Chiang Mai is an amazing place to visit with children. The Old Town is full of history, the hills are full of adventure and the more modern areas, like Nimman, are full of cultural experiences. These are our top picks for families in this vibrant Thai city!
- ELEPHANT FREEDOM VILLAGE This is not an elephant sanctuary, it is a family that have coexisted with elephants for seven generations. Their home, in the hills of Karen tribe, is set on a couple hundred Rai (nearly 100 acres) of tribal land, their goal is for the villagers and elephants to live together peacefully. Taking the 90-minute drive from Chiang Mai is well worth it for this authentic experience. Spending the day with the elephants (and their carers) is an experience you can’t buy everywhere. They treat you like one of the family; walking through the rainforest, feeding and washing the elephants. You are provided with traditional Karen clothes, water, snacks and a lovely picnic lunch overlooking a waterfall. It can be a long day in the elements so it might not be ideal for younger children. See our detailed blog on our experience at Elephant Freedom Village.
- NONG BUAK HAAD PUBLIC PARK This public park is an oasis located in the Old City. It was a very hot day when we visited, I was missing green grass and the kids were missing playgrounds. It had both of these so it didn’t disappoint! There was enough shelter to escape the summer sun, although the humidity still got to us. There’s a large playground under a lovely tree, nice kid-friendly sculptures and plenty of fish in the ponds waiting for a feed. There’s a few small stalls scattered along the path where you can purchase basic food and drinks, as well as fish food.
- CHAMCHA AT DOI KHAM CAFE There’s a funny story behind discovering this hidden gem. We were meeting a fellow worldschooling family for the first time at another kid-friendly café in the hills behind Chiang Mai, although at the end of the 40 minute drive we were presented with a big fat CLOSED sign on the café door. We frantically searched for another similar café as we’d promised the kids a playground. Then, we found this place and boy, did it deliver! The whole place has a ‘dining in a treehouse’ vibe, with kids playground, sandpit, trampoline and more! There’s an extensive Thai and Western food menu and delicious drinks. It’s definitely worth the drive, particularly to escape the warm summer days.
- MAYA SHOPPING CENTRE This was our local shopping mall located in the Nimmin area. It’s a great place for shopping for clothes but also has a great supermarket and food court in the basement with a large selection of Thai and Western food. There’s also a cinema and entertainment complex on the top floor and a rooftop bar with nice views over Nimmin.
- GRAND CANYON WATERPARK If you’re looking for a family day out and a way to escape the heat, then this is it! This waterpark is an inflatable obstacle course on water, think the TV show ‘Wipeout.’ It was a lot of fun, but required a degree of swimming ability, skill and fitness. For little kids, there is a water splash area and a great café beside the water for the whole family to enjoy.
- CHIANG MAI MARKETS You’ll never be short of a market in Chiang Mai! The popular Sunday walking market runs right through the middle of the Old City on Ratchadamnoen Road and is well worth a visit. It gets busy later on, so arrive close to the starting time of 4pm to ensure you can walk along without bumping shoulder to shoulder with other visitors. It’s a vibrant one-kilometre array of art, craft, souvenirs, entertainment and food.
- POO POO PAPER PARK This place is more than just elephant poo paper! We had a lovely visit learning about the process from collecting the donated elephant dung to drying, soaking and colouring the poo, to laying it out on a screen, drying and using it for crafts. The tour is very personable and interactive, perfect for kids! At the end your children can make their own craft creation for a small fee. There’s also a café and gift shop located on site.
- TEMPLES You cannot visit Chiang Mai without visiting a buddhist temple. There are so many to choose from, but our favourites were the ones scattered along the Sunday walking market in Old Town and the temple complex on the way to the Poo Poo Paper Park, Wat Pa Dara Phirom Phra Aram Luang. Note: if you wish to enter temples it is a sign of respect to cover your shoulders and knees.
- MONKS TRAIL HIKE This was a free activity and one of our highlights in Chiang Mai. The main trail takes you to a temple area (hence the name, as it is used by Monks). It takes approximately 30-45 minutes and is easy to medium difficulty. Once you arrive at the top you will be rewarded with a lovely view of the city as well as a breathtaking temple complex with lots to see. If you and your children are up for a challenge then there’s a trail leading off the main trail which consists of steep natural stairs most of the way. It is tough going, but rewarding when you get to the top. At first, it doesn’t seem like there’s much there, but keep walking and you’ll find a little village with a café and fire station museum. The kids even found a swing set! It was a beautiful place to stop for a cold drink and enjoy the peace, before heading back down the mountain.
- NIMMAN Located just out of the Old City, Nimmanhaemin or Nimman for short, is a great area for shopping and eating. There’s a large array of cuisines to choose from, great coffee roasters/cafés and healthy food options. One Nimman is a nice shopping mall with boutique stores and upper-market stallholders selling their wares. They also hold regular events and pop-up markets in the square.
Chiang Mai is a truly enchanting city with a mix of old and new. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
