Best Free Things to Do in Chiang Mai

THE 10 BEST Free Things to Do in Chiang Mai

Best Free Things to Do in Chiang Mai

Awards
Travellers' Choice Awards winners (including the "Best of the Best" title) are among the top 10% of listings on Tripadvisor, according to the reviews and opinions of travellers across the globe.
Traveller rating
Good for
175 results sorted by traveller favourites
  • Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, number of page views, and user location.
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
…
Showing results 1-30 of 175

What travellers are saying

  • BrakiWorldTraveler
    Belgrade, Serbia20,856 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Chiang Mai night market is situated outside the very center, outside the walled city old town. It stretches along the eastern part of town for several blocks, occupying the side streets as well.
    It's a classic Thai night market area with plenty of all kinds food, souvenirs, clothes, trinkets, fake goods,.....
    Written 3 March 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • BrakiWorldTraveler
    Belgrade, Serbia20,856 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Located in the very center of old town Chiang Mai, this is the absolute best Temple in entire municipality.
    Wat Chedi Luang means Big Chedi, and it's quite understandable why's so called once you enter the Temple grounds.
    First you enter a magnificent Temple with golden standing Buddha statue. When exiting, behind it you'll stumble upon a massive brick Chedi. It used to be 90m tall being the tallest in Thailand, but an earthquake demolition decreased it to 60m - still a very impressive site.
    To the right are learning and living monk quarters with a library.
    Written 3 March 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Keelyimps
    Luton, UK121 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Had a lovely walk around and loved going into each temple. All very impressive to see. You can be blessed by a monk for a small donation to.
    I would recommend visiting in the morning or later in the afternoon when it isn’t too hot.
    Written 20 February 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Albia-Newton
    Evanton, UK4,989 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Surrounded by forest

    Peaceful place

    Lovely ambience

    Some nice architecture- but it is the natural location that will impress
    Written 22 January 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Roberto C
    Santiago, Chile178 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    It’s good but nothing so special. Many places where to eat in a casual street way. Clean and safe place to go and walk for a couple of hours
    Written 4 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • graham e
    Birkenhead, UK600 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    This ancient market close to the river and the china town district,dates back to the 13th century. This vast market has stalls selling different foods, trinkets and gifts plus many gold shops can be found here too. Adjacent to this, is the Ton Lamyai market which opens early to sell fresh flowers. With the scents, colours and sounds this place really overloads your senses.
    Written 2 March 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • oak2wn
    Oakland, CA1,269 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very cool to see a wat here at the side of a mountain. You walk through tunnels to see other parts. Nothing alarming, but there were bats resting/hanging in one of the tunnels.
    Written 17 September 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • jbg74
    Saint Paul, MN1,194 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    The original temple is from the early 16th century although the buildings now are much newer. The "silver" temple is mostly aluminum. The designs hammered into the aluminum cladding are really cool. This temple is definitely worth visiting.
    Written 9 January 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • BrakiWorldTraveler
    Belgrade, Serbia20,856 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Old town Chiang Mai is rectangular in shape, with a pond surrounding it. Around the entire old town area was a brick wall, on all 4 sides, with a gate in the middle of each.
    That wall has partially survived as it decayed over centuries, and the only surviving gate is Tha Phae - the eastern gate. The gate still has its original wooden doors and the best surviving part of the wall is around it. It connects today old town with Chiang Mai night market and walking street.
    Written 5 March 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Yann Renaud
    Switzerland877 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A nice temple, currently under reconstruction. The place is nice and, as many temples in this region, really impressive.
    Written 25 January 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Leonhkny
    Hong Kong, China23,909 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wat Suan Dok is one among a plethora of Buddhist temples in Chiang Mai. The collection of white chedi, although getting dated, is the main highlight. The main temple is equally impressive. Unfortunately the main stupa is under renovation. Admission required for entry into the main temple.
    Written 22 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • JellyB
    Singapore, Singapore880 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    There is plenty of local food and if you aren’t crafted out by this stage (after visiting different markets in Chiangmai), there is a good selection here.

    For the food, we really really liked the freshly steamed filled rice rolls (in Singapore/Malaysian we call them chee cheong fun) and man! these were super delicious. They come in 8 different flavors and guess what? It’s 8 to a portion so if you can’t decide what to have, just have one of each!!!

    The mango sticky rice was one of the better ones we had too. The glutinous rice was cooked to a light and fluffy texture. Perfect!!!

    Besides the food, the mall was the perfect excuse to hide away from the afternoon sun. My friend got a massage, I raided the supermarket looking for local snacks and had a nosey around the mall for local Thai brands.

    Good for passing away 2-3 hours. Have fun.
    Written 4 September 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Dds
    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia336 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    It is one of the highlights when in Chiang Mai. Hundreds of stalls along the street both left and right, selling a variety of things like clothes, jerseys, shoes, souvenirs, shoes, slippers, soap etc, many selling the same things, so its up to your bargaining skills. Then there are many cafes, restaurants, open air street food locations in between your walks which is a must to try as Thai food is great! Thai massage shops are everywhere, some pricy, some cheap. It is a pity that toilets along these places are generally not well maintained.
    Written 2 January 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Codiak!
    Abbotsford, Canada12,703 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Our experiences in food courts in places like Singapore and Kuala Lumpur were busy, smoky, crowded and exciting. We were expecting the same thing in Chiang Mai and found the place to be a somewhat sanitized version. Neat stalls with attractive signs and touristy entertainment was what we encountered. All good, the food was sensational as you would find in all SE Asian food courts, though some items might not appeal to all Western tastes or sensibilities (e.g. scorpions.)
    Written 21 February 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Dr M Steel
    London, UK40 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    We loved Anusarn Night Market in Chiang Mai so much that we went every night during our stay! This market, right in the heart of the Night Bazaar area, truly has it all. From clothing and souvenirs to handmade crafts and jewellery, you can find just about anything you’re looking for, and the prices are fantastic and very affordable.

    The variety of food options is impressive—you can try something new every night, with everything from local Thai dishes to international treats. One note is that there’s a small fee for the toilet, so keep some change handy. The market closes around 11 pm, which gives you plenty of time to explore without rushing. And thankfully, the market is undercover, which was a lifesaver on those stormy days we had.

    Overall, Anusarn Night Market is vibrant, affordable, and an essential stop in Chiang Mai!
    Written 8 November 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
All Chiang Mai HotelsChiang Mai Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Chiang Mai
All things to do in Chiang Mai
RestaurantsFlightsHoliday RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars