Chiang Mai is one of the top tourist destinations in Thailand. I have traveled to Chiang Mai several times, and in this article, I will share with you my itinerary for 4-5 Days in Chiang Mai.
Chiang Mai is a major city in North Thailand. It is known for its historic old town, beautiful temples, vibrant market, and lively nightlife scenes. It is also a great base to take day trips to Doi Inthanon, Elephant Sanctuary, Sticky Waterfall, and Chiang Rai.
Chiang Mai has a rich food culture and is a great place to learn to cook traditional Thai dishes. You can consider taking a half-day or full day cooking class, where you can shop for ingredients at local markets and then cook them in a class.
How many Days in Chiang Mai is enough?
In my opinion, 4-5 days is a good amount of time to explore attractions in and around Chiang Mai. I spent 5 days in Chiang Mai and was able to see most highlights in the old town, hike the Monk’s trail, join a cooking class, explore the Nimman area, and take a day trip to Doi Inthanon and Elephant Sanctuary.
Here are the general ideas of how to decide how many days do you need in Chiang Mai:
#1. The Old town: with its attractions such as temples and night markets can be explored within at least 1 day. Of course, the old city has lots of nice restaurants, trendy cafes, and bars where you can spend more time exploring.
#2. Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and Wat Pha Lat: can be explored within half day to full day. You can visit them by taking a guided tour, hiring a private songthaew, or hiking the Monk’s trail. I hiked and visited them all in a half day. You can combine these temples with a visit to the Nimman area within 1 day.
#3. Doi Inthanon: most travel agencies offer a 1 day trip to Doi Inthanon. But if you have a short time, you can consider taking a combined tour: Doi Inthanon + Elephant Sanctuary within a day. I did this tour, and highly recommend it.
#4. Elephant Sanctuary: You can choose a half day tour, full day tour, or even overnight tour depending on interest. I did a day tour that combined a visit to Elephant Sanctuary in morning, and afternoon to Doi Inthanon. I was still able to see all the highlights of these attractions and activities.
#5. Cooking Class: You can choose a half day or full day cooking course. I took a half day class and was able to cook a few famous Thai dishes such as Pad Thai, Mango Sticky rice, and one kind of Curry (Green Curry).
#6. Chiang Rai: You will need 1 full day tour to travel to Chiang Rai from Chiang Mai. This tour will usually take you to the White temple, Black House Museum, Blue Temple, Karen Long Neck Village, and Golden Triangle. I stayed in Chiang Rai for a few days, so I didn’t do this tour from Chiang Mai.
#7. Sticky Waterfall: Usually a few hours or half day tours from Chiang Mai. You can hire a private driver or join a shared van to the waterfall with others.
See more: 23 Things to Do & See in Chiang Mai
Getting to and Around Chiang Mai:
Chiang Mai is easily accessible by road and by air. It has an international airport, a train station, bus stations, which are all located within a 5 km radius from the old town. You can take a train, a long distance bus, or flight from major cities in Thailand like Bangkok.
Once inside the city center, you can easily get around by walking, using Grab, tuk tuk (motorbike taxi), or red songthaew (covered pickup truck). For day trips, you can consider taking an organized tour, hiring a private driver, or renting a scooter.
See more: How to get to Chiang Mai & Get Around
Best time to Visit Chiang Mai:
The best time to visit Chiang Mai is in the dry season (November to April). These months have little to no rain which is ideal for sightseeing. For the best weather, I recommend visiting Chiang Mai sometimes between November and February; March to April is the burning season in Chiang Mai.
I visited Chiang Mai late November and early December, the weather was perfect with all sunny days and no rain. It was a bit cold when traveling to the Doi Inthanon area, so if you are visiting this area during these months, remember to bring warm clothes with you.
The rainy season in Chiang Mai is from May to October. It is a good time to see the city with more greenery, less tourists, and having the benefit of lower prices for accommodations and tours. Be mindful that storms and flooding can occur in this region and might affect your travel plans.
Best areas to stay in Chiang Mai:
The Top area to book your accommodations is the old city. This is the heart of the city and is best suited for first-timers and short time travelers. It is packed with restaurants, bars, shops, tour agencies and attractions. You’ll find famous temples here as well as popular cultural attractions of Chiang Mai.
You can consider staying outside of the old town, which is the area around the Night Bazaar, the area along Ping River, or the trendy Nimmanhaemin neighborhood.
The Night Bazaar offers a vibrant nightlife atmosphere; the riverside has some nice resorts offering a more relaxing vibe; and Nimmanhaemin is a popular area for expats, digital nomads, and young people.
See more: Where to Stay in Chiang Mai
Here my 4-5 days in Chiang Mai Itinerary:
How to Spend 4-5 Days in Chiang Mai Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and the old town
I came to Chiang Mai from Sukhothai. I took a bus from Sukhothai Old town around 10 am and arrived at Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 2 at 3.15pm. From The bus terminal, I took a tuk tuk to the old town, shared with another person on the bus. It was 150 baht for two. If you take Grab, it is around 100 baht.
I checked in my hotel, All In 1 Guesthouse, then headed outside for exploration. I walked to Tha Phae Gate, which is one of the 4 main gates of the old town.
Tha Phae Gate
It is a beautiful ancient gate, located in the eastern side of the Old City. Lots of tourists are around taking photos of the gates and the pigeons. The traffic here is quite busy. There are nice cafes nearby where you can enjoy a drink, people watching, and enjoy the views of the gate.
Tha Phae Gate is also the starting point of the Sunday night Market, which is one of the biggest markets in Thailand. This market is held along Ratchadamnoen Road, and is a must-see if you are in Chiang Mai on Sunday.
Ratchadamnoen Road is one of the main roads in the old town. It is packed with restaurants, shops, and travel agencies. I walked along this road and had an early dinner at Blue Noodle Shop.
Blue Noodle Shop
Blue Noodle Shop is a quite popular restaurant in Chiang Mai. It is located in a shopping area just a 5 minutes walk from Tha Phae Gate. I ordered stewed beef soup with flat noodles and a bowl of steamed rice. It was delicious and the price was reasonable.
Within the same area as the Blue Noodle Shop, you can find a Japanese restaurant, Italian restaurant, Thai Tea shop, beauty salon, nail shop, and a clothing store.
Book tour to Doi Inthanon for the next day
I continued walking along Ratchadamnoen Road and came across a travel agency called “Chiangmai Fullmoon Travel”. The lady at the shop was very friendly and offered valued tours. I decided to book the Doi Inthanon and Elephant Sanctuary tour with her for the next day.
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
I wandered around the old town then headed to Ping River and Night Bazaar. This part of Chiang Mai, particularly on Chang Klan Road, is very lively with lots of restaurants, bars, massage shops, and night markets. It is packed with stalls on the side road selling all Thai souvenirs, and fashion goods.
There are also high concentrations of girlie bars, clubs, and massage shops on Loi Kroh Street. It is also home to several local temples, Loi Kroh Boxing Stadium, and a good currency exchange called “Super Money Chiangmai”. I exchanged my Australian dollars for Baht Thai here. They offered the best rate.
You can find many food options at the food court of Kalare Night Bazaar, Halal Street Hilal Town, and at Anusarn Market. They are all located on the same street, Chang Klan St. You can just spend the whole evening shopping around for food and souvenirs.
When you get tired, you can try a foot massage at one of the many massage shops in the area. I recommend Phong Massage shop in Anusarn Market. I did massage here three nights in a row and they did a very good job.
Day 2: Day trip to Doi Inthanon and Elephant Sanctuary
On this 2nd day in Chiang Mai, I took a guide group tour which included a visit to Elephant Sanctuary in the morning, then Doi Inthanon National Park and a 2-hour trekking in the afternoon.
The driver picked me up at my hotel in Chiang Mai Old Town around 7.30am. We stopped at a petrol station around 8.15am. This stop has a 7-11, several restaurants, a bakery and cafe where you can buy some snacks for the day.
Elephant Sanctuary
We arrived at the Elephant Sanctuary in Mae Win around 9.30 am. We made food for the elephants. Everyone in the group was given a bag of elephant food to feed them. We also changed clothes to bathe with elephants. The staff at the camp and the tour guide helped us take a lot of photos.
We spent around 2 hours at Elephant Sanctuary and later the tour guide gave us some snacks to eat. They were rice crackers and watermelons.
Lunch at Moei Khab Restaurant
We have lunch around 1pm at Moei Khab Restaurant near Doi Inthanon National Park. The drive from the Elephant Sanctuary to this restaurant has lots of turns and I felt a bit car sick.
The lunch was included in the tour. There was Thai food such as tom yum soup, fried egg, fried vegetable, and steam rice.
Highest Spot of Thailand
After lunch, the driver takes The highest point of Thailand, which is part of Doi Inthanon National park. Often known as Roof of Thailand, this point stands at an elevation of 2,565 meters above sea level.
We had a short walk through a natural trail, passing the misty forest, temples, then the highest point of Doi Inthanon Summit.
It was a very foggy day and quite cold (around 10 degrees), so remember to bring a warm jacket with you when visiting this area.
King’s and Queen’s Pagoda at Doi Inthanon
After a short break at Doi Inthanon Summit, we got back in the car and headed to Twin Pagodas in Doi Inthanon. We were transferred to a big songthaew to get to the pagoda. It is like a 5 minute drive up from the parking spot to the temple.
The Twin pagodas are dedicated to King Bhumibol Adulyadej (King Rama IX) and Queen Sirikit. Phra Mahathat Naphamethanidon is the pagoda for the king and Phra Mahathat Naphaphonphumisiri is the pagoda for the queen.
They are surrounded by stunning well-maintained gardens. Situated on a high point of the mountain, They offer breathtaking sweeping views of the surrounding forests and valleys.
We spent around 30 minutes at the temple complex. There are cafes, restaurants, and toilets at the ground. There is a free escalator to the top of the two pagodas if you don’t feel like climbing up through lots of staircases.
Pha Dok Sieo Nature Trail
The last stop of this day trip is the Pha Dok Sieo Nature Trail. We reached the starting point around 3.50pm. It is a popular trekking route in Doi Inthanon National Park, 2.5 km long and takes about 2 to 3 hours to complete.
Along the way we passed several waterfalls, coffee trees, and rice terraces. The trail is moderate, including dirt paths, staircases, bamboom bridges. When I visited at the end of November, the waterfalls were quite full. It was quite slippery at some sections near the waterfalls.
The rice terraces were harvested a couple of weeks before our visit, it still has stunning views. After that, we passed a cultural pavilion Ban Mae Klang Luang, a local ethnic house, then finally a coffee shop.
At a cafe called Pati non roasting plants, the staff showed us different kinds of tea and coffee growing in the area. They also have gift shops where you can buy tea, coffee, and other Thai souvenirs.
We finished our tour at 6pm and went back to old town Chiang Mai at 8pm.
Night market at Chiang Mai Gate
As I stayed close to Chiang Mai Gate (south entrance to the old town), I decided to check out this market for dinner. Chiang Mai Gate Market is a bustling night market where you can find many Thai foods such as Khao Soi, Grilled meat, mango sticky rice, and all kinds of smoothies.
The price for food and drink here is quite reasonable. There are many food stalls on both sides of the road. You will find chairs and tables to sit.
If you happen to be in Chiang Mai on Saturday night, you can check out the Wua Lai Walking Street. It is located very close to Chiang Mai Gate. This market has a good selection of local handicraft and food.
Day 3: Temple Hopping Old Town and Hike the Monk’s Trail
On my 3rd day in Chiang Mai, I spent the morning exploring a few temples in the old town, and the afternoon hiking to Wat Pha Lat & Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. In the evening, I explore other night markets in the old town.
Wat Phan tao
This is one of the hundred temples in Chiang Mai Old Town. It is a small temple located within walking distance from Tha Phae Gate and Wat Chedi Luang. It has a beautiful archway entrance and a wooden house. You can wander around admiring its architecture for 15-20 minutes.
Wat Chedi Luang Vara Viharn
Wat Chedi Luang is one of the most important temples in Chiang Mai. It is located just a short walk from Tha Phae Gate and Wat Phan tao. It was originally built in the 14th century, partially destroyed by an earthquake in the 16 century, and only part of the chedi remains today.
The ticket is 50 baht. I didn’t go inside to see the ruins, I just had a quick look from outside. I saw lots of temples in Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, and other parts of Thailand already, so I skipped this one.
Wat Phra Singh Woramahawihan
Wat Phra Singh is one of the most important temples in Chiang Mai. It is located in the heart of the Old City and is a prime example of classic Lanna architecture. It has intricate wood carvings, decorative elements, and tiered roof designs.
You can explore Viharn Lai Kham, which is the main building of the temple, and houses the Phra Singh Buddha. The chedi also has stunning architecture with a mix of both the Lanna and Burmese styles.
Opposite the entrance of Wat Phra Singh is lined with restaurants and cafes. I had my lunch at Toobnoi restaurant and the food was quite good.
Maya Shopping Center
After exploring a few temples, I decided to take a break from the temples and head to Maya Shopping Center in the Nimman area. I took a Grab Bike to get there from Wat Phra Singh. It was around 10 minutes drive and it cost 36 baht.
I didn’t plan to do any shopping, so I just had a quick look around. They have stores for fashion, electronics, cosmetics, and home goods. There is also a foot court and restaurants if you want something to eat.
The Monk’s Trail: Wat Pha Lat & Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
I love trekking and hiking. The monk’s trail is my highlight of this 3rd day in Chiang Mai. I took Grab Bike from Maya Shopping Center to the Wat Pha Lat Hike (Monk’s trail). It was a 16 minute drive and cost 114 baht.
You can put Monk’s Trailhead in the destination. The driver was a bit lost, but I showed him Google Maps, and he dropped me exactly at the entrance to the hike. I arrived at the trailhead at 1.45 pm.
There were just a few people at the entrance and few songthaew drivers waiting for passengers. I felt a bit too isolated and scary at first but it is totally safe.
You will likely encounter lots of people along the hike. It is free to enter. Just follow the main path, follow the sign, don’t wander off the track, you should be fine.
After a 30 minute trek, you will see the sign that says “5 minute walk to Wat Pha Lat, and 30 minute hike to Anagami Temple”. I recommend skipping the hike to Anagami temple and walking straight to Wat Pha Lat if you are not fit and you don’t want to climb the steep ascent.
Anagami Temple
If you like to challenge yourself on a steep hike, you must try the hike to Anagami Temple. Nothing much at the top, just abandoned temples, but the journey is interesting for hiking enthusiasts. It can be very slippery after a rainy day, so keep it in mind too.
There was not one around while I was there. I was just wandered around exploring different temples and Buddha. There are toilets nearby but I didn’t use them. I bought a bottle of water from Hug Him Doi Thai Coffee not far away.
From the cafe at Anagami Temple, you can walk along the main road to reach Wat Pha Lat temple. It is 1.5 km around a 20-30 minute walk. There is no sidewalk and lots of cars on the road.
I decided to walk back to the old trail, not on the main road as the traffic there was a bit scary for me. It took me 30 minutes to hike down from Anagami Temple to Wat Pha Lat.
Wat Pha Lat
Wat Pha Lat is a beautiful and peaceful temple located in the lust forest of Doi Suthep. You can spend one hour here wandering around its complex, enjoy the views, watch the waterfalls, and an ancient Buddha statue. There are shops selling clothing at the entrance as well as toilets.
Hike from Wat Pha Lat to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
From Wat Pha Lat, I followed the trail and hiked up to Road 1004. Several on the trail doesnt know where it heads to, they just tried it. When you reach the road, you need to cross to the other side of the road and find the path to walk to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.
This second part of the monk’s trail is steeper than the first part to Wat Pha Lat. If you don’t want to hike anymore, you can order songthaew or taxi to get to Wat Phra That without hiking.
Google Map worked well for me. You can use Map.me, it has a clear path on the map too. As it was a difficult hike, I stopped many times along the way. It took me a 50 minute hike from Road 1004 to the entrance of Wat Phra That near Naga Staircase.
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
When reaching the entrance of Wat Phra That, you need to climb another 300-step staircase to reach its summit. If you don’t feel like hiking anymore, you can use the funicular for 20 baht return trips. The entrance fee is 30 baht for foreigners.
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is a famous and popular temple in Chiang Mai. It is located at the top of Doi Suthep Mountain, about 15 km from Chiang Mai Old Town. You can explore the golden chedi, various shrines, statues on the ground as well as enjoy stunning views of its surroundings.
I spent one hour at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, and hiked down to the entrance around 5.45 pm. The Songthaew driver was collecting customers to go back to Chiang Mai City. He paid him 100 baht and he told me to sit in the front with him.
The traffic was very bad at Chiang Mai City, especially the area around Nimman Road. I got back to my hotel around 7pm.
Chang Phuak Gate Night Market
I visited night markets at South Gate and the Night Bazaar two nights before. This evening I wanted to check out Chang Phuak Gate Night Market. This market is located in the north gate of the old town.
Like other night markets in Chiang Mai, this market is lined with food stalls selling different Thai food. I tried pork leg rice at the famous cowboy lady shop. It’s quite tasty.
There are tables and chairs to sit at the night market. Suki Changphuak is a very popular shop there. I didn’t try their food as there were lots of people in the queue waiting for orders.
Day 4: The Old Town, Nimman, and Cooking Class
On my 4th day in Chiang Mai, I spent my morning exploring the old town again, then I moved to a new hostel in Nimana, and finally a cooking class in the late afternoon.
Wat Chiang Man
Wat Chiang Man is one of the must-see temples in Chiang Mai, along with Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang. This temple is located in the north-east section of the old town, close to Chang Phuak Gate.
There were only a few people around when I visited in the morning. Its peaceful atmosphere makes its a great place to relax. The temple was built by King Mengrai, in the 13th century.
You can admire its beautiful Lanna-style architecture at its main building and the chedi. I spent 30 minutes here exploring its ground. Nearby, on the same road as the temple, you can find several nice restaurants and cafes for food such as Khao Soi.
Three Kings Monument
Three Kings Monument is located 7 minutes walk from Wat Chiang Man. I just walked around and took photos with the statues of Three Kings, the founder of Chiang Mai.
You can buy a ticket and visit the Chiang Mai City Arts & Cultural Centre located next to it. While in the area, I recommend checking out the Wat Inthakhin Sadue Muang. It is free to enter.
Saen Pung Gate & Buak Hard Public Park
I walked to the south of the old town and headed to Saen Pung Gate. There are many other small temples along the way. Nearby, you can visit Buak Hard Public Park, which is a great place for exercise and taking a break from the heat.
Warorot Market
As I feel tired of walking, I ordered Grab Bike to Warorot Market. This is a lively and colorful market selling lots of fabric and traditional Thai clothing. Additionally, they have fresh fruits, vegetables, Thai sweets, handicrafts, and souvenirs.
Nawarat Bridge
Nawarat Bridge is a 10 minute walk from Warorot Market. I connected two banks of the Ping River. You have good views of the river on the bridge.
Move from Old Town to new hotel in Nimman
I have to move to a new hostel in the Nimman area, so I walked back to my hotel in the old town, packed the suitcase, and ordered a Grab Taxi to get to the new hotel. It was a 20 minute ride and it cost 100 baht.
I settled at my hostel and waited for my tour guide to pick me up for the cooking class.
Half Day Cooking Class
The driver picked me up at 3.30 at my hostel in Nimman to head to the local market to buy ingredients to cook. We reached a local market near Ruamchok Mall around 4.10. The chef took us for a walk around the market and introduced essential ingredients for Thai food.
We arrived at The Rice Barn Thai Cooking Farm around 5pm. It was sun set time, and the surroundings were very peaceful with rice fields and buffaloes. It is in open space so there were lots of mosquitoes around though. They provided insect spray at the farm.
We cooked 4 dishes on the course. That includes pad Thai, stir fry chicken cashew, mango sticky rice, and tom yummy soup. I really like the course and highly recommend it.
Evening at Nimman area
Nimman is a trendy expat area in Chiang Mai, located just to the west of the old town, a few minutes drive from the north gate of the old city. This area has a wide range of both international and Thai restaurants and bars.
There are lots of co-working spaces in this area, as well as fast food chains such as Mc Donald, and KFC. Two big shopping malls, Niman One and Maya, are also located in this area.
I spent my evening walking around the neighborhoods from Soi 1 near One Nimman to Soi 17. This area has youthful and artistic vibe, with many trendy cafes, boutique stores, art galleries, and restaurants.
Day 5: Sticky Waterfall & Bus to Pai
Sticky Waterfall
The Sticky Waterfall, aka Buathong Waterfall, is an unique waterfall in North Thailand, located 60 km north of Chiang Mai old city. It is known for its unusual limestone deposits that allow visitors to climb the waterfall without slipping.
You can visit the waterfall by taking a guided tour, hire a private driver, or share a van with others. Many hostels organise shared vans for their guests, so you can consider if you are on a budget.
I hired a private songtower with a driver near my hotel (I don’t remember how much I paid). He took me to the waterfall, waited for me to explore, then took me back to the old town.
You need to allow 1 hour drive each way with good traffic conditions and at least a couple of hours at the waterfall. The waterfall is not too big, you can walk up and down easily. There is a nice restaurant at the entrance, but they cooked very slowly. I waited almost an hour for my fried rice.
Bus to Pai
I booked my bus to Pai in the late afternoon. I have to move from my hotel in Nimman to the Bus terminal 2 first. The traffic was terrible at Nimman. It almost took 1 hour to get to Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 2 while normal traffic is only 15-20 minutes.
If you need to get to the airport, train station, and bus station from either the old town and Nimman area, I recommend always allowing extra time because of the traffic. I’m sure you don’t want to miss your flight.
Chiang Mai is affordable and it has plenty of things to do and see. Many visitors spend weeks and months here but still enjoy the city. If you are slow travelers, you can spend a couple of weeks in the city. If you have a short time, you can still see important attractions within 3 days.
I hope my travel guide on how to spend 4-5 days in Chiang Mai will help you make your own itinerary.