Top 5 Coolest Things I Did in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is an incredible city filled with countless things to do, foods to eat, sights to see. Whether you’re visiting for a month or just a weekend, it can be hard to decide how to spend your time in and around Chiang Mai since there are so many amazing options to choose from. (Let alone throughout the whole of Thailand!)

Spend the day with elephants at an ethical elephant sanctuary.

I can highly recommend Elephant Freedom Project, an ethical elephant sanctuary Remote Year partners with based out of Chiang Mai. We got to spend the day feeding, walking alongside (not riding), observing them play, petting (cautiously), and helping them bathe in a nearby river. (And yes, taking cool Instagram photos wearing traditional Karen clothes.) They’re truly magical animals, and getting to be up close to them is an incredible experience. They’re so intelligent, strong, and so gosh-darn cute!

Elephants are the official national animal of Thailand, and they’re not just a souvenir tourist trap – elephants have been a respected icon for Thailand for many centuries, having had a considerable impact on Thai culture and society. Elephant Freedom is a part of the movement to evolve elephant tourism into ethical safe havens providing better lives for elephants, treating them with the love and respect they deserve.

Take a Muay Thai class.

Yeah, yeah, so far you’ve probably seen this same list of recommendations on every other “Best of Thailand” blog post, but there’s a reason!

Muay Thai, aka “Thai Boxing,” is both a sight to see and a sport to try your hand at. Otherwise known as the “art of eight limbs,” this martial arts discipline focuses on the combined use of your fists, elbows, knees, and feet (/shins). It is tough, but a great workout and gives you a taste of a popular Thai past time and its surrounding culture.

Check out Chiangmai Muay Thai Gym in Old City, great beginner-friendly spot to learn! They’ve got a great space, and more advanced fighters are welcome too.

Have a night free? Go watch a Muay Thai fight live! Chiang Mai Boxing Stadium has professional Muay Thai fights in their stadium ring most nights starting around 9PM.

Go see a Ladyboy Cabaret show.

They are amazing. The girls are so talented, and kick some serious butt on stage. If you’re a girl, be prepared to be jealous of their rockin’ bods, flawless hair and makeup, and amazing outfits. If you’re a boy, be prepared to possibly be dragged up on stage…all in good fun 🙂

I’d encourage you to dive beyond the surface of this memorable experience though. Tourists flock to enjoy the entertainment factor, but Thailand has gained a reputation for being more LGBTQ-friendly and progressive, so it’s easy to take the fun at face value. If you ever have the opportunity to attend a Q&A with the girls, I highly recommend it. Their stories – around their struggles with being transgender, family perspectives, employment opportunity blocks, their journey to having success in the cabaret industry, and the second-class treatment they’ve faced to get there – are incredible, and gives you that much more appreciation for their performance.

We went to the Chiang Mai Cabaret Show in the Anusan Market / Night Bazaar, and loved it! Remote Year set up a private Q&A with some of the performers beforehand, but general entrance at the door is ~350 baht (THB), which is about $11 USD and comes with a free drink (beer, water, juice or soda).

You are encouraged to buy more drinks and tip your waiter. After the show, the girls come outside in their outfits to let people take photos with them. Please tip if you do!

Climb the Sticky Waterfalls.

Though spending a day with elephants is hard to top, our day at the sticky waterfalls might take the cake. Just over an hour drive outside of Chiang Mai lies the Buathong Waterfall. As you might know, water falls down waterfalls. Here? That’s still true, but you get to climb up.

Thanks to the limestone deposits, the rocks adopt a “sticky” texture where the water hits, making them grippy and easy to climb up. Literally think Spiderman. That would be you.

No fancy climbing experience or high levels of athleticism needed, for many parts you can basically just walk upright. Wear a swimsuit or light hiking clothes you don’t mind getting wet! You can wear watershoes or sports sandals, but most of us just went barefoot and I think that’s the way to go.

Go to the Sunday Night Market.

Oh man, the night markets in Thailand are next level. So much good food, cool stands, clothes, souvenirs, stickers, jewelry, mango sticky rice…everything under the sun moon!

My favorite is the Sunday Night Market that happens every Sunday near the Three Kings Monument. It is sprawling, so don’t be surprised if you only cover a fraction of it. It’s listed as being open from 5PM-10PM, but I recall it being open a bit earlier to a bit later. So little time, so many cool gems to be discovered and pad thai to be eaten!

Not going to be in Chiang Mai on a Sunday night? Here’s a bonus spot: There’s a student night market (Kad Na Mor) right by Chiang Mai University open every night from sunset to ~10PM. With 100+ stalls, delicious food spots, and more, you can find just about anything there. Plus? Great bang for your buck, as most goods are sold at Thai student prices.

Have you been to Chiang Mai? What were your favorite experiences? Heading there soon? What are you most looking forward to? Comment below!