There are so many tours in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Visitors are able to find virtually any kind of tour that fits their interest either through brochures found at hotels and resorts or tour agencies all over the city of Chiang Mai.
However, to find a Chiang Mai tour that is truly run by a local and gives you a real feel for what life is for those who live in this northern city and it’s surrounding land, can be a bit challenging.
The tour we review in our article below gave us the most genuine Chiang Mai experience we’ve had so far.
To be able to get some insider knowledge and explanation of the agricultural life from a local Thai was an eye opening experience.
For visitors looking to get a real sense of the local lifestyle and region, we recommend a day tour with TakeMeTour.
We feel very lucky that we got a chance to see some of the people and landscapes outside of Chiang Mai’s city center. Not many tours in Chiang Mai, Thailand can offer this.
The cycling tour we took with TakeMeTour provided us with a great sense of the local Thai life and better knowledge of the agriculture that surrounds the urban area of this part of Northern Thailand.
How is this possible? Well, for starters, having a local tour guide take us on a private tour in the neighborhood that they grew up in is a huge factor.
There are more great things about this tour, so continue reading to find out.
TakeMeTour offers tours all around Thailand. Some of their popular destinations include Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket.
1. Cycling Along The Chiang Mai Canal
Our Tour itinerary was as follows:
- Pickup from where we were staying in Chiang Mai
- Arrive at our tour guide’s home
- A short tour of their garden
- Start our cycling along the canal in Mae Tang
- Cycle through an orchard of mango, longan, and lychee trees
- Stop by a local vineyard and vegetable farm
- Short visit to a bamboo garden where young bamboo are produced for sale
- Continue cycling to a scenic mountain park for a brunch picnic. (3.5 km.)
- Cycling through the local village back to our guide’s home (5 km.)
- Transportation back to where we were staying in Chiang Mai
Riding a bicycle along the canal gave us an opportunity to see the neighborhoods up close and in a more personal way. The road is smooth, and the terrain is easy to navigate.
Most of the distance allowed for very little effort and lots of coasting. In a way, we just sat bag and enjoyed the scenery for some portions of the tour.
The traffic along the road in this area is minimal, so there was never a worry of having to maneuver between vehicles.
Not having to focus too much on the road (but still being careful, of course!) made it a pleasant ride.
I’m not a very athletic individual, and it had been a while since the last time I rode a bike, nevertheless, I managed to cycle the entire distance (probably around 10 kilometers total) without any issues.
2. Agriculture Life Experience in Northern Thailand
The experience of cycling through this very scenic area of Chiang Mai was not only enjoyable but educational as well.
We got a chance to see the farmland as well as some of the neighborhood orchards and neighbors.
It was great to be able to talk to the locals and get to ask questions about how they manage their lifestyle.
For instance, we met a woman who runs a small bamboo farm, and they showed us how the young bamboo is harvested.
Our visit to the local vineyard showed us a different way that the grapes were being planted and grown in this area.
Being from California, we had only seen how grapes are grown for wine production and based on the climate and land of that area.
It was interesting that the vineyard owner allowed the public to purchase their own plant and be able to get their own grapes from it anytime they want.
At the Mae Taeng Vineyard, we also saw how figs and white mulberries were being grown to produce optimal fruit.
The whole exposure to this environment and it’s nature was informative while, at the same time, being relaxing. It was nice to unwind in this tranquil setting.
3. Picnic In Nature – Mae Taeng District
Did I mention that our tour guide’s family joined us for the bicycle ride?
Yes, her mother, father, and husband all rode their bikes with us. They each contributed to teaching us a bit about the area and sharing their family history with us.
We were taken to all of the local spots that they went to when our tour guide was a young child.
One of their hidden gems in this area is a park with a stunning view of the farmland and the mountains. They took us to this very special place (her parents used to visit this park as kids!).
As we were walking around the park, struck by its enchantment, they prepared a beautiful lunch for us.
They set a table full of delicious food for us to enjoy with the most fairytale views. This lunch included some of the fruits and vegetables that are grown in their garden organically!
4. TakeMeTour Benefits And Details
Visitors looking for a Chiang Mai tour that will give them a true picture from a local’s perspective should look at the tours offered by TakeMeTour.
They connect you with the local people of Thailand and give you an unforgettable and enlightening experience.
The Chiang Mai tour that we took showed and taught us more than we had learned in months of living in Thailand.
These are the benefits that we enjoyed with TakeMeTour:
- Simple online booking with the availability to live chat with the tour guide
- A private and personal tour that gave us in-depth knowledge of the area
- A glimpse into local wisdom & living
- Sincere and hospitable service
Additionally, these tours are satisfaction guaranteed and tip included!
Here are some of our other recommended activities and tours in Chiang Mai, Thailand:
Some helpful info for your Chiang Mai Visit:
- Look for the best hotel rates in Chiang Mai.
- Grab a guide for further reading.
- Don’t forget to take a camera! The Chiang Mai countryside is super picturesque. We’d recommend one of these for photo taking on your trip.
- We also have our favorite travel gear listed on our Amazon store, so make sure to take a look for anything you may need.
- You’ll also want to make sure you have travel insurance!
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