- About 7 to 8 hours
- pickup 9:00
- Light walking
Mae Kampong Village, Hot Springs & Muang On Cave
A mountain village of wooden houses east of Chiang Mai, a soak at San Kamphaeng hot springs, and a limestone cave with a reclining Buddha.
Price on request
Doi Suthep Temples & Craft Villages
A forest temple on the side of Doi Suthep, the golden temple above the city, the umbrella makers of Bo Sang, and a hot spring to finish.
- Duration
- Full day
- Pickup
- Flexible, you choose
- Back
- late afternoon
- Walking
- Light
- Group
- 2 to 9 people
This is the day for the culture around Chiang Mai. In the morning we go up Doi Suthep, the mountain that overlooks the city, to two temples that could not be more different. In the afternoon we drive east to Bo Sang and San Kamphaeng, where local families go at the weekend.
I grew up with these places. I can tell you the story of the white elephant that chose the site of Doi Suthep, and I know which restaurant in San Kamphaeng makes the best khao soi.
Highlights
- Find Wat Pha Lat, a quiet temple hidden in the jungle on the mountainside
- Climb the naga staircase to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and see the whole city below
- Watch artisans paint paper umbrellas by hand in Bo Sang
- Soak your feet, or your whole self, in the mineral pools at San Kamphaeng hot springs
The day
A typical day. We can move, skip or add stops.
Pickup at your hotel
We start in the morning, before it gets hot and before the tour buses reach Doi Suthep.
Wat Pha Lat
A small temple halfway up the mountain, built around a stream and a waterfall. Monks still walk up to it from the city. Most visitors drive past without knowing it is there.
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
The most important temple in the north, founded in 1383. You climb the 306 steps of the naga staircase, or take the cable car, to reach the golden chedi and the terrace with the view over Chiang Mai.
Lunch
A local lunch on the way east. I know a few places, or tell me what you feel like eating.
Bo Sang handicraft village
The village where the paper umbrellas are made. You see the whole process, from boiling mulberry bark to painting the finished umbrella. The painters will decorate your phone case or bag for a small fee, in about five minutes.
San Kamphaeng hot springs
A park built around natural hot springs. You can boil eggs in the spring water, sit with your feet in the warm stream, or rent a private bath for half an hour.
Back at your hotel
I drop you back at your hotel in Chiang Mai.
Along the way
Included
- Private air-conditioned van with me as your driver
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Chiang Mai
- Fuel, tolls and parking
- Bottled water
Not included
- Temple and hot spring entrance fees
- Lunch and personal expenses
Bring
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees for the temples
- Swimwear and a towel if you want to bathe at the hot springs
- Comfortable shoes for the temple steps
Good to know
Temples ask visitors to cover shoulders and knees. Doi Suthep lends sarongs at the entrance.
This is an easy day with little walking. It works well as a first day in Chiang Mai, or for guests who want to see the culture without the long drives.
Other days out
- About 7 hours
- pickup 9:00
- Light walking
Mae Rim Valley — Botanic Garden & Mae Sa Waterfall
An easy day in the Mae Sa valley north of the city, with the glasshouses and canopy walk of the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, the ten tiers of Mae Sa waterfall, and an orchid farm on the way back.
Price on request
- Full day, about 12 hours
- pickup 7:30
- Easy walking
Chiang Rai Day Trip
The White Temple, the Blue Temple, the Black House and the Guan Yin statue at Wat Huay Pla Kang, with a stop at the hot springs on the way. A long day, about twelve hours.
Price on request