Things to do in

Chiang Mai

Embark on a one-of-a-kind experience and visit an ethical rescued elephant facility in the jungle outside Chiang Mai. Cool off in a waterfall, savor a traditional Thai lunch, and become a caretaker for the day as you interact, feed, and observe the gentle giants in their natural environment.  Begin with a pickup from your hotel or accommodation in downtown Chiang Mai. Take a scenic drive southwest of Chiang Mai and see local farms, hill tribe villages, and rice fields along the way.  Journey to the Mae Wang Waterfalls, where you'll relax and take a dip in the water. Arrive at the Pon Elephant Thailand located deep in the jungle. You'll be welcomed to the sanctuary by a guide who will lead you through the experience. Next, get a briefing on Asian elephants and the background of the sanctuary. Come and meet the friendly rescued elephants and feed them bananas. Walk up the hill with elephants through the forest and watch the elephants forage for food in the wilderness. Observe elephants interacting between families in their natural environment. Head down to the river and enjoy bathing with the elephants. Walk with the elephants back to the sanatorium and embrace the memories and have time to say goodbye to these marvelous creatures. Finish off with a scenic bamboo rafting trip along the Mae Wang River before you get dropped off at your hotel in Chiang Mai.

Get picked up from your hotel in Chiang Mai city center for a day to explore one of Thailand’s original national parks and highest mountain, Doi Inthanon. This tour will feature picturesque landscapes, remote villages, and incredible viewpoints. After getting picked up from your hotel in Chiang Mai, head to your first stop, one of the largest and most beautiful waterfalls in the country, Wachirathan Waterfall. Over 80 meters high, the power of this waterfall creates a refreshing mist that feeds the surrounding vegetation. Next, stop at the stunning 50-meter cascade, Sirithan Waterfall, which is fed by the Mae Klang River.  Take a leisurely stroll along this short boardwalk and take in the scenic surrounds of Angka Nature Trail. Read the placards that point out some of Thailand's local fauna and admire the beauty and tranquility of Mother Nature. Then, stop at the famous twin pagodas: the Napamatanee Don and Napaphon Bhumisiri. Built for the Royal King and Queen, they are located at the highest point in Thailand. Round out the tour with a visit to the Karen Tribe locale. Learn a bit about the hill tribes people’s culture and way of life in their village of Sobhad. The road trip to Doi Inthanon will have you spending a lot of time on the road. You can choose to upgrade your transportation to a premium and more spacious Alphard. This ensures bigger and more comfortable seats, less people in one van (maximum of 6 people), and free snacks, cool towels, and soft drinks. Enjoy a low-impact way of exploring. On this tour, you explore sustainable experiences that prioritize providing water in glass bottles and offsetting carbon emissions in every tour, reducing your environmental impact and carbon footprint.

Take a visit to the Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai. Start with a convenient pick-up from your hotel in the city center of Chiang Mai and take a drive to Pon Elephant Thailand. Learn how to make healthy snacks for elephants and see the rescued animals. Go for a swim at Mae Wang Waterfall. Relax as you are picked up from your city center accommodation in Chiang Mai. Sit back as you are driven southwest of the city on a scenic 1.5-hour drive. Encounter local farms, hill tribe villages, and rice fields. Receive a warm welcome when you arrive at the Pon Elephant Thailand. Listen to a briefing on Asian elephants and the background of the sanctuary. Gain new knowledge as you are taught how to make healthy snacks for the elephants. Feed the rescued elephants as you walk up a hill in the deep jungle. Watch the elephants foraging for food and see elephant families interacting with one another. Bathe in the river with the elephants and walk them back to the sanctuary, where you will be taught how to make elephant medicine balls. Take a shower and pack up your belongings. Eat a traditional Thai lunch and fresh fruits. Leave Pon Elephant Thailand and stop at the Mae Wang waterfall for a quick swim before transferring back starting point after the tour.

Quirky, charming, and creative are the words used to describe Chiang Rai by travelers and locals alike. The sights to be found here are by no means anything like the ones you’ll see in Chiang Mai, the city’s more popular sister. Before we begin temple sightseeing, we’ll break up the long three-hour drive at the Mae Khachan Hot Spring to relax, dip our feet in the steaming mineral water, maybe eat a snack, or walk around the surrounding gardens. We’ll then move on to the main attraction: the White Temple. If you’re looking for ancient ruins, you might be surprised to find a modern architectural masterpiece designed and built by local artist Chaloemchai Khositphiphat. He was rumored to have spent over THB 40 million of his own money to create this unconventional art exhibit to gain immortal life! After exploring this local wonder, we’ll have a quick lunch before heading to our next stop... The Blue Temple or Wat Rong Seua Ten literally translates to ‘temple of the dancing tiger.’ It was built on a site where tigers were said to have jumped over the river. If the White Temple was meant to be a stairway to heaven, the Black House has been called a “dark, mysterious, and almost sadistic” representation of hell, complete with preserved animals and a collection of bones. Built by Thailand national artist Thawan Duchanee (who incidentally was the mentor of Chaloemchai, the White Temple guy), the Baan Dam Museum (Black House) is a cluster of nearly 40 small shadowy structures exhibiting art dating back to the Ayutthaya period. This is truly something the likes of which we’ll never see anywhere else! Looking to make your road trip to Chiang Rai even more comfortable? You can choose to upgrade your transportation to a premium and more spacious vehicle. This ensures bigger and more comfortable seats, less people in one van (maximum of 6 people), and free snacks, cool towels, and soft drinks. You can opt for a private tour option to visit the White Temple and Golden Triangle (instead of the Blue Temple and Black House). The Golden Triangle is a triangular piece of land in which the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar all meet. The nickname was coined by the CIA in reference to this region, whose trading posts’ top product was opium. Dive deep into the wild history of this area and learn how it became one of the most notorious narcotrafficking spots in the world. This itinerary option also includes a cruise down the Mekong River. Please note that visit to the Blue Temple and Back House will not be possible if the Golden Triangle Option is selected due to travel duration and time constraints. Enjoy a low-impact way of exploring. On this tour, you explore sustainable experiences that prioritize providing water in glass bottles and offsetting carbon emissions in every tour, reducing your environmental impact and carbon footprint.

Learn how to make authentic Thai dishes with this fun, small-group cooking class in Chiang Mai as you prepare classic dishes using ingredients from a local market. Choose between a half-day class during the morning or the evening and cook three or four dishes, or go for the full-day class to cook an extra two courses! Get picked up at your hotel in Chiang Mai, then meet up with the rest of your group and choose what you want to cook from the menu. Visit a local market and buy the necessary ingredients. The highlight of this trip is the organic farm tour. Our instructor will take you to walk through the farm to get to know Thai herbs and vegetables, pick some fresh vegetables and collect eggs for your dishes, feeding the chicken. Once you're done, head to the classroom and prepare your individual cooking stations for the lesson. Follow the instructions of your professional English-speaking guide as you cook a variety of authentic Thai dishes such as mango sticky rice, pad thai, and curry, and make curry paste with your own two hands! For full day class, you will have a chance to experience a traditional Thai way of life by using a coconut grater to make coconut milk for your own curry or Mango Sticky Rice. Enjoy the fruits of your labor by sharing a meal with your group. Exchange stories as you sample each others' cooking before you head back to your accommodation.

Make your trip to Thailand hassle-free with an iPhone and Android supported eSIM. Stay connected with high-speed coverage anywhere in Thailand, or upgrade for coverage in eight additional countries, including Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Hong Kong.  Purchase and install your eSIM anytime and anywhere, and choose from a variety of data packages, validity options, and coverage in additional countries. Simply scan the eSIM QR code to access all your essential apps on your trip. Choose between 3 to 30 days of coverage, ranging from 1GB to 30GB options to use over your chosen duration. Alternatively, enjoy the option to receive 500MB renewed daily for 7, 14, or 30 days. Avoid the trouble of managing multiple SIMs with a zero-waste solution. Get one eSIM per device and easily purchase and activate additional eSIM plans as you go. Once activated, your coverage will begin according to your selected duration. All iPhone models launched after iPhone XS can support eSIM. For Androids, if you are unsure, please check with the guideline photos for eligibility.

Begin your private experience with pickup from your hotel in Chiang Mai. From there, take a scenic journey to a private elephant estate where you will be their caretaker for half a day. Upon arrival, walk to the main base camp to get changed into an elephant caretaker outfit and prepare yourself for a day of fun. Hear about Asian elephants' long and fascinating history as you learn to cook healthy herbal treats for them to eat for a snack. Afterward, feed the handmade treats to them and walk along their side through the beautiful lush forest. Following that, your tour continues with elephant bathing in the river before you say farewell to your new friends and set off on the next part of your tour. Following the sanctuary, take some time out of your day to enjoy a delicious Thai lunch. Savor local dishes accompanied by rice, and finish off your meal with a selection of fresh tropical fruit. After lunch, continue to the Buatong Sticky Waterfall. Whilst there, enjoy some walking and climbing from down below the falls to all the way up to the very top. As the waterfall is constructed from natural limestone, you can walk and climb easily to the top, enjoying the clear water to cool down. As your tour concludes, depart from the waterfall to return back to Chiang Mai.

Discover the beauty of the Doi Inthanon National Park, see the Wachirathan Waterfall, and feed elephants at an elephant sanctuary. Choose from a tour with a centrally-located meeting point in Chiang Mai or a tour with convenient pickup and drop-off directly at your accommodation in Chiang Mai.  Hop aboard a comfortable van or bus and relax the drive to the southwest of Chiang Mai. Stop at one of the largest and most beautiful waterfalls in the country, Wachirathan Waterfall. This waterfall is more than 80 meters high, creating a refreshing mist that nourishes the surrounding vegetation.  Continue your journey to admire the stunning Twin Royal Pagodas. Take in gorgeous panoramic views with a terraced flower garden and the summit of Doi Inthanon Mountain. Walk on an ancient fern forest trail and have a delicious lunch at at local restaurant. Drive through the mountains and hill tribe village to the Elephant Village. Once you arrive, put on a traditional Karen tribe t-shirt and get ready for your jungle adventure. Pickup some fruits to feed the elephants. Learn about Asian elephants and the village's background. Find out how to approach elephants and the correct ways to feed them. Go on a forest hike with the friendly elephants through the lush vegetation and breathtaking mountains. Observe elephants roaming and foraging for food freely in the wild.  Swim with the elephants at the hidden waterfall where you can take some amazing picture. Have free time for a cool shower, to dry off, and to change back into your own clothes. Leave the Elephant Village and travel about 1.5 hours back to Chiang Mai City. 

Depart Chiang Mai for a day tour blending cultural insight, history, and natural beauty. Explore the vibrant temples of Chiang Rai including the White Temple and Blue Temple. Visit the unique Long Neck Karen tribe, and finally enjoy a scenic cruise at the historic Golden Triangle. Your journey begins with pick-up from your hotel. A comfortable air-conditioned vehicle drives you to your first stop, the Mae Khachan hot spring, a perfect place to stretch your legs after a long drive. Next, marvel at Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple. This unique temple will captivate you with its radiant structure reflecting off the surrounding pond. A set menu lunch follows, ready to recharge you for the upcoming exploration. Your tour continues to Wat Rong Suea Ten, also known as the Blue Temple, with its striking hues and intricate design. From here, proceed to Baan Dam, the Black House, a museum gallery showcasing an intriguing blend of traditional and contemporary art. Continue your day trip with a visit to the Long Neck Karen Village. Learn about the tribe's traditions and lifestyle, including their distinctive practice of elongating their necks with brass coils. The grand finale of your tour is the historic Golden Triangle, where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet. Experience a scenic boat trip that allows you a closer look at this geographical marvel. As evening falls, head back to Chiang Mai, arriving at your hotel around 10:00 PM.

The largest Pai tipsy tubing event by far (averaging 400+ tipsy tubers per trip!), Jungle Tubing is the only choice that makes sense. More time floating the Pai River, more tipsy stops (read: bars), and much, much more to do than just a Pai party...but don't worry, we've got the party covered, too! Two hours of floating - that's what we are here for right? Drift down the Pai River for two hours of questionable decision-making, while taking in the jungle landscape. Don't forget to grab a can or two for your float. Three rowdy bars: because one is just no fun! PLUS loads of events, because that's what truly sets us apart! Remember to bring some cash to splash ;) Stop 1 - Revs Bar: Tipsy Level 3 Riverside sun decks, hammocks, beer pong, games, and even a slip 'n slide to launch you on your tipsy tube back into the Pai river to continue your journey:) Stop 2 - Jungle Bar: Tipsy Level 5 Bamboo bars under the trees, DJ/MC, body paint, volleyball, ping pong, games, tug 'o war, and hula hoops to show off your skillz! Stop 3 - Tube Camp: Tipsy Level OFF THE CHARTS Truly in the jungle, one of Pai's most famous DJs, a taco stand, boxing ring, football pitch, outdoor showers, redneck swimming pools, and even a mud wrestling pit for those that want to get down 'n dirty! Unlike other Pai tipsy tubing trips that only float through Pai town, Jungle Tubing floats through the stunning Pai valley south of town to truly maximize your jungle adventure!  Jungle Tubing is owned and operated by Back Trax Tours. Back Trax Tours has operated in Pai for over 20 years and is owned by father and daughter, Suki and May. Locally owned, locally operated, supporting the Pai community since 2003.