Trip highlights
- 1Learn to cook tom kha, pad thai, green curry, and mango sticky rice from scratch
- 2Morning market tour with your instructor — the most educational hour of the trip
- 3Doi Suthep mountain temple with panoramic views over the city
- 4Day trip to Doi Inthanon National Park and hill tribe villages
- 5Evening roam through the Sunday Walking Street and Night Bazaar
Daily spend
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Thai Cooking Class (1-day or multi-day)
Certificate of completion (typically included by school)
Typical cost
$30-80 per day class; some schools offer 3-5 day intensive programmes at $120-300 total including market visits and all ingredients
⚠️ Important
Course prices, availability and schedules change. Book directly with a certified provider — links below show current options.
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Language preparation
15 min/day for 8 weeks ≈ 672 useful words and phrases
Learn some Thai before you go
Start with these
- 1.Khob khun krap/kha — Thank you (male/female)
- 2.Phuut angkrit dai mai? — Do you speak English?
- 3.Tao rai? — How much?
- 4.La shukran — No thank you (useful when declining vendors)
💡 Thai script is beautiful but complex. Focus on spoken phrases — most signs in tourist areas have transliteration.
Not a native English speaker?
English is the international travel language — building confidence before your trip makes every interaction easier.
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Day-by-day plan
Arrival and Old City Orientation
Sunday, January 10
Est. spend
$72
per person
🌅 Morning
Arrive at Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)
Chiang Mai International Airport, 60 Mahidol Rd, Chiang Mai 50100
Collect luggage and transfer to your Old City guesthouse or hotel. The Old City is the best base for a cooking-focused trip — everything is walkable.
Red songthaew (shared pickup truck taxis) run fixed routes for around 50 THB; tuk-tuks are convenient but negotiate the fare before getting in.
Check in and settle into the Old City
Old City, Chiang Mai 50200
Drop bags and walk the moat perimeter to get your bearings. The Old City is a near-perfect square surrounded by a moat — easy to navigate on foot.
Book your cooking school before arriving — popular schools like Thai Farm Cooking School and Zabb-E-Lee fill up fast in high season.
☀️ Afternoon
Wat Phra Singh — Northern Thailand's Most Revered Temple
Samlan Rd, Phra Singh, Mueang Chiang Mai 50200
The most important temple in the Old City, featuring the exquisite Lai Kham Chapel and the revered Phra Singh Buddha image. Allow 45 minutes to explore the full compound.
Dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered. Sarongs available to borrow at the entrance.
Wat Chedi Luang — Ancient Ruined Chedi
103 Phra Pokklao Rd, Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai 50200
A 15th-century chedi that once stood 90 metres tall before an earthquake reduced it to its current striking silhouette. The monk chat programme lets you speak with resident monks.
The monk chat programme runs daily 9am-6pm — a genuine and respectful cultural exchange.
🌙 Evening
Nimman Road Evening Stroll
Nimmanhaemin Rd, Su Thep, Mueang Chiang Mai 50200
The modern creative district of Chiang Mai with boutique shops, specialty coffee, and a range of restaurants from Japanese ramen to contemporary Thai — a good contrast to the Old City.
Try Khao Soi at a local restaurant here — the rich, coconut-curry noodle soup is Chiang Mai's signature dish and you'll encounter it repeatedly this week.
🍽️ Meals
Street food breakfast near the airport or hotel
Thai · $3 · Congee (jok) or fried rice are common Northern Thai breakfast staples.
Khao Soi at a local noodle shop
Northern Thai · $5 · Khao soi is the definitive Chiang Mai dish — a creamy coconut curry broth with egg noodles, often served with pickled mustard greens and shallots.
Dinner on Nimman Road
Thai / International · $18 · Nimman has a wide range. For a good first Thai dinner, look for northern-style dishes: larb (minced meat salad), sai oua (herb sausage), or nam prik ong (pork and tomato chilli dip).
Warorot Market Tour and First Cooking Class
Monday, January 11
Est. spend
$95
per person
🌅 Morning
Warorot Market Food Tour with Cooking Instructor
Wichayanon Rd, Chang Moi, Mueang Chiang Mai 50300
Most Chiang Mai cooking schools start at a local market. Warorot (Kad Luang) is the city's oldest covered market — your instructor will guide you through ingredients: fresh galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, Thai basil varieties, and fresh rice noodles. Indispensable for understanding flavour from the source.
The market tour is included in most cooking class fees. Let your instructor know any dietary restrictions before the market — this is where substitutions get made.
Cooking Class Session 1 — Tom Kha, Pad Thai, Mango Sticky Rice
Varies by school — confirm with booking
Back at the school's kitchen, cook three dishes under instructor guidance. Tom kha gai (coconut galangal soup), pad thai from scratch (including making the tamarind sauce), and mango sticky rice for dessert. You eat everything you cook — this is your lunch.
Ask your instructor which variety of rice is used for the sticky rice — glutinous rice must be soaked overnight, which is one of the first lessons in Thai preparation timing.
☀️ Afternoon
Doi Suthep Temple — Sacred Mountain Monastery
Doi Suthep, Mueang Chiang Mai 50200
A 30-minute drive up the mountain to Chiang Mai's most iconic landmark — a 14th-century gilded chedi at 1,073 metres with panoramic views over the city. The staircase of 309 naga-flanked steps is the traditional approach.
Songthaews to Doi Suthep depart regularly from the Chiang Mai Zoo parking area (approximately 150-200 THB return per person). Go mid-afternoon to avoid tour group peak times.
Phuping Palace Gardens viewpoint
Phuping Palace, Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai 50200
A further 5km up the mountain from Doi Suthep, the Royal Winter Palace gardens are open to visitors when the royal family is not in residence. Beautifully maintained grounds with rose gardens and mountain forest.
Check opening hours before going — the palace is closed when the royal family visits (typically January-February).
🌙 Evening
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
Chang Khlan Rd, Chang Khlan, Mueang Chiang Mai 50100
The commercial heart of Chiang Mai's evening economy — textiles, lacquerware, silverwork, hill tribe crafts, and a section of street food stalls. Good for picking up cooking equipment (wok spatulas, mortar and pestle sets) to take your new skills home.
Prices are negotiable. A granite mortar and pestle set (essential for Thai cooking) costs approximately 200-400 THB depending on size.
🍽️ Meals
Breakfast at hotel or street stall
Thai · $4 · Eat light — the cooking class includes a full lunch of everything you make.
Lunch at cooking school
Thai · $0 · Included in class fee. You eat the dishes you prepare — tom kha, pad thai, mango sticky rice.
Night Bazaar street food dinner
Thai / Northern Thai · $10 · Sai oua (grilled herb sausage), grilled corn, fried insects if you're feeling adventurous, and fresh coconut juice.
Full Day Cooking Class
Tuesday, January 12
Est. spend
$87
per person
🌅 Morning
Morning Market Visit with Instructor
Ton Payom Market or Mueang Mai Market, Chiang Mai
Second market visit for today's longer class — this time focusing on fresh herbs, chillies (learning to identify prik kee noo, prik chee fa, and dried varieties), tofu varieties, and banana blossoms. The instructor explains the regional differences between Northern Thai and Central Thai ingredient usage.
Northern Thai food uses more fresh herbs and less coconut milk than Southern Thai cuisine — your instructor will explain the regional logic.
Cooking Class Session 2 — Som Tam, Green Curry, Spring Rolls
Varies by school — confirm with booking
Green papaya salad (som tam) pounded in a mortar, green curry paste from scratch (the most labour-intensive and rewarding element — grinding 15 ingredients together), fresh spring rolls with dipping sauce. The curry paste session alone is worth the class fee.
Making green curry paste by hand shows you why the jarred version tastes different — the fresh galangal and kaffir lime zest are transformative. Ask to take leftover paste home.
☀️ Afternoon
Cooking Theory Session — Balancing the Five Flavours
At the cooking school
Most full-day classes include a theory component: how Thai cuisine balances salty (fish sauce), sour (lime, tamarind), sweet (palm sugar), spicy (chilli), and umami (shrimp paste). Understanding this balance is what separates good Thai home cooks from great ones.
Take notes on the ratios your instructor uses for the curry base — this is the core recipe you'll return to at home.
Shared Lunch at the School
At the cooking school
Eat everything prepared during the morning session together with classmates. Most schools set a communal table — this is often where the best conversations of the trip happen.
Ask your instructor to recommend their favourite local restaurant for dinner — every Chiang Mai cooking instructor has a shortlist of non-touristy places.
🌙 Evening
Traditional Thai Massage at a Reputable School
Old Medicine Hospital: 238 Wualai Rd, Haiya, Mueang Chiang Mai 50100
Chiang Mai is one of the world's best places to experience traditional Thai massage — the city has legitimate massage schools where therapists are formally trained. The Old Medicine Hospital and Lanna Thai Massage School are well-regarded options.
A 2-hour traditional Thai massage costs approximately 300-500 THB at a reputable school. Avoid the cheapest walk-in shops — quality varies significantly.
🍽️ Meals
Breakfast at hotel or nearby café
Thai / café · $5 · Eat light before the full cooking day.
Lunch at cooking school
Thai · $0 · Included in class. Som tam, green curry, spring rolls you prepared in the morning.
Dinner at local restaurant recommended by instructor
Northern Thai · $12 · Ask your instructor. Genuine Northern Thai restaurants (ahan muang) serve dishes rarely on tourist menus: gaeng hung lay (pork and ginger curry), khanom jeen (fresh rice noodles with various broths).
Doi Inthanon National Park Day Trip
Wednesday, January 13
Est. spend
$89
per person
🌅 Morning
Drive to Doi Inthanon National Park
Doi Inthanon National Park, Chom Thong District, Chiang Mai 50160
Thailand's highest peak at 2,565 metres, approximately 90km southwest of Chiang Mai. The drive through misty mountain roads is part of the experience. The park contains significant diversity: waterfalls, cloud forest, and highland bird species.
Join a group tour for this day trip — driving yourself is possible but the tour guides provide valuable context about the hill tribe communities. Cost approximately $20-35 per person including transport and guide.
Wachirathan and Sirithan Waterfalls
Km 21, Doi Inthanon National Park, Chiang Mai
Two of the park's most dramatic waterfalls, both accessible from the main road. Wachirathan falls 80 metres into a spray-filled pool — the viewing platform puts you close enough to feel the mist.
The park entry fee is 300 THB per person plus 30 THB per vehicle. Keep your ticket — rangers check it at multiple points.
☀️ Afternoon
Royal Twin Pagodas and Summit
Km 41, Doi Inthanon National Park, Chiang Mai
Two ornate chedis built to honour the King and Queen — surrounded by formal gardens with highland flowers rare elsewhere in Thailand. The summit is at 2,565 metres and is notably cooler than Chiang Mai city; bring a layer.
The summit is frequently in cloud by early afternoon — arrive before noon if you want a clear view.
Karen and Hmong Hill Tribe Village Visit
Villages near Km 38-42, Doi Inthanon
Several villages near the park road are home to Karen and Hmong communities who have lived on these slopes for generations. Responsible tour operators include a village visit with community benefit. See traditional weaving, silver jewellery making, and highland agriculture.
Buy directly from village artisans — this is how tour visits create genuine economic benefit. Hmong embroidery and Karen woven bags make excellent cooking-trip souvenirs.
🌙 Evening
Riverside Dinner at Ping River
Charoen Rat Rd, Wat Ket, Mueang Chiang Mai 50000
Return to Chiang Mai and dine along the Ping River at one of the atmospheric riverside restaurants in the Wat Ket neighbourhood. A deliberate contrast to the busy Old City — quieter, more local, excellent food.
Try Huan Soontharee or another restaurant in the Wat Ket neighbourhood — this area has genuine local character that the Old City tourist zone lacks.
🍽️ Meals
Breakfast before departure
Thai · $5 · Early start — most tours depart 7:30-8:00am. Eat at the hotel or grab something at a nearby stall.
Lunch at park restaurant or packed lunch
Thai · $8 · Some tour operators include lunch; others stop at the park restaurant near the twin pagodas. Simple Thai dishes — fried rice, noodle soup.
Riverside dinner
Northern Thai · $18 · After a day in the mountains, a proper riverside dinner feels well-earned. Order the grilled river fish if available.
Final Cooking Class and Departure
Thursday, January 14
Est. spend
$114
per person
🌅 Morning
Cooking Class Session 3 — Advanced Recipes of Your Choice
At your cooking school
Many schools allow returning students to choose their final session menu. Options typically include massaman curry (rich, slow-cooked with potato and peanuts), pad see ew (wide rice noodles), yam (Thai salads), or northern specialities like gaeng hung lay. Your most personalised session.
Ask for a recipe book or printed recipes at the end of your final class — most schools provide these. Photograph every recipe card and technique note.
Certificate Presentation and Group Photograph
At your cooking school
Most cooking schools formally present a certificate of completion at the end of multi-day attendance. A small ceremony that marks the culmination of your culinary education.
A good time to exchange contact details with classmates — you've spent several days cooking together.
☀️ Afternoon
Chiang Mai Arts and Cultural Centre
Phra Pokklao Rd, Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai 50200
A well-presented museum inside a restored 1924 colonial building — the best single venue for understanding Lanna culture, the Northern Thai kingdom that pre-dates Bangkok's dominance. Covers history, crafts, language, and ceremonial traditions.
The audio guide is worth renting — adds significant context to exhibits that are otherwise lightly labelled.
Final shopping: Warorot Market for provisions
Wichayanon Rd, Chang Moi, Mueang Chiang Mai 50300
Pick up provisions to take home: dried prik kee noo chillies, galangal powder, dried kaffir lime leaves, shrimp paste, palm sugar blocks. Everything needed to replicate your class recipes at home. Vacuum-sealed versions available for international travellers.
Check your airline's import restrictions for fresh vs dried herbs. Dried and vacuum-sealed products travel without issue to most countries. Fresh galangal and lime leaves are often restricted.
🌙 Evening
Transfer to Chiang Mai International Airport
Chiang Mai International Airport, 60 Mahidol Rd, Chiang Mai 50100
Depart from CNX with new culinary skills, a certificate, and enough dried ingredients to cook for months.
Allow 2 hours before departure. Domestic Thai flights typically require 60-90 minutes check-in; international flights 2+ hours.
🍽️ Meals
Breakfast at hotel
Thai / hotel · $5 · Eat before the morning class — you'll cook and eat at school for lunch.
Lunch at cooking school
Thai · $0 · Included in class fee. Your own advanced recipes.
Farewell dinner before airport transfer
Northern Thai · $14 · One final Chiang Mai meal. Return to the best restaurant you found this week, or try somewhere new near the Old City moat.
One thing worth not skipping
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