oliveoloveblog

We often get asked if Thailand is a good family friendly travel destination. Yes! We think that it’s such a great place to travel with kids, from babies / toddlers to bigger kids. There’s so much to do and see, it’s safe, the food is incredible, and everyone is so accommodating and sweet with little ones. If planned right, it can even be a relatively affordable international getaway.

Chiang Mai, Thailand has been one of our favorite places to visit, both when we were a couple of backpackers and now as a family with our little ones. We have traveled there a few times and thought it would be fun to share our favorite places to visit in Chiang Mai, especially with kids.

_{Disclaimer: This blog post features some affiliate links. This means I get a small commission if you make a purchase (at no extra cost to you). You can also learn more about my affiliate policy here. Thank you for the support!}

(1) Spend a Day with Elephants

Time with elephants was an ultimate bucket list activity for us and we did a ton of research before deciding on Happy Elephant Home (learn more about our experience at Happy Elephant Home). We also considered Elephant Nature Park, a leading elephant rescue center and sanctuary in Chiang Mai, but unfortunately, they were fully booked by the time we were planning. Overall, we had a wonderful experience spending the whole day at the Happy Elephant Home, feeding, bathing and playing with the resident elephants. It was truly an up close, personal and once in a lifetime experience with these magnificent creatures and we highly recommend it!

(2) Learn to Cook Local Cuisine with a Thai Cooking Class

We love Thai food and it was such a treat to learn how to cook Thai food with Baan Thai Cookery. They first took us to the local market to learn about all of the fresh Thai ingredients. Then, we cooked a delicious 5-course meal, including curry from scratch. The food was so flavorful & amazing and fun to make! It was also exciting to meet new friends from all over the world. We took these cooking lessons pre-kids but would definitely come back with our boys when they are a little older. We loved our class, but there are so many cooking class options in Chiang Mai from half-day to full-day experiences.

(3) Temple Hop around Chiang Mai

There are more than 100 temples (“wat” in Thai) in Chiang Mai and each one has its own unique features and history. We really enjoyed checking out several temples around old town Chiang Mai, including Wat Doi Suthep, Wat Lok Moli, Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh. A favorite of ours was Wat Doi Suthep, a temple in the mountains about a 45 minute drive from the old town. To get there you can hike, hire a car or take a red songthaew. The temple was ornate and beautiful and had an amazing view at the top.

(4) Eat, Shop & Wander around a Night Market

The evening really lights up with the Chiang Mai night markets. We love the bustle and energy as well as trying all of the local food stalls. Though the daily Night Bazaar and Sunday Walking Night Markets are popular (food, shopping, massages), we really enjoyed the Ploen Ruedee Night Market which was near the hotel we were staying at during one of our visits. It was definitely more modern and had a variety of both Thai and Western cuisine. There was also plenty of seating to enjoy our food and was less crowded. They even offered evening Thai dance performances which were popular with the kids.

(5) Hike at Doi Inthanon National Park

About 2 hours outside of old town Chiang Mai, there is a beautiful national park that we really enjoyed. It was nice to get out of the city and take in the lush, green forest and fresh air. Wachirathan Waterfall is always a popular first stop and it’s an easy walk for the kids to visit. We also really liked the Angkha Nature Trail, which is a nice stroll on a boardwalk through a beautiful forest. Another must see are the Royal Pagodas and gardens, which were built to honor the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit. And finally, if your kids are able, definitely climb the Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail, a moderate hike through gorgeous landscape and views (paid guide is required).