Sightseeing
Mountains, valleys & parks around Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is ringed by national parks. Doi Suthep rises straight out of the western suburbs; Doi Inthanon, the highest point in Thailand, is 70 km south-west; Mae Sa Valley occupies the corridor north-west of the city; and the city zoo and the Royal Flora botanical park sit just outside the moat. This guide covers the five sights that justify a half-day each.
Updated
zoo
Chiang Mai Zoo
Chiang Mai Zoo sits at the foot of Doi Suthep, just outside the Old City, and is one of only a handful of zoos outside China to host giant pandas. The 81-hectare site sprawls up a forested hillside with around 400 species, an aquarium, a panda house and a tram service that handles the climb between the lower and upper enclosures.
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mountain
Doi Inthanon
Doi Inthanon is the highest mountain in Thailand, rising to 2,565 m about 70 km south-west of Chiang Mai. The national park around it bundles twin royal pagodas, cloud forest boardwalks, tiered waterfalls, Karen and Hmong villages and the famous Kew Mae Pan ridge trail into a single full-day trip from the city.
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mountain
Doi Suthep
Doi Suthep is the 1,676 m mountain that rises straight out of the western suburbs of Chiang Mai. The mountain holds the city's most photographed temple at 1,073 m, the king's winter palace, a Hmong village near the summit and several waterfalls — and is a separate destination from the temple of the same name, which sits on its flank.
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valley
Mae Sa Valley
Mae Sa Valley is the green corridor that runs north-west of Chiang Mai along Route 1096, the first leg of the Samoeng loop. The 30 km stretch packs in a ten-tier waterfall, orchid farms, a botanic garden, ziplines and ethical elephant sanctuaries — most notably Elephant Nature Park, the country's best-known refuge for retired working elephants.
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garden
Royal Flora Ratchaphruek
Royal Flora Ratchaphruek is an 80-hectare botanical exposition six kilometres south-west of Chiang Mai, built in 2006 for the International Horticultural Exposition honouring King Bhumibol's 60-year reign. The site collects themed gardens from every Thai province and 32 foreign countries around the gilded Royal Pavilion (Ho Kham Luang) and a tropical glasshouse.
Read the guideFrequently asked questions
What is the highest point in Thailand?
Doi Inthanon, at 2,565 metres, in the national park 70 km south-west of Chiang Mai. The summit is reachable by car and houses a royal stupa. The park around it is the country's best-known cloud forest, with the Kew Mae Pan nature loop, the King and Queen Pagodas and the Wachirathan waterfalls.
Is Doi Suthep the same as Wat Phra That Doi Suthep?
No, but they share the name. Doi Suthep is the 1,676-metre mountain that rises immediately west of Chiang Mai. Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is the gilded temple two-thirds of the way up. Most visitors mean the temple when they say "Doi Suthep", but the mountain itself, the national park around it, and the back-side village of Doi Pui all have their own attractions.
Should I visit Doi Inthanon or Doi Suthep?
Both, if you have the days. Doi Suthep is right above the city, free apart from the temple admission, and you can be back for lunch. Doi Inthanon is a full day each way and 300 baht foreigner entry, but the cloud-forest nature trails, summit pagodas and waterfalls have no equivalent in northern Thailand. With one day, choose Doi Suthep. With two, drive to Doi Inthanon.
Is Mae Sa Valley worth visiting?
Yes, as a half-day escape from the city. The valley sits north-west of Chiang Mai and concentrates the orchid farms, butterfly gardens, elephant camps, zipline parks and the Mae Sa waterfall in a single 25-km corridor. Reachable by songthaew or scooter. Avoid the ethically grim elephant-riding operations; the ethically run ones are listed in the detail guide.
Is the Chiang Mai Zoo any good?
It is a serviceable old-school zoo in the foothills below Doi Suthep, with the unusual feature of two giant pandas on long-term loan from China — Chiang Mai is one of the only zoos outside China to house them. The hilly terrain makes it tiring; rent the bus pass.
What is the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek park?
An 80-hectare botanical exposition built for the 2006 horticultural exposition in honour of the late King Bhumibol's 60-year reign. It survived as a year-round attraction: themed gardens from every Thai province, a giant glasshouse pavilion, walking trails. Open 08:00–18:00, around 200 baht foreigner entry. South-western edge of the city.