Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
A gilded temple on a mountain above the city — climb the 300 steps flanked by naga serpents for the whole of Chiang Mai below.
Chiang Mai
Temples and mist in the northern hills
Best time
November – February
Gentle pace
3–5 slow days
Ideal for
Families · Culture seekers · Nature lovers
Chiang Mai is Thailand’s gentle northern soul — a moated old city of gilded temples and wooden houses, ringed by misty mountains and home to a slower, cooler way of life than the south. It is the country’s best base for families who want a little of everything: temples, elephants, waterfalls and night markets, all within an hour’s drive.
With children, climb to Doi Suthep at golden hour, visit an ethical elephant sanctuary, take a Thai cooking class, and wander the Sunday walking street for dinner among the lanterns.
Worth lingering over
An ethical elephant sanctuary
Feed and walk with rescued elephants in a no-riding sanctuary — the children’s highlight of any Thailand trip.
The Sunday walking street
The old city closes to traffic each Sunday for a market of lanterns, food stalls and crafts — dinner and a show in one.
Hidden gem
The sticky waterfalls of Bua Tong
An hour north of Chiang Mai, a series of limestone waterfalls cascade down a hillside so mineral-rich that the rock is grippy — you can climb the falls barefoot like a natural staircase, straight up through the cascading water. There are no crowds, no entrance fee, and a pool at the top to swim in; children count it as the most fun they have in Thailand.