Multi-day road trips in Northern Thailand are some of the most popular ways to explore the region. They give you the freedom to visit harder-to-reach towns, take detours to hidden waterfalls and check out random places on the map that you wouldn’t be able to do on a regular tour. The Mae Salong Loop is no different. Starting and ending in Chiang Mai, this loop takes you to the most northern parts of Thailand, up to tea fields and over to the popular city of Chiang Rai. It’s well worth the trip.
Table of Contents
What’s the Mae Salong Loop Route?
The Mae Salong Loop starts and finishes in Chiang Mai and visits 3 main destinations; Chiang Dao, Mae Salong and Chiang Rai. You could do the loop in reverse order but we think ending on Chiang Rai is a great way to finish the loop as it has a bunch to do.
As said in our Mae Hong Son Loop Guide, the Mae Salong Loop is just as much about the journey as it is about the destinations. So, make sure you stop at destinations between the towns like waterfalls, caves, cafes and maybe a Japanese-style Theme Park. This guide provides you with all you need to know about the route and has ideas of itineraries for each day; what to do on the road, in the town, where to eat and where to stay!
How Long Does It Take?
This itinerary takes 5 days to complete, regardless of if you start from Pai or Chiang Mai. The route takes you to the towns of Chiang Dao and Mae Salong, and the popular city of Chiang Rai.
On this itinerary, you spend 1 night in Chiang Dao, 1 night in Mae Salong and 2 nights in Chiang Rai before heading back to Chiang Mai. It is possible to spend an extra night in Chiang Dao and Mae Salong if you are interested in hiking. However, we found that even with just 1 night in these destinations we were happy with how much we had explored. If you have extra time to complete the loop, I recommend spending an extra night in Chiang Rai as there’s so much to do here.
It’s worth noting though that this itinerary is just as much about the journey as the destination. Some of our favourite stops along the Mae Salong Loop were places we discovered on the road. Waterfalls, Japanese theme parks, picturesque cafes and impressive temples are just some of the things you can experience on this trip.
Mae Salong Loop 5-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Drive from Chiang Mai/Pai to Chiang Dao whilst exploring the famous Sticky Waterfalls along the way.
Day 2: Head on from Chiang Dao to Mae Salong, making sure to pay a visit to the Chiang Dao Cave before leaving. Then, visit the “Land of the Rising Sun” at Hinoki Land followed by a lunch in the town of Fang.
Day 3: Leave Mae Salong for Chiang Rai, visiting a waterfall park along the way. Spend the rest of the day exploring the city.
Day 4: Explore Chiang Rai – go to the variety of temples the city has to offer and visit a stunning waterfall.
Day 5: The final drive back to Chiang Mai. Eat pie along the way and stop for a fantastic lunch overlooking a giant reservoir.
Day 1: Chiang Mai to Chiang Dao (Distance: 112 km / Driving Time: 2 hr)
It’s the first day of the Mae Salong Loop and a relatively short day of driving to reach Chiang Dao. If you haven’t had the chance to visit the Sticky Waterfalls on a day trip from Chiang Mai, we recommend checking them out on the way to Chiang Dao.
If you leave Chiang Mai in the morning, you’ll probably reach Chiang Dao in the early afternoon, giving you some time to explore the town.
Stop 1: Namtok Bua Tong, Sticky Waterfalls (58 km / 1 hr 20 min)
Namtok Bua Tong, also known as Sticky Waterfalls is a popular day trip from Chiang Mai. This 3-tired waterfall is fed by a calcium-rich spring. The water leaves mineral deposits on the limestone rocks, preventing things like algae from growing. The result is a sticky waterfall which you can easily walk up.
You can spend a few hours here exploring the various waterfalls and the surrounding park. Go swimming in the water or try walking from the base of the waterfall up to the top.
Stop 2: Lunch at Lee Yerm Cafe (18 km / 22 min)
By the time you finish up at the Sticky Waterfalls, it’s probably time for lunch. On the way back to the main road, you’ll pass Lee Yerm Cafe. This place serves a wide range of your usual coffees, smoothies and tea, as well as good food and cakes.
Finish: Chiang Dao (36 km / 37 min)
And with that, your first day of the Mae Salong Loop is complete – time to explore Chiang Dao! See the Chiang Dao Guide below for more information on what to do.
Alternative Day 1: Pai to Chiang Dao
Maybe you’re coming from Pai because you’ve just finished the Mae Hong Son Loop or you’ve been maxin’ and relaxin’ and you’re now looking for some adventure. Whatever it is, welcome to the first day of the Mae Salong Loop!
Stops 1 and 2: Witch’s House and Sticky Waterfalls (119 km / 2 hr 20 min)
This place looked so weird that we just had to stop here. Coffee We / Witch’s House is a cafe on the way from Pai to Chiang Mai. What makes this cafe unique is its funky and sometimes freaky lifesize witch models that are dotted around the surrounding gardens and forest.
Stop 3: Lunch at Lee Yerm Cafe (18 km / 22 min)
By the time you finish up at the Sticky Waterfalls, it’s probably time for lunch. On the way back to the main road, you’ll pass Lee Yerm Cafe. This place serves a wide range of your usual coffees, smoothies and tea, as well as good food and cakes.
Finish: Chiang Dao (36 km / 37 min)
Day 1: Chiang Dao Guide
A short drive away from the bustling city of Chiang Mai brings you to this laidback town in Thailand’s northern mountains. Here you have the chance to go hiking, relax in hot springs, eat delicious Thai food or visit some unique temples.
You can spend longer than one night here in this town. However, if you’re not too interested in hiking or spending some time simply relaxing we think it’s best to allocate move on after a day.
Day 1 Activities
You’ll probably be in Chiang Dao sometime in the early afternoon, so after you’ve checked in to your hotel it’s time to head out and explore. There isn’t a set itinerary for this day, instead, maybe pick one or two things from the list to check out.
Chiang Dao Cave
This is one of the most popular things to do in Chiang Dao. If you arrive in town before 5 pm, check it out otherwise there’s time to fit it in in the morning. Inside the caves are many Buddhist shrines – the most impressive ones you can visit without a guide. However, if you want to explore some of the darker parts of the cave you’ll need to hire a guide with a lantern. We think it’s not worth hiring a guide if you’ve already been to Tam Lod in Pang Mapha as it is a similar experience.
Chiang Dao Hot Springs
We thought this would be a relaxing experience after a day of driving, but the truth is we weren’t huge fans of these hot springs. In my opinion, the hot springs were too hot, the sulphur smell is pretty pungent and as soon as we got out we were swarmed by mosquitoes. 10/10 experience, maybe it would be better in Thailand’s cooler months.
Sri Sangwan Waterfall
This is a similar experience to Namtok Bua Tong (Sticky Waterfalls) with waterfalls that you can climb up. However, there’s less water here than at the Sticky Waterfalls, so if you’re visiting in the dry season it may be best to give it a miss.
Wat Tham Pha Phlong
After a 500-step climb through the jungle, you’ll reach a tranquil temple, resting on the side of Doi Luang Chiang Dao mountain. At the top, explore the cave temple and enjoy the views of the surrounding mountains and the valley below.
Where to Stay in Chiang Dao?
Chiang Dao is relatively untouched by tourism, so there isn’t a huge variety of accommodation options. Nevertheless, you can still find some great places to stay!
- Budget Option: Ashi Guesthouse Chiangdao – Single Bed in Mixed Dorm, ฿340 / £8 / $10
- Mid-Range Option: Serenity1 Homestay – One-Bedroom House, ฿607 / £14 / $17
- Luxury Option: Ashi Guesthouse Chiangdao – Deluxe Room with Mountain View, ฿1257 / £29 / $35
Day 2: Chiang Dao to Mae Salong (Distance: 168 km / Driving Time: 3 hr 22 min)
The cool thing about this day (and North Thailand in general) is that you experience so many cultures in the space of 24 hours. After leaving Chiang Dao, you’ll head to the Japanese-style theme park of Hinoki Land, the small provincial town of Fang, and finish up with tea tasting in the Chinese-style town of Mae Salong.
Stop 1: Hinoki Land! (48 km / 50 min)
Ok, I know this is meant to be a “Thai” road trip but Hinoki Land was one of my favourite places on the Mae Salong Loop. This Japanese-style park has traditional torii decorating the picturesque landscape, and a 4-floor wooden building which overlooks a lake. The whole area is extremely photogenic and there’s a cafe selling Japanese food and drink if you’re in the mood.
Stop 2: Fang and Lunch (31 km / 35 min)
Fang doesn’t offer a whole lot of activities for the regular traveller, so it’s mainly just a rest stop on the way to Mae Salong. However, there are several good-looking restaurants and cafes in and around the area. Here are some of the ones we recommend for lunch:
Stop 3: Tea Tasting in Mae Salong (77 km / 1 hr 25 min)
Once upon a time, these fields used to be home to masses of poppies – part of the lucrative Thai opium trade. But, since the ’80s the people of Mae Salong have shifted their money-making to tea cultivation. Now, the hills of Mae Salong are home to many tea plantations that you can visit for tea tastings. There are several tea tasting places in Mae Salong, here are a few of them.
- ร้านชา ฅนดอย – This is the one we went to, it’s a family-run cafe overlooking their tea plantations. You can order regular cafe products like Thai tea or cappuccino, or you can ask to do a tea tasting.
- Tea Plantation 101 – This is the most popular tea tasting experience in the area. The owner is happy to provide you with information about the teas and you’ll have the chance to purchase the teas after.
Finish: Mae Salong (13 km / 23 min)
Day 2: Mae Salong Guide
A Yunnanese-style Thai town perched upon a mountaintop, surrounded by tea plantations. The one thing you can’t leave without doing is a tea tasting. But, if you did that on the way here then in our opinion there isn’t a whole lot to do, so we only stayed 1 night.
Hiking
If you’re interested in hiking then there are trails available that take you in and around the tea plantations. Have a look on maps.me for some footpaths or ask your hotel for recommendations.
Prathat Santikhiri
For temple-lovers and panoramic views over Mae Salong, it’s worth checking out Phrathat Santikhiri (Phrathat Chedi Srinagarindra Stit Maha Santi Khiri). You can hike up to this viewpoint but it’s steep and tiring – luckily there’s a well-paved road to the top.
We recommend driving here the day you leave for Chiang Rai as a breakfast picnic spot with great views.
Eating…it’s ok.
Finally, there’s the food. We were looking forward to the food in Mae Salong, especially after the great meal we had in Ban Rak Thai, another Yunnanese town. But to be perfectly honest we were let down by Mae Salong. Maybe it was due to post-COVID blues but even at 6:00 pm we could only find 1 or 2 places that were serving food and they were pretty average. However, in the morning you can find Chinese bakeries that are open where you can stock up for the drive to Chiang Rai.
Where to Stay in Mae Salong?
Mae Salong is a small village spread across mountain ridges, surrounded by tea fields. Like Chiang Dao, there aren’t too many accommodation options. But, we recommend Shin Sane Guest House if you’re interested in hiking as they can recommend which trails to take. Otherwise, Thai Tea Garden Home is great if you want to have a relaxing stay with stunning mountain and tea field views.
- Budget Option: Shin Sane Guest House – Double Room with Shared Toilet, ฿260 / £6 / $7
- Mid-Range Option: Thai Tea Garden Home – King Room with Mountain View, ฿997 / £23 / $28
- Luxury Option: Ama MaeSalong – Deluxe Double with Balcony, ฿2861 / £66 / $79
Day 3: Mae Salong to Chiang Rai
Finally, on to the highlight of the Mae Salong Loop – Chiang Rai! It’s a relatively short drive to Chiang Rai, around 2 hours without stops. So, there’s plenty of time to check out to have some Chinese-style breakfast in Mae Salong and visit some waterfalls en route and still have time to explore some of Chiang Rai in the afternoon.
Stop 1: Breakfast at Phrathat Santikhiri (5 km / 11 min)
Before leaving Mae Salong, head to one of the bakeries in town like Xin Shi Dai Bakery and get some of their goodies before driving up to Phrathat Santikhiri. Here you’ll have stunning views over Mae Salong and you can also check out the Pagoda, dedicated to the Queen Mother.
Stop 2: Hiking and Bathing at Huai Kang Pla Waterfall Forest Park (33 km / 50 min)
Huai Kang Pla Waterfall Forest Park is suitable for everyone – whether you want to hike or just chill in some refreshing waters. There are several waterfalls that you can hike to in this park (we went around 600 m), so we suggest following the river up until you find your own little undisturbed paradise. The waters here aren’t deep enough for swimming in but you can sit or lay down in them to cool off. You should be reasonably dry after the hike back to the car.
Finish: Chiang Rai (39 km / 55 min)
Days 3 and 4: Chiang Rai Guide
The last stop on the Mae Salong Loop before heading back to Chiang Mai. Chiang Rai has a lot going for it and honestly, 2 days isn’t enough time to fully appreciate this city. So, if you’ve got the time consider staying a few more nights!
You may be all templed-out at this point in your Thailand trip but Chiang Rai has some of the most iconic temples in all of Thailand. The White, Blue and Black Temples are all must-sees in Chiang Rai. There are also some great waterfalls to check out as well as delicious Northern Thai foods to try here.
Here’s our recommended itinerary for tackling Chiang Rai assuming you arrive and check into your hotel at around 2 pm.
Day 3 Activities :
Stop 1: Lunch and the Blue Temple (Wat Rong Suea Ten)
Starting off the Chiang Rai exploration we have the Blue Temple, named such because it’s all blue (who would have thought!). In Thai, the temple is known as the “Temple of the Dancing Tiger” as legend has it tigers used to roam around here. Since then, the temple has been rebuilt with the construction “officially” finishing in 2016 although you’ll still see work being done today.
For lunch, we found a small and cheap restaurant just outside the temple, on the right of “Bike Coffee” which served some tasty noodle soup.
Stop 2: Golden Hour at the White Temple (Wat Rong Khun)
At this point, it’s probably around 3 or 4 pm, so what better way to spend the rest of the day than at Chiang Rai’s famous White Temple. The sun will be setting, coating the white stone in a golden warmth – it’s really nice. The temple closes at 5-6 pm so make sure you leave enough time to look around the complex. There are quite a few pop culture references throughout the temple and the surrounding gardens and you can also visit the very bright golden temple next door.
Stop 3: Dinner at Chiang Rai’s Night Bazaar
Time for dinner! One of our favourite places to eat in Chiang Rai was at the city’s night bazaar. This outdoor eating area has a stage at one end with live music and is surrounded by an array of food vendors with usual classics like Pad Thai and Papaya Salad as well as other options like BBQ. Eat your heart out!
Day 4 Activities: Viking-Esque Black Temple, Waterfall Swimming and Dining on the River (Distance 85 km / Driving Time: 1hr 55 min)
Stop 1: Baan Dam Museum (Black Temple) (12 km / 25 min)
So it’s not really a temple but more of an art exhibition. Also known as the Black House Museum, this complex shows off northern Thai architecture with imposing halls, huge wooden tables and a surprising amount of penises.
Stop 2: Khun Korn Waterfall (41 km / 52 min)
Chiang Rai has several waterfalls and Khun Korn is definitely one of the best. After a short hike through a well-managed path, you arrive at a point overlooking these falls. Below you can see the huge, 70-meter waterfall cascading down into the pool below. What’s good about this waterfall is you can swim in it, even in the dry season there’s plenty of water.
Relax in the cooling water or have a back massage underneath the powerful waterfall.
Stop 3: Lunch on the River (4 km / 6 min)
You may notice an array of restaurants all along the riverside on the way to Khun Korn Waterfall. When we were here this place was buzzing with people eating at this unique restaurant experience. There are tons of restaurants along this road, but what’s cool is that all of the tables and chairs are spread out over the river. You can choose to stay dry or dip your toes in the water as you enjoy a wide array of Thai dishes.
Back to Chiang Rai (28 km / 33 min)
With the rest of the afternoon/evening free have a walk around Chiang Rai and maybe get a massage before finding somewhere good to eat. There are plenty of places to chow down, we ended up going with ลาบฉิมพลี Simply Northern Thai Food, which simply serves Northern Thai food like buffalo laap.
Where to Stay in Chiang Rai?
Chiang Rai is a city slightly smaller than Chiang Mai. Unlike Chiang Mai where the attractions were mainly centred in the old town, the attractions in Chiang Rai are quite spread out. Rather than staying near any of the temples, we think it’s better to stay near the restaurants and the night market so you can walk home in the evenings.
- Budget Option: Tanyahouse – Single Room, ฿260 / £6 / $7
- Mid-Range Option: Huan Kawin Est.58 Lanna Home & Collection – Double Room, ฿564 / £13 / $16
- Luxury Option: The Heritage Chiang Rai Hotel and Convention – Deluxe Double, ฿1127 / £26 / $31
Day 5: Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai (Distance: 204 km / Driving Time: 3 hr 40 min)
The final day of the Mae Salong Loop, but don’t be sad – there are still some great places to check out on the way back to Chiang Mai. Ok, it’s only really food but if you came to Thailand then you must love food!
Stop 1: Pie for Breakfast (41 km / 43 min)
Not your typical Thai breakfast place but this cafe, Suan Charin Pie, has some great pie. The cafe overlooks a scenic river and serves up a wide variety of pies from Mulberry to Peach.
Stop 2: Lunch at Uncle Charoen Pier’s Restaurant (135 km / 2 hr 15 min)
Hopefully, you’ve got room after a slice of pie because the next stop is a restaurant serving up some tasty fish. We found this restaurant a little tricky to get to because Google Maps tries to take you on a “shortcut” through some closed-off roads, but make sure you approach it from the right side and drive through the town and you should be good.
The restaurant has views of a huge reservoir and serves up a variety of different fish dishes from grilled to deep-fried. It’s a bit of a detour to get here but it’s worth the effort for the scenery and the food.
Finish: Chiang Mai (31 km / 51 min)
And with that, the Mae Salong Loop is over. Hopefully, you enjoyed the journey and found this guide useful!
Looking for More Road Trips in North Thailand?
If you had a great time on the Mae Salong Loop and you’ve got that road trip bug then we highly recommend the Mae Hong Son Loop. Taking 7 days, this loop begins from Chiang Mai and tackles the Mae Hong Son province to the west.
Whilst there is plenty to do on the Mae Salong Loop, the Mae Hong Son Loop is more action-packed and still maintains a lot of the things that make the Mae Salong Loop great like stunning waterfalls, delicious food and Northern Thai culture.
If you’re interested, check out our guide on the Mae Hong Son Loop!
Thanks for reading!
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