Chiang Mai Hidden Gems Itinerary:
6 Slow Days in the Mountains

Arrival → A Local Neighborhood → Doi Suthep in the Late Afternoon

Arrive in Chiang Mai and settle somewhere that feels lived-in rather than built for visitors. Santitham, or the quiet side of the river near Nawarat Bridge, are the two areas I lived in, and both put you close to the city without the Old City crowds. If you’re still deciding how to split your time, Bangkok vs Chiang Mai compares the two cities.

Once you’ve dropped your bags, head straight up Doi Suthep. It’s right on the edge of town, and it’s my reset button: my default whenever I can’t think of anywhere else to go, and the last place I go before a flight. Most visitors treat it as one stop on a packed tour. Going up in the late afternoon, with no plan beyond the ride and the view, is a gentle introduction to the city.

For dinner, eat where locals do. Our Chiang Mai market guide covers the fresh markets and neighborhood food streets, and the Chiang Mai street food price guide tells you what to expect to pay.

Monk’s Trail → Wat Pha Lat → Bhubing Palace → Doi Pui

Start early on the Monk’s Trail, which climbs through forest behind Chiang Mai Zoo to Wat Pha Lat. Arriving on foot changes the whole experience: moss-covered stone, small shrines and the sound of running water. It’s much busier than it used to be, with tour SUVs lining up out front later in the morning, so timing matters.

From there, continue up the mountain road past the main temple to Bhubing Palace, the royal winter residence, with its rose gardens and mountain views. A little further on is the Doi Pui Hmong village, then the road narrows toward Doi Pui peak, the highest point in the range. Past the palace, the crowds largely disappear and it starts to feel like a real mountain drive.

Dee’s tip: be on the Monk’s Trail before 8am. The trail has a 100 THB access fee, and Bhubing Palace needs shoulders and knees covered. Bring a light layer too, because it gets noticeably colder near the top.

West: Mae Rim → Mon Jam → The Samoeng Loop & a Hidden Hot Spring

Leave by 8am and head north on Route 107 toward Mae Rim, the area where I’d build a home if I ever settled in Chiang Mai province. Turn off toward Mon Jam, where the road curves through forested hills, strawberry farms and roadside fruit stalls. I rarely pass one without stopping.

From Mon Jam, ride the Samoeng Loop, roughly 100km through the Mae Sa Valley and Samoeng before returning to the city. It takes 4 to 5 hours with stops. On one stormy afternoon, I ducked into a small Hmong souvenir shop to wait out the rain, and the man running it told me about a hot spring past Samoeng that most Chiang Mai locals have never heard of. No tour buses, no stalls, just steaming pools and cows grazing nearby. It’s still one of my favorite hot springs in Thailand.

Dee’s tip: fill up on fuel before you start climbing, because gas stations get scarce on the quieter roads. If you’re riding yourself, you’ll need a motorcycle license plus an International Driving Permit. Police checkpoints do enforce this.

East: Wat Phra That Doi Saket → Doi Saket Hot Springs → Mae Kuang Dam

Today goes the other way, east on Route 118 toward Chiang Rai. Doi Saket has become my sanctuary in Chiang Mai province: slower, quieter and with hardly any tour groups. Start at Wat Phra That Doi Saket, a hilltop temple that rivals the famous ones in scale and artistry, with contemporary murals and wide valley views. Visitors here are mostly local families, not bus groups. The official tourism directory has more on its history.

Then soak at the Doi Saket hot springs, where you can choose between older and newer private bathing rooms overlooking the mountains, with a small massage area nearby. Finish the afternoon at Mae Kuang Udom Thara Dam, where the water reflects the hills and small lakeside restaurants serve simple meals (our street food price guide shows what to expect to pay). It’s the kind of place you can spend hours without needing a plan.

Dee’s tip: go to the hot springs on a weekday morning, and bring your own towel. Climb the steps up to the temple chedi, or drive straight up if your legs need a rest.

Mae Kampong Coffee Village → Mae On Cafés → Muang On Cave

Go early to Mae Kampong, a century-old village built along a fast-running stream at about 1,300m, with wooden houses on stilts, mountain coffee and fermented tea. Before 9am on a weekday, mist drifts through the trees and the village is quiet. Don’t stop where the map pin drops you, because there’s more to see both before and after it. This video of Mae Kampong gives you a feel for the village.

Then ride down into Mae On, where the roads roll rather than climb. Small cafés appear at bends in the road and on slopes with valley views, and every time I’ve stopped, the tea has been genuinely good. Mae On is where I go simply to ride and let the road decide the day.

Finish at Muang On Cave. The first time I went, a songthaew full of monks pulled up just as I arrived, and following them up the naga staircase turned a sightseeing stop into something closer to a pilgrimage. Inside are large caverns, an enormous stalagmite and a reclining Buddha.

Dee’s tip: the air inside the cave is humid, so pace yourself if you have sinus issues. Wear proper shoes for the stairs up and down.

Baan Tawai Woodcarving Village → Departure

Keep your last morning light and head to Baan Tawai, a woodcarving village in Hang Dong, about 12km southwest of the city. What most visitors don’t realize is that much of the woodwork sold at the Saturday and Sunday Walking Streets and the Night Bazaar is made here, in small home workshops. Shop owners from Bangkok come to buy wholesale, and some of it is exported to Europe.

On a weekday morning you’ll see the artisans actually working, and prices are noticeably closer to wholesale than in town. The village’s Ban Tawai website lists its workshops and shops. It’s one of my favorite stops for couples, especially those who love interiors, and I include it in many of the trips I plan.

Got a few spare hours before your flight? Do what I do and ride up Doi Suthep one last time.