A kids’ guide to Chiang Mai

This article, A kids’ guide to Chiang Mai, is for learners of English as a second or foreign language. It can help children practise reading and comprehension, learn new vocabulary, and discover fun facts about Chiang Mai, a city in Northern Thailand. Written by Sinead O’Carroll, a writer and EFL teacher since 2017.

Introduction to Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is a city in northern Thailand. It’s surrounded by mountains and forests, and the weather is often cooler and less humid than in the busy capital, Bangkok. 

Many people visit Chiang Mai to learn about Thai culture, enjoy nature, and eat tasty food.

Facts about the city

• Currency: Thai baht (฿)
  
• Language: Thai
  
• Flag: Thailand’s flag is red, white, and blue with horizontal stripes.
  
• National animal (Thailand): The elephant

What is Chiang Mai famous for?

Chiang Mai is famous for its beautiful temples, kind people, and amazing street food. 

It’s also known for its festivals, like the Lantern Festival, where thousands of glowing paper lanterns are released into the night sky. Another exciting festival is Songkran, the Thai New Year, when people splash water on each other in a big city-wide water fight! 

Many visitors come to Chiang Mai to learn traditional crafts or to see elephants living in protected forests and sanctuaries.

Cool places to visit

Doi Suthep Temple – This golden temple sits on a big hill with wonderful views over the whole city. To get to the top, you have to climb 300 steps, lined with dragon-shaped railings.

An elephant sanctuary – A safe place where rescued elephants live happily in nature. You can watch them play in the mud, splash in rivers, and munch on the long grass. If they feel relaxed, you might even get the chance to feed one.

Thai cooking classes – In Chiang Mai, some cooking schools welcome children to join fun classes where they can learn to make tasty Thai dishes such as mango sticky rice, spring rolls, or even pad Thai. Sometimes, you can even dress up in traditional Thai clothing while enjoying your food.

Old City walls – Parts of Chiang Mai’s ancient brick walls still stand around the city centre. They were built over 700 years ago to protect the city from invaders. Today, you can walk along the moat, spot the old gates, and imagine what life was like long ago.

Sunday Walking Street Market – Every Sunday evening, one of Chiang Mai’s main roads turns into a huge market filled with exciting things to see and try. You can find handmade toys, colourful clothes, tasty snacks, and street performers playing music or painting. But stay close to your family because it can get busy!

What’s on the menu?

Chiang Mai is famous for its tasty food. One popular dish is khao soi. It is a noodle soup with a creamy coconut curry broth and crunchy noodles on top. This dish comes from Northern Thailand and is harder to find in other parts of the country. It’s spicy though! Do you think you’re brave enough to try it?

You might also try mango sticky rice, a sweet treat made with rice, coconut milk, and fresh mango.

What do people wear?

In everyday life, people wear modern clothes like T-shirts and jeans. But for festivals, you might see people in traditional Lanna outfits. These often include colourful skirts for women and wide-legged trousers for men. The bright patterns and hand-woven fabrics are very beautiful.

Fun facts for kids about Chiang Mai

• During the Songkran Festival (Thai New Year), the city turns into a giant water fight for three days!
• Chiang Mai means “New City,” even though it’s over 700 years old!
• Chiang Mai has over 300 temples, which are special places to learn about Thai culture and history.
• Some locals speak Northern Thai, also called Kam Mueang, from the old Lanna Kingdom.

If you want to find out more about Chiang Mai, visit Thailand Tourism Authority’s Chiang Mai page.

Article vocabulary list

• Temple – A place where people go to pray or show respect in some religions.
  
• Curry – A dish with a sauce made of spices, often eaten with rice or noodles.
  
• Lantern – A light often made from paper, used during festivals.
  
• Rescued – Saved from danger or a bad situation.
  
• Traditional – Something that people have done or worn for many years.
  
• Festival – A special time with fun events, often for celebrating culture or religion.
  
• Ancient – Very old, from a long time ago.

Comprehension questions

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