Chiang Mai is an absolute haven for yogis, vegans, and vegetarian foodies. If you’re a little bit of a hippie at heart, you’ll totally fall in love and never want to leave! Old City was definitely my favorite and I chose to spend most of my time there. Like the name suggests, Old City is a bit more authentic and culture centered compared to the more modern parts of Chiang Mai. You’re not going to find any big hotels or a Starbucks here. Instead, expect to find quirky shops, loads of street art, open-air yoga studios hidden away in old homes, restaurants on top of restaurants and magnificent temples right alongside it all. You can easily spend all your time in Old City exploring the winding lanes and popping in and out of the never-ending cafes and juice bars. And whats wrong with that?
Think of Old City as a giant square with a moat around it. And when I say giant, I mean small. The area is super manageable and finding your way around is relatively easy. Remember to use the GPS on your google maps! You don’t need wifi or data on your phone to access your current location and figure out your way.
To Do
Simply wandering down the many streets and taking in the sites can keep you busy all day. And it’s also a great way to find places you may want to check out later, whether it’s a cooking class or a cool looking shop. Exploring the streets is always the best way to get a feel for your surroundings. Take a walk over to the Thapae Gate and see one of the four entrances into the Old City. If you happen to be in town on a Sunday, take advangtage of the Sunday Night Walking Street Market, which is located right next to Thapae Gate. It starts around 16:00 and goes until around midnight. This was one of my favorite experiences in Chiang Mai. You can find loads of handmade crafts, jewelry, clothing, everything you didnt realize you needed. It is definitely a bit crowded, but there's lots of goodies and the energy is just awesome! Don't forget to bargain for everything as well. Just keep in mind that these vendors work hard and are trying to support their families- so try to avoid low balling. You don't want to insult them. If you haven't taken a tuk-tuk yet, it is definitely a must while you're in Thailand. And what better place than Chiang Mai! Tuk-tuks tend to cost more than a songthaew or taxi, so if you're watching your spending, once for the experience is enough. There are loads of places throughout Old City to get a Thai Massage as well! Depending on the package you prefer, you can expect to pay 5-9 US dollars for an hour long massage. Don't forget to tip your masseuse! :) If cooking interests you, you can book a cooking class as well. There are quite a few schools to choose from and they typically offer half day or full day courses. I went to Asia Scenic Thai Cooking School and definitely recommend it.
Temples
Inside the square, you can find a crazy amount of temples, some famous and easy to spot and others not so famous, but just as captivating. The three main temples in Old City are Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Chiang Man and Wat Phra Singh. Known for its giant chedi and Naga flanked staircases, Wat Chedi Luang measured a height of 85 meters and a width of 44 meters at the time of its construction in 1441. It was the largest and most impressive structure in Chiang Mai. It was also home to the Emerald Buddha that now resides on the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok. The architecture of Wat Chedi Luang was built in classic Lanna style, but has become a bit of a ruin after an earthquake in 1545. Attempts have been made to restore the temple, but it still remains unfinished. Built in 1297, Wat Chiang Man is the oldest temple in Chiang Mai. In addition to housing the oldest Buddha statue in the Lanna Kingdom, Wat Chiang Man is also home to two additional significant Buddhas. One, known as the "Crystal Buddha" with a height of 10 cm tall and made from clear quartz, and the other, Phra Sila, a stone stele of Buddha taming an elephant. Together, these two Buddhas are known as the Palladium statues of Chiang Mai and hold protective powers. Wat Phra Singh is probably the most magnificent temple of the three. It's a great example of classical Lanna architecture and is currently used as the learning centre for young monks. The temple is home to the Phra Singh Buddha, which translates to Lion Buddha, and where the temple gets its name from.
Food
The restaurants in Chiang Mai are incredible! And if you're vegan or vegetarian, you're in luck! The amount of vegan friendly cafes and juice bars everywhere will blow your mind. If you prefer meat-heavy dishes, you'll be equally impressed though. Everything is so fresh and full of flavor you'll contemplate staying just for the food. Whether you're eating meat or not, khao soi is the first meal you need to order. It's a traditional Northern Thailand dish that will blow away your taste buds for sure! Basically a soup flavored with yellow curry and coconut milk, khao soi is served with boiled noodles and topped with fried noodles. It's typically made with chicken and beef, but you can absolutely find it not only vegetarian, but also vegan in a lot of restaurants. I'm telling you, vegan paradise! Taste From Heaven is an awesome place to go if you're looking for a vegetarian khao soi. I definitely wasn't disappointed! Khun Kae's is a well known place to go for juices and smoothies. It's located on Soi 7 and easy to miss when you're walking by. The menu is awesome with a huge selection of superfood combos- and all for reasonable prices! I recommend trying one of the many smoothie bowls they have. And if you think of yourself as a smoothie bowl connoisseur, head up to Free Bird Cafe as well. I had one of the most magical bowls that I will never forget here. Unlike Khun Kae's, Free Bird is more of a cafe with a full menu and indoor seating. And by indoor seating, I mean they are what westerners would consider a normal cafe. Khun Kae's is more of a typical Thai spot with an open-air aspect and hole in the wall feel.
Yoga
If you’re a yogi- doesn’t matter what level you are- you will love Chiang Mai. Studios are throughout the city and some are tucked away with only a small, easy to miss sign. This definitely makes finding some of the studios an experience in itself- I thought it added to the fun though! A lot of studios tend to only have a morning class and an evening class, but places like The Yoga Tree offer a couple more classes throughout the day. (Keep in mind that Thailand is much cooler in the mornings and evenings though, so avoiding daytime yoga may be in your favor.) The Yoga Tree studio is awesome by the way. I loved attending their restorative classes in the evening. It was such a relaxing way to wind down after spending all day exploring in the heat. The Yoga Tree also has a volunteering program. Help out with maintenance and cleaning in exchange for room, board and yoga! What could be better? Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to take advantage of this since I planned my trip pretty last minute and they didn't have the extra space. I do hope to make it work in the future though! Wild Rose Yoga Studio is also worth checking out! It was actually my favorite and I can't wait to go back. The studio itself is small but awesome. It's situated inside an old teak house tucked away down a tiny lane. The windows are wide open, creating an open-air concept and making you both grateful for the flow of fresh air and resentful of the stagnant Thailand heat. Like most studios in Chiang Mai, classes are scheduled for an hour and a half, however, my class ended up running two hours. TWO HOURS OF YOGA. I'm still unsure if I felt elated or dead afterward. That may be the same feeling though. Either way, it was amazing. It was a challenging class that pushed me and had me both excited and exhausted. And that's a win in my book. The instructor was badass and I really can't recommend the studio enough. Hidden House Yoga is another studio I feel is worthy of a visit! In addition to two classes a day, they also offer 45 minute morning meditation every other day of the week. Their schedule consists of a variety of styles, including yin, hatha, and vinyasa, which is always nice if you're looking to change it up. I took a structural alignment class when I attended. We worked with props and like the class indicates, we focused on proper alignment in certain postures. Although it's not an everyday class for me, I love checking in on my practice and working on strengthening fundamental poses.
Whether you plan on doing a bunch of day trips out of Chiang Mai or just getting to know the city really well, I definitely recommend staying in Old City. There are loads of hostels and guest houses that range in price and comfort that will fit exactly what you’re looking for!
If you’re looking for a more detailed itinerary, feel free to check out 24 Hours in Chiang Mai. Have fun!