Visiting Chiang Mai – How To Experience Northern Thailand Culture in 3 Days!

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Visiting Chiang Mai and the other parts of Northern Thailand as the first destination of my two weeks trip in Thailand was an absolutely amazing experience! Super rich in Thai culture and traditions, I quickly experienced Thai things right away and enjoyed every moment of it! I visited the area for 3 full days with two friends. We explored the city and also took day trips outside the city to experience Northern Thailand.

This part of Thailand has a whole different vibe than the rest of the destinations of my two weeks trip. Chiang Mai is the major city in this region but it has a more laid back ambience. The people seem to look less stressed probably because it doesn’t have the big city vibe like Bangkok with the mountains and green scenery.

This part of the trip had been sort of a budget travel experience for me. I didn’t spend much money on shopping because it was my first destination and I don’t want to take out money too frequently around this time. Lunch was provided in the tours which was great. I’m going to share with you what I did in the 3 days I was in Chiang Mai.

BB House Budget and Boutique Stay

Arrived at Chiang Mai after lunch and went straight to BB House Budget and Boutique to check-in. We stayed here for 3 nights (leaving for Bangkok the next morning) for the price of ~2,550.32 THB which is approximately 108 CAD/85 USD. This amazing price is booked through Agoda. The best hotel booking website to get good deals for Asian accommodations. Really good for a budget hotel that’s conveniently located inside the city walls where all the Chiang Mai landmarks are.

This hotel was good for its price because we just really used this space to sleep as we wanted to be out to see Northern Island culture as much as possible.It is also right beside a massage and a short walking distance to many food vendors, temples, and the ancient city walls.

Day 1 – Get to Know Chiang Mai

It was already afternoon when we got out of the hotel. Even in November the sun was very strong but all I just applied sun screen all over my face and body and I was ready to explore Chiang Mai!

Do a Temple Run

Have you heard of the game Temple Run? That’s what I felt like walking around Chiang Mai lol! Thailand’s main religion is Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism to be exact, and Chiang Mai is known for Buddhist temples so definitely visit a few good ones. You won’t miss them because every corner is a pretty massive nice looking temple.

There are over 300 temples (wats in the Thai language) in Chiang Mai inside the old city alone. It was my first time seeing these type of temples so I was super excited walking around. Every temple was unique on their own. Some are free because they’re stand alone and there are ones when you have to go in the temple grounds dressed up properly and pay a fee. When you look at the Chiang Mai map you’ll see so many wats it’s amazing! You definitely don’t want to miss this experience.

We visited three big wats in the Chiang Mai: Wat Inthakhin Sadue Muang (วัดอินทขีลสะดือเมือง), Wat Chiang Man (วัดเชียงมั่น), and Wat Chedi Luang (วัดเจดีย์หลวง). Though I’m pretty sure I visited more because whenever we saw a picturesque temple, we stopped and took photos. The temples exteriors and interiors were very detailed and well-kept. Ancient statues and even animated ones for the young ones were so entertaining to look at. I was very happy that this was our first destination in Thailand, I was very much in awe of everything around me.

Pro Tip in Visiting Temples

There are rules to follow when visiting temples more importantly the dress code. I understand that I had to follow because one thing you do when travelling is to respect the culture and tradition of the country. Women should wear skirts below knee length or long pants. Shorts that are above knee is definitely a no and they won’t let you in but there are rental scarves in the facility for a fee. Even men should wear long pants or long shorts otherwise you won’t be allowed inside. Additionally, both men and women must cover their shoulders so no tank tops or shirtless bodies.

I had to adapt to the dress code because I really wanted to go in and at the same time it’s so hot in Thailand. Seriously I don’t know how other people can manage walking around with jeans. Good thing I had a thin long summer pants that came in handy. Kept in my bag when I walked around and used when needed. I wore it on top of my shorts when I had to go inside the temple grounds.

Experience the Night Bazaar

You need to go to a night bazaar to experience Thailand. And that’s what we did in our first night. We went to the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. Night Bazaars are amazing! You’ll see a semi-busy street during the day and when 18:00 hits, you’ll see so many carts populating the street and it becomes very busy. Rows of them selling foods, goods, and services all in one place. We ate dinner here pretty much grabbing everything that looked interesting and tried out exotic and authentic Northern Thai food.

Day 2 – Chiang Rai Day Trip for More Northern Thailand Cultural Experience

Go more up north and see a very pretty white temple and a series of black houses both designed by two very famous Thailand national artists and meet ethnic hill tribes. We dedicated a day to visit the Chiang Rai province. Why Chiang Rai? Well, we were already up north so why not!? Haha. Mainly because we wanted to see the famous Wat Rong Khun (White Temple วัดร่องขุ่น), Baan dam Museum (Black House/Black Temple) and meet the Union of Hill Tribe Villages. The union has the famous Kayan people, also known as the Karen Long Neck tribe. Another magical experience as so much Thailand culture in one day.

We booked a tour organized by Oriental Holiday via Klook. The tour was amazing because it included a hotel drop-off and pick-up and lunch is inclusive. Plus our guide was really good! Very knowledgeable and passionate about Chiang Rai and also acted as our photographer. The tour gives you enough time to walk around and immerse yourself so you don’t have to hurry.

Before heading to the White Temple, we stopped at Thaweesin Hot Spring in Wiang Pa Pao District. I warmed up a bit standing in front of the the hot spring. Actually, they are also called geyser and this one is pretty similar to the ones I saw in Iceland. Water erupting above ground when it meets a heated stone with magma. Pretty cool science and I got quail eggs for breakfast boiled straight from the hot spring.

See the Whitest Temple in the Planet

The famous Wat Rong Khun (วัดร่องขุ่น) also called the White Temple is Buddhist temple designed by Chiang Rai native Thai national artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. The temple has the fundamentals of South East Asian style architecture influences from Laos, Myaynmar, and Thailand. The details are amazing as you can see from my photos.

I have never seen anything quite like this and everywhere I look was just beautiful and white and even gold. There were gold temples and they’re as awesome as the white ones.

Visit the Black House Museum

The Ban Daam Museum, also known as the Black House Museum, is another famous architecture in Chiang Rai and the next stop after lunch. Built by another native born national artist Thawan Duchanee. It has become a tourist destination showing Northern Thailand traditional house designs, sculptures, and artefacts.

Surrounded by trees and beautiful gardens, walking around felt eerie and ancient. The artefacts and paintings nicely displayed inside and outside the houses were bones, skeletons, and some animal sculptures.

Meet the Famous Union of Hill Tribe Villages

The last destination of the tour is to meet the famous Union of the Hill Tribes Villages. The group of villages have lived here and settled for so long sharing ethnic diversity and their rich culture and traditions.

There are five hill tribes that lives in the village: Akha, Long Neck Karen, Palong Kayor, Lu Mien-Yao, and Lahu. The hill tribes come from different parts of Asia like Mongolia, Myanmar (Burma), China, Laos, and here in Northern Thailand. There’s a way to distinguish each ethnic group as each tribe were dressed and acted in a unique way. We even participated in a traditional Akha dance and toured each tribe’s villages.

I met the Karen Long Neck tribe known for the brass rings on women’s neck. This tribal identity is part of their culture. The extra long neck in their culture is a sign of great beauty and attractiveness.

Day 3 – Be One With Nature and Hangout with Elephants

Northern Thailand is known for its mountains and green scenery so you know that there will be elephant nature parks and sanctuaries in this region. Therefore, we wanted to have this Thailand experience here up north. Hangout with elephants up in the mountains will be a great Thailand experience up here.

We booked a half-day morning visit at the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Chiang Mai using Klook. It is one of the best elephant sanctuaries in Thailand. A rescue and rehabilitation centre for elephants that have been abused and mistreated. This good cause was one of the main reasons why we chose to do our elephant experience in Chiang Mai.

Klook.com

Meet friendly elephants at the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary

We arrived up the mountains where the elephant sanctuary was. It was nice and cool to be up in elevation and be one with nature. I came from the busy city of Toronto so I appreciate being away from the crowds and be in the quiet mountains.

Meet the largest mammals on the planet. Beyond the temples I visited, as an animal lover, this is one of the best experiences I did in Thailand that I wouldn’t exchange for anything. Super friendly, playful, and adorable. They captured my heart right away!! 

Treat the elephants with respect. Very important in the Thai culture which unfortunately not everyone follows this rule. From one animal lover to another, please do not ride on them. You will see this animal cruelty as a tourist experience in many Thai cities which I found very disheartening. I saw it in the very touristy areas of Ayutthaya and Phuket and it broke my heart.

Get a Thai Massage

Before leaving Chiang Mai, I renewed my energy for the next destination by having a Thai massage conveniently right beside the hotel. They are everywhere in Thailand so you can always relax and rejuvenate your muscles.