To grasp the essence of how Chiang Mai wakes up, a very early morning starts is required in getting fully immersed and join city residents in their daily routine. Together with your local guide, the day starts with a morning visit to a Buddhist temple to offer alms to the monks, one of the most unique rituals a tourist can experience in Thailand. Each morning, monks in saffron robes, carrying their alms bowls, walk silently along the virtually empty streets to receive rice and condiments from local people. Guests have the opportunity to participate in this very special Thai custom by personally presenting alms at the Srisoda temple and receiving the monks’ blessings in return. After this enlightened morning, we head by local minivan back to your hotel for breakfast before we move on to Chiang Mai’s oldest and largest market.

Also known as Kad Luang, Warorod Market is the city’s largest market within easy access from downtown. The market is known to boast a large collection of vendors selling fruits, vegetables and a wide choice of regional snacks and dishes. The market has a distinctive Chinese feel, being located in the Chinese enclave in the city.

From the market, we settle ourselves in an awaiting trishaw and head towards the Chiang Mai Art & Cultural Centre. This landmark is dedicated to the various forms of traditional art and handicraft of which Chiang Mai and surrounding regions are so well known for.