10 Day Trips from Chiang Mai That Earn the Day

1.Chiang Rai Temples, Karen Tribe and Hot Springs

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 5,401 reviews · 11 hours - 810 minutes · from $35Our pick

Spend a full day touring Chiang Rai from Chiang Mai with an English-speaking guide such as Benz, Kwan, or Ruby. Visit Mae Kachan Hot Springs, the Karen long-neck village, White Temple, Blue Temple, and Huay Pla Kang Temple. Transport, temple fees, insurance, and optional multilingual audio are included. Bring earphones, modest clothing, and patience for the long drive.

“Great value for money, really good day trip. It’s long but you see everything you need to in one day. Each temple is well worth the visit. Thank you Kawee for being a fantastic guide.”

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2.White Temple & Golden Triangle Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,193 reviews · 13h 30m · from $80

Travel from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai in a small air-conditioned van with an English-speaking guide. See the dazzling White Temple, old Chiang Saen ruins, the Golden Triangle, and the House of Opium. A Mekong longtail boat ride, northern Thai lunch, coffee stop, water, and hotel pickup are included. Expect a long but well-paced day.

“This trip was a great opportunity to see some amazing sites. I especially liked the red Wat and would not have been able to see it without booking this trip. I highly recommend it!”

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3.Chiang Rai’s Temples Exploration Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 871 reviews · 1 day · from $51

Travel from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai in a small group of up to 12, with an English or Thai guide, hotel transfers, lunch, and entrance fees included. See Wat Rong Khun, Wat Rong Suea Ten, and the Red Temple, plus a brief hot spring stop. Guides such as Bee, Goi, Phone, and Paul are praised for clear explanations and friendly help.

“Lovely guide. Very information and polite. Would recommend this trip”

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4.Doi Inthanon Park with Kew Mae Pan Hike Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 841 reviews · 11 hours · from $62

Travel from Chiang Mai to Thailand’s highest peak, walk the seasonal Kew Mae Pan trail, visit the King and Queen pagodas, meet Hmong culture at a village market, and finish at Wachirathan Waterfall. Guides such as Mo, James, Paul, and Yoong keep the long day friendly and well organized. The hike is scenic but steeper than a casual stroll.

“I enjoyed this excursion to Doi Inthanon. Our guide James was engaging, knowledgeable, hilarious, and kind. It was a day well spent!”

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5.The Giant Café & Mae Kampong Village Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 207 reviews · 8 hours · from $54

Travel from Chiang Mai into the mountains with an English-speaking driver, stopping at Mae Kampong Village, a forest waterfall, Rabiang View café, and The Giant Chiangmai. You get scenic drives, free time, bottled water, and flexible pacing in a shared minivan. Guides including Nine, Peter, Eikzy, and Charlie are often praised for friendly help and photos.

“Guide Nine was an absolute delight! so bubbly and personable.”

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6.Chiang Rai Famous Temples & Hot Springs Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 129 reviews · 13 hours · from $24Best value

Travel from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai in a shared van with up to 12 people. Visit Wat Rong Khun, Wat Rong Suea Ten, Baan Dam Museum, Huay Pla Kang Temple, and optional Long Neck Karen Village stops, with a hot spring break and lunch. Expect a packed day, long drives, short visits, and guide support focused more on timing than long explanations.

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7.Doi Inthanon National Park Day Trip & Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 125 reviews · 9 hours · from $106

Spend nine hours from Chiang Mai exploring Doi Inthanon with an English-speaking guide. Visit Thailand’s highest point, mossy rainforest, twin pagodas, a Hmong market, and the Pha Dok Siew Trail. The two-hour hike ends at Mae Klang Luang, a Karen village where you can drink locally grown coffee.

“We had an amazing day on this excursion with an amazing tour guide! Highly recommend this tour and hope you get our tour guide or one as great! I like booking through this company because of the smaller size tour groups which gives you a more personal experience!!”

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8.Sticky Waterfall and Rafting Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 61 reviews · 1 day · from $83

Leave Chiang Mai for Bua Thong Sticky Waterfalls and the Mae Taeng River. You’ll climb grippy limestone, tackle a 4-kilometer white-water run, float by bamboo raft, and may see elephants near the river. Guides such as Joe and Mr K are praised for care, photos, and smooth organization. Hotel pickup, lunch, equipment, and drop-off are included.

“Mr. K. is the bomb. We had a great day. Mr. K was knowledgeable, friendly, and ensured we had a great time. The rafting was fun-- Ive been a professional river guide for almost a decade and never seen anything quite like it... dont hesitate. Lunch also was delicious. Thank you Mr. K!”

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9.Chiang Rai Guided Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 51 reviews · 12 hours · from $128

Travel from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai in a small group of up to 10, stopping at hot springs, Wat Rong Khun, the Big Buddha, Lalitta Café, and Wat Rong Suea Ten. Your Spanish-speaking guide, such as Runsito or Bem, explains each site before giving you time to explore. Long Neck Village is optional for 500 THB.

“Me encantaron los templos que visitamos, el blanco fue mi favorito seguido por el azul. Lalita café muy hermoso! Solo me hubiera encantado más tiempo ahí. El guía era amable y hablaba claramente el español, siempre pendiente de todo el grupo y nos daba primero la explicación de la historia de cada lugar y posterior asignaba un tiempo para explorar cada lugar por nuestra cuenta, lo cual me pareció bien. Pueden mejorar el tiempo asignado para visitar los templos, es demasiado corto y no suficiente para visitar con calma y sacar las fotos. En el templo blanco nos dieron 1 hora para visitar, mientras que en el templo azul y…”

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10.Mae Taeng Valley Hike & Bike Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 50 reviews · 7 hours · from $83Top rated

Leave Chiang Mai for a guided 5-kilometer hill walk, where you may see fruit orchards, coffee, tea, tarantula holes, and village farming life. After a Thai lunch, cycle 15 to 20 kilometers on mostly flat roads through rice fields and villages. Guide Tri is known for explaining local plants and customs.

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