The northern sleepy city of Thailand Chiang Mai is gorgeous but some of the things to do can be pretty touristy like the elephants tour or temples hopping — what if you want to do something different?

I found Chiang Mai the best place to connect with other travellers or digital nomads — there are tons of groups and weekend hikes to meet other travellers.

I highly recommend seeking pockets of these communities instead of joining non-stop tours. Although there are some tours which are absolutely worth it, and I’ll be listing it out below.

The best spots to visit are also in the outskirts of Chiang Mai so it is always best to join a group or get a red songthaew (red trucks) to take you to these offbeat places.

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Unique Things To Do in Chiang Mai (That’s Not a Temple Tour!)

1. Hiking Doi Inthanon National Park - The Kew Mae Pan Trail

hiking in doi inthanon national park chiang mai - some of the best places to go in thailand

The Doi Inthanon National Park is home to the highest peak in the country standing at 2,565 meters above sea level. If you have one thing you should do, opt for the Kew Mae Pan Trail.

And yes, maybe the trail is accessible and perhaps not the most offbeat hike but I still found the trail quite pretty and less crowded.

It is easier to go with a tour as you get to visit all the waterfalls and take a detour to couple of sights on the way like Ang Ka nature trail.

When you’re at the trail head, it is compulsory to get a Hmong guide for 200 baht on this trail eventhough it is straightforward and mostly wooded.

2. Join A Hiking Group

join a hiking group so you can access other trails

If you’re looking for a hiking group that is consistent and goes on a hike every weekend, you should join the Doi Suthep Walkers facebook group.

They discover offbeat trails around Chiang Mai and it is easy to share transportation with people once you’ve signed up.

Some of the best hikes are the sakura hike which happens in January usually, and other easy to challenging hikes like a train adventure to hike up to the peak of Doi Khun Tan.

Also read: 3-5 Days Chiang Mai Itinerary + Why You'll Wish You Stayed Longer

3. Yoga In The Park every morning

This was such a cool community to find: a bunch of yoga volunteers from around the world will have morning yoga sessions everyday at the park.

You can find the weekly schedule on their facebook group.

It takes place at the city park in Buak Hard Public Park. The place is wonderful and green and serves as a nice respite in the Old Town.

It is not very big but I found it quite pleasant to just walk, sit on the bench or enjoy some morning sun.

4. Wat Umong Nature Trail

If you’re looking for a nature trail that is set in a wooded forest, Wat Umong was a nice find. It has underground passages, and an ancient chedi/stupa.

The temple has three tunnels that are interconnected and there are buddha statues inside them. There is a huge stupa that you can reach after you enter the tunnel and climb a short flight of steps up to.

There is a meditation centre and library here too and I found it nice to take away from the main city and learn a little more about Buddhism.

5. Baan Kang Wat: A high-key artisan market

When I was looking for things to do, I came across Baan Kang Wat and at first I thought maybe it is just another artisan market but in reality this place has a lot of hands-on craft workshops.

It is perfect to bring your kids or family because you can dive into some of the activities, have a look at their bookshop in the artsy village. Not to forget there are so many hipster cafes in this area.

There are two which I highly recommend: Paper spoon is a short walk away but it is a green place to enjoy reading a book in nature.

Another spot is “Artisan sourdough by apple fahey” — they have really good breads and you can tell there’s a lot of thought put into their baking goods.

6. Walk along the Angkaew Reservoir

Perhaps one of the most peaceful places in Chiang Mai set within the university grounds.

If you’re looking for a place to just walk somewhere or go for a run, Angkaew reservoir is serene, gorgeous and just really nice. You’ll see a lot of university students and expats running around every evening in the park.

I would suggest coming a bit earlier and sitting at this cafe to have some amazing Nutella latte called “Living a dream” — the place is very pretty and it is easy to get carried away into a different world.

7. The flowers in Chiang Mai Chaloem Phrakiat Park

I came during the Winter season and I visited the Flower festival and watched the light show at Chiang Mai Chaloem Phrakiat Park. It was one of the most gorgeous places (albeit a bit touristy) especially in the evening.

But if you come in the morning, you’ll find you have the whole place to yourself.

There are gorgeous flowers and it is a really nice place to take pictures and see a different side of Chiang Mai

8. Thai Food on Stilts At Huay Tueng Thao Reservoir

This reservoir not too far away from Chiang Mai has a sheep farm, local Thai food and even an opportunity to cycle around the lake.

It’s a nice day trip without going too far — the waters may be murky, but sitting under the hut and enjoying fresh Thai seafood was really nice.

9. Jungle Trekking with Elephants & water rafting

jungle trekking in chiang mai but with elephants

This is a really cool spot to be able to see a different side of Chiang Mai where you visit amazing hidden waterfalls, interact with the Karen Hill Tribe, bond with rescued elephants and soak in the Mae Wang River.

It is a tour but they take care of everything from start to finish and just makes it easier to enjoy Chiang Mai through this way instead of the rushed through experiences.

10. Cycling in Chiang Mai

cycling in chiang mai are some of the best things you can do

Chiang Mai is a haven for cyclists and if you need to explore their roads— the best way is try out a cycling tour.

You could opt for a countryside e-bike tour but I think what’s cooler is the Mae Taeng Valley and Waterfalls Cycle Tour.

You get to cycle in the heart of Mae Ngat Valley and the best part is an ending at the sticky waterfalls. The guide is amazing and is so knowledgaeble where he shares everything about the locals way of life.

11. Hiking Up Doi Saket

If you’re looking for a real adventure that takes you to the heart of Chiang Mai jungles in the safe company of experienced guides, you absolutely must do this hike up to Doi Saket.

It is just a small group but the hiking tour is absolutely worth it simply because you get a real feel of the terrain and get to try out varios herbs in this part of Thailand.

If you are looking for peace in real nature without tourists, this is a really great experience. During the hike you will learn a lot about local plants, herbs and animals.

12. See The Caves of Chiang Dao

chiang dao known for its caves and jaw dropping mountains. pc: tripadvisor

Chiang Dao is often overlooked despite being so close to Chiang Mai and I discovered this spot through Instagram.

It was even called "Little Tuscany" as the area is home to several local wineries. You can totally spend a few days here and explore their caves system via this tour.

If you have a few more days, you have to stay at Mist Villa or Bougain Villas — there are serene landscapes, hot springs and a buddhist temple worth visiting.

At night, the village comes alive with these mountains at the backdrop when you visit their cave bar and during the day dropby to visit their ชงเอง - Chong Ayng × Slow bar. It is secluded and honestly feels like you’re living in a Ghibli set.

13. Pongyang Jungle Coaster & Zipline

This is probably the most touristed activity from all the suggestions I’ve shared but Pongyang jungle coaster is still a fun day trip out if you’re coming along as a family.

It is recommended to choose a tour that includes transportation and I found this tour the best deal for you if you were to go on this trip.

14. Exploring the serene cafe scene of Chiang Mai

at the fernpresso lake cafe in chiang mai

I found a nice hideout at Fernpresso Lake Cafe in Chiang Mai — the environment was perfect to enjoy their pancakes and latte.

If you have a lot of downtime and want to switch off for a bit, this cafe is amazing. There are other gorgeous ones out there like Why not cafe, Caramellow Cafe and Robert Bake & Brunch.

Honestly, there are no shortage of cafes here and I would just try to avoid the overcrowded ones like Dantewada — you can also see the same “real” mist if you head to the flower park, the mountains or even the nearby Chom Cafe & Restaurant.

Also read my other Thailand posts:

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Things To Do in Chiang Mai That's Not A Temple Tour!