10 Best Things to Do with Kids in Chiang Mai
We spent two amazing weeks exploring Chiang Mai with our 5- and 7-year-olds, and could easily have spent much more time in this incredible city. Here’s our list of the top ten things to do with kids in Chiang Mai:
1. Tour the Temples of the Old City
You could easily spend a full day walking around the Old City of Chiang Mai and visiting the dozens of temples scattered throughout the half square mile of area contained within the city’s walls. Wat Chedi Luang — with its towering 13th-century chedi and stunning reclining Buddha — is definitely the star of the show, but even the smallest temples are worth a visit.
2. Explore the Secrets of Wat Pha Lat
Wat Pha Lat is a small temple located about halfway up the mountain on the way to Doi Suthep. Most tourists just pass right by it without even knowing it’s there, which is a shame, because it’s absolutely ethereal — it’s easily one of our favourite temples of all the many, many we have visited throughout our travels in Southeast Asia.
Our kids could have spent hours exploring the wooded paths through the temple, watching the clouds of butterflies dancing through the trees, or marvelling at the moss-covered temples and statues, if they’d been given the chance. We can’t possibly do this place justice in such a short list entry, so we encourage you to read more about our experience at Wat Pha Lat here.
3. Practise Your Bartering Skills at a Night Market
Chiang Mai has some of the best night markets in all of Southeast Asia. There are dozens of markets all over the city, each of which operates on a different schedule. This means that there’s a night market (or several) open every single day of the week in Chiang Mai, so no matter when you’re there you’ll have your choice of market experiences.
We visited the Saturday Night Market along Wua Lai Walking Street and had a great time sampling a buffet of street food, buying some small souvenirs for the kids (don’t bother with the cheap colourful bead bracelets you see at nearly every stall — ours broke almost instantly, leaving us with some very sad kiddos), and bartering with the vendors.
If you’re going with young kids, definitely aim to go early, as by 6:30 pm or so the place is so packed it’s like a mosh pit and nearly impossible for kids to navigate without getting trampled. For a chiller night market experience, you can try the weekend night market at One Nimman, which tends to be a little less hectic, and which tends to have more handmade and artisan offerings than the typical night markets near the Old City.
4. Train to be a Mahout at an Elephant Sanctuary
Chiang Mai is one of the only places in the world that’s home to ethical elephant sanctuaries, where the elephants are well cared for and tourists are allowed to interact with them in their natural habitats and on their terms.
A visit to a local elephant sanctuary is a wonderful opportunity to learn about and spend time with these majestic creatures in a humane way. At most sanctuaries, you’ll have the chance to feed them, follow them on a trek through the jungle, massage them with mud, and splash around with them in a river, up close and personal, all on their time and while following their cues.
It’s truly a magical experience, and one that we know our kids will never forget. You can read more about our trip to a Chiang Mai elephant sanctuary here.
5. Meander Through Jin Jai Market
Our Chiang Mai favourite market by far was Jing Jai, which warrants its own entry since it’s night and day (literally) from the other local markets. Jing Jai is a local organic and artisan market that runs just north of the Old City every Saturday and Sunday morning. It’s a much chiller vibe than the hectic night markets, and is mostly frequented by locals, though you certainly don’t feel at all out of place as a tourist. It’s definitely on the posh end of the spectrum as markets go — with vendors selling high-quality clothing and handicrafts; a food area filled with organic vegetables, sweet and savory delicacies, and fair-trade coffee; and even a small playground for the kids. There’s often live music and entertainment, giving it a country fair or farmers market vibe. Definitely not to be missed during any visit to Chiang Mai.
6. Climb the Dragon Stairs to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Wat Phra Doi Suthep is one of the top tourist destinations in Chiang Mai, and it’s easy to understand why. This elaborate temple is perched at the top of the mountain overlooking Chiang Mai, and offers stunning views across the city (when it isn’t shrouded by clouds). To get to the main part of the temple, which houses a massive golden chedi, you need to climb an enormous 309-step staircase, which is framed the entire way by two incredible serpentine dragon statues. Our kids were in awe of this staircase, and (barely) even complained the entire trip up to the top.
Note: This is a great trek for kids who are good independent walkers or climbers, or those small enough to be carried or worn, but this activity definitely isn’t recommended for those who require strollers or who aren’t physically ready for the challenge.
7. Taste Your Way through the Nimman District
Once you’re done exploring the Old City of Chiang Mai, it’s time to explore the new city, and the Nimman district is the perfect place to do this. Nimman is a trendy area located a short Grab or tuk tuk ride from the Old City, near its northwest corner. It’s filled with amazing restaurants, designer boutiques, and modern malls. Our kids loved walking through the neighbourhood and stopping in at various shops and restaurants to sample snacks or treats — especially those from the many local ice cream shops.
For our complete guide on places to eat in Chiang Mai, which includes lots of recommendations for Nimman, click here.
8. Escape the Rain at Mall Playgrounds, Arcades and Cinemas
If you’re visiting Chiang Mai during the sixth months of the year that make up the rainy season or the three months of the year that mark the burning season (where the smoke is so thick that you can barely breathe outdoors), it’s highly likely that you’re going to need to head indoors at some points to escape the elements.
Spending the whole day stuck inside a small hotel room or AirBnB can be as unpleasant an idea as dragging soaking wet children around through pelting rain and flooded streets.
Instead, why not head to one of Chiang Mai’s malls? Catch an English-language flick at the cinema at Maya, go ice skating at the arena inside Central Festival, or visit a futuristic arcade or indoor playground at pretty much whichever mall is closest to you.
Our kids loved the massive play structure and arcade games at Fun City in Central Festival — it made for a great plan B birthday celebration when it poured buckets for our son’s 7th birthday.
9. Take a Tuk Tuk Ride
The last time we were in Chiang Mai, tuk tuks were our main mode of transportation. Fast-forward 12 years, and ridesharing apps like Grab and Bolt have now largely displaced the tuk tuks, and you really only see them around the more touristy areas of the Old City. But even if they’re more of a novelty at this point, they’re still a much more fun way of getting around, and seeing the looks of sheer joy and wonder on our kids’ faces during their first tuk tuk ride was worth every penny of the tourist tax.
A word of wisdom for negotiating with tuk tuk drivers: before you approach one, check the approximate cost for a similar ride on the Grab app. This will give you a pretty good idea of what a “fair” price for the ride may be, and what you should be aiming to end up paying, give or take a few extra baht for the tourist tax.
10. Burn Off Some Energy at Nong Buak Haad Public Park
Nong Buak Haad Public Park is located in the southwest corner of the Old City, and it’s the perfect place to take the kids to get their sillies out. Our kids happily spent hours wandering down the walking paths admiring the floral statues, stopping at the large ponds to watch the locals feeding the giant koi fish, and monkeying around with the other kids on the large playground structure.