I’ve been to Thailand a couple of times in the past, mainly in Bangkok, but this year I’ve decided instead to explore the northern part of the country.
One of the reasons I love visiting this South Asian gem is because of their temples—surprisingly enough, Chiang Mai has them in spades.
Let’s discuss this itinerary chronologically based on how I went with my amazing trip. You can also download the spreadsheet version of this itinerary below.
Getting There
There are several airlines that can take you to Chiang Mai (CNX)— Qantas, Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Scoot to name a few. However, at least from Sydney, you’d have to do a stop-over at Bangkok (BKK) first.
Maybe that’s a good reason to do a day trip in Bangkok as well while you’re at it. But more on that later.
From the Airport
Once you’ve arrived at the airport (CNX ท่าอากาศยานเชียงใหม่), there are a few ways that you can get to the city centre— you have a choice of taking the traditional tuktuk, a taxi, Grab (Asia’s Uber) or book an airport transport through Klook.
I myself prefer booking an airport transfer through Klook due to the fact that it’s more convenient and much safer.
Click here to check out their Airport Transfer options.
Get $4 credit when you sign up with Klook!
Day 1
When travelling long journeys, the best way to enjoy your stay is to rest up first, maybe have a power nap and that’s what we did. We then decided to visit the night market to try the local Thai food.
Day 2
Visit some temples.
Wat Phra Sing
Wat SuanDok
Wat Sri Suphan (Chiang Mai Silver Temple)
…and of course when you get parched from all that temple-hopping, you can visit one of their loveliest cafes.
Cafe Rustic and Blue
Day 3
Sunrise Wat Phra Doi Suthep
Breakfast at Forest Lake
Queen Sirikit Garden
Late lunch at The Ironwood
Day 4
Breakfast at Payaka Cake House before flying out
