One of the most popular tourist destinations in Southeast Asia is Thailand but one place that is often overlooked in Thailand is Chiang Mai which is probably because there’s no Beach. So if you are a digital nomad or you are just traveling through here are 5 things to do in Chiang Mai.
Elephant Sanctuary
This list is in no particular order but even if it was the number one thing to do Chiang Mai is to visit an elephant sanctuary. These elephants are all rescued from the tourism industry or they were purchased when they were in really poor health and taken to this place.
They are really well looked after and that means you get to see them in happier spirits, being cheeky and just hanging out, and enjoying themselves. You can do a half day or a full-day tour in the Elephant Sanctuary. Also, you can feed the elephants, play with them, or take as many pictures as you possibly want. Then you can get them dirty in the mud which can help to exfoliate their skin before walking them down to go for a swim in the river.
Traditional Thai Cooking Class
You can’t go to Chiang Mai without taking a traditional Thai cooking class. You will start the day with a tour of a local time market and see all the products being sold and buy all the things you’ll need for the cooking for the day. Then you are taken out to the rice paddies before you cook. This is usually an absolutely amazing experience. At the end of the day, once you are completely full, then you get a certificate as well which is a nice little touch.
Sunday Walking Market
There are few markets in Chiang Mai but probably the most popular is the Sunday walking market. This market is big and there are varieties of things to buy. You can buy a good deal of stuff here from jewelry, cream, soaps, souvenirs, and much more.
Samoeng or Mae Sa
One of the best and biggest adventures to take in this city from Chiang Mai is to do the Samoeng or Mae Sa Loop. This adventure will take about 5 to 8 hours to journey up through the mountains if you go with a scooter. There are some cool places you can see as you go through the local villages as well as good local food.
Khao Soi
One of the other cool things to do in Chiang Mai is to try out some local food. Chiang Mai specifically is famous for Khao Soi – it is sort of a combination of a pad Thai and curry and some crispy noodles on top. It is super cheap, super tasty, always fast, and really consistent as well.
Hopefully, there is something there you have thought looks pretty epic and you will go out and have a crack at yourself.