Nature Trail to Doi Pui peak

This royal winter palace has lavishly landscaped gardens and is open to the public. Dress code strictly applied: dress modestly or pay 15 baht for fisherman's pants to cover your lack of it. This includes any leg above the ankle for either gender. The palace (built in 1961) is not particularly exciting, but the extensive gardens are picturesque with some amazing plant life, including carefully tended tropical flowers, centuries-old trees and giant bamboo. A sign at the bottom of the hill near the zoo indicates when it's closed. It is close to Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, so travel directions are similar.

The quintessential image of Chiang Mai with its large gilded chedi, visible from the city on a clear day. Built in 1383 during the Lanna Thai period, legend has it that the temples site was selected by an elephant sent to roam the mountain side, where upon reaching a suitable spot, it trumpeted, circled three times, knelt down and promptly died, which was interpreted as a sign indicating an auspicious site. The temple offers grand views over the city, but no reward is without effort as you must accent the 200-plus steep steps of the Naga-lined stairs. The climb may be a strain in the high altitude's thin air for the less fit, so you may opt to take the cable car for 20 baht. For the Visaka Bucha holiday around May each year, it is traditional for people to walk from the zoo to the temple and vast numbers make the pilgrimage to the top, which takes around 4–5 hours.

The International Buddhist Centre offers short and long residential courses in Vipassana meditation in English. A brand new centre, including accommodation and a vitara (chanting hall), is now open.

Some buildings at the road, but turn left to go down to the actual temple. Nice views from the temple. The monk trail passes through the temple grounds.

At the foot of Doi Suthep on Huay Kaew Rd. Look for a large Buddhist shrine (Kruba Srivichai Monument) on your left after travelling past the entrance to Chiang Mai Zoo. Turn left into the market at the back of the shrine, and keep walking up the hill. You will come to the waterfalls after about 5 minutes. The pools at the bottom of the waterfalls are not really big enough for swimming, but are a great place to cool off at the height of summer. During the dry season some of the waterfalls dry up. Head for the high ground and you will still find pools full of fresh water. There are usually quite a few students hanging out there from the nearby university, who will happily practice their English conversational skills with you.

A large park with over 400 species of animals, extremely popular with Thai tourists, and long queues may be encountered during Thai holidays. While better than some zoos, many animals are nevertheless kept in small enclosures. The zoo operates a dual pricing system wherein non-Thais are charged approximately double the price of Thai nationals. Additional charges are applied for the aquarium. Many of the animals can be fed for a charge of 10 or 20 baht. The park is pretty large, and expect plenty of hills if you want to walk the complete route, so taking the "tram," which is an open-air cart, is a faster and more convenient way to get around, though the last tram starts at 16:30. It's possible to drive through with your car, and there are parking spots next to the animal exhibits. If you have a rental scooter or bike, definitely bring it though. The zoo closes at 17:00, but many visitors wander to the exit gate well past closing time.