12 Awesome Things To Do In Lampang + Ultimate Travel Guide

Looking for a hip, off-the-beaten-track destination in Northern Thailand? Let us introduce you to Lampang, a fun, up-and-coming city only a short distance from Chiang Mai. It’s not yet on the tourist radar, so visiting Lampang is a great way to experience Northern Thai culture without the crowds. Come and visit before the word gets out!

Zandy lived in Lampang for 2.5 years and we spent an extended visit on our 2022 tour of Thailand. With all that time spent, we have heaps of insider knowledge on all the best things to do in Lampang. 

Why You Should Visit Lampang

Laid-back Lampang is not on the radar of most overseas tourists, but those who do travel here are usually pleasantly surprised.  

The history of the city means there are some interesting tourist attractions in Lampang. In the late 1800s, Lampang was a significant transport and trading hub for the lucrative teak trade. This attracted migrants from Myanmar, whose legacy still lives on today. You can see the teak mansions, construction and Burmese-style temples all around the city. This makes Lampang a unique destination with some fascinating things to do. 

The city also has a burgeoning hipster scene (i.e., great food and coffee) and when paired with the traditional teak houses and temples, there is a lot of charm to the city.

Considering it’s almost certain you’ll find yourself hanging out in Chiang Mai at some point, Lampang is absolutely worth visiting to spend a few days relaxing, eating, and soaking in the northern Thai vibes. 

Read: The Best of Thailand Off the Beaten Track

Where Is Lampang?

Lampang is located 100km southeast of Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. The journey takes about 1.5 hours by either private car or public transportation. 

How to Get to Lampang

From Chiang Mai, there are both frequent buses and minibuses. These depart from Chiang Mai Bus Terminal (Arcade 2). Both take approximately 1.5 hours and cost anywhere from 85 THB – 100 THB. 

You can book your tickets in advance at 12Go Asia. 

Of course, you can always rent a car and drive yourself there.

Pro tip: use Discover Cars to find the best deals on rentals.

Where to Stay in Lampang

Whilst relatively unknown to foreign tourists, domestic tourists are pretty fond of Lampang, so there are quite a few guesthouses. We’ve stayed at a few different places. Here are some of our recommendations.

Read more: Bangkok’s Top 5 Coolest Neighbourhoods

Budget

Hug Lampang

Cheap for a private room but not the cheapest, Hug Lampang has lots of things going for it: a great rooftop, bikes available to rent and a very central location. There’s also complimentary tea and coffee in the lobby. 

Regent Lodge

One of the cheapest places in town for a private room, don’t let the crappy exterior dissuade you – the rooms are actually pretty decent. 

The downside is that it’s a bit of a walk into town (1.5km). 

Memmoth Hostel

The dorms are the cheapest option, otherwise, the private rooms will put you into the midrange budget. The bonus is the shared kitchen, so you can self-cater. 

Midrange

Tha Ma-O Bouteak Homestay

Lada House

High End

Tree Tara Hotel

This place has all the fixins – restaurant, fitness centre, hot tubs.

Where to Eat in Lampang

There are some really delicious food options in Lampang. You can find excellent Thai, northern Thai and western options. Eating out is one of the best things to do in Lampang!

Looking for more hidden gems in Northern Thailand? Read about Phayao, our favourite city in Thailand

Khao Soi Islam

The local’s choice for khao soi, you’ll be hard-pressed to find any other tourists here. It’s some of the best khao soi we’ve ever had. 

It’s been open and serving only khao soi for generations. 

The menu consists of two options: beef or chicken. They can make a version without the meat, but the broth will still be meat-based. 

You can find Khao Soi Islam here.

Aroy One Baht Restaurant

A legendary restaurant in Lampang. No matter what night you turn up, it’s guaranteed to be bumping. The menu is huge, everything is delicious and we have no idea how the food comes out so fast.

Hours: 4 p.m. – 11 p.m. 

You can find Aroy One Baht here.

Long Jim’s

If you’re craving a good pizza, look no further. Long Jim’s serves up amazing NY-style pizza.

Bluebird Cafe

The best breakfast joint in town, they serve up all kinds of amazing Western breakfasts. Think breakfast burritos, tacos and smoothies. Yumm! 

It’s located here.

Krua Mukda

A well-managed and lively restaurant serving up traditional Northern and North Eastern Thai dishes.

It’s located here.

Read our 7-Day Northern Thailand Road Trip Itinerary for a great road trip starting from Lampang

Things to Do in Lampang

With a number of interesting tourist attractions, plus an overall fun vibe, there are plenty of things to do in Lampang. For a good overview, head to the helpful Tourist Information Centre. Call in at the office near the clock tower on Thakhrao Road and pick up a handy map of Lampang, so you can cruise around to all the Lampang tourist attractions with ease.

If you want to hit up all the things to do in Lampang in one big day, check out this full-day tour.

Mae Wang River and Ratchadaphisek Bridge

A walk along Lampang’s riverside promenade is a great way to get your bearings as you explore the city. A stroll along the river is pretty much a rite of passage thing to do in Lampang.

The photogenic Ratchadaphisek Bridge that straddles the Mae Wang River is one of the most distinctive landmarks of Lampang. The suspension bridge further west is another attractive spot on the river. 

And while you are in the riverside area, look out for the colourful street art.

Relax at uber-Hip riverside cafes

Lampang is fast becoming one of Thailand’s hipster capitals, so be sure to check out any of the many cafes dotted along the Mae Wag River. While not really a Lampang tourist attraction, these are great places to grab a delicious coffee and take in Lampang’s laid-back vibe.  We definitely recommend this as a thing to do in Lampang!

Admire Burmese-style Temples

Lampang’s biggest tourist attraction is its collection of Burmese-style temples. Due to the influx of Burmese workers in the 19th century, there are a number of beautiful Burmese-style temples scattered around Lampang.

If you’ve been in Thailand for a while, you’ll find their architecture quite fascinating and distinct from the other temples around northern Thailand. For this reason, visiting these temples are a great thing to do in Lampang.

Wat Sri Rong Muang

We highly recommend paying a visit to Wat Sri Rong Muang, an early 20th-century Lampang temple. It’s undoubtedly one of the biggest tourist attractions in Lampang.

Being Burmese-style, the exterior architecture is beautiful and unique. The temple has a richly decorated teak wood hall with building columns covered in glass mosaics.

Wat Srichum

Wat Srichum is another beautiful Lampang temple built during the teak logging boom and should be on your list of things to do in Lampang.

The roofs of the temples are constructed in 7 layers and topped with a golden, many-tiered umbrella. Inside you can find relics that were brought from Myanmar in 1906.

Admire Northern-style Wat Pong Sanuk Nua

Wat Pong Sanuk Nua is a stunning Buddhist Lampang temple that features a combination of Burmese, Chinese and Lanna-style architecture, making it the only temple of its kind in Thailand. It’s a great Lampang tourist attraction.

Inside the compound, there is a huge golden Lanna-style chedi. 

Walk and eat till you drop at the Night Market

Located on Kad Ka Tong, Lampang’s night market has such a good vibe and is much more charming than its more famous cousin in Chiang Mai. 

Compared to the night market in Chiang Mai, it is so much less crowded and less touristy. This is a night market that locals flock to and it’s great fun. This alone makes it one of the best things to do in Lampang.

During the evening this place is filled with stalls, selling all kinds of goods and tons of delicious food. 

Hours: Saturday & Sunday, 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Rent a bike and go for a ride around

Being so compact and accessible, Lampang is an ideal city to ride around on a bike.

Make sure you ride down Pahmai Road. Because of the teak industry in the late 19th/early 20th century, a whole road was built to house the companies and the people who worked in the industry. It is lined with large trees, making it lovely to ride along and a great thing to do in Lampang.

Multiple hostels and guesthouses rent bikes for around 80 THB – 100 THB per day.

Take a day trip

Lampang has a number of interesting tourist attractions not too far from the city, so a day trip or two is an excellent thing to do in Lampang.

These Lampang attractions are best visited via scooter rental (250 THB per day) or car rental (800 THB – 1000 THB per day). 

Wat Phra That Lampang Luang

Located 17km southwest of Lampang, Wat Phra That Lampang Luang is a 13th-century Lampang temple built Lanna-style. There is a fortified wall surrounding the temple, adding to its medieval feel. 

It’s a great drive on a scooter and one that we highly recommend. It should take about 20 – 30 minutes and you can take back roads, avoiding the major highways. 

En route, there are lots of cute riverside cafes and restaurants to stop at. We recommend the Wooden View (just after the turn-off from the highway).

Note that this Lampang tourist attraction is busy on weekends.

Hours: 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Entrance: Free

If you like your activities a bit more organised, you can visit Wat Phra That Lampang Luang as part of a full-day tour (that also includes the floating temples below).

Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat 

Full disclaimer, we never actually made it here, but plenty of our local friends have. It’s one of the most off the beaten track things to do in Lampang.

Known as the ‘floating temples’ or the ‘temple in the sky’, Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat is a temple built on top of a mountain peak overlooking the countryside. There is a collection of little white chedis perched perfectly on top of the mountain, giving it a “floating in the sky” appearance.

Hours: 7:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m. 

Entrance fee: 200 THB for foreigners and 20 THB for locals. You will also have to pay 60 THB for a roundtrip ride via Song Taew up the mountain before you hit the stairs.

If you want to take the hassle out of getting to Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat, you can easily organise a tour to the floating temples.

Doi Khun Tan National Park

This is a pleasant area to explore if you enjoy walking as there are a number of trails ranging from very short to summiting parks mountain peaks (around 15-18km).

You can also stay the night. This will allow you to get the most out of the trails. 

There are typical bungalows, ranging from around 500 THB – 3000 THB per night. You can also set up your tent for 30 THB per person.

There’s also a restaurant on site so you don’t need to bring your own food. 

Hours: 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Entrance fee: 100 THB

Go on an Overnight trip to Chae Son National Park 

About 75km from Lampang, this is a popular destination for locals, who come for the misty and picturesque hot springs and waterfalls. 

There are 2 short walking trails in the park and you can also explore Pha Ngam Cave at the far northeast corner of the park. 

Chae Son has a large camping ground with bathroom facilities. You can rent the whole setup (i.e., tent, sleeping bags and mattresses) from the visitor’s centre if you don’t have your own gear. There are also national park bungalows available. 

There is one restaurant in the visitor centre area which is open daily from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Entrance fee: 200 THB

When to Visit Lampang

The best time of year to visit is November – January, during Thailand’s winter. The weather is mild and perfect for outdoor exploration. Like most cities, however, Lampang can be visited year-round. 

Heading to southern Thailand? Read: 13 Epic Things to Do in Khao Sok National Park + Essential Travel Guide

How to Get Around Lampang

Bike rental

Bikes can be rented at a number of guesthouses and hostels around town and cost approximately 80 THB – 100 THB per day.

Motorbike Rental

You can also rent a motorbike for around 250 THB per day. This isn’t necessary for in-town exploring but is great for hitting up further attractions such as Wat Phra That Lampang Luang and possibly Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat. 

Car rental

For some of the further attractions, such as Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat, and Chae Son National Park, the most convenient way to get there is to rent a car.

To rent a car for a day, contact Lampang Car Rental (0982245055). You can have a Thai speaker from your hotel call for you. 

They will even deliver the car to your hotel. You will need a driving license and be expected to put down a 2000 THB deposit.

Otherwise, you can always rent a car online via rentalcars.com.

Is Lampang Worth Visiting?

So, is Lampang worth visiting? Yes, Lampang is absolutely worth visiting! Lampang offers that perfect (and often hard to find) mix of authenticity, fun and cultural depth in a manageable-sized package.

Combine that with some great things to do in Lampang, and you’ve got yourself a champagne travel destination.

Suggested Lampang Itinerary

Depending on how many day trips you want to do, 3 – 5 days is sufficient to explore all the Lampang attractions.

• Day 1: Explore Lampang City
  • Walk along the river, enjoy the delicious food and cool cafes and check out the city’s temples:
    • Wat Sri Rong Muang
    • Wat Srichum
    • Wat Pong Sanuk Nua
  • Ride down Pahmai Road 
  • Night Market
• Day 2: Day trip to Wat Phra That Lampang Luang
• Day 3: Day trip to Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat
• Day 4: Overnight trip to Doi Khun Than National Park  
• Day 5: Return to Lampang and hang out

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