How to Spend the Perfect 3 Days in Chiang Mai Itinerary

Last Updated on 26th June 2023 by Sophie Nadeau

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Located in the northern area of Thailand, Chiang Mai is a very affordable destination and a fantastic place to visit during a trip to Southeast Asia. Here’s your perfect 3 days in Chiang Mai itinerary to help you plan your next Thailand adventure!

Egypt is easy to reach from the capital Bangkok as well as from several of the incredible islands in southern Thailand. Moreover, you can also easily fly to Chiang Mai from other Asiatic countries. 

Home to millennial traditions and symbolic festivals, life in Chiang Mai is simple, affordable, and laid back. In sheer contrast, Chiang Mai has recently become the place to be for digital nomads looking for an affordable lifestyle. 

In fact, Chiang Mai is packed with fantastic co-working spaces, convenient accommodations, pleasant weather, and super high-speed internet. All the things you need for a successful remote work career. 

If you are visiting this gorgeous city during your longer Thailand trip, don’t miss all you can do in Chiang Mai in three days for a fantastic time!

This 3-day Chiang Mai itinerary starts with a flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai international airport. Even though it is also possible to arrive in town by train or bus, the trip takes much longer and it’s quite tiring. Several local low-cost airlines offer the route Bangkok-Chiang Mai at quite affordable fees.

Is 3 days enough time in Chiang Mai?

If you enjoy seeing a number of attractions at a fairly fast pace, sampling local cuisine, and getting to know the local nightlife, then 3 days is the perfect amount of time to see the city.

Spend any less time and you’ll risk leaving feeling like you wish you had opted to spend a little more time in the largest city in northern Thailand. If you’re planning a longer trip to Thailand, check out our suggestions for how to spend 3 days in Bangkok.

Where to stay in Chiang Mai

To better explore the city and its many attractions, it is a good idea to stay within the limits of Chiang Mai Old City. These are the places I recommend.

• Vieng Mantra Hotel: Boutique accommodation in Chiang Mai, only a 5-minute walk to Thapae Gate. The hotel offers an outdoor pool and a restaurant while the rooms are comfortable and have a private balcony. Check prices and availability here.

• Nine Hotel Chiangmai: This place is in a convenient area and it features an outdoor pool, free bikes, a restaurant, and private parking. Check prices and availability here.

• OYO 899 Villa De Hun: This a quite an affordable place to stay in Chiang Mai less than 1 km from Three Kings Monument. The place is a three-star hotel featuring a bar and simple but well-appointed rooms only meters from the center of the old city. Check prices and availability here.

What to Do in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 3 Days

Day 1: Tour of the Local Temples

There are over three hundred temples scattered around Chiang Mai while some of the most beautiful or famous are inside the old city. 

Going temple-hoping can be a tiring experience so we will limit our adventure to three different temples that you can explore during the morning, don’t plan much for the afternoon as the visit often extends more than you imagine and you might also use part of the afternoon to explore these fascinating religious sites.

Important tip: Not every temple offers the possibility to borrow or rent a cover-up (sarong or scarf). Even when the weather tends to be extremely hot in northern Thailand, do not forget that covering should and legs below the knee is a must when visiting a Buddhist temple, so do respect the traditions and keep a pair of light long pants and a scarf for your shoulders rolled inside your daypack.

Start by heading to Wat Chiang Man, the oldest temple in the city and one of the most attractive with its impressive gold stupa with ancient elephants carved on its surface. The temple is surrounded by Buddha statues one of which is the local’s place of prayer when asking for rain before the Songkran festival.

The second must-visit temple is Wat Chedi Luang, a traditional pilgrimage place for tourists as it is the biggest temple in Chiang Mai. Its most impressive feature is a huge staircase with water serpent statues on both sides. 

If you’ve been to Bangkok, you have probably seen the statue of the Emerald Buddha in the Grand Palace. That small but fascinating jade statue comes from this temple in the past. 

After a quick stop for lunch in the center, the next monastery you can visit is the Monastery of the Lion Buddha, or – according to its official name – Wat Phra Singh. This monastic complex dates back to the fourteenth century and it features several Buddha statues that offer fantastic photo opportunities.

Coffee Shops

Why not try to delve into the local culture by doing one of the favorite things both locals and visitors enjoy? Go for a coffee!

In the last years, coffee shops have popped up like the plague all over the city. They are perfect meeting places and must-visit stops for digital nomads. 

For just an affordable cup of coffee, those working remotely will be able to spend hours enjoying the perks of incredibly fast Internet, but also networking and meeting people from all over the world!

Prices are so affordable that you might not just enjoy one (or two) cups of refreshing iced coffee. You can indulge in delicious waffles, pancakes, ice cream, and cakes for incredibly cheap fees.

Chiang Mai’s Night Market

No visit to Thailand is complete without exploring a street market. And it s a night market, even better! In Chiang Mai, other than shopping at incredibly low prices anything from food to clothes and souvenirs, these are the best place to find delicious Thai street food.

Just like in other cities in the country, there is more than one more night market to explore… you can even visit a different one every day of your stay and… dinner is solved! 

My favorite night market in town is the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, although it’s often very busy and overcrowded, it is still one of my favorite markets in the city. And as the locals like to say, you haven’t been to Chiang Mai if you haven’t seen the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar.

With over a hundred stalls, the place is an exciting adventure. Most visitors ignore that this is a truly historic spot, as it stands at the junction of a historic trade route linking Myanmar, Laos, and China. 

In fact, it is believed that the market originated as a hub for caravans dealing priced products, such as jewels, silk, and wood, but also cigarettes and opium.

Day 2: Doi Suthep, the Temple, and the Mountain

Set up your alarm clock early to spend a long day exploring one of the most incredible places in Chiang Mai, Doi Suthep. Considered an unmissable destination within any Chiang Mai itinerary, the fantastic temple known as Was Phra That Doi Suthep stands on the top of Doi Suthep Mountain at an impressive 5,400 meters above the sea. 

Looking down over Chiang Mai, this is the best place for the most incredible views of the city and nearby lush forests. Built back in the thirteenth century, the temple is among the oldest in the country. The place is also considered a very holy site in Thailand.

The best way to visit the temple is with a day trip that also includes other activities on the way or back from the temple, the most convenient ones are these:

• Doi Suthep & Hmong Hill Tribe Village: This is a very affordable tour that includes also an interesting extra visit. During the day, you will visit the sacred temple and climb up the mountain for panoramic views from the stupa. Right after, you will also explore the Baan Dog Put village inside the Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. Here you will visit the Hmong hill tribe and learn about their colorful costumes and handicraft traditions. Check prices and availability here.
• Doi Suthep, Wat Umong & Wat Pha Lat Sunrise Small-Group Tour: This is a fascinating experience that you don’t want to miss. Starting very early in the morning, you will see the sun rising from the golden pagoda at Doi Suthep and explore the 700-year-old temple of Wat U-Mong. Check prices and availability here.

Thai Massage

After a long day visiting temples, hiking, and exploring a high mountain, you will certainly be exhausted once back at your hotel. Well, this means the time has arrived to enjoy an authentic Thai massage!

Massages in Chiang Mai are extremely affordable and utterly professional, while most massage houses in Chiang Mai also donate part of their earnings to nearby charities or communities, and in this way, they also support small local causes.

Finish this exhausting day at a funky rooftop bar sipping a local beer or a fancy cocktail while meeting the locals. Just as with coffee shops, fancy pubs and bars flourish all over the city and are open until quite late at night

Day 3: Thai Food

Legendary flavors, spicy and pungent sauces, and incredibly delicious, are some of the traits of Thai food. And nothing seems to be different when it comes to Chiang Mai cuisine.

One of the things you should try during your visit is Khao Soi, an iconic spicy cooked all over Northern Thailand that mixes noodles, meat, and herbs simmered in a coconut milk broth and that are then topped with crispy noodles, a squeeze of lime, or pickled cabbage. 

The best way to learn to prepare this delicacy is by signing up for a local cooking class that, to make it even more fun, also includes a market tour to purchase the ingredients before hitting the kitchen.

However, if cooking is not your priority and still want to try the dish, feel free to order it in any restaurant inside the old city. Locals swear by the Khao Soi served at Khao Soi Khun Yai, a small eatery on the north side of the Old Town. 

Learning to Cook Authentic Thai

The place has limited serving hours (from 10 am to 2 pm), so why not try Khao Soi for breakfast before heading to your cooking class? 

This Authentic Thai Cooking Class and Farm Visit is the perfect way to spend your last afternoon in town. Other than learning about the most popular dishes of northern Thai cuisine, the class covers the preparation of other dishes famous all over the country.

This includes Tom Yum Koong, and Pad Thai, as well as popular curries and the entire visit takes 4-6 hours. Check prices and availability here.

Instead, if you prefer a more eclectic activity, this tour offers nothing but an unmissable experience. Known as the Lanna Food Tour by Songthaew Truck, this incredible afternoon tour includes over 15 tastings around the streets and the markets of Chiang Mai on a private songthaew truck tour. 

During the experience, you will be taken on a yummy culinary experience by your foodie guide while also learning about the ingredients that go into Northern Thai cuisine. In the meantime, you’ll snack on plenty of Northern Thai classics. 

The dishes you will try include khao soi curry with crispy noodles, chili jam,  pickled greens, spatchcocked chicken cooked on hot charcoal, som tum papaya salads and sticky rice, and lemongrass-stuffed sausages, and a lot more! 

The fantastic food experience ends in the trendy Nimmanhaemin district where you can go for a drink and some music after the tour and finish your Chiang Mai experience the same way the locals do.

So there you have it, three full days in Chiang Mai with the most iconic ingredients of its rich traditions: an amazing old city, ancient temples, fantastic markets, hip coffee culture, and unique cuisine. Do you need anything else?

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Gabi Ancarola is a journalist and travel writer who has lived over 20 years in Italy, and has been living in Crete for the last five years. She hosts culinary tours, translates and writes for her Crete travel blog The Tiny Book. She’s written for Greek Reporter and published several travel guides about Greece.