A fun day trip from Chiang Mai that is more than just a cave. Explore the depths of the earth!
This very popular tourist destination should be on your list of things to do too! Chiang Dao is a small and very beautiful city not that far from Chiang Mai. It’s an hour and a half drive making a day trip to the cave doable, or you could choose to stay in one of the many nature resorts in the area so that you can have time to visit the natural hot springs!
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The cave itself is worth the trip for many reasons, especially as an adventure for the kids! Best of all it’s incredibly affordable on a family budget at 40 baht entrance.
The caverns will certainly get children’s imaginations going and provide for a learning experience. Maybe your kids are interested in how caves are formed? Then check out the video below of some world famous caves and learn how caves are formed. If reading is more their thing, then here’s an easy to read article about cave formations and some creatures that tend to live in caves.
Bats, caverns, and legends, oh my!
The history of Chiang Dao Cave itself is steeped in legend and lore making it a fascinating place to read about and visit. There’s far more than what meets the eye at this natural attraction that stretches on for 12 kilometres!
It turns out the Chiang Dao Cave is actually made up of five separate caves that are connected to one another. As visitors, you have access to them all, however all chambers except for two require a hired guide to light the way for your family. This turns what would be a rather leisurely walk into far more of an adventure being guided through the dark by lanterns! Sorry for the potato (poor) quality of some of these photos of the cave, the camera did not react well to the light.
Tham Seua Dao (540 m long)
This is the first cave that you will enter and it is well lit and easy to walk around. Here, you will not need any extra lights to see, the paths are wide and there are no small cracks to crawl through. There are other things to see though such as cool stalagmites, shrines, and Buddhist statues.
Tham Phra Nawn (360 m)
The next cave you will come will also be well lit and you can easily explore this cave without a guide. In fact you may not realize you’ve entered it as its seamlessly connected to the first cave.
Tham Maa (7,365 m)
At over 7,000 meters long it’s easy to understand why you need a guide to enter this cave. You wouldn’t want to go wandering in here, especially since it doesn’t have any light fixtures at all!
Tham Naam (660 m)
Snaking off from Tham Maa, this cave is for the more adventurous as it’s a bit smaller than the rest and you will need to have a lantern to explore this section of the cave.
Tham Kaew (477 m)
Also veering off from another of the caves is Tham Kaew. It too is shrouded in darkness so a guide is required to help you find your way through.
How much is the cave guide?
Each guide costs 200 baht for up to 5 people. If you have 6 or more, you’ll be required to get a second guide and walk in two separate groups to ensure everyone gets enough light to see as you walk in the dark! The guide is yours for as long as you like, although you should indicate that you are interested in adventure or exploring, otherwise they will just take on the usual tourist circuit which is a loop and takes about 40 minutes.
Do the guides speak English?
Most, if not all, of the guides speak English or Chinese to enough of a degree to get basic communication across. Sometimes they will enjoy it if you can help them improve their language skills. The guides are often of hill tribe descent and they spend most days here in the caves taking tourists around and around, so they are very knowledgable about every nook and cranny. It is appreciated, although not a requirement, to tip at the end of the cave tour.
Will you see bats?
It’s always a possibility within a cave! You’re most likely to see them in the darker caves asleep on the roofs of the caves. Shine a light up and see you can see any while you’re there!
Legends of Chiang Dao Cave
One of the things that makes Chiang Dao Cave so fascinating are the legends that people still believe in to this day. They involve curses, superstitions, and treasures!
The soldier
The stories have been passed down for generations over thousands of years. Locals revere the caves and hold many superstitions about them. One of the most well-known legends is that of the soldier who once stole from the cave and was cursed. Terrible things befell anyone who came in contact with the Buddha statue that he stole.
The hermit
Then there is the legend of the hermit Phrom Ruesi who lived in the caves for 1,000 years. It is said that he could communicate with angels who helped him create the legendary city of Laplae, a city of Nagas, a mystical lake, and a sacred immortal elephant that supposedly still exist within the Chiang Dao Caves! You can visit the tomb of Phrom Ruesi and maybe he’ll tell you where it is. Rumour is there is treasure hidden within the cities.
The demon
No one alive has ever seen these wonders mentioned above. Superstition stops people from exploring deep into the caves who believe, or feel, that something terrible will happen to them. Legend has it that the angels created a demon who guards the treasures and these mythical cities within the caves to this day.
To learn more about these legends and Chiang Dao Cave, please visit this website.
Is the cave safe for younger kids?
Keeping in mind that you know your children better than anyone, parts of the cave are definitely great for younger kids! As long as they are not afraid of the dark or small spaces, they should be just fine. They may complain about the walk up the stairs into the cave entrance, and they may get tired of walking through the cave, especially if you decide to go on one of the lantern guided walks, but they’ll have fun running and climbing along the well-lit paths in the main cavern.
The walk is not difficult with paths clearly marked and no one in the family, except for the elderly, would have a hard time exploring the caves.
When taking the guided lantern walk into the darkness of the cave, keep the little ones close. They will probably stick to your side anyway as anywhere the lantern doesn’t shine, no one will dare to go! The guides walk slowly and take care around the children. Just make sure they don’t touch the lantern or run into it as it’s very hot! Also, the smell from the gas that’s used to light the lantern (some sort of kerosene) gives off an unpleasant smell that may bother some people in your family and may give some a headache, so just be aware of that.
Older children and teenagers will have no problems as long as they’re not claustrophobic. It’s great exercise too for all! If you do the entire loop, you can expect to walk about 3-4 km.
Other day trips to check out from Chiang Mai:
When is a good time to go to Chiang Dao Cave?
Any time of year is perfect! The main cavern is safe all year round. It is unaffected by the rain, as in there won’t be any flooding. Inside, the coolness of the cave will keep you sane as it offers an escape from the intense heat of hot season (April-June), and it can still be accessed during the rainy season (June-Oct). The deeper caves may have their access cut off if there is intense flooding, although this is rare for Chiang Dao cave. Sometimes, when there are rising waters subsiding, a very special opportunity may await you and your family.
One year when we were there in November, we took one of the guided lantern tours and were brought very deep into the cave where we came upon a body of water. Sitting in this body of water, way down deep underground, was a boat! It was like something out of a pirate movie. Was there treasure? Would this waterway lead to a pirate ship like something out of The Goonies?! (A great kids’ movie by the way). We had to know!
I won’t give anything away, but if you are lucky enough to be at the Chiang Dao cave and this opportunity presents itself, take it! How often do people say they’ve been in a boat and paddled on an underground river deep under the earth?
Always double check with the weather man and your guide. Make sure for your safety, that there are no major storm systems coming through if you plan on going deep into the caves – just in case! The guides are generally very knowledgeable and close caves when necessary and won’t take you to parts that are unsafe.
Chiang Dao cave is quite a popular tourist destination for tour groups, so the best time of day to come here to avoid crowds would be the mornings. You may consider staying the night nearby to get here early and beat the crowds!
Stay in Chiang Dao for the night
Something about Chiang Dao makes you relax. The air seems fresher, the kids seem to get in a different vibe, and with nature inescapable you’ll find your family spending more time outside even going for walks! It’s a quiet place and we’ve been here many times staying at many places. By far the best place we’ve stayed at is Azalea Village.
They have family rooms, a stunning pool with an incredible view, a spa, hot tub, and great food. We can’t wait to go back! To see this and other hotels or resorts in the area check out Agoda’s listings in the area. The best part is all resorts are about a 10 minute drive from the cave! You can get a great night’s sleep and wake up to do some exploring of the local area the next day.
What to bring with you
- You’ll want to bring water and some snacks with you if you plan on going on the longer walks deep into the caves, however you’ll need to carry any garbage out with you as there are no garbage bins along the paths.
- You may also want to bring a light jacket or sweater as it can get quite cold in the caves, especially in the cool season of December – February.
- A baby carrier may be useful if your little ones get tired of walking.
- You’ll want to wear good shoes for the walk into the deeper caverns.
- Flashlights could be a fun thing to bring for the kids!
- An extra shirt to cover any cleavage or shoulders.
What to wear to the cave
This is actually an important consideration. The Chiang Dao cave and its surrounding grounds are considered to be a Buddhist temple, which means you must follow temple etiquette. Women and girls will be treated more harshly for incorrect dress compared to boys and men. Please dress wearing clothing that does not reveal the shoulders, chest or legs. It’s best for girls to wear leggings or pants and to avoid shorts, or short dresses or skirts. Men are usually fine in long shorts and a t-shirt.
If you happen to not be dressed appropriately, not to worry (too much)! Just beside the ticket booth they have wrap skirts available for rent for 20 baht, however, they do not have shirts to cover any bare shoulders or cleavage, so you must think about which top you’re going to wear before coming! Maybe bring an extra shirt just for the caves.
How to get to Chiang Dao Cave
Chiang Dao is located approximately 1 and half hours from Chiang Mai.
Because of the distance you may consider renting a car or hiring a driver for your family. Taking a songtaew is still an option even riding motorbikes, however I don’t recommend taking taxis or grab as the likelihood of being able to catch one back to Chiang Mai might be impossible!
For locals, the easiest way to drive to Chiang Dao Cave is to take the 107 practically all the way there! After about just over an hour you’ll get to a strange looking junction intersection thing and you’ll want to stick to the left and follow the signs all the way to the cave. There’s plenty of parking outside the cave’s temple grounds and it’s free!
Hours: Open 8 am – 6 pm daily.
Entrance fee: 40 baht for everyone. 20 baht to rent ‘presentable’ clothing to enter the caverns.
Pet friendly: No
Parking: Free. Parking for cars and motorbikes is in the parking lot.
Telephone: 088 788 8926
Location: Google Maps
Things to consider
The Chiang Dao Nest is a great place to eat breakfast, lunch or dinner! It’s very popular among expats who sometimes take a drive up to Chiang Dao just to eat and relax here. It’s also a nice place to stay, albeit a tad overpriced.
Just past here at the end of the road is Wat Tham Pha Plong which is a temple with a beautiful walk through it’s grounds and up to the temple. The walk is kid friendly and provides a bit of an uphill hike for all. Bring water and wear hats in case it’s hot out, maybe an umbrella if it’s rainy season. You can walk to here from Chiang Dao Nest.
There’s also an animal sanctuary to check out just before the temple entrance and a few minutes drive from here is an all natural hot spring and it’s completely FREE to access! There’s lots to do in Chiang Dao making it worth the journey!
If Chiang Dao is too far away, check out Muang On Cave which is only about 45 minutes from Chiang Mai.
