What to Do for Fun in Chiang Mai with Your Kids - Family-Friendly Activities to Enjoy with the Kids during a Trip to Chiang Mai

Ranked among Thailand's top vacation hotspots for travellers with children, Chiang Mai is a massive playground for visitors of all ages. Blessed with stunning natural wonders and iconic theme parks, the recreational activities accessible in Chiang Mai are truly impressive. From spending time in the region's finest waterpark to touring local zoos and wildlife sanctuaries, here are some of the best things to do during a family tour of this dynamic travel hub.

กสิณธร ราชโอรส, สวนสัตว์เชียงใหม่ อ.เมือง จ.เชียงใหม่ Chiang Mai Zoo (1), CC BY-SA 4.0 

Spend a Day Splashing around Grand Canyon Water Park

Open to visitors from 10 am to 7 pm, there's no splash centre in Chiang Mai that's quite as popular with families as Grand Canyon Water Park. This massive theme park with inflatable water slides and an obstacle course is the perfect venue to spend a day with one's tiny tots as the rides and attractions at the waterpark are suitable for small children. Ideally situated 10 miles away from the heart of Chiang Mai, it is also one of the area's safest water parks for kids thanks to the lifeguards patrolling the premises during operational hours. 

Relax at Nong Buak Haad Public Park

Although Chiang Mai is home to several captivating parklands, the Nong Buak Haad Public Park holds the distinct honour of being the town's only public park. Also called Suan Buak Haad, this lush and verdant city oasis is the perfect location to unwind with young children after a day of sightseeing around Chiang Mai. Lined with Nanapan trees and complete with water features including waterfalls and scenic ponds, the park's location on the shores of a river also makes it a tranquil place to relax.

Explore Chiang Mai Zoo

Having been the first zoological park in Northern Thailand, Chiang Mai Zoo is something of a local institution for wildlife conservation. Home to over 400 animal varieties, this vast wildlife enclave is spread out across an impressive 80 hectares. With two mammoth aquariums to its name, the Chiang Mai Zoo is one of the best places to catch a glimpse of Humboldt penguins and orangutans although what draws most families to the park is its giant panda population. The Indonesian tigers occupying the zoo are equally well-loved by frequent visitors as are the hippos and gaurs that call the sanctuary their abode. Open from 8 am to 5 pm, families should ideally visit the zoo on a weekday morning to avoid large crowds. 

Discover the Huay Tung Tao Reservoir

Families who love fishing and swimming must also stop by the Huay Tung Tao Reservoir during a trip to Chiang Mai as it is a one-stop activity hub like no other. In addition to ATV rides and paintball fights, families can also sign up for parachute jumps at this unique recreational attraction that also houses plenty of great restaurants. 

Tour Bai Orchid-Butterfly Farm

Nature lovers based at Anantara Chiang Mai Resort and similar rests will find that touring Bai Orchid-Butterfly Farm is one of the best things to do in Chiang Mai. Located a few miles from the city centre, this is perhaps the most magical point of interest in all of Chiang Mai due to its thousands of orchid flowers and the equally dense population of winged beauties occupying the farm. Growing plants that are endemic to Thailand as well as flowering plants that have been imported from overseas, the Bai Orchid-Butterfly Farm is a visually stunning enclosure teeming with butterflies of a myriad hues.

Get Active at X-Centre Chiang Mai

Those on the lookout for more adrenaline pumping activities to enjoy with the kids in Chiang Mai must spend an afternoon at this massive sports complex. Offering families the chance to engage in go-karting and paintballing activities, X-Centre Chiang Mai also facilitates off-road buggie rides, ATV excursions as well as bungee jumps.