Explore more curated experiences in Chiang Mai
View all Chiang Mai toursChiang Mai After Dark: Golden-lit Temples & Lanna Food Trail
Discover the flavors, culture, and atmosphere of Chiang Mai after sunset on an unforgettable evening food adventure with Discova's local foodie expert. Combining walking, local transport, and delicious tastings, this guided experience takes you beyond the usual tourist spots to explore the city's vibrant nightlife through its food and traditions.
Highlights
- Walk through Chiang Mai Old Town as evening lights up its temples.
- Taste your way through two lively night markets with a local foodie.
- Ride a red songthaew through the old city like Chiang Mai locals.
- Step inside Wat Chedi Luang and hear the Emerald Buddha story.
- Try Khao Soi and Hung Lay curry at a family-run local restaurant.
Choose from 2 available options
Chiang Mai After Dark: Golden-lit Temples & Lanna Food Trail
Private Tour
Full description
Join Discova for an incredible evening of culture, food and local flavour in Chiang Mai. As the Old Town lights up, we move between historic temples, smoky food stalls, red songthaew rides and the northern Thai dishes every visitor should try. Meet our licensed local guide at Wat Lok Moli, just outside the northern old city walls. With its dark teak hall, large brick chedi and links to Chiang Mai’s Lanna royal past, this historic temple is a beautiful place to begin, especially as the soft evening light settles over the grounds.
From Wat Lok Moli, continue on foot to Chang Puak Gate Market, one of Chiang Mai’s classic evening food spots. Here, the first tastings come straight from the stalls, including Lanna sausage and a surprise dish. Then hop into a red songthaew for a short ride through the old city. Pause at the 3 Kings Monument, tied to Chiang Mai’s founding story, before walking to Wat Chedi Luang. This is where the city’s past suddenly feels much bigger: ancient brickwork, evening shadows, the story of the Emerald Buddha, and sacred trees such as bodhi, cannonball and sala trees around the temple grounds.
No visit to Chiang Mai is complete without tasting Khao Soi, the city’s famous northern curry noodle dish. We stop near Tha Phae Gate at a beloved local restaurant where the same family has been cooking traditional Chiang Mai dishes for over 60 years. Alongside the iconic Khao Soi, we also try the Hung Lay pork curry, a rich northern favourite with slow-cooked comfort, gentle spice and serious local soul!
Then ride by red songthaew to Chiang Mai Gate Market for the final sweet-and-snacky chapter of the evening. Taste seasonal fruit, local snacks and Thai sweets such as coconut pudding, with our guide choosing the best available treats of the night. The tour ends at Anusarn Night Market, one of Chiang Mai’s lively evening shopping areas. From here, you can keep the night going independently with market browsing, drinks, live entertainment or the famous Chiang Mai Cabaret before making your own way back.
Tour Itinerary
The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
In front of Wat Lok Moli temple gates
Wat Lok Moli, Chiang Mai
Wat Lok Moli
Visit, Guided tour
Chang Phueak
Visit, Guided tour, Food tasting
Three Kings Monument
Visit, Guided tour
Wat Chedi Luang
Visit, Guided tour
Tha Phae Gate
Food tasting, Visit, Guided tour
Chiang Mai Gate Market
Visit, Guided tour, Food tasting
Detailed Itinerary
Chiang Mai by Night: Street Food, Temples & Local Life
Experience the sights, sounds, and flavors of Chiang Mai after dark on this unforgettable evening food tour with Discova. Combining historic temples, authentic northern Thai cuisine, lively markets, and local transport, this small-group experience offers a unique way to discover the city's rich culture once the sun goes down. Led by a licensed local guide, you'll explore hidden corners of the Old City, travel like a local aboard Chiang Mai's iconic red songthaews, and sample some of the region's most beloved dishes.
Your evening begins at Wat Lok Moli, one of Chiang Mai's most beautiful and historic temples, located just outside the northern walls of the Old City. As dusk settles over the peaceful grounds, admire the temple's striking dark teakwood viharn, impressive brick chedi, and serene atmosphere. Your guide will share stories of the temple's connection to the ancient Lanna Kingdom and explain its significance in Chiang Mai's royal and religious history, providing the perfect introduction to the city's fascinating past.
From the temple, enjoy a short walk to the bustling Chang Puak Gate Market, a favorite gathering place for locals seeking delicious evening meals. Here, your culinary adventure begins with a selection of authentic street food. Sample flavorful northern Thai specialties, including the region's famous Lanna sausage, along with another surprise local dish chosen by your guide based on what's fresh and popular that evening. As you wander among the food stalls, you'll experience the lively atmosphere, smoky aromas, and vibrant energy that make Chiang Mai's street food scene so unforgettable.
Next, climb aboard a traditional red songthaew, the city's iconic shared taxi, for a short ride through the illuminated streets of the Old City. Along the way, you'll stop at the Three Kings Monument, where your guide will recount the story of the three rulers who founded Chiang Mai more than 700 years ago. Continuing on foot, you'll visit the magnificent Wat Chedi Luang, one of the city's most important historic temples. In the evening light, the ancient brick chedi becomes even more impressive as shadows highlight its centuries-old architecture. Learn about the temple's fascinating history, including its connection to the Emerald Buddha, while exploring the peaceful grounds filled with sacred Bodhi, Cannonball, and Sala trees.
No visit to Chiang Mai would be complete without tasting Khao Soi, the city's signature northern Thai curry noodle soup. Your guide will take you to a much-loved local restaurant near Tha Phae Gate, where the same family has been serving traditional Chiang Mai recipes for more than six decades. Here, you'll enjoy a comforting bowl of creamy Khao Soi alongside another northern favorite, Hung Lay pork curry. Slow-cooked until tender and infused with aromatic spices, this rich curry reflects the unique culinary heritage of northern Thailand and offers an authentic taste of local home cooking.
To finish the evening on a sweet note, board another red songthaew and travel to Chiang Mai Gate Market, where locals gather for late-night snacks and desserts. Your guide will introduce you to a selection of seasonal fruits, traditional Thai sweets, and local treats, which may include silky coconut pudding and other regional specialties chosen according to what's freshest that evening.
The tour concludes at the lively Anusarn Night Market, one of Chiang Mai's best-known evening destinations. From here, you're free to continue exploring at your own pace. Browse the market's many souvenir stalls, enjoy a drink, listen to live music, or experience one of Chiang Mai's famous cabaret performances before making your own way back to your accommodation.
Blending history, culture, local transport, and unforgettable flavors, this evening experience offers an authentic taste of Chiang Mai after dark. It's the perfect way to discover the city's vibrant food scene while exploring its historic landmarks and experiencing the warm hospitality that makes northern Thailand so special.
Includes
- English speaking licensed guide
- Small-group experience capped at no more than 8 guests
- Local transportation during the tour (red songthaew)
- Memorable local stories and curated food tastings
- Admission fees to all attractions
Excludes
- Extra meals and drinks
- Gratuities for guide
- Hotel transfer
Important information
Know before you go
- Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts