Bangkok and Chiang Mai · Thailand
Thailand: Bangkok and Chiang Mai
Golden temples and river boats in Bangkok, then old walled Chiang Mai, a mountain temple and Thailand’s highest peak. Six days in the capital and the north.
- 6 days
- $ Budget
- Easy
- Good with kids
- Solo
- Couples
- Families
- Culture
- Food
- City
Day by day
The plan
Times are suggestions. Opening hours and seasons change, so check before you go. Once it’s in your trip, move anything you like.
- Day 1
Bangkok’s old city
- 08:30
Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew
Activity
The former royal palace and the temple of the Emerald Buddha. Arrive at opening, with shoulders and knees covered.
- 11:00
Wat Pho
Activity
Home of the giant gold Reclining Buddha and a traditional school of Thai massage.
- 13:00
Lunch: boat noodles near Tha Tien
Food & drink
Small, rich bowls of noodle soup; most people order several.
- 15:30
Ferry to Wat Arun
Activity
A short river crossing to the Temple of Dawn, its tower covered in porcelain. Stay for the late light.
- 19:00
Street food in Chinatown
Food & drink
Yaowarat Road fills with food stalls after dark.
- 08:30
- Day 2
Canals and the modern city
- 08:00
Long-tail boat through the Thonburi canals
Activity
Wooden houses on stilts and small temples along the waterways across the river.
- 11:00
Jim Thompson House
Activity
Traditional teak houses filled with Southeast Asian art, set in a garden by a canal.
- 13:00
Lunch: khao man gai
Food & drink
Poached chicken over rice cooked in chicken stock, with a ginger and chili sauce.
- 16:00
Lumphini Park
Activity
Bangkok’s central park, with lakes, paddle boats and large monitor lizards.
- 19:00
Dinner: green curry
Food & drink
Coconut curry with Thai basil, eaten with jasmine rice.
- 08:00
- Day 3
North to Chiang Mai
- 09:00
Fly to Chiang Mai
Getting around
A little over an hour from either Bangkok airport. The overnight train is a slower alternative.
- 11:30
Stay in Chiang Mai’s old city
Stay
Inside the old moat and walls, with temples on almost every block.
- 12:30
Lunch: khao soi
Food & drink
The north’s curry noodle soup, topped with crispy noodles.
- 14:30
Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang
Activity
Two of the city’s most important temples, one with fine Lanna wooden halls and one with a huge ruined chedi.
- 19:00
Night Bazaar
Activity
Crafts, clothes and food stalls along Chang Klan Road every evening.
- 09:00
- Day 4
Doi Suthep and a cooking class
- 08:00
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Activity
A golden temple on the mountain above the city, reached by a staircase lined with serpent sculptures.
- 12:00
Lunch in Nimmanhaemin
Food & drink
A young neighborhood of cafés and noodle shops near the university.
- 15:00
Thai cooking class
Activity
Most classes start with a market visit, then you cook and eat several dishes.
- 19:30
Evening walk along the moat
Activity
The old city walls and gates are lit up at night.
- 08:00
- Day 5
Doi Inthanon
- 07:00
Drive to Doi Inthanon National Park
Getting around
About two hours southwest by car or with a day tour.
- 09:30
The summit of Thailand
Activity
The country’s highest point, cool and often misty, with a short boardwalk through cloud forest.
- 10:30
Twin royal pagodas
Activity
Two pagodas set in flower gardens on a ridge, with views over the hills.
- 12:30
Lunch near the park
Food & drink
Simple northern dishes at stalls along the park road.
- 14:00
Wachirathan Waterfall
Activity
A tall, powerful waterfall close to the road on the way down.
- 07:00
- Day 6
Forest temple and back to Bangkok
- 08:00
Wat Umong
Activity
A quiet forest temple with old brick tunnels and a pond full of turtles.
- 10:30
Warorot Market
Activity
The city’s main local market, good for northern sausage, dried fruit and snacks to take home.
- 12:30
Lunch: khanom jeen nam ngiao
Food & drink
Rice noodles in a tomato and pork broth, a northern favorite.
- 15:00
Fly back to Bangkok
Getting around
Connect onward or spend a last night in the capital.
- 08:00
Good to know
Tips
Temple dress
Cover shoulders and knees at temples and take off your shoes before entering halls. The Grand Palace is the strictest.
Getting around Bangkok
Use the river boats, the Skytrain and the metro to beat traffic, and ride-hailing apps for the rest. If a stranger says the Grand Palace is closed today, it’s a well-known scam.
Seasons
November to January is the cool, dry season. From February to April, smoke from crop burning often brings haze to Chiang Mai, and the rains run from about June to October.
Bring a layer for the mountains
Doi Suthep and especially Doi Inthanon are much colder than the city, above all early in the morning.
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