Sure, Chiang Mai is home to gorgeous food and lively culture, but sometimes you’ll want to leave the city behind and explore the stunning countryside surrounding the city. Chiang Mai is unique in Thailand, offering the nightlife and excitement of a metropolis with the possibility of serene escapes into nature right on your doorstep.

Doi Suthep National Park

Photo Credit: Oliver Dodd

Of course, the most obvious place to explore the countryside is at Doi Suthep. The mountain and the surrounding national park loom over the city to the west; from almost anywhere you can glimpse the searing peak, often shrouded in atmospheric cloud. Most visitors will make it as far as the famous temple midway up the mountain road but if you keep heading further up into the park, you’ll enjoy stunning views and some of the best hiking in the region.

The most popular hike in this area is known as The Monk’s Trail, beginning at the bottom of Doi Suthep and winding up to Wat Pha Lat, a hidden temple only accessible by foot and a peaceful haven away from most tourists. There is even a waterfall running through here adding to the ambience. It’s a great spot to catch your breath and soak up the atmosphere before you continue your hike to the more famous, and crowded, Wat Phra Doi Suthep.

Once you’ve explored the temples here, why not head further along the mountain road to Bhuping Palace? The palace is the winter home of the royal family but for the rest of the year you can enter the beautifully maintained garden to enjoy peace and quiet high above the hustle and bustle of the city. The gardens attract fewer tourists than nearby Wat Phra Doi Suthep so this is a perfect place for a relaxing couple of hours before heading back into the city.

Doi Suthep National Park covers a huge area, with several peaks and plenty of walking and cycling trails allowing you to explore the area by yourself or as part of a guided tour. Parts of the park are very isolated so there is a wide range of wildlife within the parks boundaries, including the Asian Black Bear. But don’t worry, you’ve got almost no chance of bumping into one!

Huay Kaew Waterfall

Photo Credit: Mith Huang

There are several waterfalls dotted throughout Doi Suthep National Park, with Huay Kaew Waterfall the most accessible. You can find this waterfall just a short 500m walk from the main road and the park entrance. Mon Tha Than Waterfall is tucked away around 3km inside the park and foreign visitors are required to pay about THB100 to get up close to the waterfall, but it’s a perfect spot to cool off with a refreshing swim.

Huay Tung Tao Lake

After all the sightseeing in the city, you’ll probably fancy a day relaxing on the beach. You’re in luck as ‘Chiang Mai Sea’ is just 10km from the city centre. OK, you might be hundreds of kilometres from the nearest sea but a day at Huay Tung Tao Lake at the base of Doi Suthep is just as relaxing.  Here you can lay back under grass huts along the waterfront, with stunning views across the lake to forests and mountains. This is where the locals come to relax and escape the heat and it is easy to see why.  You can easily spend an entire day enjoying the lake and the surrounding trails where you can walk or cycle through forests or indulging in tasty local meals from the lakefront restaurants in huts perched above the water.

If you’re feeling really adventurous then you could hike from Huay Tung Tao Lake to the nearby Dtaat Mook Waterfall. There is a circular 7km trail, starting near the Golden Buddha image on the west shore of the lake, that winds through secluded forest before emerging into more open ground with spectacular panoramas across the mountains and the lake below. Once you arrive at the waterfall make sure to take a dip to cool down, you will have earned it!

Bua Tong

One of the most popular waterfalls in the area is further afield but well worth the trip. Bua Tong is also known by the catchier nickname “Sticky Waterfalls”, so-called as it is possible to climb the waterfall itself. Not just clamber up the rocks but actually walk up the waterfall through the flowing water. Don’t believe us? Then try it for yourself! The mineral deposits have given the rocks a spongy texture and algae doesn’t stick to them so is ideal to walk on. Bua Tong is around 1 ½ hours north of the city and you’ll be able to arrange tours from almost anywhere or even travel there independently if you wish to hire a motorbike (Read more on motorbike tours around Chiang Mai). Unlike many other waterfalls in the area, this one is impressive all year round so always worth the trip.

Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden

If you want to explore beautifully maintained garden rather than rugged natural landscapes, then Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden is definitely the place for you. Located in Mae Rim to the north of Chiang Mai, the gardens have been a local favourite since its opening in 1993. The 6,500 acre gardens were the first botanical gardens in Thailand and an ideal place to spend an entire day wandering through the different displays, including a canopy walkway that snakes amongst the treetops. There is even a river running through where you can relax in the shade.

Doi Inthanon National Park  

For those who are planning to stay in Chiang Mai for longer than just a couple of nights, Doi Inthanon National Park is the perfect destination to explore some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the country. Doi Inthanon is best enjoyed if you stay over night, although day trips are possible through tour companies as well as by heading there yourself.

The mountain at the centre of the park is Doi Inthanon itself, the tallest mountain in Thailand at 2,565m. It gets quite chilly there so be prepared, after all, it is part of the Himalayan mountain range. The gorgeous views from the summit of Doi Inthanon, especially in the morning, are the main attraction here but there are countless walking trails that nature lovers will adore. The most famous is the Kaew Man Pan trail, a fairly short but challenging 2.5km circuit that winds through forest and along mountain ridges, an absolute must-do for anyone visiting Doi Inthanon National Park. There’s so much to see and do within the park that you could spend several days exploring. Rest assured, there’s something there that everyone will love, whether you’re an avid birdwatcher or you haven’t got your fill of waterfalls yet.

Chiang Mai is a city with so many outdoor activities that nature lovers will be wishing they could stay longer and will already be planning their next visit.