Chiang Dao: Hot Springs, Caves, Coffee & Travel Tips
Located in northern Thailand’s Chiang Mai province, Chiang Dao is one of the most underrated stops on the Southeast Asia backpacking route.
The name translates to “City of Stars,” and it truly lives up to it – think – dramatic mountains, hidden cave temples, authentic local experiences, and some of the clearest night skies you’ll find in Thailand.
Despite its sleepy vibe, Chiang Dao is packed with things to see and do. Plus, its close proximity to Chiang Mai and Pai makes it an easy and worthwhile detour from the typical backpacker trail.
In this guide, we’ll share everything we did during our 4-day visit here, plus everything you need to plan your trip to Chiang Dao – where to stay, the best hikes and caves to explore, and unique cultural experiences like the Buddhist depiction of purgatory.
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How to Get to Chiang Dao via Public Transport
If you are not traveling by motorbike or private car, almost all transit to and from Chiang Dao will be from Chiang Mai.
Getting from Bangkok to Chiang Mai is easier than you’d think — we explain how in our full Bangkok to Chiang Mai transport guide.
Chiang Mai to Chiang Dao
The bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Dao is very easy and only takes around one hour.
You will take the bus terminating in Thaton/Fang from the Chang Phuak bus station, which is just north of the Old City.
The buses should run from 6am to around 7:30pm daily (but always check with the bus station) and will depart about every half an hour. We paid 70 baht ($2USD) each.
🍜 Want to try your hand at Thai cooking? We joined Grandma’s Home Cooking School in Chiang Mai — small group, local recipes, and the sweetest teachers. Full review here.
Pai to Chiang Dao
There is no direct public transport between Pai and Chiang Dao. To travel to Chiang Dao from Pai, you will first need to take a bus to Chiang Mai, then a second bus to Chiang Dao.
Chiang Rai to Chiang Dao
Similarly to Pai, there is no direct transport between Chiang Rai and Chiang Dao. You will also need to take a bus to Chiang Mai first, then on to Chiang Dao.
🔥 HOT TAKE: If you’re heading to Chiang Rai after Chiang Dao, consider taking a long boat from Tha Ton (at the Myanmar border) as an alternative to the bus. The scenery has to be seen to be believed!
How Many Nights Should I Spend in Chiang Dao?
We spent 3 nights in Chiang Dao. This was ample time to do everything we wanted to do without rushing around too much. Our basic itinerary included:
Day 1: Walking around town and enjoying the scenery
Day 2: Motorbiking to the hot spring and wat hopping
Day 3: Exploring the community spaces and coffee shops around town and visiting the night market in the evening
If you would like to explore the surrounding region further by motorbike, or perhaps do a day hike, it would be best to spend an extra night in Chiang Dao.
On the contrary, if you prefer to condense your visit down to 2 days, you could absolutely see the best bits of the town on a shorter itinerary as well.
Can I take a day trip to Chiang Dao?
You can — if your goal is to see the temples, soak in the hot springs, and grab a coffee or two. Those spots alone make it worth the trip.
But honestly, about 70% of Chiang Dao’s charm comes from slowing down and soaking up the mountain vibe, so a quick visit won’t quite do it justice.
👉 Seeking more hidden gems in Thailand? Read our list of the must-visit places on your first trip.
When is the Best Time to Visit Chiang Dao?
The best parts of Chiang Dao are outdoors – wats, hot springs, trekking, and open air cafes. It is worth visiting at any time of year.
However, we’d recommend visiting during the dry season to make the most of good weather.
November to February is the dry season in Northern Thailand. We visited in early January and found the weather to be ideal – not TOO hot and no rain!
The best day in Chiang Dao is Thursday because of the night market. If your plans are flexible, make an effort to plan your time around the market.
Lucky for us, we stayed from Tuesday to Friday. As a result, we were able to visit the market, and avoid local weekend crowds.
Where to Stay in Chiang Dao
For a small town, Chiang Dao offers visitors a variety of accommodation options.
You can choose to stay in the town itself, or take your pick of the many eco-hotels and guesthouses near Chiang Dao cave.
Budget Option – Chiang Dao Hostel
Chiang Dao Hostel: A clean, friendly hostel right in town. Even the private rooms come close in price to a dorm bed if you’re sharing, making it a smart choice for travelers on a budget.
Midrange Option – Bougain Villas
Bougain Villas: Set amongst fields and farmland, enjoy room service and a great pool, all with an INSANE view of Doi Chiang Dao.
Fancy Option – The View Chiang Dao
The View Chiang Dao: A small, modern hotel with a pool and sleek design. Rooms are comfortable, airy, and come with stunning views of Doi Chiang Dao (the tallest mountain in Thailand).
It’s the perfect spot if you want a polished, fuss-free stay in town without losing that connection to the surrounding mountains.
Near the Hills & Temples (Mid-Range Option) – Chiang Dao Roundhouses
Chiang Dao Roundhouses: One of the most unique stays in Chiang Dao, the Roundhouses are exactly what they sound like — cozy, circular clay huts built with sustainability in mind.
We low key love an outdoor bathroom so this will definitely be our next pick when we come back to Chiang Dao!
🌄 You can find all of our top picks for where to stay in Chiang Dao here. We break down our favorite hostels, guesthouses, and hotels by area and budget.
Things to Do in Chiang Dao
There is more to do in the small town of Chiang Dao than many other bigger places in Thailand!
From exploring wats inside caves to sipping coffee with mountain views, you’ll never be without a good time.
Go Wat Hopping
Wat Mae Ead
Wat Mae Ead is a beautiful temple that depicts the Buddhist version of purgatory. Wander around the grounds admiring the art, statues, and mountain views in one of the most unique temples in Thailand.
Wat Tham Chaing Dao (Chiang Dao Cave)
Hands down the coolest wat we visited in Thailand. Wat Tham Chaing Dao, commonly called Chiang Dao Cave, is housed deep within a cave in the mountains that surround Chiang Dao.
The striking blue fish pond outside the temple bordered by colorful prayer clothes make for a magical experience. If you only visit one temple in Chiang Dao, make it this one!
Wat Tham Pha Plong
Wat Tham Pha Plong sits just a short distance from Chiang Dao Cave. Equally, it offers a completely different experience.
Visiting the temple requires a walk up a few hundred stairs – but don’t worry, it’s not too difficult!
There are multiple landings with benches to enjoy the jungle views along the way up and the staircase is lined with Buddhist proverbs to contemplate as you make your way to the top.
TOP TIP: Rent a motorbike in town or at your accommodation and plan a whole day of wat hopping. All three wats are easy to visit in one day, so why not hit them all at once! We paid 300 baht ($8USD) for a 24 hour motorbike rental.
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Visit Community Spaces
Makhampom Art Space Chiang Dao
A community art space that hosts both temporary and permanent exhibitions that are free to the public. Only a short walk or motorbike ride from the center, the art space also hosts a cute cafe to enjoy a coffee.
The cafe is closed on Mondays but the space is open daily to visitors.
Indulge in the Day and Night Markets
Chiang Dao Morning market
The morning market opens at dawn for restaurants and locals to buy wholesale produce. If you are just looking for a good meal, arrive by 8:30am for a local breakfast.
Night market & walking street
Thursday evenings in Chiang Dao mean pedestrian-only streets, night market food stalls, and local goods sold at very affordable prices.
We sampled everything from Thai corn dogs, to pad thai, to taro milk tea at the market. Look out for stalls with second-hand clothing and local art as well.
This is a true local market – one of the only of its kind we visited in Thailand!
Swim at the Hot Springs and Waterfalls
Pong Arng Hot Spring
Located about a 30 minute drive outside of town, Pong Arng Hot Spring is set within a National Park area.
There are multiple pools of varying temperatures, restrooms, and changing facilities within the park and the 100 baht ($2.70USD) ticket fee also includes entrance to Sri Sangwan Waterfall up the road.
Sri Sangwan Waterfall
A gorgeous limestone waterfall series with pools available for swimming. The walk around all four waterfalls takes around an hour and is a lovely way to spend a morning around Chiang Dao!
Entry is 100 baht ($2.70USD) but includes access to Pong Arng Hot Spring as well (no need for two tickets if you’ve already visited the spring!)
Should you wish to stay a little longer, there is a cafe on site close to the first waterfall as well as campsites and cabins for overnight visits!
Chiang Dao Hot Spring
Chiang Dao Hot Spring is a free hot spring about a 10 minute drive from Chiang Dao town.
The spring offers dedicated tanks filled with hot water and there are also private tanks available for a fee if the free tanks are busy.
The water at Chiang Dao Hot Spring is known for its sulfur scent. If you think the smell may bother you, check out Pong Arng Hot Spring instead.
TOP TIP: The longer drive to Pong Arng Hot Springs from Chiang Dao town means almost no crowds, making it a great alternative to Chiang Dao Hot Spring during busier periods.
Go Mountain Trekking
Trekking in Chiang Dao is not possible without a guide. Attempting to trek on your own may result in arrest, so don’t risk it.
The most popular trek in the region is Doi Luang Chiang Dao – Thailand’s third tallest peak.
You can book a tour at the park office, but make sure you do this at least one day in advance to ensure availability. A guide will cost around 1000 baht ($28USD).
Alternatively, you can make your life a bit easier and book a tour in advance. A few multi-day treks are available from both Chiang Mai and Chiang Dao.
Had we planned in advance, we absolutely would have booked this tour!
Sip in Coffee Shops
There is no shortage of cool coffee shops in Chiang Dao. These are just a few of our favorites, but there are no doubt more popping up all the time.
Chong Ayng x Slow bar – An uber stylish cafe with stunning views over the surrounding mountains. There’s nothing quite like an airy cafe with strong coffee – don’t miss this spot!
Mountainella Cafe – A fancier cafe with great coffee and Western-style pastries. If you’re craving a Western breakfast (or just enjoy a good cake), we recommend spending some time here.
Lonely Cup – Another amazing coffee shop in Chiang Dao. Strong coffee and alternative milks are available here (including oat milk) and the space is stylish and cool.
Chai Cafe – This cafe is ideally positioned right between Wat Tham Plong and Chiang Dao Cave. Stop for lunch or just a drink here between wat hopping to give you energy to enjoy the rest of your day.
Hoklhong Coffee – Located on the outskirts of town Hoklhong is a green oasis with incredible local coffee.
Doiluang Crayfish Farm to Cafe – A local crayfish farm turned cafe and restaurant. We walked over here after a visit to Makhampom Art Space and enjoyed a bowl of french fries with our thai teas overlooking the Chiang Dao mountains.
MonMo Cafe – One of the only cafes open late into the afternoon and evening in Chiang Dao. MonMo has both indoor and outdoor seating and sells coffee, teas, and even local craft sodas.
Try Northern Thai Food
The food in Chiang Dao was nothing short of incredible.
Honestly, the best way to eat here is to walk in where you see locals, but we want to share some of the best of the best we tried during our time in Chiang Dao.
ขนมจีนน้ำเงี้ยว ข้าวซอย ป้าเย็น – Copy and paste to eat incredible Thai food close to Wat Tham Plong and Chiang Dao Cave! We found this spot by pulling over on our motorbike where we saw locals eating – no regrets.
ก๋วยเตี่ยวไก่ตุ๋นเชียงดาว – Another very local noodle shop. Stop here for local prices and food you’d find in a Thai home – just make sure you have Google Translate downloaded for the menu and to order!
Pornpen 2498 Braised Pork Legs – A great spot for a local breakfast – open only between 7am and 2:30pm. Order the stewed pork on rice to try the restaurant’s classic dish.
Chiang Dao daily soup (qwai tiew) – We ate a delicious lunch here at the recommendation of our hostel owner. A classic Thai experience of ordering the daily available menu.
เด่น ก๋วยเตี๋ยวลูกชิ้นแคระเชียงดาว – We ate here two nights in a row because the soup was SO good. If you like spice, order the spicy sour broth – truly one of the best meals we had in Thailand.
Chiang Dao Nest 2 – Located at a resort in the mountains, Nest 2 is the perfect place for fancy Thai food or a date-night splurge.
Is Chiang Dao Worth It?
We took a chance on Chiang Dao as an alternative to visiting Pai – and boy are we glad we did.
Chiang Dao surprised us with its unique wats, numerous hot springs, incredible food, and super cool coffee shops – we did not expect so much diversity in such a small town!
A visit to Chiang Dao is worth your time. Whether you’re looking for a luxury eco-resort in the mountains or a multi-day jungle trek (or both!) – there is something for everyone.
We absolutely recommend a visit to Chiang Dao before it’s no longer a hidden gem!
Have some burning questions on Northern Thailand? We have answers:
🤔 Planning how to fit Chiang Dao into your Thailand trip? Our three week Thailand itinerary and one month route through Thailand will help you decide.
