Beyond the city center, there are many exciting attractions on the outskirts of Chiang Mai, ranging from natural landscapes and elephant cafes to photogenic spots.
Today, I’m sharing my itinerary for a chartered day trip from Chiang Mai. I personally decided on these locations and asked the driver to take us there, so it’s fully customized. Feel free to add or remove spots based on your own preferences!
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First Stop: Air Diamond Cafe & Hotel
This is a Chiang Mai cafe converted from a retired commercial airplane. Admission costs 150 THB (approx. $4.30 USD), which includes one beverage. The seating and decor inside are almost identical to a real plane, with careful attention paid to the space differences between business and economy classes. You can even visit the cockpit. Flight attendant and pilot uniforms are provided at the entrance for dress-up photos, making it a popular spot for families with kids.
Second Stop: Bua Tong Waterfalls (Sticky Waterfalls)
Bua Tong Waterfalls is about a 30-minute drive from the airplane cafe and has a parking lot, making it very convenient for a day trip from Chiang Mai with a private driver. From the parking lot, follow the signs for about 5 minutes to reach the waterfall entrance. Most people walk all the way down to the bottom tier and then climb back up. The descending path is well-paved, taking about 10 minutes to reach the lowest level.
The name “Sticky Waterfalls” comes from the high calcium carbonate content in the water. As the water flows over the rocks, it leaves a rough, high-friction mineral deposit on the surface. Unlike typical mossy rocks that are very slippery, these rocks provide a strong grip, allowing even children to climb them easily!
However, you should still be careful. Rocks with green moss on the surface remain very slippery! I suggest paying close attention to every step. There are ropes available throughout the climb to assist you, so the overall difficulty isn’t too high. Since you will definitely get wet, I recommend bringing a towel and a change of clothes to leave in the car.
As a side note, we had lunch here. There are about two restaurants nearby selling common Thai dishes like Pad Thai, roast chicken, and fried rice. They are affordable and delicious—perfect for a satisfying meal if you’re hungry.
👉 Recommended Private Car Charters: KKday, Klook
Third Stop: Dan Tewada Land of Angels Waterfall Park
This waterfall park is actually a man-made attraction. The entry fee is 80 THB (approx. $2.30 USD), which cannot be used to offset purchases inside. The park is quite large, featuring numerous waterfall installations with constant dry ice mist, creating a mystical “ethereal” vibe. Many people describe it as being in a fairy-tale scene like The Wizard of Oz.
In addition to the photogenic installations, there are gardens, animal interaction areas, and cafes. For those who love photography, it’s definitely worth adding to your day trip from Chiang Mai (I accidentally spent nearly two hours there). However, if you’re not particularly fond of taking photos, you might find it a bit dull.
Fourth Stop: Elely Cafe’ Mae Rim (Elephant Cafe)
This elephant cafe is situated right by the river, with outdoor tables lined along the bank. It’s incredibly chill to enjoy a drink while taking in the view. Elely Cafe’ Mae Rim is home to two rescued, retired elephants. Though they are older, they are absolutely adorable. You can buy bananas for 100 THB (approx. $2.85 USD) from the shop to feed them. The mahouts will gently guide them to interact with you. Seeing these gentle giants cutely asking for food is truly heart-melting!
Besides the elephants, the cafe is home to more than 10 dogs of various breeds. While sipping coffee, you’ll often have dogs come over for pets or see them running around on the grass, making for a very healing afternoon.
That concludes my itinerary for a chartered day trip from Chiang Mai. We booked the car for 8 hours, which was more than enough time. Finally, you can have the driver drop you off at your dinner location to wrap up the day seamlessly.
If you want to see more things to do in Chiang Mai, check the Chiang Mai attractions guide! Or if you want to find more special cafe, see Chiang Mai coffee shop guide!
Check some hot deals in Chiang Mai:
📌 Chiang Mai Elephant Care Experience: KKday, Klook
📌 Chiang Rai Day Tour: KKday, Klook
📌 Chiang Mai Private Charter: KKday, Klook
📌 Doi Suthep & Wat Pha Lat Sunrise Half-Day Tour: Klook
📌 Chiang Mai Elephant Care & Bamboo Rafting / Zipline Trip: Klook
📌 Grandma’s Home Cooking School Thai Cooking Class: Klook
