, and I loved every minute.
We made mango sticky rice, and look how pretty it is with the little flowers on top. Sweet, creamy, a little salty, and the mango was perfect.
And this is me about to chow the fuck down on my pad thai and every single other thing I made. I earned it.
And THIS is the khao soi we made, the famous Chiang Mai curry noodle soup. Making it myself made me appreciate it so much more.
If you only do one activity in Chiang Mai, I'd honestly make it a cooking class. You learn, you eat, you meet people, and you leave stuffed. Can't beat it. Book the Baan Farm tour on GetYourGuide, and you can check out these classes that are similar, with a market visit and a farm setting, too:
Day 3: An Ethical Elephant Sanctuary
The next day I went to an elephant sanctuary and this was the moment I'd been waiting for. These elephants are HUGE, and being up close to them is something else.
Here I'm making what they called a medicine ball for the elephants. It's basically a big vitamin ball you mash together with your hands, and then we fed them to the elephants. Messy? Yes. Fun? Also yes.
And look, I'm just going to say this: please do your homework before you book an elephant experience. A lot of places in Chiang Mai call themselves "sanctuaries" and still offer rides or shows, which are hard on the elephants. The ethical ones don't do riding or tricks, keep group sizes small and let the elephants be elephants. Here are five that come up again and again as the most ethical options:
Elephant Nature Park — the most famous rescue in northern Thailand. No riding and no bathing; you walk with the elephants, watch and feed them.
Elephant Observation Only Half-Day Trip — hands-off and observation only, the gentlest option.
Small Group Ethical Elephant Sanctuary Tour — small groups, so it's calmer for the elephants and for you.
Ethical Half Day Elephant Sanctuary & Waterfall — elephants in the morning, a jungle waterfall after.
Elephant Sanctuary Feeding Program Half-Day Tour — the closest to what I did: making food for the elephants and feeding them.
Before you book any of them, read the listing and make sure it says no riding. If you want to keep it fully hands-off, skip the ones with elephant bathing too.
And after a day like that? Back to the Airbnb, child. Shower, flex in the mirror, and get in this bed. Chiang Mai will wear you out in the best way.
10 More Things to Do in Chiang Mai
I only had a few days, but if you've got more time (and you should), here's what I'd add next:
Doi Suthep Temple & the Sticky Waterfall — the golden temple on the mountain, plus a waterfall you can literally walk up.
Temples & Street Food Night Tour by Tuk Tuk — see the Old City lit up and eat your way through it.
Evening Sightseeing & Local Food Tour — for when you want somebody else to tell you what to order.
Old City walking tours — hundreds of temples inside the old city walls.
Waterfall tours — the jungle around Chiang Mai is full of them.
Doi Inthanon National Park — the highest mountain in Thailand, a full day trip.
White Temple, Blue Temple & Black House — a long day trip to Chiang Rai, but the White Temple is unreal.
Street food tours — because you can never eat enough in this city.
Muay Thai — catch a fight at a local stadium or take a beginner class.
More day trips from Chiang Mai — hot springs, hill towns and more mountains.
FAQ: Visiting Chiang Mai
How many days do you need in Chiang Mai? I had about three and wanted way more. Three days covers the food, a cooking class and an elephant sanctuary. A week lets you add the day trips and just relax.
Is Chiang Mai better than Bangkok? For me, yes. Bangkok is big-city energy. Chiang Mai is laid back, green and country, and it's easier to slow down there.
How do you get from Bangkok to Chiang Mai? The easiest way is to fly. Nok Air flies from Don Mueang (DMK) to Chiang Mai (CNX) in about an hour and ten minutes. There's also an overnight train and buses if you have more time.
What food should I try in Chiang Mai? Khao soi first, always. It's the northern Thai curry noodle soup this city is known for. Then go to Ban Khiang Phu and get the crab balls.
Are elephant sanctuaries in Chiang Mai ethical? Some are and some aren't. Skip anywhere that offers rides or shows, and stick to places like Elephant Nature Park that put the elephants first.
Is Chiang Mai gay-friendly? Yes. Thailand is one of the most LGBTQ-welcoming countries in Asia, and Chiang Mai is relaxed and easygoing. [ADD 1 LINE ON GAY SCENE + LINK TO YOUR THAILAND GAY GUIDE]
Would I Go Back?
In a heartbeat. I'd come back to Chiang Mai and stay for a month. Eat at Ban Khiang Phu every other day, take another cooking class, find a pool, get a massage, repeat. If Bangkok is where you go to party, Chiang Mai is where you go to breathe. Don't skip it.
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