Chiang Mai with Kids: Night Markets, Temple Stairs, and Elephant Poop Paper
Our private driver said: "I'll take you to the best of Chiang Mai." Two nights in the city later, it had become our family's favorite stop in all of Thailand... and we'd barely scratched the surface.
We flew into Chiang Mai from Krabi which was a quick domestic flight that whisked us from beaches and islands to the mountain-ringed cultural capital of northern Thailand. The Shangri-La Chiang Mai was our base, and from our first evening exploring the night bazaar to our last morning watching the kids swim one more time before heading to the airport, Chiang Mai delivered something different from every other stop: depth.
First Night: The Night Bazaar and Khao Soi
Our introduction to Chiang Mai was everything we hoped for: tuk tuk rides through lantern-lit streets, the energy of the famous night bazaar, sizzling street food stalls, handcrafted souvenirs that were genuinely beautiful rather than the typical tourist kitsch, and — the dish we'd been hearing about for weeks — khao soi. If you don't know khao soi, it's a fried noodle curry soup that is northern Thailand's signature dish, and after our first bowl we immediately understood why. We also got massages (Joy and I enjoyed this... highly recommended) and explored the Shangri-La's beautiful lobby and grounds before calling it a night.
The Private Driver Day: Best Decision We Made
The next day we hired a private driver, which turned out to be one of the best decisions of the entire Thailand trip. We told him: "Take us to the best of Chiang Mai." And he delivered. Completely. He was our Grab driver we scheduled from the airport, handed us his business card and we WhatsApp'd him and he was AMAZING. Here's what that day looked like:
WAT PHRA THAT DOI SUTHEP
We started at the top, literally. Doi Suthep is Chiang Mai's most iconic temple, sitting on a mountain above the city with the most spectacular staircase entrance and panoramic views over the valley below. We dressed respectfully (shoulder coverings are required and offered on site if you don't have some), climbed the famous Naga staircase, and walked through the kids' very first Thai temple seeing all of the golden spires, intricate carvings, monks in saffron, the smell of incense, and a cool mountain breeze. It was one of those moments where you see your children genuinely absorbing something new about the world.
ELEPHANT POO POO PAPER PARK
This was unquestionably the most surprising stop of the day, and maybe the entire trip. The Elephant PooPooPaper Park in Chiang Mai takes elephant dung and turns it into paper... and the whole process is demonstrated in a hilarious, educational, English-guided tour that walks you through every step from fresh dung to boiling, pulping, dyeing, pressing, and drying. Our kids decorated notebooks made from the finished paper and shopped for souvenirs. The on-site café serves fresh coffee while you wait for your guided tour. We were all skeptical walking in and completely delighted walking out. It's a genuine 10/10 stop.
GO-KARTS, WATER BUFFALO, AND STREET FOOD
Our driver rounded the day out with a go-kart track that the kids absolutely loved, a local park where we spotted sacred water buffalo grazing, and an evening wandering the main square with more street food, mango sticky rice (another Northern Thailand essential), and yes... one more bowl of khao soi. Some things are worth repeating.
Huay Tung Tao Lake and Sacred Water Buffalo
One of the unexpected highlights of our private driver day was a stop at Huay Tung Tao Lake, a beautiful reservoir just outside the city ringed by mountains and bamboo lakeside restaurants built right over the water. It's a local spot that most tourists completely miss, and it was genuinely one of the most peaceful moments of the whole Thailand trip. Along the way we also spotted sacred water buffalo grazing in a local park, which stopped the kids cold... there's something about seeing massive, gentle animals just wandering freely that makes an impression. Our driver handled all the entry costs and tolls along the way, which is one of the great arguments for hiring a private driver in Chiang Mai rather than trying to coordinate everything yourself.. carry some baht for incidentals, but let the driver handle the logistics.
The Shangri-La Chiang Mai
The Shangri-La was an excellent base... the resort and room was spacious, beautifully appointed, with a great pool the kids used on both the first and last morning. It's centrally located and walking distance from the night markets, which makes a big difference when you want flexibility in the evenings. There was also a 7-eleven right next door so Joy got her ham and cheese toasties for snacks!
What We'd Do Differently: Stay Longer
Two nights in Chiang Mai was not enough. There's a Sunday Walking Street market we didn't get to. Cooking classes we had to pass on. More temples, more markets, more khao soi. This city works its way into your heart in a way that makes you immediately start planning a return trip. It's now firmly on our family's list of places to go back to with more time. We have to get to the sticks waterfalls! It is one of our regrets on missing!
GETTING AROUND CHIANG MAI
Hire a private driver for a full-day itinerary... it's very affordable and allows you to see far more than you could independently. For evenings, tuk tuks are easy and fun. The Grab app (Southeast Asia's Uber equivalent) also works reliably here for metered rides.
