Neil Aronson This guide will help you easily explore the best places to visit and things to do near Chiang Mai Thailand. There are so many hidden gems only locals know about. From cafes on creeks, to historical temples, to amazing nature. Unless you have been to Chiang Mai dozens of times, or live here, navigating the best places in the area can be daunting. That is because there are so many great places and things to do in Chiang Mai Province.
My wife and I have a house outside of Doi Inthanon National Park, and we are constantly finding new places. From Parks to Restaurants and Cafes, to temples and golf courses. The region has something for everyone.
Here are some of the most recommended best places within an hour of the city. The goal is to introduce you to the best places most people don’t write about. Probably because they don’t know!
Before you go, find out how to get the best flight deals with Going. Have them send flight deals right to your inbox.
Resources
Agoda is the best place to book cheap affordable hotels in Thailand, especially near national parks. They also book flights as well.
Expedia is my favorite place to book flights, hotels, cars, and more. Their group includes Hotels.com and Vrbo for vacation rentals.
Viator is the top choice for activities. Book everything from a waterfall tour to scuba diving, jungle trekking to cooking classes.
12Go is the top transportation source for Asia. From busses to trains to regional flights.
The Best Places: From South To North
- Wat Haripunchai Lamphun
- Ob Khan National Park
- Valley Coffee by Lanna Resort
- Royal Park Rajapruek
- Wat Umong
- Wat Pha Lat
- Montha Than Waterfall
- Wat Pa Dara Phirom
- Aunty Nok Flower Farm
- Bai Orchid & Butterfly Farm
- Grooveyard Cafe
- Rim Nara Cafe
- Mae Sa Waterfall
- Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens
- Places To Stay In Mae Rim
Wat Haripunchai Lamphun
To start off our list of the best places to visit around Chiang Mai, we will start about 40 minutes to the south, in Lamphun. Lamphun City is one of the oldest cities in the country that dates all the way back to the 8th Century. The city was founded by Queen Chama Thevi as the capital of the Haripunchai Kingdom, the last and most northerly Mon kingdom in the area which now forms Thailand. Thus Wat Haripunchai.
Wat Phrathat Haripunchai Woramahawihan is situated in the center of Lamphun city and surrounded by roads on all sides. It is about 150 metres from the City Hall and was built in the mid 12th century, during the reign of King Athitayarat. The temple complex is huge and comprises many structures, all dated from different periods of time.
Another reason to visit this temple are the many other attractions within blocks of the temple. Since it is an old historic city, you can also visit several museums, such as the Queen Cham Dhavi Monument. She was the first monarch and Queen of Hariphunchai, and is buried at another amazing nearby temple, Wat Chamadevi shown here.
Ob Khan National Park
Located about one hour southwest of Chiang Mai city center, Ob Khan is a perfect place to go for a day trip. Being one of Thailand best national parks, here you can find an amazing river to have a picnic by, hiking, swimming, and of course nature. On our list of the best picnic spots.
The drive up to the park is fun in itself. Explore the countryside and winding roads through small villages. Once in the park, you can find a great visitors center with lots of park history and local information. There is a cafe along the river.
Go for a hike along the trail that goes along side the river and through the gorge, then up in the mountains. There are lots of butterflies, trees and shade. The best time to go is going to be November through March, in the dry season.
Valley Coffee by Lanna Resort
One of my favorite things about Thailand is discovering amazing places not many people know about. There are a lot of them. That is how I found Valley Coffee by Lanna Resort.
We found this gem just by looking for coffee on Google maps. Located on route 1269 past Hang Dong, on what is know as the Samoeng Loop. It is actually a beautiful resort, with the cafe on a creek and open to the public. One of the best places to relax in the shade and enjoy a coffee with nature. There are a lot of butterflies here as well, and an amazing hotel.
Royal Park Rajapruek
After you have your coffee at Valley Coffee, go down the hill on route 1269 to route 121 to Royal Park Rajapruek.
These royal botanical gardens are a beautiful expansive park with hours of things to see and activities to do. The park started out as an International Horticultural Exposition at the Royal Agricultural Research Centre, Chiang Mai, for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand.
We went here on one of our first dates in 2010! So it has to be one of our best places around the city.
There are three main garden sections. Thai gardens, International gardens, and Corporate gardens. Inside the Thai gardens you will find a huge greenhouse holding the Orchid pavilion. Admission fee is a great value at only 200 baht for tourists. Visit their website for more information.
Wat Umong
One of the best places around Chiang Mai, Wat Umong is my favorite temple grounds. Located at the foot of the mountains of Doi Suthep National Park, east of the city center. No doubt in my mind it is one of, if not the best 5 temples around. Wat Umong is hidden in the corner of the city, however not one you can walk to. The grounds are located not far from Chiang Mai university and the popular western area Nimmanhaemin.
The temple was built in 1297 by King Mangrai of the Lan Na dynasty.
If your looking for a renowned meditation center to stay overnight and practice, this is a popular option.
For me, this is my favorite temple to walk around in all of Chiang Mai. Large grounds with lots of unique smaller things to see. Very shady and forest like, so great during the day. There is a tunnel system under the ground below where the main Chedi sits.
Wat Pha Lat
Most people go to Wat Doi Suthep, on Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, which is one of the best places. But on the way up the mountain on route 1004, is Wat Pha Lat. It is a totally different experience than its more famous neighbor. And I think it is better.
More of a ‘jungle like’ experience than most temples. According the the temple plaques, the construction is not know. But the temple name appeared during the time of Kin Kue Na when he rode his elephant to bring relics of the Buddha from Sukhothai to be enshrined at Wat Doi Suthep and stopped at Pha Lat for a rest.
The temple is also located along Monks Trail. So you can hike there from the city, near Chiang Mai University.
If you are looking for a temple tour, I would recommend Viator. These local tours are inexpensive and will take you from your hotel and back.
Montha Than Waterfall
Montha Than Waterfall is also located in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. It is on our list of the best places to visit because of its peacfull location and beauty. It is located off route 1004 just down the road from Wat Phra Lat. So it is only 15 minutes from the city.
The waterfall is not large or super impressive, but just a beautiful spot to relax in the shade and have a picnic. There are two levels to the waterfall.
There are plenty of places for a picnic. And large restroom facilities. Enjoy a great hiking on the 1.6 KM nature trail. Sounds easy, but it is steep!
Wat Pa Dara Phirom
This one of the best temples around Chiang Mai is the only one on this list north of the city. Wat Pa Dara Phirom is about 20-30 minutes (depending on traffic) north off route 107 on the way to Mae Rim.
The outside wall itself is impressive and the entrance is guarded by two large lions. The Ubosot and other buildings are Lanna style, but with very intricate details.
Wat Pa Dara Phirom is a 100-year-old first class royal temple, so it is not exactly an ancient one. Since is is relatively newer, the buildings are in better condition that most. Less tourists come here since it in not right in the city. However it is popular to visit for locals. We came on a Sunday, and there were not very many people.
Aunty Nok Flower Farm
On your way to Mae Rim, take a detour to one of our best places, Aunty Nok Flower Farm. It is just what it says, a flower farm. Getting there is interesting as well, as you pass through some really cool local towns. But it was easy to find using Google maps. Once there, you pay a small fee to enter, and can freely roam the flower fields. There is a nice coffee shop and cafe as well.
Bai Orchid & Butterfly Farm
Once in the Mae Rim Area, off route 1096 is Bai Orchid & Butterfly Farm. Not a very big place, and it is definitely a tourist spot. I have been three times and there were several tour busses each time, even on a Monday. But if you want to see some butterflies, there is a great enclosure where they fly all over you. There are many different local species.
On the grounds there is also a coffee shop and a cafe. The fee was only 60 baht to enter.
Grooveyard Cafe
Grooveyard Cafe is one of the best places for lunch in the Mae Rim Area. My friend and I just randomly found it on our phone maps. Now I follow them on social media! The food is amazing, especially the woodfired pizza. And the grounds are super cool, peaceful, and they have a few cabins for rent overnight as well. Check out their Facebook page, but they usually have music in the evenings.
You can book one of their three cabins on Agoda.
Rim Nara Cafe
After you have lunch at Grooveyard, head over to one of the best places for coffee, Rim Nara. Well actually they have really good food as well. Located just a couple KM from Mae Sa Waterfall.
Mae Sa Waterfall
One of the best waterfalls for a picnic and hiking.
Mae Sa Waterfall is a popular 10-tiered cascading waterfall along a nearly 2.5 km trail into the forest. This is a very popular local attraction for the area.
There is a very nice trail going all the way to the 10th tier. Some of it is boardwalk and bridges, giving you great views for photography. Each tier is marked by a sign. Since the individual falls are not that high or fast-moving, they are ideal—and popular—for swimming.
Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens
Without a doubt one of most impressing botanical gardens you will see. The gardens offer a mix of natural beauty along with curated gardens and glasshouses showcasing the richness of Thai, and other flora.
As a result it is also home to a great number of valuable Thai plants, with a focus on rare, endemic, and endangered species.
And if you are not totally into looking at plants, there are other things on the site to do. There also is a Natural History Museum. As well there is a really cool Canopy Walk. Which is along walking bridge above the tree canopy, allowing you to view across the tree tops.
Places To Stay In Mae Rim
If you want to stay overnight in the Mae Rim area, which I highly recommend, then here are our recommendations.
Mae Rim is close enough to the city that it is perfect for day trips. However I would recommend a couple nights if possible. This way you can really take advantage of the area. As you will see there are a lot of things to do.
I would recommend using Agoda to book your hotels.
There are a couple exceptions if you want ultra luxury in the Mae Rim Valley. The Four Seasons Resort is located right in this area. I have not stayed there. I just snuck in with a friend to hang out. Also Onsen At Moncham is an ultra luxury resort.
Pak Ram Is my personal recommendation for the Mae Rim Valley. I stayed here in November 2023. It is located a couple KM off route 1096, set back in the hills. I think it only has 8 rooms, and they are all private Villas with a huge room and huge bathroom. Also a large covered patio. Breakfast was included and was great. In the countryside with mountain Views. Beside being central of all activities, down the road 8 Km is another waterfall, Tat Mok Waterfall.
Mae Jo Golf Resort and Spa Located on the east side of the Mae Rim valley set against the hills. Fantastic golf and spa resort. A little bit outside of the area we are focusing on, but an option if you also want to play golf. See more below under golf.
Mesa Greenery Hill Beautiful Boutique hotel setting on river. Very close to Mae Sa Waterfall and some great Cafe’s.
Grooveyard Cafe This was an amazing find we just stumbled upon when looking for lunch. So far it is my favorite place to eat in the Mae Rim Valley.
Enjoy exploring and learn more about visiting Thailand here:
