November
Yi Peng
On the full moon, thousands of paper lanterns rise into the night sky together — the moment Chiang Mai is famous for.
What you'll do
Four things you
came north for.
Every tour is built around the parts of the north people remember — the elephants, the river, and the old Lanna country. No rushing, no tourist conveyor belt.
Ethical & hands-on
Time with elephants
Feed and bathe rescued elephants in the forest where they live — no riding, no shows, just the animals on their own ground.
On the water
Rivers & waterfalls
Drift the Mae Taeng on a hand-poled bamboo raft, then climb the mineral rock of the Bua Tong "sticky" waterfall barefoot.
Lanna country
Temples & hill villages
Golden Doi Suthep, moss-grown jungle chedis and the Long Neck Karen village — the living culture of the northern hills.
A day over the province line
Chiang Rai
The White Temple, the Blue Temple and the Black House — three of the strangest buildings in Thailand, three hours north.
Time it right
Festivals worth
planning around.
Chiang Mai's year lights up again and again — floating lanterns on the river, sky lanterns over the temples, streets full of flowers and centuries-old Buddhist rites. Tell us when you're coming and we'll build the day around whatever's on.
November
Loi Krathong
Candlelit krathong floats are set adrift on the Ping River and temple ponds to carry the year's bad luck away.
February
Flower Festival
The cool-season blooms peak as flower-covered floats and parades fill the streets of the old city for a weekend.
April
Songkran
Thai New Year — Buddha images are bathed and paraded by day, and the whole moat turns into a city-wide water fight.
May–Jun
Holy Days
Visakha Bucha candlelit processions and the Inthakhin city-pillar rite at Wat Chedi Luang mark the Buddhist calendar.
