A Chiang Mai Bucket List

Wow, Thailand. If you haven't been there, let me tell you, all the rumors are true. Thailand is heck-a beautiful and has a gajillion and one things for you to see and do. History, beaches, beauty, mountains, animals, food and shopping, Thailand has got it all! It's also true what you've heard about the food-you never want to stop eating it because it's so, so very delicious! And cheap! The dollar can go a long way in Thailand, which is also a reason why so many people love it. Oh! And did I even mention the coconut ice cream? Oh man. We should probably all go ahead and jump on a plane tonight to soak up some sun and eat some coconut ice cream tomorrow. 

Every person has their favorite city and things to do in Thialand and ours was Chiang Mai. It's a laid back, beautiful city in the North, just perfect for a relaxing, mountainside holiday. What all should you do in this gem of a city in Northern Thialand? Well, well. I'm so glad you asked, because today, don't you worry, I have the perfect Chiang Mai bucket list, IMO. :) 

1. Snuggle up with some tigers!
No trip to Chiang Mai would be complete without visiting the famous snuggle bears at Tiger Kingdom. To be clear, they're tigers, not bears, but still, they're totally down with the whole, 'lay on me and take pictures' and 'don't forget to scratch my belly' kind of thing. Tiger Kingdom hosts 4 different sizes of tigers. We recommend the medium, small and smallest package for around 1200 baht per person!

2. Get up close and personal with some elephants!
There are so many elephant parks to choose from in Chiang Mai! We choose the Baan Chang Elephant Park and it did not disappoint. We paid to have our own elephant for the day and we were so happy we did. My elephant was this little cutey. He could give kisses, which I must say, sort of made me fall in love. Baan Chang is fantastic. They pick you up from your hotel, feed you, let you feed ride, bath and love on their elephants. So, ya, they're pretty cool. My favorite part of our elephant day was bathing the elephants.

3. Rent a car. No really, do it. I know they drive on the other side of the road and everything, but for real, just do it. You'll get used to it and your drive through Northern Thailand will not disappoint! Feel free on the open road!

4. Spend some time away in the quiet of the country side. We highly recommend Narittaya
to do this in. Their pool villas, with outdoor bathtubs, are fantastic and the food is just amazing. I'm still dreaming of having breakfasts on their patio overlooking their gardens.

5. While you're getting away from it all, go for a bike ride or run!
in the country side. It's so relaxing and you'll be sure to see beautiful scenery like the one below.

6. Volunteer at Care for Dogs. Care for Dogs, just down the street from Narittaya, is a wonderful non profit that is caring for the dogs of Chaing Mai. They vaccinate, care for, provide emergency care and shelter dogs. They also have an adoption program. They are doing awesome things there but need tons of help! With their 200+ dogs their volunteer programs are much needed! We spent a few days volunteering and walking some special dogs and loved it.

7. Have a watermelon vodka at The Corner Resturant. It's delish guys. Have it outside for a nice night of people watching. We don't necessarily recommend the food but the watermelon vodka is perfect. 

8. Try a Chiang Mai sausage. They are filled with all different things and quite delicious.

8. Eat a meal at Lemon Grass
and sign your name on the wall. (We didn't get a chance to sign ours!) Their food was some of the best Thai food we had.

9. Wander through the Chaing Mai markets. The night market every night or the Sunday Walking street are both great places to find delicious, cheap food, artisan crafts and all the other goodness (cheap clothes, shoes, scarves, bags, elephant decorations, jewelry) that Thailand markets have to offer. 

10. Take a cooking class. It's awesome to be able to learn, from a professional, how to cook all your favorite Thai foods! All the recipes were super easy and quick. Because of the cooking class we've made Thai several times since our trip. We recommend Siam Rice Cooking School with the full day.

11. Try the Reuben at The Duke's.
I'm not going to lie Zachary and I have discussed several times going back to Chiang Mai to just eat this huge sandwich.

12. Visit Doi Sutep. Visit because it's "the thing to do" in Chiang Mai and because Chaing Mai people take great pride in it because of it's great history. Read up on the history before you go. It will make for a more interesting time. Also, the views are awesome.

 

Other Great Things to Do in Chiang Mai: go to massage school visit hill tribes go zip lining karaoke at Loco Elvis Enjoy live music get massages Have you been to Chiang Mai? What's on our bucket list?