Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Chiang Mai Private Tour
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Chiang Mai, Thailand
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
See the highlights of Chiang Mai alongside your own private local host who shows you around this vibrant city in Northern Thailand. Go through the old city center and beyond to explore glittering temples, bustling markets, and museums that cover architecture and culture. Plus, you can tweak your sightseeing schedule to align with your interests for a personalized sightseeing experience. Entrance tickets to Wat Sing are included.
- See Chiang Mai's through a local's eyes on a private tour
- Benefit from the undivided attention of your local host
- Take away tailored recommendations to enhance the rest of your trip
- Skip the group tours and explore at your own pace on a more personal tour
What's Included
- Private Tour
- Local Guide
- 1 local drink/tasting
- Tickets for Wat Sing included
- Transportation
- Hotel pick-up and drop off
- Extra food & drinks
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Imm Hotel Tha Phae17/1 Kotchasarn Rd, Tambon Chang Khlan, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai, Chang Wat Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
Meet by the large 'Imm Hotel' sign
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Wat Phan Tao
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Wat Phra Singh
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Tha Phae Gate
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Chiang Mai National Museum (Pass By)
Lanna Architecture Center (Pass By)
Somphet Market (Pass By)
Naree Thai Massage & Spa by Chiang Mai Women Correctional Institution Vocational Training Center (Pass By)
Wat Suan Dok (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Private tour: only you & your local guide
- CO2 Neutral: all tours carbon emissions are offset
- Post Covid-19 regulations are applied to this product with regards to the number of participants, delivery methods of the tour and content of the tour.
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 179 reviews
Tim_D, Mar 2026
Mondo was excellent very passionate and knowledgeable about Chiang Mai and its history. I recommend if first time to Chiang Mai
Gary_C, Feb 2026
Ratana was charming and informative guide who told stories of growing up in town, history of the area and most importantly the meaning of the symbols and rituals of the Buddhist faith while visiting the temples.
Kathy_O, Jan 2026
Our guide was very sweet. She was very focused on the history of all the temples and I think we might have been more interested in the history of Chiang Mai in general. I will take responsibility for not being more direct with our expectations. Again, she was very sweet and informative, it was just a long, hot 3 hrs. I would probably recommend it and just advise that you make your wants known.
Vicki_G, Jan 2026
We were met on time and Boy gave us an over view of Chiang Mai history. Then we went on a walking tour around the various Wats! Boy was as very informative and interesting he showed us short cut to places with interesting places on route such as the old market we tried local produce. We enjoyed the tour which gave us point of interest to return to as we were unable to fully complete the walk in the allotted time.
Elizabeth_S, Jan 2026
This tour was the highlight of our trip to Chiang Mai. We love history, and our guide, Eddie, customized our tour to fit our interests. Eddie was incredibly knowledgeable about history and knew exactly where to take us to see the most important historical sights (but which are often missed by the guidebooks). He truly went above and beyond to make the day unforgettable. And, on top of it all, his picks for local food were excellent. I wish we could give more than 5 stars.
Sean_P, Jan 2026
An amazing and quick highlight tour of the temples and market in Old City. Ratana was a lot of fun with a great personality and vast knowledge of Old City Chiang Mai. We saw just the right amount of temples, did some shopping in a small market, and even got a new year’s blessing from a monk!
Highly recommend - thank you Ratana!
Chris_L, Dec 2025
Good and informative tour. He spoke good English and answered our questions very well.
Overall, good experience though we found it overpriced.
Eric_T, Dec 2025
Eddy did s wonderful job. He offered to meet me at my hotel instead of the meeting point, which was very thoughtful of him! He customized the tour itinerary to my requests, and he was very knowledgeable of what we visited. Excellent tour!
William_B, Nov 2025
Eddie is a fabulous guide. He has a deep knowledge of Thai history and the effects of religion, wars, and new and old trade routes on the development of a united Thailand and Thai culture, especially including architecture. He answers your questions thoughtfully and without judgment. He’s fun to be with, knows all the best spots for taking photos everywhere he takes you, and works really hard to give you an unforgetable experience. We were so happy with our adventure to Lamphun with Eddie: Wats galore, a personal visit with an abbot monk, lunch at a tiny outdoor cafe/restaurant locally famous for serving noodles in single-spoonful-size cups arrayed on a tray, a huge outdoor market with no tourists (except us), a local organic coffee and juice cafe, and a small silk maker and weaver that supplies the Thai Royal Family. What a day!
Nikki_G, Apr 2025
We saw more on this tour than we expected and learned a great deal about the history and culture. Minty was an excellent, kind, and generous guide who quickly identified what we liked and customized our tour. She really surpassed our expectations and was able to balance my husband's interest in seeing all the temples in the old city with my shopping the Sunday night market. We had so much fun and loved how this tour provided an excellent orientation to the city.
Chrissie_F, Jan 2025
This is a stellar opportunity to really get a sense of the history of Chiang Mai. Boy was an amazing guide and we learned a lot about the history and customs. My brother and I really enjoyed this tour and would recommend it to all.
jane_s, Jan 2025
Excellent tour. We learned a lot. . Our tour guide ,Boy was very kind and spoke excellent English. We had just arrived the day before. This was an excellent introduction.
Sebastian_B, Dec 2024
It was a great walk around the city! I got to learn about the history of Chiang Mai, see some nice local spots for food, coffee/tea, etc. It was relaxing and at my pace! Would really recommend this to anyone visiting Chiang Mai, especially if it's their first time.
Georgia_S, Dec 2024
Well-organized and comprehensive tour. The tour guide provided a wealth of information about the city and its culture.
Kendall_G, Nov 2024
I had an amazing tour with Boy! I was sooo and it felt like I was spending the day with a friend. He taught me so much about daily life in Chiang Mai, the history of the city, and Buddhism. I was even able to partake in some activities at the temples. He definitely showed me some hidden gems around the city as well. He knew I was interested in food and went above and beyond taking me to lunch and some street food vendors. I highly recommend this tour! Definitely request Boy as your guide!
Paul_G, Sep 2024
Our guy's name was Pipop. She was pleasant, friendly and knowledgeable. We saw a lot of things and got to know the city really well on took took and by foot. We started our tour at 11 AM so, in retrospect, Tour right through the hottest part of the day. If we would do it again we would start earlier or much later and avoid that 12 noon sun. She gave us lots of suggestions for things to do, places to eat and just fun stuff that allowed us to see how the locals live.
dqsqcjq9hv, Jul 2024
I would not recommend. Tour guide did not seem as knowledgable as other tours i’ve taken. Tour was not personable at all. I also got sick immediately after tasting the fruit that was provided on the tour. I only got 1 hour of the tour before i had to go back to my room. Save your money. Just book a cooking tour or tour of the temple instead.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Dear guest,
Thank you for your feedback regarding the "Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Chiang Mai Private Tour." We are truly sorry to hear about your experience.
We always take great care in selecting the places we visit to ensure they meet our high standards. It's unfortunate that you got sick after tasting the fruit provided. Please accept our sincerest apologies for any discomfort you experienced.
To address your concerns and improve our services, please contact us directly with your booking ID at info@withlocals.com, so, we get to know the host who provided the experience for you and check the places the host visits, provide your feedback. Your input is invaluable to us.
Best regards,
Withlocals team
Sophia, Jul 2024
What an amazing way to get acquainted with Chiang Mai, old town and the amazing food. Naphat was incredible and so knowledgeable and helpful - I cannot say enough great things about her. This is a must do!
Tad_T, Apr 2024
We had a great tour with Aei! It was very hot and she definitely adapted the tour for us to make it fun! Very knowledgeable, just the right mix of history and information. Her love of Chiang Mai and the Lanna heritage was evident throughout!
Alexandra_B, Apr 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed my time on this tour. My guide A was amazing - so friendly, knowledgeable and professional. She took me to all the good places while introducing me to the history of the city as well as local food, drinks and public transportation. This is a must do for anyone wanting to discover the highlights as well as back streets of Chiang Mai.
John_R, Feb 2024
Our guide, Ranata, was terrific in every way. A native of Chiang Mai, she was knowledgeable, bubbly, funny and caring about the quality of our experience. We would highly recommend her for anyone visiting Chiang Mai.
Michelle_G, Jan 2024
We had an excellent experience with May as our tour guide. She took a lot of time with us, and walked us all through the old city, as well as a couple of places outside the gates. She answered every question we had (which were many!), and took her time explaining all of the local customs in great detail. Without this tour we would have missed so many things in Chiang Mai and certainly would not have understood many of the things that go on in the temples. It was a very informative, entertaining, and spiritual tour. We absolutely loved it and recommend it to anyone!
Wendy_D, Jan 2024
We spent 3 hours wandering around Chiang Mai with Charin. He was super knowledgeable and shared many bits of interesting information with us. He showed us around some spots we would not have discovered on our own…..crafts shops, traditional Thai medicine, a Michelin starred noodle house, and a bustling market. We appreciated the “lessons” shared about Thai culture and the Buddhist tradition while sitting in the peace of the temples he showed us.
We rode around in the back of Charin’s “bus” to get from spot to spot, which was an adventure.
My only concern is the cost…we paid over $100 each for a total of $205 Cdn for the both of us. I just hope Charin is making that cash because I just booked us an 8 hour private ride, through our hotel, to Doi Suthep for tomorrow and it is costing half of that paid directly to the driver.
Joshua_W, Dec 2023
Thank you so much, for a wonderful tour with a local guide. My family and I had an enjoyable tour and my kids liked hearing the stories at the temples.
Sarah_F, Dec 2023
Great tour of the old city- tour guide Aei was great. Very knowledgeable - we got to try different things at the market.
Kylie_R, Dec 2023
Aei is an amazing guide. She was very knowledgeable & shared such interesting information. I so enjoyed this tour, it was like taking a walk with a friend. I would highly recommend this tour, especially with Aei. Thank you for sharing your wonderful history & culture with me 🙏
Jonathan_O, Nov 2023
It was a fantastic insight into Thai culture and society that really set the tone for our entire holiday. May (Purichat) was the most amazing guide who kept us informed and entertained the entire time. She was so great with our kids and answered all my random questions with aplomb. So many great sites and customs that we would never have discovered by ourselves; again it really helped with the entire trip. Ask May about the mystery of the 'Green Beatle' lol she will know!
Edel_C, Sep 2023
We wanted to experience true Chiang Mai & really enjoyed our tour with Charin. He is such a knowledgeable, interesting guide. Seeing the markets & everyone going about their daily business was fascinating. Each temple took our breath away & the novelty of whizzing around by Tuk tuk made it all the more memorable. Highly recommend the experience.
James_C, Jun 2023
Ratana was an excellent tour guide. She led us on an informative tour of Chiang Mai. This was a perfect thing for us to do on our first day to get a feel for the city.
Scott_H, Mar 2023
This was a great tour and Naphat was an amazing guide. She provided deep insight into the life of people in Chiang Mai, including the religion, food and every day life. Claire and I think she was a delight to spend time with.
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