Chiang Mai packed an incredible amount into just a few whirlwind days. We rented a motorbike and temple hopped our way around the city and mountains – watching sunrise and the monk alms ceremony at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, wandering the forested grounds of Wat Pha Lat, and exploring unique spots like Wat Jed Yod, the shimmering Silver Temple (Wat Sri Suphan), and the tunnel pagodas at Wat Umong. After a while we definitely got “templed out” exploring on foot, though standouts like Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Saen Mueang Ma Luang, and Wat Chiang Man kept us going. Between stops, we squeezed in traditional Thai massages, dove into incredible northern Thai food and picked up souvenirs at the can’t miss Sunday Night Market. One of the biggest highlights was a cooking class with Smile Organic Farm – hands on, delicious, and a lot of fun! Even more unforgettable was spending a day caring for a 29 year old elephant named Preo, feeding, cleaning, and bathing her – an experience that easily ranks among our favorites in Thailand! We also took a marathon day trip to Chiang Rai to see the White, Blue, and Red Temples (including the towering Guan Yin statue) – stunning, but in hindsight, worth an overnight stay to avoid the long haul. Another full day brought us to Doi Inthanon National Park, where we hiked the Pha Dok Siew Nature Trail to a Karen village, shared a traditional lunch, visited the highest point in Thailand, and stopped at the King and Queen Pagodas. It was an action packed stretch defined by warm people, unforgettable food, and a constant stream of breathtaking temples, landscapes, and waterfalls – making Chiang Mai an essential stop on any Thailand itinerary!
Phra Nak Prok statue which depicts Buddha being protected by the Naga King at Wat Jed Yod
Stucco relief sculpture located at Wat Jed Yod
Animisa Chedi at Wat Jed Yod
Intricate bas relief carvings on the Wat Jet Yod temple
Wat Sri Suphan is a unique Buddhist temple famous for being covered in intricately crafted silver, nickel, and aluminum panels
Entrance to Wat Sri Suphan, more commonly known as "silver temple"
Due to traditional Lanna beliefs regarding holy relics, women are not permitted to enter the main ordination hall at Wat Sri Suphan
Silver mouse statue at Wat Sri Suphan representing the Hindu deity Ganesha's pet
A man receiving a Tok Sen massage (a traditional Thai therapy that uses a wooden hammer and chisel to tap along the body's energy lines to relieve deep muscle tension, alleviate pain from herniated discs and stimulate circulation)
Robby tries a 10 minute Tok Sen massage
MAYA Lifestyle Shopping Center
Roasted duck stall at the food court section of MAYA Lifestyle Shopping Center
Visiting Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, one of Thailand's most sacred pilgrimage sites believed to enshrine a piece of Buddha's shoulder bone
Visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep before sunrise to experience peace and serenity at this 14th century temple
A large Buddha statue at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, which is perched on a mountain overlooking Chiang Mai
Arched view of the 14th century Wat Phra That Doi Suthep's 24 meter high golden chedi
Sunrise from a viewing platform at the peak of Doi Suthep Mountain
Lanna style wood carvings at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
View of the Viharn (assembly hall) at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Colorful handmade paper lanterns hanging at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Traditional Lanna architecture at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Buddhist monks in an alms giving ceremony at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Huai Rap Sadet Waterfall in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park
White Buddha statue adorned with gold fabric and jewelry at Wat Pha Lat ("Monastery at the Sloping Rock")
Part of Wat Pha Lat, this building is situated along the Monk's Trail, a historic pilgrimage route used by monks climbing up the mountain to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Moss covered statue along the Monk's Trail leading up to Doi Suthep at Wat Pha Lat
Robby standing between nagas (mythical lions) at Wat Pha Lat
Gold nagas (mythical serpentine creatures) guarding the staircase of a temple in Chiang Mai
Interior tunnel of Wat Umong Suan Putthatham, commonly known as the "Tunnel Temple"
Staircase at Wat Umong Suan Phutthatham, a 700 year old forest monastery also known as the "Tunnel Temple"
A woman pushing her dogs in a stroller at the Tunnel Temple
Ancient chedi (stupa) at Wat Umong Suan Putthatham
13th century Wat Chedi Liam temple is distinct with its multi-tiered roof and numerous niches holding Buddha statues
Wat Chedi Liam (also known as the Temple of the Squared Pagoda)
Robby getting his feet washed at Dasy Massage
Feeling relaxed after our 90 minute traditional Thai Massage at Dasy Massage
Soda offerings to a Yaksha (guardian demon) statue at Wat Lok Molee
Hatsadiling (a mythical creature that is half bird and half elephant) at Wat Lok Molee
Monks praying and chanting in front of a golden Buddha at Wat Lok Molee
Temple gate flanked by singhs (lions) at Wat Lok Molee
The golden statue of Brahma at Wat Lok Molee
The Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market is the city's most iconic and atmospheric weekly event, transforming into an open air bazaar
Colorful Lanna lanterns hanging in a tree at Wat Phan Tao
Food vendors at the Chiang Mai Sunday Market
Thousands of visitors flock to the Chiang Mai Sunday Market, which is considered the best and most authentic night market in Thailand
Memorial light display in honor of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother of Thailand, who died last month at the age of 93
Pedestrians gather for the Sunday night market at the red brick Tha Phae Gate, a key landmark and the main entrance to the old city of Chiang Mai
Freshly squeezed orange juice for sale at the Sunday night market
Artwork for sale at the Chiang Mai Sunday Market
Tasty BBQ ribs on offer at the Sunday night market in Chiang Mai
Thai harem pants for sale at the Sunday night market in Chiang Mai
Flower power sign in Chiang Mai
Naga serpent statue guarding the entrance to Wat Phra Singh
14th century Wat Phra Singh
Golden stupa of Wat Phra Singh
A monk receiving gifts and offering blessings during a Buddhist ceremony at Wat Phra Singh
Interior of Wat Phra Singh temple which is renowned for its Lanna style architecture and detailed mural paintings
Orchids in bloom at Wat Phra Singh
Wat Phan Tao is constructed almost entirely of dark teak wood
Visitors often participate in a temple ritual by dropping a Thai Baht coin into each of the 108 alms bowls at Wat Phan Tao
Golden pagoda at Wat Phan Tao
An intricately carved and painted Dvarapala (door guardian) on a wooden entrance door at Wat Chedi Luang
Entrance to Chala Number 6 Boutique Hotel in Chiang Mai
A monk strolls past Wat Chang Taem
Statue of a female phaya naga (Thai dragon), a mythological guardian deity at Wat Muen Tum
A large Buddha head surrounded by two guardian figures at Wat Jet Lin
Golden ceremonial boats with Naga figureheads at Wat Jet Lin
Sawasdee lady figurines with a traditional wai gesture (hands pressed together to signify respect) at Wat Jet Lin
Tasty bowls of khao sai (a spicy coconut curry noodle soup) at Restaurant A Roi
Entrance to Wat Chedi Luang, a historic Buddhist temple in the heart of Chiang Mai's Old City
Interior of Wat Chedi Luang
Carved elephant panels in a garden near Wat Chedi Luang
A monk strolls in front of the partially ruined stupa at Wat Chedi Luang
Wat Chedi Luang (Temple of the Great Stupa) was built in the 14th century. It was once the home of the sacred Emerald Buddha before it was moved to Bangkok
Bhuridatto Viharn temple at the Wat Chedi Luange temple complex
Reclining gold Buddha statue at Wat Chedi Luang
Statue of Phra Sangkatchai - a disciple of Buddha known for his large belly (which symbolizes prosperity, wealth, and happiness); Wat Chedi Luang
The Phra Buddharatana-Naganaphisi Buddha, a notable statue housed inside a shrine at Wat Chedi Luang
A traditional hand crafted Thai temple gong featuring a prominent Naga serpent motif
Giant Buddha statue at Wat Rajamontean
Interior of Wat Rajamontean
Thai Theppanom temple angel statues at Wat Rajamontean
Robed Buddha statues in niches at Wat Saen Mueang Ma Luang
600 year old Wat Saen Mueang Ma Luang flew under the radar and ended up being our favorite Wat in Chiang Mai!
This mythical creature is a Sinta Pakunchorn from the legendary Himmapan Forest. It features the head of an elephant and the body of a horse
Wat Chiang Man is the oldest temple in Chiang Mai. The chedi is famous for its base, which is surrounded by 15 elephants protruding from the structure
Wihan (assembly hall) of Wat Chiang Man
Entrance to Wat Chiang Man
Our guide Lily from Smile Organic Farm Cooking School
Scene from the life of Buddha preaching to a large gathering of his followers at Wat Chiang Man
Lily holding up some ginger found on the farm for our cooking class
A local market where we stopped to buy cooking supplies for our Thai cooking class
Grumpy French bulldogs at our Thai cooking class
Ingredients used for our Thai cooking class at Smile Organic Farm
Becky laughs as she picks out fresh ingredients from the farm
The boys taking turns to cook at our cooking class
Learning how to stir fry bean sprouts
Robby showing off his Thai fried rice dish
We used a mortar and pestle to make this vibrant assortment of homemade curry pastes
Male elephant at the Patara Elephant Farm
Becky meeting some of the juvenile elephants
Robby with our new friends for the day
Becky feeding Preo some bananas
Becky with Preo, our 29 year old elephant
Using branches to clean off mud and dirt stuck on Preo's skin
A mahout (from the Karen Hill Tribe) with his elephant
The favorite part of the day for Preo! A trip down to the nearby waterfall for a bath
Becky and Preo at the waterfall
Time to scrub and clean our elephants
Taking a break from scrubbing Preo
Payback time! We got soaked by Preo after she was clean and refreshed
The elephants enjoying some free time at the swimming hole by the waterfall
Time for lunch! Enjoying a massive spread of fruit, sticky rice and meat skewers
What a phenomenal day! We really enjoyed being caregivers for the day and spending so much time with Preo
Chiang Rai's Wat Rong Khun is popularly known as the "White Temple"
Becky at Wat Rong Khun where visitors must keep their shoulders and knees covered
Close up of a demon figure at Wat Rong Khun
The White Temple is built from white plaster over a concrete frame adorned with thousands of hand embedded mirrored glass shards
White Buddha statue at Wat Rong Khun
Of the nearly 45,000 temples in Thailand, Wat Rong Khun stands out as one of the most unique and memorable!
Wat Rong Khun is a dazzling masterpiece that receives thousands of visitors per day
Robby next to a futuristic warrior statue at Wat Rong Khun
Near the entrance and surrounding trees, visitors encounter numerous sculpted heads and masks suspended from branches at Wat Rong Khun
Captain America mask hanging in a tree at the White Temple
Gold plated sign for the restrooms at the Wat Rong Khun
The White Temple's gold plated public restrooms are widely considered the most beautiful and opulent in the world!
Decorative shoulder bag featuring embroidered and beaded Akha tribal designs, adorned with pom-poms and metal coins
A visitor strikes a pose at the White Temple in Chiang Rai
Seated Buddha in a garden at the White Temple
Wat Rong Suea Ten (aka the Blue Temple) is another popular temple in Chiang Rai. Visitors flock here to admire its striking blue exterior
Sculptures at the Blue Temple at Chiang Rai
Wat Rong Suea Ten translates to "House of the Dancing Tiger," named after the wild tigers that reportedly used to roam the area
Interior view of Wat Rong Suea Ten
The white Buddha inside the Blue Temple in Chiang Rai is a massive 21 feet tall and 16 feet wide
Large Naga statues guarding the entrance to the Blue Temple
Most visitors visit Chiang Rai on a day trip from Chiang Mai but for a more serene experience, sleep overnight and visit early in the morning to avoid bus loads of tourists
Guardian statue at the Blue Temple
Construction on the Blue Temple started in 2005 and was completed in 2016
The 90 meter (nearly 300 feet) tall giant white statue of Guanyin (the Goddess of Mercy) at Wat Huay Pla Kang in Chiang Rai
Detailed relief sculpture of Guanyin (also known as the Goddess of Mercy) at Wat Huay Pla Kang
Guanyin (Goddess of Mercy) figure found at Wat Huay Pla Kang
View of the surrounding countryside from the "Dragon eye viewpoint" (the third eye of the Guan Yin statue)
A visitor walking down the steps of the Wat Huay Pla Kang temple
The statue of Guan Yin is flanked by two large, intricately designed white dragon sculptures
A view of the massive the massive white statue of the Goddess of Mercy at the Wat Huay Pla Kang temple complex
This ornate dragon temple is part of Chiang Rai's Wat Huay Pla Kang temple complex
A large wooden statue of Guanyin in a pagoda at the Wat Huay Pla Kang temple complex
A double rainbow at Wachirathan Waterfall located within the Doi Inthanon National Park
Our local Karen guide hands out bamboo sticks for our hike on the Pha Dok Siew Nature Trail
Posing by one of several waterfalls at Doi Inthanon National Park
Robby on a bamboo bridge at Doi Inthanon National Park
Banyan tree growing over a large boulder at Doi Inthanon National Park
Small wooden hut on the Pha Dok Siew Nature Trail within the Doi Inthanon National Park
Terraced rice field near Ban Mae Klang Luang Karen Village in Doi Inthanon National Park
Water buffalo belonging to a Karen Village inside Doi Inthanon National Park
A local woman from the Karen Hill Tribe performs a traditional tea and coffee tasting at Ban Mae Klang Luang village
A sampling of tea and coffee options for us to try at Ban Mae Klang Luang village
Scented candles for sale at Ban Mae Klang Luang Karen Village
An elderly Karen woman demonstrating traditional back strap weaving, which is a cultural hallmark of the Karen people
Gasoline shack at Ban Mae Klang Luang village
An elephant statue on display near the peak of Doi Inthanon, the highest point in Thailand
Phra Mahathat Naphamethinidon pagoda located in Doi Inthanon National Park. This structure is one of two "twin" pagodas dedicated to the King and Queen of Thailand
View of Doi Inthanon National Park from the King Pagoda
Terracotta bas relief mural on the King's Pagoda
Interior of the Queen's Pagoda (dedicated to Queen Sirikit to commemorate her 60th birthday in 1992)
Stone relief sculpture showing the Story of Buddha inside the Queen's Pagoda at Doi Inthanon National Park
Friendly vendor at a local Hmong Market in Doi Inthanon National Park
Thai dried fruit snacks for sale at a Hmong Market
A proud Hmong mother shows off her baby at the Hmong Market in Doi Inthanon National Park
