Chiang Mai | Thailand – 3 Day Travel Itinerary + Guide
Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, has become a Digital Nomad hotspot in the past couple of years. You should head to Chiang Mai after ticking off this 7 Day Phuket Dive + Travel Itinerary. A lot of amazing world class cafes have opened up, which perfectly compliment the existing cultural heritage and the local vibes. If you want to get a Traditional Sak Yant done or visit an Ethical Elephant Sanctuary or want to get some amazing Massages done or want to experiment with the local Thai cuisine – Chiang Mai is the place to be.
Read on to find out, how you can UNLOCK MASSIVE SAVINGS in Chiang Mai !
Contents
3 Day Chiang Mai Travel Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Chiang Mai | Check in to your hotel | Day at leisure
The best place to Stay in Chiang Mai has to be the Old Town. It’s near the Airport and very lively.
If you are wondering, Where To Stay in Chiang Mai Old Town? Here’s a list of our recommendations –
Hostels – Hostel One Art and Gallery | Sleep Walker Poshtel | Green Sleep Hostel | About A Bed Hostel Chiangmai
Hotels – Somwang Boutique Hotel | The Inside House | Decharme Hotel-SHA Plus | Wannamas Chiangmai Boutique House -SHA Extra Plus | Siripanna Villa Resort & Spa Chiang Mai | Siri Village Chiang Mai | Bodhi Serene, Chiang Mai
Once you check in, freshen up. Take a Chiang Mai Old Town Map from the front desk, and go on a self guided Walking Tour.
Did you know there are more than 300 temples in Chiang Mai ? This means that no matter how much time you spend walking around Chiang Mai, you’ll still run out of time.
The Saturday Night Market at Wua Lai Walking Street has to be there on your Chiang Mai Bucket List. Just stroll around, get a quick bite, browse through all the things, and go shopping if something fascinating catches your eyes.
Day 2 – Chiang Mai Full Day Adventure with TAGTHAi
If you might have read this 3 Day Bangkok Travel Itinerary, you would have already Unlocked Massive Savings in Bangkok.
Guess what, you can Unlock a ton of Savings in Chiang Mai as well, with the TAGTHAi Chiang Mai Day Pass.
For starters, TAGTHAi is an All in one Thailand Pass that is sure to elevate your Thailand experience to a different level altogether. It is an online App only pass, and you can download your TAGTHAi application from both iStore and Google Play Store.
The TAGTHAi Chiang Mai City Pass comes with a price tag of around 74 USD (The most expensive of the lot), but is totally Worth It, specially when you see, what’s all included.
Here are a couple of things you can tick off your Chiang Mai Bucket List with the TAGTHAi Chiang Mai Day Pass
➡️ Full Day / Half Day ticket to an ethical Elephant Sanctuary (includes feeding + walking + bathing the elephants + hotel transfers )
➡️ Thai Massage
➡️ White Water Rafting
➡️ Mae Ping River Cruise
➡️ Workshops (Umbrella making | Candle Making | Card Holder | Bisque Colouring | Lanna Fan )
➡️ Food and Beverage Vouchers from multiple partners
Even if you just end up doing 2-3 of the activities, you would Save more than you’ll spend.
Just make sure to make reservations one day prior, and you’re good to go.
We personally availed the TAGTHAi Chiang Mai City Pass by first crossing off the Half Day Elephant feeding + bathing experience with Elephant Discovery Chiang Mai and then finished the day with a relaxing 2.5 hour Massage session including Body Scrub + Hot Aromatherapy Oil Massage + Jacuzzi Floral Bath at Zira Spa.
Started the Day with a visit to Elephant Discovery Chiang Mai – had lots of fun feeding and bathing the elephants in an ethical setup
And ended the day with a relaxing and rejuvenating Massage at Zira Spa – HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
We could have utilised the day to tick off more experiences, but we just chose to explore Chiang Mai Old Town as we were to depart the next day.
In case you are wondering, how to go about exploring Chiang Mai with the TAGTHAi Chiang Mai Day Pass, here’s a recommended itinerary for you guys –
In Case you were wondering how does the TAGTHAi Pass Work?
Still not clear? Read on to get more clarity about the working of the TAGTHAi Pass
What are you waiting for?
Get The TAGTHAi Chiang Mai Day Pass here
Day 3 – Get a Traditional Sak Yant | Depart from Chiang Mai
If you are visiting Chiang Mai, then you have to get yourself a Traditional Sak Yant Tattoo as well.
Sak Yant if you are not aware, is a traditional Thai Tattoo, dating back to more than 2000 years, applied by a Ajarn ( A Monk who is a Sak Yant Master), while chanting prayers, using a bamboo stick, a steel needle and the ink.
A Traditional Sak Yant consists of three different components –
1️⃣ The Yantra
2️⃣ The Ancient Text
3️⃣ The Associated Mantra
Getting a Traditional Sak Yant Tattoo from an Ajarn is a very intimate experience.
You sit with the Ajarn and share about yourself and have a discussion with the Ajarn through a local guide who acts as a translator.
In this experience, it’s not you, but the Ajarn who decides what to Tattoo and it has to do with your aura.
The Ajarn through the ceremony offers power, protection, charisma and fortune to the bearer of the Sak Yant.
The Art and the Artist
In a nutshell, The Sak Yant is a combination of Tattoo design and Prayers administered as the tattoo is being made, and a final blessing to charge and activate it with the power of the Sak Yant Masters. It takes Sak Yant Masters years of training in the magical art and living a good and Spiritual life to gain the knowledge and power to create these personal charms.
For a Sak Yant to be real they must be done by a spiritual trained and qualified Sak Yant Master.
With the Sak Yant Master – Sompong Intalek
Please Note that the Sak Yant Tattoos can not be done from a tattoo shop!
Reaching the Ajarns home to discuss about yourself and finally getting the tattoo done, can easily take anywhere between 2-3 hours.
Ideally if you leave your hotel at 8 in the morning, to meet the Ajarn at 9 AM.
By 10:30 – 11 AM, you’ll be free.
So you can book your flights out of Chiang Mai accordingly. To be on the safer side, book something after 3 PM.
If you head to Bangkok, you should check out this 3 Day Bangkok Travel Itinerary. However, if you plan on heading south, this 7 Day Phuket Travel Itinerary might turn out to be helpful.
OR
If you are in a group, rent a 4 wheeler, and head to Norden Glamping to spend the day and night, surrounded by nature and away from the hustle bustle.
One of the most Luxurious Properties in Thailand, Norden Glamping is located 60 kms from Chiang Mai in Mae On, and is a delight to the eyes. It’s basically camping in the woods, but in an Ultra Modern luxurious setup.
The photos itself will convince you, to spend at least a night at Norden Glamping.
To book your stay at Norden Glamping, just drop them a message on their Instagram page.
The Beauty of Norden Glamping
No matter what, you have to experience at least a night at Norden Glamping in Chiang Mai, specially if you are with friends.
Disclaimer: No compensation was received for this article, however Norden Glamping offered our stay, and TAGTHAi offered us the Chiang Mai Day Pass complimentary. As always, the opinions on theETLRblog.com are (and always will be) my own!
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