Chiang Mai, Thailand
Itinerary 🇹🇭
Where to eat 🥘
Hong Tauw inn
Balance me
Keep in touch ️
No.39 cafe
Good view village
Tikky cafe
Fatara coffee
Expenses for budget travelers (4 - 5 days)
Accommodation- $40-$55 per night
Activities - $200
Food - $50
Transportation- $65
Day 1
Arrive in Chiang Mai - Hotel Check in & Rest
Afternoon/Evening
Visit a traditional Thai spa - The Thai massages are very cheap and usually go for 250-400 bhat ($7-$12)
Visit the Night market in the old city - be sure to bring lots of cash for shopping and make sure you bargain before purchasing anything.
Day 2 - Chiang Rai day trip
A day trip from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai is a must for any complete northern Thailand experience, from glamorous temples to rare traditional hill tribes, Chiang Rai one of the most memorable places I visited in South East Asia.
Getting there
Bus (Make your own tour) - To get to Chiang Rai catch the Green bus from the Arcade Bus Station early in the morning around 8 or 9am the drive to Chiang Rai is 3 hours so to make the most out of the day its best to get an early start. I would recommend booking your ticket in advance to ensure you get a seat, we didn’t do so and we were unable to get a seat on the bus in the morning. Cost: 185 THB for X-Class and 288 THB for V-Class (one way). If you do take the bus to Chiang Rai you can create your own tour for the day and take a tuk tuk or Grab from one place to the other before heading back to Chiang Mai.
Private Tour - We arrived at the bus station to find that the bus was full but as we were about to give up for the day Mr Dang approached us, at first we were skeptical about going on a tour with him but he truly made our time in Chiang Rai special. He drove us roundtrip to Chiang Rai and also took us to each place on our itinerary while translating for us along the way and ensuring that we went at our own pace. I would definitely recommend using him if you do decide to visit Chiang Rai, it’s nice to have support as you venture out that far and he had the most amazing personality. The day trip cost us $55 in total, for a private full day tour for 2 that’s a steal!
Mr Dang - +66806777009/ +66622624480 Dangallway19@gmail.com
Things to do in Chiang Rai
Visit the Akha and Karen hill tribe (300 Bhat)
Wat Rong Suea ten aka The blue temple
Wat Rong Khun aka The white temple
Zipline at Singha Park over rice fields and tea plantations
The Black House, also named Baan Daam
Golden Triangle
Day 3 - Temples, Temples and more Temples
There are over 300 temples in Chiang Mai..Crazy right? While you won’t have time to visit all of them obviously, there are a few popular temples that are worth visiting during your trip. Make a day out of it and go temple hopping!
Start the morning bright and early watching the monks receive alms from locals in exchange for blessings, after watching this special daily ceremony make your way up to Wat Prah That Doi Suthep . The majestic temple at the top of the mountain is said to have been built 600 - 650 years ago and is one of the most striking and intricate temples in Chiang Mai.
Temples to see
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Wat phra sing
Wat Chedi Luang
Wat Phra That Doi Kham
• Wat Sri Suphan
Evening
Muay Thai match - To find out what’s on, simply hang around the Thaepae Gate area around 5-6pm and soon enough you will see guys handing out flyers
Day 4 & 5 - Chai Lai Orchid
The Chai Lai Orchid was the most incredible place I have stayed at across all my travels, I look back on this experience and can’t believe I lived this, all I could think while I was there was this is why i travel!
Staying here made my experience in Chiang Mai so memorable and I cant recommend it enough, I myself will be back. Elephants are one of the most popular tourist draws in Thailand and at the Chai Lai Orchid you will get to understand these beautiful creatures in a more intimate setting beyond the traditional mundane structured elephant tours. From waking up to elephants at your windows to having lunch while watching them play in the river, this was truly the educational and immersive experience I wanted out of Thailand.
The Chai Lai Orchid is an airbnb nestled on an elephant sanctuary, it is also a safe haven for victims of sex trafficking and refugees who have fled war from Burma(Myanmar) and now work and live on the grounds. I love finding and supporting social entrepreneurship ventures and non profits that are really making a difference in the realm of ethical tourism.
Instead of paying $100+ for a traditional elephant day tour, you could pay anywhere from $45-$60 a night, depending on which room you chose and enjoy an unlimited elephant adventure experience.
The Chai Lai orchid is located about an hour away from the main Chiang Mai city so I would recommend spending at least 2 nights here for a worthwhile experience, ensure that you leave time to do the activities you want in central Chiang Mai before or after your stay as it is inconvenient to go back and forth once you are there and it detracts from your stay. We had lots to do on the grounds, mostly involving playing with the elephants and caring for them, we also did a relaxing river rafting ride for 800Bhat which I definitely recommend for a scenic tour of the surrounding area.
The room I stayed in - Chiang Mai Elephant Jungle ecolodge on airbnb.com
Use my airbnb code for $40 off your first trip