A stress-free 2-day 1-night trip to Chiang Mai depends on the order of places and rest times. Traveling with a private car and driver allows you to set your own departure times and duration at each stop, ensuring you don’t rush and have ample time to relax in the car.

Generally, a plan that helps you avoid fatigue involves arranging an itinerary that groups nearby attractions each day and choosing shorter trips for the first day of arrival. For the second day, you can opt for a slightly longer trip.

Day 1: Arrival and City Sightseeing or Doi Suthep

For your first day arriving in Chiang Mai, if your flight lands in the morning or early afternoon, you’ll have ample time to comfortably explore the city or visit Doi Suthep without rushing.

Travel from the Airport

Upon landing at Chiang Mai International Airport, you can use an airport transfer service to travel to your accommodation in Chiang Mai city, which is approximately a 12 km round trip. Our driver will assist with your luggage and comfortably take you to your lodging.

City Sightseeing or Doi Suthep

After checking in, if you have time in the afternoon, you can choose to explore Chiang Mai’s Old City, such as Chiang Mai Old City Temples: Half-Day Tour Recommendations from a Local Driver, or visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and Bhubing Palace, which is approximately a 35 km round trip. City sightseeing won’t take long, while a trip to Doi Suthep will take about half a day but offers cool weather and beautiful views.

Important for passengers prone to motion sickness: The road up Doi Suthep has many curves. If you easily get motion sickness, you should take motion sickness medication before departing.

What to Know When Hiring a Private Car (Half-Day City Package)

  • Package Duration: 4–5 hours, which is sufficient for city sightseeing or visiting Doi Suthep.
  • Inclusions and Exclusions: The price includes a driver, fuel throughout the trip, agreed-upon toll fees, insurance, cold drinking water, a child seat (if requested in advance), and a USB-C phone charging cable. It does not include entrance fees to attractions and national parks, nor food and beverages.
  • Information to Provide When Booking: If you require a child seat, please inform us in advance so the car can be prepared. Also, specify all desired stops so the driver can plan a suitable route.

Day 2: Full-Day Doi Inthanon Trip

For the second day, we recommend a full-day trip to the popular Doi Inthanon, which takes 8–10 hours and is approximately a 200 km round trip from the city center. Choosing Doi Inthanon will allow you to experience diverse nature and cool, comfortable weather.

You can start your trip by ascending to the summit of Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s highest mountain. Along the way, you can stop to see Phra Mahathat Naphamethanidon and Phra Mahathat Naphaphonphumisiri. Afterward, descend to visit Wachirathan Waterfall, a large and beautiful waterfall.

Tip: Information on when to visit Doi Inthanon to see the sea of mist and when to avoid PM 2.5 dust will help you plan your trip better.

Curves and Motion Sickness

The route up Doi Inthanon has continuous curves and some steep sections. If you are prone to motion sickness, preparing motion sickness medication will help make your journey more comfortable. Additionally, our driver will drive carefully and adjust the speed to suit the road conditions and passengers.

Restrooms along the way: Don’t worry about restrooms, as there will be rest stops and attractions with facilities available throughout the route.

What to Know When Hiring a Private Car (Full-Day Doi Inthanon Package)

  • Package Duration: 8–10 hours. You can set your own departure time, with the car service starting at a suitable time for that day’s travel, and returning to your accommodation as agreed.
  • Inclusions and Exclusions: Similar to the half-day package, this includes a driver, fuel, toll fees, insurance, cold drinking water, a child seat, and a charging cable. However, it does not include entrance fees to attractions and national parks (e.g., Doi Inthanon National Park entrance fee) or food.
  • Information to Provide When Booking: Please specify all desired stops so the driver can plan the most suitable route and order of visits, which will help save time and reduce travel fatigue.

Summary of Planning a Stress-Free 2-Day 1-Night Trip

The key to a stress-free 2-day 1-night trip is to avoid overpacking your itinerary and to prioritize rest during travel.

  • Day 1: Focus on arrival and exploring the city or nearby routes, such as Doi Suthep.
  • Day 2: Choose a full-day highlight trip, such as Doi Inthanon.

Traveling with a private car and driver offers the most flexible time management. You won’t have to worry about driving, finding parking, or unfamiliar routes.

Benefits of Hiring a Private Car with a Driver

Hiring a private car with a driver is an option that greatly reduces travel fatigue, especially for a 2-day 1-night trip where time is relatively limited. You will benefit from the following:

  • No self-driving: No need to worry about driving on unfamiliar routes or winding mountain roads.
  • Full relaxation in the car: You can nap or relax fully in the Deepal S07 car during your journey, especially on longer routes.
  • Optimized routes: The driver can plan the route and adjust the order of stops for a smooth journey.
  • Flexible timing: There’s no fixed schedule; you can choose your departure time and the duration of each stop as desired.

If you’re deciding whether to hire a private car with a driver or rent a car and drive yourself in Chiang Mai, this article might help you make an easier decision.

What to Prepare and Inform in Advance

To ensure your trip is smooth and stress-free, you should prepare the following:

  • Personal medication and motion sickness pills: If you are prone to motion sickness, prepare these in advance.
  • Warm jacket/windbreaker: For ascending Doi Inthanon, the weather can be quite cool to cold, especially in the morning and evening.
  • Provide booking details: Inform us of the number of passengers, clear pick-up/drop-off points, and all desired stops so the driver can arrange the most suitable route.
  • Deposit Payment: A 50% deposit is due 7 days prior to your travel date to confirm your booking. Once the deposit is paid, we reserve the right not to refund it if you cancel afterward.

Good planning and choosing the right service will help make your 2-day 1-night trip to Chiang Mai enjoyable and not overly tiring.