After leaving the lovely island of Koh Samui, I was lucky to be able to spend two amazing weeks in one of Thailand's capital cities, Chiang Mai. There were so many fascinating sites to visit and activities to take part in that I almost didn't know where to start. Here are some of my favorite places that I encountered in this charming city in northern Thailand.

Elephant Jungle Sanctuary

If you would like to feed, pet, and become friends with elephants, Chiang Mai is definitely the place to do that. I recommend visiting an elephant sanctuary because it's usually the most ethical way to interact with these friendly giants. The elephant sanctuary I visited was called Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. For just 2,400 baht, I spent a full day feeding, petting, and taking mud baths with elephants. That day, I met an adorable baby elephant named Boon and his mother — a positive experience that I found much more exciting and enjoyable than watching them perform or riding them.

Boon the baby elephant and his mother at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary

The Harbour

This open-air mall in Chiang Mai is a nice place to relax, eat delicious local Thai food, and shop. The area really comes to life during the evening, as vendors set up booths to sell even more apparel, food, drinks, and other goodies. You can sit down at a restaurant or stop by one of the booths for street food, and there is usually live music at many of the venues along the main walkway. The decor is another reason that I loved this place. As you enter the main walkway, you are sheltered by a stream of vibrantly colored umbrellas that hang above the path.

Canopy of umbrellas at The Harbour

Chiang Mai Old City

Chiang Mai has a lot of places to go for nightlife, but the main place I found myself was Chiang Mai Old City. A quick Saturday night Google search for bars and clubs led me to a place called Zoe in Yellow at the intersection of Ratchaphakhinai Road and Ratvithi Road. That night, Zoe in Yellow was a bit overcrowded with drunk, boisterous party-goers spilling over onto the streets. I was not really in the mood for that, so I found a smaller venue called Havana Saloon in the same complex of bars and clubs. The DJ played a mix of hip hop and R&B songs — both current hits and throwbacks — which is more like my kind of vibe. If that isn’t your scene, there are a number of other clubs on the same block that host DJs and live music from a variety of genres, including reggae, rock, and EDM.

Havana Saloon in Chiang Mai Old City

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

This temple in Chiang Mai sits majestically at the top of a mountain called Doi Suthep. The journey up the mountain provides a gorgeous scenic route, so I would highly suggest hiking or driving a scooter to get the best views of the landscape. Once at the temple, there is a long staircase made up of 306 steps that you can climb to reach the very top, but there is also a lift available for a small fee if the climb seems too tiresome. At the top of the stairs, where the heart of the temple lies, there are numerous shrines and monuments, many shrouded in gold, not to mention the bountiful gardens. Overall, this temple exudes a royal aesthetic that you should experience in person if you have the opportunity.

Golden statues at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

This market is a shopaholic’s dream. The line of vendors and artisans stretches about one kilometer long on both sides of the street, and if you don’t mind haggling a bit, you can walk away with some interesting novelties to take back home. In addition to street vendors, there is an open-air food court with variety of foods and drinks. There was also a live band playing when I went there, which, coupled with the beautiful starry sky, created the atmosphere of the quintessential summer night outdoors.

Food court at Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

Wat Mo Kham Tuang

I came across this temple while wandering around the city one day. It did not seem to attract as much attention from tourists as the other temples, but it was one of my favorite ones because of the regal architecture and the peaceful ambiance that seemed to surround it. Across the street from this temple, there is a pleasant little stream and a pedestrian bridge, where you can see the large graceful figure in gold, sitting cross-legged and sublime, contentedly smiling down at the passersby below. I walked across the bridge to take more photos from afar, but my favorite photos were most certainly the ones I captured from the terrace of this magnificent structure.

Wat Mo Kham Tuang

Art in Paradise

Art in Paradise is an interactive art museum near the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. The museum features over 130 paintings illustrated on 2D surfaces, but they each create the illusion of 3D art. Visitors are encouraged to pose and take photos with each piece, and the results range from silly to surreal.

Me interacting with some of my favorite paintings at Art in Paradise (Chiang Mai)