Top Chiang Mai Unique Experiences

Hands-on elephant experiences often cause deep harm to animals by relying on abusive training to drive unnatural behaviours such as interacting with humans. See these majestic animals and learn about their habits without touching them on this enriching encounter outside Chiang Mai. As well as preparing food for the elephants, learn to cook an authentic pad thai from a family recipe, then enjoy it for your lunch.

Northern Thailand is renowned for its unique cuisine, which differs from the rest of the country’s. Delve deeper into Chiang Mai’s culinary culture during a small-group cooking class that includes a visit to a local food market to shop fresh ingredients. Learn to make signature dishes in an intimate group limited to 10 food lovers. Plus, stress-free hotel pickup saves you finding a meeting point.

Many Thai elephant camps offer hands-on encounters with the animals, rooted in abusive training that traumatizes these majestic creatures. Rather than touching or bathing them, enjoy an ethical experience at an observation-only elephant sanctuary, where you help prepare their food and enhance their habitat. Complete your day by learning to cook your own pad thai lunch, visiting a waterfall, and riding a bamboo raft down the Mae Wang River.

It can be hard to get off the beaten track around Chiang Mai. Enjoy a little-known hike and get to know local villagers—activities that are hard to do independently—on this small-group tour to Mae Kampong, a village surrounded by forest and mountains. Look for rehabilitated gibbons, hike to a charming waterfall, and learn about local flora and fauna from your guide. Enjoy an authentic lunch before you return.

Learn to cook an authentic Thai meal with a full-day cooking class that includes pickup and drop-off at your Chiang Mai hotel. Pick ingredients from the organic market, then roll up your sleeves to cook a meal of classic Thai dishes. An expert cooking instructor will walk you through each step, and you’ll get to enjoy the meal you’ve prepared at the end of the lesson. Both morning and evening classes are available.

Get the most out of limited time in Thailand with this combination of a market tour and a cooking class. First, visit a local food market where you can learn about fresh ingredients and how they’re used in Thai cuisine. Then, head to a hands-on Thai cooking class to master authentic techniques and get your food–related questions answered too.

Discover the secrets of Thai cuisine with a cooking class and market tour in Chiang Mai. Enjoy an immersive experience as you shop for ingredients at the local market, pick fresh herbs and vegetables from the garden, and learn traditional cooking techniques under the expertise of a Thai chef. Create several typical Thai dishes with guidance, including how to make fresh coconut milk the traditional way.

When traveling abroad, there is no other experience like cooking and eating a meal with a local. Visit a local in their beautiful home surrounded by an organic garden. Enjoy shopping at a Thai market and picking from the garden, then use the ingredients to cook 5 dishes that you can recreate at home. Bring home a recipe book with satay, curry, soup and noodle recipes.

The Kindred Spirit Elephant Sanctuary is a non-profit organisation, home to a number of rescued and retired elephants, free-roaming in the jungle. On this tour, spend a night at a homestay in a local village belonging to the Karen people and discover their unique culture as you take part in a cooking class and try your hand at traditional handicrafts. The next day, hike alongside the elephants in their natural environment, learn more about the animals from an expert guide, and enjoy a picnic lunch in the jungle.

Get a comprehensive tour of Chiang Mai's handicraft scene with this tour to San Khampaeng. Learn about the methods and history of different traditional handicrafts through studio visits and insightful commentary from a guide. Get the chance to shop for authentic souvenirs, such as elegantly carved teakwood chairs, to bring home after your travels.

Get away from Chiang Mai for a day to spend quality time with elephants at an ethically run Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. Gain an insight into their history and behaviour while creating lifelong memories of your time with the stunning creature. Spend an enjoyable half-day with these lovely giant creatures.

Join a half-day cooking class in Chiang Mai that offers hands-on instruction with lively commentary from your chef-instructor. Take a guided tour a local food market to see ingredients typically used in Thai cuisine, then return to the cooking school kitchen to learn to prepare six dishes. Once you have finished, enjoy the meal that you helped to create. Hotel pickup and drop-off is provided.

Enjoy a memorable evening on the water on this fun cruise. Your ship is a beautifully painted three-story vessel, decorated with Chinese dragon motifs. As the sun sets over Phuket and the Andaman Sea you can feast on an array of delicious barbecued seafood, washed down with your choice of beverages. This is an ideal activity for travelers seeking a romantic evening out.