Things to do with kids in Chiang Mai

Generally more family friendly than Bangkok, Chiang Mai is a great place to take the kids while on holiday in Thailand. The national way of life, sanuk (fun), is enough to keep the kids on their toes. Couple that with the friendly, child-loving qualities of the Thais, and travellers have a recipe for a fun-filled holiday with the family in Chiang Mai.

Parents can take their kids to watch the animal shows in the Mae Sa Valley, where monkeys ride tricycles and play basketball. Also, kids can hold a cobra at the Mae Se Snake Farm, enjoy the views from an elephant's back at the Elephant Conservation Centre on the Chiang Mai-Lampang road, swim and play under a waterfalls in the Doi Suithep-Pui National Park, go fishing in a local pond, or visit Chiang Mai Zoo's giant pandas from China.

Parents should make sure their kids have plenty of sunscreen on and kit them out with a sunhat, as the temperatures can be searing. With all these attractions and more, children on holiday in Chiang Mai will be entertained from dawn to dusk.

Chiang Mai Zoo photo

Chiang Mai Zoo

Boasting giant pandas from China, Chiang Mai Zoo has earned itself quite a reputation with travellers as one of the top attractions in the region. The perfect destination for a day…

Chiang Mai Zoo

Boasting giant pandas from China, Chiang Mai Zoo has earned itself quite a reputation with travellers as one of the top attractions in the region. The perfect destination for a day trip with the kids, the Chiang Mai Zoo also features exhibits such as a walk through aviary, Gibbon Island, an aquarium, a Cape Fur seal exhibit and even a special Children's Zoo. With two waterfalls, plenty of space to run around and a fabulous variety of exotic residents, a trip to the zoo is a must for all animal lovers and a great way to spend the day. Seal shows and other animal shows are conducted several times a day.

Website www.chiangmaizoo.com

Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden photo

Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden

A beautiful Chiang Mai attraction, the first genuine botanical garden in Thailand was the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden in the Mae Sa Valley. It now also serves as a centre of botan…

Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden

A beautiful Chiang Mai attraction, the first genuine botanical garden in Thailand was the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden in the Mae Sa Valley. It now also serves as a centre of botanical research and studies. The main feature of this attraction is the Glasshouse Complex, which is made up of four exhibition conservatories and eight display glasshouses. A lovely river runs melodically through the grounds. The Thai Orchid Nursery and Rock Garden are other highlights of the gardens, as are various walking trails and shaded rest areas. Facilities for visitors include a restaurant, a first-aid station, souvenir shops and toilets.

Website www.qsbg.org

Maesa Elephant Camp photo

Maesa Elephant Camp

Mae Sa Elephant Camp is a popular attraction located in the Muang hills, about a half hour's drive north of Chiang Mai. The camp is home to dozens of Asian elephants, and is dedica…

Maesa Elephant Camp

Mae Sa Elephant Camp is a popular attraction located in the Muang hills, about a half hour's drive north of Chiang Mai. The camp is home to dozens of Asian elephants, and is dedicated to conservation and breeding. Visitors to the camp will be privy to shows that include elephants playing football and even painting! There are also elephant rides available for the more adventurous. Although this is not a natural environment for these great animals, they are well cared for and very entertaining. The best time to visit Mae Sa Elephant Camp is on March 13th, which is National Thai Elephant Day and is celebrated by an enormous banquet for the pachyderms.

Website www.maesaelephantcamp.com

Museum of Insects and Natural Wonders photo

Museum of Insects and Natural Wonders

Kids will love this wonderland of interesting creepy crawlies, which was founded in 2002 by Manop Rattanarithikul (nicknamed 'The Mosquito Man') and his wife, Dr Rampa Rattanarithi…

Museum of Insects and Natural Wonders

Kids will love this wonderland of interesting creepy crawlies, which was founded in 2002 by Manop Rattanarithikul (nicknamed 'The Mosquito Man') and his wife, Dr Rampa Rattanarithikul, a distinguished academic with 44 papers published in her name. The couple both have a keen interest in insects and have been studying them for most of their lives. Manop guides curious visitors through his vast and rare collection of insects and invertebrates, which comprises 422 species of insects in Thailand.