48 Hours In Chiang Mai: Where To Eat, Stay and Play

Thailand’s unofficial second city is a stark contrast to bustling Bangkok, but while this less frenetic city’s charm may lie in its unhurried vibe, its creative and culinary scenes are booming.

Megan Arkinstall spends TWO DAYS exploring cool, calm and collected Chiang Mai.

DAY ONE

8am

Start your day on the right foot with a coffee from Akha Ama Coffee La Fattoria, located in Chiang Mai’s Old City. Set up by Lee Ayu in 2010, this social enterprise was created to help his Akha hilltribe community sell their coffee beans at a fair price.

Sourced straight from the hilltribe’s farms, Akha Ama’s (Ama means ‘mother’ in the Akha language) the single-origin beans are roasted, brewed and served in three locations around the city.

Start your day off right with a coffee from Akha Ama Coffee La Fattoria

9am

With more than 300 temples (wats) in Chiang Mai, temple hopping may seem like an overwhelming task. Thankfully the Old City, which is easily navigable at just one-square-mile in size, is home to some great examples.

Absolute must-sees include the 14th-century Wat Phra Singh, one of the finest examples of Lanna-style architecture resplendent in teak carvings and gold; and the 15th-century Wat Chedi Luang, which houses a revered standing Buddha, giant reclining Buddha, and formerly enshrined Thailand’s all-important Emerald Buddha. Also within walking distance is Wat Phan Tao, constructed entirely of teak; Wat Chiang Man, the city’s oldest wat; and the Three Kings Monument.

11am

Khao Soi, the famous curry noodle dish of the north, is so good at Grandma’s Khao Soi it often sells out before 1pm, so we recommend you hightail it here mid-morning. Located between Wat Rajamontean and Wat Khuan Khama, the nondescript shop can be easily overlooked, so keep your eyes peeled.

Served with chicken, pork or beef, topped with crispy noodles and accompanied by lime and chillies, the broth is rich and deliciously spicy.

Behold, Khao Soi: the famous curry noodle dish of the north

2pm

Beat the afternoon heat for a couple of hours and retreat to Fah Lanna Spa. Located in a quiet street in the northern part of the Old City, it has 25 treatment rooms set around a central leafy tropical garden featuring a wooden walkway and several ponds.

Try Tok Sen massage, a style that is unique to Chiang Mai based on ancient Lanna wisdom. It aims to clear blocked energy using a wooden tool, similar to a hammer and chisel, to ease muscle tension through physical and sound vibration.

4pm

On the eastern side of the Mae Ping River is the riverfront neighbourhood of Wat Ket. Sweet-toothed travellers will love family-owned boutique bakery Forest Bake, which is housed in an adorable petite log cabin. Here you can pick up fresh bread made from natural wild yeast and hand-kneaded dough, as well as cakes and desserts that look as good as they taste.

If you’re a tea lover, be sure to stop at the oh-so-pretty Vieng Joom on Teahouse, which offers up to 50 varieties of tea from all over the world to enjoy in house or take home.

6pm

Stop in for an early dinner at Woo Cafe, which serves a Thai fusion cuisine in the most blooming beautiful setting (the space is literally filled with flowers) and also houses an art gallery and lifestyle shop.

The Riverside Bar & Restaurant is also just down the road and is a popular spot to enjoy a cocktail on the river with live music every night.

Woo Cafe is literally filled with flowers

8pm

Retreat back to 137 Pillars House, also located in Wat Ket. Housed in the historic 125-year-old Baan Borneo, the former northern headquarters for the East Borneo Trading Company, the homestead was lovingly restored from a crumbling ruin to a luxury 30-suite boutique hotel.

The original teak beauty oozes old-world charm and each spacious room has a private balcony overlooking the tranquil gardens.

Retreat back to the tranquil 137 Pillars House, located in Wat Ket

DAY TWO

7am

Start your day at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, one of the country’s most sacred temples. Tucked away in the mountains north-west of the Old City, the 14th-century wat offers panoramic views of Chiang Mai at 1056 metres above sea level and is reached via a dragon-shaped Naga staircase (309 steps).

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10.30am

Back down to Earth, Nimmanhaemin Road (or Nimman, as it is commonly known) is a trendy area with a heap of hipster-style cafes, premium shops and art galleries.

Your mid-morning coffee choices are endless – try the minimal, all-white Barisotel by The Baristro; Ristr8to known for its mind-blowing latte art; or the industrial-cool Graph at shopping and cultural centre One Nimman where you’ll also find a collection of designer boutiques.

You’ll find industrial-cool Graph at shopping and cultural centre One Nimman

12.30pm

Think Park is located at the northern end of Nimmanhaemin Road and is an open-air lifestyle space with restaurants, cafes and shops; there’s often live music and festivals held here throughout the year.

There are plenty of places to lunch in the Nimman area, but a popular pick is Rustic and Blue, an eclectic cafe with a farm-to-table ethos. The menu features hearty Western-style dishes including vegan options, as well as artisanal bread, homemade seasonal jam, homemade ice-cream and more.

Rustic and Blue is the eclectic cafe with a farm-to-table ethos

2pm

If you’re an arts and crafts buff, be sure to make your way to Bo Sang Handicraft Centre on San Kamphaeng Road, around 10 kilometres south-east of the Old City. Along this road you’ll find a plethora of workshops and showrooms selling the likes of pottery, silverware, sculptures, jewellery, wooden carvings, paper parasols and silk products.

4pm

Take the time to visit MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum, a converted warehouse with a striking mirrored facade, also located in the San Kamphaeng area. It features one family’s private collection of contemporary Thai art, as well as temporary exhibitions in a range of disciplines.

6.30pm

It’s time to hit the night markets – if not for the bargain souvenirs, then for the lively atmosphere, cheap street food and pretty, colourful lanterns hanging from the trees. The stalls stretch on for two blocks, selling everything from silk to handbags to traditional Thai bites such as sai oua (northern Thai sausage), aab (spicy salad) and sticky rice.

9.30pm

After a busy day of shopping and eating, head to the cosy surrounds of Jack Bain’s Bar (back at 137 Pillars House) to relax over a cocktail before calling it a day. Try the signature Aged Teak, with malt whisky, red vermouth and grapefruit juice, served alongside charred cinnamon sticks.

After youth-led protests in 2025, this year Nepal elected a 35-year-old former rapper as Prime Minister. In a country where tourism is its biggest industry, what’s next for travellers?

In 1986, Nepal changed its clock. It had used India Standard Time since 1920 so, to differentiate, it wound its clock 15 minutes ahead of, not behind, its big-brother neighbour. Boss move. “Nepal is strongly opposed to the idea that our identity is connected to India,” says Community Homestay Network (CHN) guide Bikal Khanal.

Tharu dance is traditionally set to hand drums. (Credit: Kate Lewis)

Today, Nepal is the only independent country with a 45-minute deviation to universal time; an oddity that’s become a symbol of national pride. The quirk is nearly as endearing as Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan airport where carved varnished wood and shiny red bricks rule. One sign points to a ‘Travelator’ and another to a ‘Grievance Handling Desk’ while visas are noisily stamped at customs for US dollars, cash only. When am I?

Spot the endemic Nepal gray langur. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

The 15 or 45 minute anomaly sees me tap out completely on timezone calculations. Why bend my brain calculating if it’s quarter to or quarter past elsewhere when I’m in the honking here and now of Kathmandu where the air is high-altitude crisp, the prayer flags flutter and the street dogs howl?

How tourism is changing in Nepal

Bardiya National Park is rich with wildlife. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

India is not the only association many Nepalis would like to shake. With eight of the world’s 10 tallest mountains, including Mount Everest and Annapurna, Nepal has long attracted mountaineers and trekkers, and expedition numbers are continuing to rise.

Tourism is one of the country’s biggest sources of foreign currency, so this growth is not negative, per se. But according to Ang Tshering Lama, who co-founded Phaplu Mountain Bike Club, being reduced to a mere trekking destination is limiting.

“Trekking is just one layer of our identity,” says Ang. “When it becomes the dominant narrative, it limits how we’re seen and how we see ourselves.” Nepal’s recent success, however, in diverting trekkers to less-trafficked areas such as Manaslu mofuntain, where visitor numbers rose by 117 per cent last year, offers hope that tourism can diversify even more radically.

Local men in Bhada village. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

The founder of CHN, Shiva Dhakal, wants that change. “The whole idea of the Community Homestay Network is to promote experiences outside of trekking,” he says. “Community tourism changes lives and helps kids stay home instead of coming to the city or migrating to the Middle East.”

Ang grew up seeing people leave, “not because they wanted to but because there weren’t enough opportunities to stay”, he states. Yet from remote villages to living traditions; food, art, music and emerging subcultures, “there’s so much that’s not being seen.”

CHN is opening some of those doors. It doesn’t own, or fund, any homes. Rather, it promotes homestays to travellers on a single, slick platform, while fostering entrepreneurship in places where women, marginalised castes, Indigenous people and the youth stand to benefit the most.

A new generation demanding more

Dalla Town Hall, where volunteers discuss anti-poaching tactics. (Credit: Bheem Thapa)

The future prospects of next-gen Nepalis can no longer be ignored. On a Kathmandu tour with 33-year-old guide Monica K.C, we pass buildings torched in the September 2025 ‘Gen Z protests’, including the Supreme Court and Parliament House. Seventy-two people died. “They were anti-corruption protests,” says Monica. “Politicians’ children are living a lavish life but the airports are crowded with youngsters leaving to find work.”

We stop in ‘little Tibet’ at the wondrous sixth-century Boudha Stupa. “The wheel of life is Buddhism in a nutshell,” says Monica. “Things such as hate, ignorance and anger keep you rotating around the wheel, so you must follow the principles of Buddhism to detach. If you can’t, there’s no nirvana for you.”

Boudha Stupa's prayer wheels — Boudha Stupa’s prayer wheels are used to recite Buddhist prayers. (Credit: Kate Lewis)

In a sun-drenched twist to the usual temple visit, we ascend the stupa’s sloping plinth and roam its whitewashed dome. Tendrils of diaphanous prayer flags stream from a steeple-like structure where the Buddha’s unblinking eyes stare out. No nirvana for you…

bouda stupa prayer flags — Tibetan-style prayer flags embellish the whitewashed dome of Bouda Stupa, a Buddhist temple. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

The dome is delightfully free of guard rails or chiding from security. There is, however, a stern ‘No TikTok’ sign, perhaps in response to the youth’s newly flexed power. The booted-out Prime Minister, K.P. Sharma Oli, was replaced in a resounding election victory in March by 35-year-old Balendra Shah of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) – a former rapper and mayor of Kathmandu. The RSP’s manifesto indicates tourism is a priority, and that Nepal’s cultural identity in areas such as gastronomy will be strengthened.

Boudha Stupa vendors — Vibrant souvenir shops and cafes around Boudha Stupa. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

A more confronting stop awaits at Pashupatinath Temple. Today is Bala Chaturdashi, a Hindu festival where thousands of devotees gather to honour their dead ancestors. Vendors hauling foam mattresses do a lucrative trade as people set up for a night of vigil. This includes burning the bodies of recently deceased relatives on bamboo pyres in the Bagmati River, which flows into the sacred Ganges.

A woman at annual Hindu festival Bala Chaturdashi, in Kathmandu. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

Wrapped in a shroud, the bodies are positioned with their heads facing north to the Himalayas where Lord Shiva resides. They’re covered with flowers and straw and set alight by male family members.

Hours later, the ashes are swept into the river where devotees will take a holy dip the next day. As much as Monica assures us it’s not voyeuristic to watch, I struggle to do so. “Here you see the reality of life because everyone ends up there,” she says, gesturing to the river.

Life unfiltered in the Terai region

tharu woman — Tharu woman and master weaver Parbati Chaudhary in Bhada Village. (Credit: Bheem Thapa)

The reality of life needs processing time, which the western Terai region delivers in spades. The Terai is largely separated from India by the Karnali River and Bardiya National Park, where elephants, rhinos and the elusive Bengal tiger roam.

Once a nomadic tribe, the Indigenous Tharu people are now the largest ethnic group here. “They didn’t know their daily life was interesting for international travellers but they’re starting to understand now,” says CHN founder Shiva.

Take a Jeep safari through Bardiya National Park. (Credit: Bheem Thapa)

We fly Buddha Air to Dhangadhi airport and drive five hours to stay in Tharu homes. The journey to Bhada village is a blur of roadside fruit stalls, traffic-stopping sacred cows and fields sown with wheat, rice, mustard, spinach, cauliflower and potatoes. Nepal’s agriculture feeds only Nepal.

Marigolds are an important part of Hindu rituals. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

“The only thing we export is young people,” says our guide Bikal. As the light dims and we plunge evermore rural, mysterious mounds of compacted hay – some house-sized – loom like the creatures from Where The Wild Things Are. Even our trusty driver gets flummoxed by a dirt road that abruptly ends and we find ourselves hurtling across a paddock.

On arrival, some are ferried to mud-walled cottages greened by gourd creepers, with thatched roofs and rustic-chic mosquito nets. Myself and two others are ushered to the home of corner store owner, mechanic and mushroom farmer Man Kumar Chilaruwa and his wife Rajkumari.

community homestay entrance — A warm welcome at a community homestay. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

They escort us to a bunker-esque back building with steel doors and a folding security gate, behind which is gleaming linoleum, dolphin-printed tiles and a shower cavity that must be gingerly stepped through to reach the toilet.

The ceiling lights emit a rainbow of colours (the bathroom light gets stuck in, frankly, a quite frightening red). We’re nevertheless touched that our hosts invested in all this bling when the average salary is around $275 a month.

In the coming days, we participate in Tharu traditions such as making moonshine, dancing, weaving straw handicrafts and gold-panning. We’re fed well with staples of rice, mustard greens, lentil pancakes, daal, curried chicken and tomato chutney served on antibacterial saal leaves.

food at community homestay — Dig in. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

Sonara community homestay president Indradevi Tharu tells us river snails are often served, and the boiled and pickled flesh of rats hunted in the rice fields. “Perhaps next time?” we say and all have a laugh.

The power of community homestays

community homestay owners in Nepal — Barda community homestay owners Parbati Chaudhary and Ram Krishni Devi Chaudhary. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

Immersing Western visitors in foreign cultural practices is not new. But with the Tharu, I never get that uneasy sensation that I’m being performed for. Despite being the only tourists, there’s no ‘othering’; just warm, composed and ultra-dignified welcomes. Like we’ve always been here.

“I love to have travellers in my village so I can see the world,” says local woman Parbati Chaudhary. “Why would I travel the world when the world comes to me?”

The graceful acceptance the Tharu offer, as well as the slow pace, works miracles on my frazzled nervous system. One day I even take a nap on a vacant homestay bed.

Sonara community room — An authentic stay in the Sonara community. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

Roosters strut and goats bray as we sit on the ground in al fresco kitchens, rolling rice flour into cylinders steamed to make dhikri (dumplings). When water is needed, we fetch it using a hand-operated pump as a family of ducks strolls by, side-eying us like curious neighbours.

Animal lovers will delight in Tharu villages. Kind and resourceful inventions are everywhere, such as snacking stations where two posts lean together, with leafy boughs dangling on rope for baby goats to forage from.

CHN’s CEO, Aayusha Prasain, nods knowingly when one in our group says she cried when she left her host, Shayam Chaudhary, in Bhada. Shayam’s 17-year-old son, Prashant, had translated, which deepened the connection.

“Community tourism turns travel into a relationship, not a transaction,” says Aayusha. “It places decision-making power in the hands of local communities, especially women and youth.” Since 2018, CHN has hosted more than 4000 travellers from 52 countries in 408 households, and estimates women’s participation has increased by 381 per cent.

In the Bardiya community, where vexing human-animal conflict has been a balancing act for decades due to elephants raiding crops, long-time homestay operator Salik Ram Chaudhary says young people keep the older ones on their toes.

“We can’t keep homestays stagnant,” he says. “We have to upgrade our service and redefine our product or young people won’t see it as an attractive business. If we can keep evolving with this travelling trend we’re confident the youths will stay and continue it.”

Back in Kathmandu, Monica explains that after the deaths of young protestors in September, a determination had spread to not let their sacrifice be in vain. “We want to keep holding the government accountable,” she says. “We don’t know what situation we’re facing, but we’re ready to face it.”

Interested in Nepal but prefer to experience it in total comfort? Read our guide to luxury travel in Nepal.

How to spend 48 hours in Chiang Mai