Incredible things to see in Northern Thailand: Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai Paradise

Incredible things to see in Northern Thailand

Are you planning a trip to Thailand and want to include the Northern region in your itinerary? In this travel guide, I will be sharing all the things you can see and do in that part of Thailand.

I will start this article by telling you how outstanding this part of the country is. I highly recommend you plan at least 5 days in your itinerary for Northern Thailand.

Thailand is a beautiful and exotic country with such an interesting culture and a lot of places that will simply fascinate you. I think that most people associate it with gorgeous beaches and great island views, but Thailand is so much more than that. From unique temples, secluded villages, and tea plantations to beautiful jungle landscapes and delicious foods, Northern Thailand will enchant you with all its diversity.

If you’re wondering what you’ll gain from reading this article, let me assure you: you’re in for a treat! By the end, you’ll have an extensive and thrilling list of must-see attractions in Northern Thailand, complete with dreamy photos and snippets of my personal adventures. Plus, I’ll throw in some top picks for private and guided tours to make your journey even smoother.

I get it—this list might seem a bit overwhelming. Planning an itinerary that covers all these spots could be tricky. That’s why I highly recommend opting for organized tours. They often come with knowledgeable guides, making your experience all the more enriching. What’s more, many tours bundle several attractions together, offering a win-win situation that saves both time and money.

As for the tours I’m recommending, most are quite budget-friendly and come with stress-free booking options. That means you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before your trip kicks off. No commitments, no stress—just the way I like it.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into all the incredible things to see in Northern Thailand!

Just to let you know… This post (probably) contains affiliate links, including Amazon Associates links, and I may receive a small commission when you click on the links. This is at no extra cost to you and allows me to keep running this website. How cool is that?! I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own.

Are you planning a trip to Northern Thailand?

Be sure to book accommodation and tours in Northern Thailand ahead of time to ensure availability!

Top tours in Northern Thailand:

Top picks for places to stay in Northern Thailand (luxurious or on a budget):

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Things to see in Northern Thailand

Night Bazaar

The night bazaar was one of the things that got my husband excited. You can understand why I begin the list with best things to see in Northern Thailand.

I think that I mentioned this in another article, but he is a big fan of street markets and he loves to explore every corner and spends hours looking for souvenirs, crafts and handmade objects. For us, visiting the night bazaars was a must. We explored the markets both in Chiang Rai and in Chiang Mai and we brought a lot of souvenirs and memories.

If you are a fan of bazaars and street markets in general, Thailand is the perfect country for that. If you visit the Northern region, I recommend you go to the ones in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, because I think that these are the biggest ones. Give yourself enough time to explore and also, leave some free space in your luggage. You are going to find a lot of things: wood handmade elephants, tailored paintings, jewelry, clothes, bags and so much more.

Things to see in Northern Thailand — Night Bazaar in Chiang Mai

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple

This is the most important temple in Chiang Mai and it’s located at 1.100 meters above sea level. To get to it you have to walk up approx. 300 beautiful steps which are decorated with snakes. I loved the colors and details carved on the stairs. We arrived at the temple in the morning, so all those stairs were a very nice exercise because we got there feeling refreshed and energized. After we reached the top, we marveled at the large gilded chedi, the impressive Buddha statues, the beautiful golden details and the gorgeous view.

Interesting fact: It is believed that the golden pagoda contains the relic of the Lord Buddha.

This was the first temple we visited in Northern Thailand and Doi Suthep left such a beautiful impact on me. After visiting the temple, we went on the balcony and got to enjoy a wonderful panorama view of Chiang Mai City. I vividly remember the cold breeze against my face and the serenity of that moment.

If you don’t have a way to get to Doi Suthep Temple, or want to make the most of your travel experience in exploring top things to see in Northern Thailand, then I suggest you pick an organized tour, like the ones below:

Doi Inthanon National Park

Doi Inthanon is one of the most popular national parks in Thailand and it’s one of the best things to see in Northern Thailand. There are a lot of places to see and things to do, you can hike and find spectacular waterfalls, visit remote villages, explore thick forest trails and be amazed by a lot of breathtaking viewpoints. On their official website, which you can find here, you can view a nice map with all the important attractions.

Top attractions:

Doi Inthanon Summit

This place is the highest peak in Thailand and it is situated at 2.565 meters altitude. The hike to reach this point is very easy to do, just park your car in the parking area that is a few hundred meters from Doi Inthanon Summit. From there walk a beautiful and easy trail for a few minutes.

Ang Ka Luang Nature Trail

This was one of my favorite nature walks that we did in Thailand. The trail is made from wood and follows through a lush, mossy forest. The whole walk felt like we were entering a fairyland and I expected to see little wild creatures peeking at us from the dense forest. I know, I have such a weird imagination, but this trail bewitched me. At some point, the trees are inclined at an interesting angle, as if we were entering a magical gate.

Twin Pagodas

The Twin Pagodas, also called Two Chedis, are located on this beautiful plateau that offers one of the best views that I have witnessed in Thailand. When we arrived at this place, I was simply amazed by the colorful and beautiful garden and by the breathtaking view. We took several photos, but I feel like none of them does justice to this place. It felt magnificent to be there, breathing the fresh and cold air. We felt like walking among the clouds.

While doing my research about the Twin Pagodas I found out that each one was a name with a specific deep meaning. One of them meant “being the strength of the air and the grace of the land” and the other one meant “by the strength of the land and air”. Fascinating, right?! This is something I loved about Thai culture, the relationship that people have with nature and the elements.

Waterfalls

Pha Dork Siew Waterfall

In this amazing national park, there are a lot of waterfalls to see, but unfortunately our itinerary included only one, Pha Dok Siew Waterfall. This one is located close to Mae Klang Village, where we had our accommodation. The trail to the waterfall is beautiful and relatively short, it took us approx. 3 hours and we started the hike from the village. We were accompanied by a local guide.

Other waterfalls you can chase for in Doi Inthanon National Park are:

Wachirathan Waterfall
Sirithan Waterfall
Mae Klang Waterfall
Mae Ya Waterfall

Mae Klang Luang Village

This picturesque village was our choice for accommodation (this place was included on our private guided tour that we choose for visiting Northern Thailand, but more of that in another article about our travel itinerary). The landscape of the village consists of rice fields placed on mountain slopes.

The highlight for us was the morning we spent drinking coffee at Mae Klang Luang Caffe. This lovely and rustic place was owned by this nice family that welcomed us with open hands. They showed us how they make the coffee and also it was the first time for me to see a coffee plant.

That cold morning, the glorious smell of hot coffee in that secluded village is one of my favorite and most cherished memories I have from Thailand.

If you take only one thing from this article, take this one: if you visit Northern Thailand, take in everything that this region has to offer. Choose to include authentic and raw experiences on your itinerary and be open to learning about the people, customs and culture in general.

Another amazing view of Mae Klang Luang Village

I wrote a dedicated travel guide for Doi Inthanon National Park, you can check it out here. As I already mentioned, this park is one of the best things to see in Northern Thailand, and if you want to make the most of your visit, then you should book a guided tour. Doi Inthanon National Park is pretty big with a lot of landmarks, so take your time exploring.

Bua Thong Sticky waterfall

I don’t think you are going to find this landmark in many Thailand travel guides, but it is one of the best things to see in Northern Thailand. And I don’t understand why, because this waterfall is such a cool place to add to your Thai travel experience. There are many waterfalls that you can visit in the Northern part of the country, but I find this one quite awesome. You can climb the natural limestone waterfall from the bottom to the top. It’s so cool and refreshing to do this hike. No worries about possible accidents, because the surface isn’t slippery at all due to a mineral deposit that is very grippy and without algae, it’s safe to climb.

Bua Thong Waterfall is located in the Sri Lanna National Park and it’s approx. one hour and a half drive from Chiang Mai.

Wat Tham Pha Plong

This temple was an amazing surprise and you will shortly see why. To get to it, you have to hike over 500 steps. It’s not an easy walk, but it’s worth it. The whole walk was peaceful, we didn’t encounter any living souls along the way. Basically, we were hearing only our breaths (tired ones at some point) and the birds. Walking the staircase through the thick jungle, you will see Buddhist proverbs hanging from the trees.

For me, this whole hike became a mindful moment, where the fresh, cool air, the beautiful fauna and the inspiring proverbs transpose us to a stage of meditation and tranquility. I didn’t know what to expect at the top, but I would’ve done this only for the hike itself.

A remarkable golden pagoda was visible from a distance, and after we reached the top, we understood why we didn’t see people on our way there. The forest temple is secluded in the jungle and surrounded by lush vegetation.

We started our exploration by going through the cave that monks used once for praying. I was impressed by the panoramic views from the Wat and the story of this temple. It was said that a monk found this cave while wandering in solitude and transformed it into a monastery.

Take your time while exploring Wat Tham Pha Plong, don’t rush the hike, read every proverb and reflect on their wisdom and once you reach the top, breathe in the scenery and cleanse your eyes with the breathtaking view.

For me, this temple was in the top 3 temples I visited in Thailand.

White Temple (Wat Rong Khun)

Wat Rong Khun, also known as the White Temple, is one of the most famous attractions in Thailand. I think you already can see why this landmark is one of the top things to see in Northern Thailand. The temple is located 15 km away from Chiang Rai town.

From our whole trip to Northern Thailand, I think this is the place where I saw the most tourists. The surroundings of the temple were very crowded and it got quite challenging to take awesome photos without waiting for a certain spot to clear off other tourists.

I totally understand why this temple is so popular, the design, color and architectural style of the whole structure are one of a kind. In my opinion, the White Temple is an entire piece of art. The name of the artist who envisioned and designed this temple is Chalermchai Kositpipat. What fascinated me the most was the symbolism behind every detail of the White Temple.

To get to the main temple building, you will need to walk a bridge that is crossing a symbolic river, from where hands reach out to you. I found this area to be a little creepy because it’s the epitome of hell and the sins related to it. If you pay attention to the details carved into the hands you will spot several sins like promiscuity, greed, and desire. Likewise, the bridge represents the cycle of death and rebirth and entering a state free of suffering. To complete this crossing, at the end of the bridge you will arrive at a gate, called the “Gate of Heaven” which is guarded by two creatures. One represents death and the other decides over the faith of men.

When you are finally entering the temple, be prepared to be amazed even more. I didn’t know what to expect, I have already seen a couple of Buddhist temples, but none was this outstanding and different. And the interior of the White Temple was proof of that because instead of traditional murals that pictured Buddhist stories, the artist painted modern representations of good and evil, like Batman, Spiderman, Pikachu and other contemporary figures. You can imagine that I wasn’t expecting to see a colorful Pikachu painted on the walls of a Buddhist temple. Unfortunately, we aren’t allowed to take photos inside of the temple, so you will have to take my word for it.

In the area of the White Temple, there are multiple structures such as the golden building, the crematorium and concrete “trees”. Also, in the same area, you can visit a museum where other unique art pieces of Chalermchai Kositpipat are displayed.

Fun fact: the gold (from the golden building) symbolizes desire and money, worldly things, and the white symbolizes the mind. Having said that, I want to point out that in the golden building was located the bathroom (hint hint).

Another great fact: I wrote a dedicated travel guide to the White Temple. If you want to read more, then check out this link.

If you’d rather not explore solo, consider booking a guided tour. Personally, I highly recommend opting for a tour with a guide. There’s just so much to learn about the White Temple, and having an expert with you can truly elevate your experience. What’s more, many tours bundle in other must-visit sites in Northern Thailand, offering more bang for your buck.

For instance, the tours I’ve listed below come with guides and are designed for small groups—which I absolutely love. They also include visits to the Black House (more on that later in this article) and the Blue Temple, another iconic landmark in Northern Thailand. Some even feature a stop at a Hot Spring.

So, if you’re keen on getting the most out of your time in Northern Thailand, a guided tour might just be the ticket!

Baan Dam Museum or the Black House

Well, I don’t know how to start describing this place because, at a first glance, it looked like a freak show. Jokes aside, if you are into creepy, crazy things, you are going to love this place. Like the White Temple, the Black House is a unique place that features the vision of an artist, named Thawan Duchanee. And of course is one of the best things to see in Northern Thailand. Every building and structure in this park is dark or has a dark feeling around it. Every element reminds you intensely about death.

Expect to see a lot of wooden carved penises and weird things like animal parts. Before our visit, I didn’t do any research on this place, so you can imagine my first reaction when I spotted the first penis (like, I’m seeing right?! Is anyone else seeing this?). Other strange items included: a long snake skin runner, buffalo horns, and crocodile skin. This last one was black (of course) and surrounded by candles (creeeeepy). All of these exhibits were displayed in the wooden temple, which was the most important and imposing building in the area.

Honestly, I would’ve liked to know this artist and have a conversation with him, to pick his brain and try to understand…just why. Anyway, truthfully, I was fascinated by the Black House. If a horror movie is to be filmed here, any additional ornaments won’t be necessary.

When I thought I got a little used to all the creepiness, I was wrong, because there was more. We got to this weird and interesting sort of building that had the shape of a submarine. I was so excited to get inside, but it wasn’t open to the public, so we kinda crept on the windows. The inside looked like it was the artist’s house and of course, all the craziness followed there too. There was a bed, a shower, and a table, but none of them was ordinary, of course (as you can see in the photos).

I hope I picked your interest and convinced you to add the Black House to your itinerary. I assure you, this is a place that you will remember. Did I mention all the dicks? Who would’ve thought that dicks can be that artistic?!

If you want to learn more about this destination, then check out the tours I posted above, that include the White Temple as well, or you can check out this tour, here.

Also, if you want to know more about my visit there or other interesting details, then check out this detailed Black House Travel Guide.

Chiang Dao Cave

If you are interested in exploring caves during your trips, then put Chiang Dao Cave on your Northern Thailand itinerary. The cave is located in Chiang Dao National Park 70 km from Chiang Mai. This cave is a complex cave system that consists of over 100 caves and extends for approx. 10 km inside the mountains. Of the 100 caves, only 5 are open for visiting.

Below you can find the tours that I recommend:

Tea plantation

In Northern Thailand, there are several tea plantations for you to visit. We saw one in Doi Mae Salong. Even if you aren’t a tea lover (I’m a coffee lover always and forever), I recommend you add a tea plantation to your itinerary. Without doubt this is one the most interesting things to see in Northern Thailand.

First of all, the greenery of the landscape, the enormity of the land, it’s a beautiful picture for your eyes (you are going to take very cute and instagrammable photos). Secondly, it’s fascinating to learn about the whole journey that takes place in order for the plant to become the tea people drink. In my mind, I thought that there is a different plant for each type of tea because I know there is black, white and green tea. To my surprise, I found out that all these types of tea come from the same plant, the green tea plant.

After we visited the plantation itself, we went to a tea tasting and to be honest, it was very tasty. I loved the way the lady showed us how to prepare the tea and how to drink it. Also, the cute cups made the experience even more lovely.

Elephant Sanctuary

I think that visiting an elephant sanctuary was the most cherished memory I have from Thailand. I was dreaming of meeting these amazing creatures for so long and in Northern Thailand, I got to live it.

We went to an elephant sanctuary and there we learned about the importance of elephants in Thailand and the negative effects of deforestation on their environment and food sources. This sanctuary was owned by an NGO that took care of the elephants that were left without their home. They feed them and give them baths and medicine when needed. All this was explained to us by the most polite and nice man, who was sort of a guide for us that day. I was impressed by the passion and love reflected in his eyes when he talked about the elephants.

That day for me was magical and unforgettable. We prepared food and medicine for the elephants and after feeding and petting them we got into the river to clean them. It was so fun! I wrote an article dedicated to that emotional day, which you can check out here.

That being said, I would like to emphasize the importance of choosing an ethical sanctuary. Unfortunately, there are a lot of businesses made by abusing elephants and other animals for the amusement of tourists. Please don’t support these bad people by paying for tickets and visiting these places. Don’t even talk about them, don’t promote them. It`s our responsibility as travelers to leave a positive impact and support good and environmentally friendly habits. Remember that we are also responsible for the example that we give our children. So, I strongly advise you also don’t take your kids to these abusive places.

Long neck village

This was a place that gave me many mixed feelings before our visit. When we visited Northern Thailand, we chose to book a private and guided tour, to make the best of our trip (more about this in another article). The Long neck village was included, so we eventually thought that maybe it’s something interesting.

I was skeptical because I knew that this famous tribe was established by an organization to be “exhibits” and thus attract tourists. At a first glance, it sounded like an exploration and I didn’t want to take part in it. But after we arrived there, our guide told us the story of the women of this tribe and also shared with us a conversation that she had with them.

Long story short, the women from this tribe were abused in many ways in their native land, Myanmar, so they came to Thailand, where they are safe. A woman from the tribe told our guide that for them this is the best scenario, they have a home and can work to make a living. Most importantly, they can raise their children in peace and a safe environment. These ladies are indeed “used” in tourism, but for them, this is better than their previous life. They are refugees in Thailand, so their freedom and rights are limited and because they can’t get a regular job, this solution is safest.

I know that this sounds confusing and contradicting, but sadly this is the reality for some people and what for us is outranging, for others is a way of living.

Should you visit a Long neck village? I can’t answer this question for you, but I suggest you do your research and if you do decide to go, please learn how to do it respectfully and ethically. I know you will find this place as one of the things to see in Northern Thailand in many articles, but I suggest you learn more before your trip.

I found an interesting and useful article on this topic, you can find it here.

Also, if you are interested in visiting more tribe places, then I suggest you check out this guided tour, here.

Akha Hill Tribe Village

This is the village of the Akha tribe who immigrated from Tibet and made this hill of Chiang Rai’s mountains their home. They make a living by growing coffee beans and from handmade crafts. To have an authentic experience, you can spend the night in Akha Village in one of their mud houses, learning about their customs, culture and way of living. I find that this place should be one of the things to see in Northern Thailand for sure. Unfortunately, our itinerary didn’t include this experience due to the lack of time and the fact that our days were packed with so many things to see.

Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle is a region in Northern Thailand where the borders of three countries meet: Thailand, Myanmar and Laos. I don’t think this landmark is a very famous point of interest for tourists in general, but as a traveler it’s so interesting to know about it. The Golden Triangle is part of Thailand’s past and it was used to trade opium. The part of the name “Gold” comes from the way the traders paid at that time. It’s interesting to think that a region that was a source of conflict, is now visited by tourists. And this is why the Golden Triangle is one of the best things to see in Northern Thailand.

If you want to learn more, I recommend the following tours. One of them is customizable, which means that you can chose the things to see in Northern Thailand, but focus only on Chiang Rai.

Doi Tung Royal Villa

Doi Tung Royal Villa of the Princess Mother of the present King of Thailand is such a serene and colorful place that you can’t miss in Northern Thailand.

This majestic royal villa is located in Chiang Rai, a mountain area. The history behind this place is quite interesting because this is not just a villa for the Princess Mother. There is a beautiful story behind it. Doi Tung was a project initiated by this smart lady, who saw the negative impact that bad agriculture practices had over this hill. She wanted to restore the hill to its initial habitat and this is how the project was brought to life. Due to the project, the forest that covered the hill was restored. What I find amazing is that she implicated the tribe people that were living in this area and taught them another way of living, one that didn’t affect the environment. Now people have coffee and macadamia plantations, instead of practicing aggressive agriculture.

You can visit the beautiful villa and hear the story of the Princess Mother and all the amazing things she did. Also, I recommend you roam the gardens, they are really wonderful. So many gorgeous plants and flowers and a lot of beautiful spots perfect for photoshoots. We spent half a day there and I must say it was one of the most relaxing ones. You are going to find this landmark on many Thailand travel guides, but trust me this is one of the things to see in Northern Thailand, if you love learning about the people and also enjoy a beautiful and colorful walk.

If you are interested in visiting this place, then check out this tour, here.

I hope you find this article with best things to see in Northern Thailand, useful and interesting. A lot of work went into writing this complex travel guide. I had an amazing time during my trip to Thailand and I want you to have a similar experience. Remember, Thailand is so much more than exotic islands and gorgeous beaches and I hope that this article made you change your perspective and think of visiting Northern Thailand.

Happy traveling! 😁

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