We did a tour of Thailand visiting the 3 major cities Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Bangkok. We only had 2 days in Chiang Mai which gave us a nice introduction to the city. If you’re short on time like us here’s how to make the best of 2 in Chiang Mai with kids.
When We Visited Chiang Mai
We visited Chiang Mai with kids in February after first visiting Phuket for a few days. It’s the dry season so the perfect time for a visit. It also means it’s hot so be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen.
How to Get From Phuket To Chiang Mai
We took Air Asia, a local budget airline. There are no frills, you have to pay for water, etc. but the flight is only 1.5hrs so we didn’t need much and the $38 price tag was perfect. Checked baggage is priced by weight ranging from 15kg to 30kg. We only have one checked bag for the whole family that weighed 20kg. My daughters luggage was a carry-on and you are allowed 7kg for each carry-on.
How to Get From the Airport in Chaing Mai to Your Hotel
We took a metered taxi that we booked at the taxi counter for 200 baht flat. Be sure to go to the official taxi stand. There are plenty of drivers trying to flag you down but you run the risk of being overcharged.
Where to Stay in Chiang Mai
The RarinJinda Wellness Spa which is right outside the “square” of Chiang Mai’s old city. The resort was very nice and had some good amenities including free breakfast 7AM-10AM, a gym, pool, and a spa. The breakfast was buffet style at the restaurant across the street which is directly on the river. Waffles and eggs could be made to order.
If you prefer to stay in an Airbnb in Chiang Mai you can sign up for Airbnb here and save $40 on your first stay. Nervous about Airbnb’s? Here are 8 Tips for Staying in Airbnb’s.
How to Spend 2 Days in Chiang Mai
Day One: Doi Suthep & Elephant Sanctuary
We got in very late the night before so I wanted us to be able to relax in the morning and booked a late half day tour. After breakfast we hung out by the pool for the 1st half of the day. We had lunch at On the Ping riverfront eatery and bar at the sala lanna Hotel. Although it was the most expensive meal we had the whole trip the food was excellent and probably also one of the best meals we had.I booked our tours while in Chiang Mai with Untouched Thailand. This 1st day we visited the Wat Phra Doi Suthep temple, the most famous temple in Chiang Mai. It is up in the mountains with a beautiful viewpoint of the city below. We spent about an hour here before heading to an Elephant Rescue Park.
When planning the trip I really wanted to go to the Elephant Nature Park, the top rated sanctuary and rescue park in Chiang Mai but since we decided on going to Thailand just 3 weeks before they didn’t have any spots left for the days we would be there. I was just glad to have found another rescue park and it ended up working out perfectly as we were the only group there by the time we arrived in the late afternoon. The staff was really attentive and made Jordyn feel like a Queen. They were so helpful and really tried there best to make our experience unforgettable. From taking pictures with my phone and video from my husbands they made sure we would have these memories forever without a price tag attached to it.
Day Two: The Golden Triangle Tour of Chiang Rai
Again our tour was booked through Untouched Thailand. We booked the Golden Triangle Tour, a 12hr tour, exploring Chiang Rai. The tour company would drop us to the airport after the tour saving us the 200 baht taxi. Our first stop was an hours drive to a hot springs where you can dip your feet into some mineral water that is supposed to be good for your skin. We only spent a few minutes here, I personally could have done without the stop but Jordyn enjoyed it and we were able to use the restroom.
Wat Rong Khun
Next we went to Wat Rong Khun better known as the White Temple. It was an hours drive from the hot spring and so worth the trip. A famous Thai artist, Chalermchai Kositpipat, funded the entire project. While the outside is beautiful and you can get some great photos with it as a backdrop the inside is uniquely amazing but unfortunately no photos are allowed. Believe it or not the bathroom is just as gorgeous as the temple, be sure to make a stop.
Across the street is a free museum filled with Chalermchai’s work and you should definitely check it out. Had we not had a tour guide we wouldn’t have known about it which is a shame because his work is truly one of a kind. Randomly enough the artist was actually there that day at a shop across the museum and were able to get a picture with him. Our tour guide was the one who pointed him out and mentioned on the 40+ times he has been to the temples he’s only seem him there 2 others.
Karen Long Neck Village
After the White Temple we had for lunch which was included in the price of the tour. We stopped at what seemed like a hole in the wall restaurant but like most, the food did not disappoint! After lunch we headed to Hilltribe of the Karen Long Neck Village, about a 45 minute drive away.
Visiting this tribe is something I was hesitant about because I wasn’t really sure if it was ethical or not. Something about going to look at humans as if they were part of a zoo felt weird to me. I did a lot of research before ultimately deciding to go. From what I found online tourists visiting these villages was the main source of income for these villagers. This is because they are unable to hold jobs in Thailand.
The people in the village are from Burma and originally fled to Thailand due to civil wars. Now most come for better education opportunities for their children. They really do depend on the money made from the entrance fee and selling trinkets to support their families. So while I still felt kind of weird while we were there we made sure to buy something directly from the women.
Some spoke a little English and we were able to talk for a bit which was nice. My eldest daughter made a friend whose mom and I exchanged some words. Our tour guide was so sweet and stopped at a store before getting there, buying two cases of chips to hand out to the kids in the village. Jordyn gave this girl 5 bags, pretty sure that’s why they became friends.
Golden Triangle
Next we headed to the Golden Triangle where you can see Laos and Burma just separated by a river. We took a boat ride in the river and went to Laos where they have a little market. Everyone sells the same thing and they are very aggressive in getting you to buy something. We also stopped at the Opium Museum which my husband found extremely interested. I personally could have skipped the Golden Triangle, I was quite underwhelmed but I guess it’s better to see for yourself than wonder what you missed.
After this, we headed to the airport, a 3.5-4hr drive. Our van had a pretty big flat screen TV equipped with plenty of kids movie for Jordyn to watch. The seats also reclined all the way back so I took a nap. Even though quite long it was a very comfortable ride. We were off to spend 2 Days in Bangkok, the last stop on our tour of Thailand. We enjoyed our 2 days in Chiang Mai with kids but hopefully next time we can spend at least 5 days in Chiang Mai. If you don’t want to fly or want a unique experience getting from Chiang Mai to Bangkok or Bangkok to Chiang Mai, take the sleeper train!
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How did your girls handle such a long day? My husband and I figured our days of quick travel, jam-packed days would end when we started bringing little ones along. It’s nice to see that little ones can handle an exciting day like that – although I’m sure it depends on the child 🙂
Hi Ashley! I thought the same thing but quickly learned I was putting more limitations on them than they really needed. I was afraid missing their scheduled nap time would cause havoc but realized being off schedule a few days was not going to have our lives fall apart and we should enjoy the moment. They still napped just not at their normal times.
Our youngest was 11 months on the trip so still at the stage where she sleeps any and everywhere. She either napped in the car while in transit, since we had about 1hr in between each destination or she slept in the carrier while we were out of the car. My oldest who is 2 was so excited she refused to nap while in transit to each stop on the tour but she crashed about 30 mins into our drive to the airport. She was a little cranky when we arrived and woke her up but other than that she was fine during the day.
It definitely depends on the child and I think by me always giving the girls, specifically the oldest one our itinerary for the day excites her so much. She is also used to traveling now and has learned to easily adapt to situations.
Next time you go you definitely have to check out “Chiang Mai Grand Canyon” it sounds boring, but it’s actually a huge canyon filled with water that contains a massive waterpark with water games. Loved it so much I went twice. I bet the kids would love it!
What was the name of the elephant sanctuary you visited? The photos are gorgeous! Were the girls frightened of the elephants at all?
Hi Amanda,
It’s literally called Elephant Rescue Park lol, here is there website http://elephantrescuepark.com. Thank you, we had soooo much fun, def a highlight of the trip. I should add the video of Jordyn feeding them, Jordyn was hesitant at first but then she didn’t want to leave!
Monet
I’m so envious of your trip! People think we are crazy for traveling so much with our 4 month old daughter (she’s been to Italy, Florida, and Colorado so far!). Did you have a car seat on the day trips with Untouched Thailand?
Yes, people think we are crazy too but life is short and we’d like to enjoy it as much as we can. And honestly traveling with a 4 month old is way more easy than a 22 month old in my opinion. Unfortunately Untouched Thailand did not provide car seats, only our tour company in Phuket provided them.
Since a car seat was not provided. Did you feel comfortable riding without one for your littles?