12 Awesome Things To Do in Phayao + Essential Guide

If you’re in Thailand and looking to get off the beaten track, let us introduce you to Phayao, one of our favourite cities in Thailand. A bit like Switzerland tucked away in northern Thailand, Phayao is a great place to hang back and relax for a couple of days.

Yes, there are some great things to do in Phayao, but what really makes this northern Thai city stand out is its vibe.

Keen to check out Phayao for yourself? Read on for our list of all the best things to do in Phayao and everything else you need to enjoy this wonderful place.

Why You Should Visit Phayao

Ever heard of Phayao? Chances are, probably not! Well, let us tell you, you’re in for a treat. 

Phayao is an absolutely gorgeous city in northern Thailand with some serious European vibes happening. It’s one of our favourite cities in the whole country and one of the top hidden gems in Thailand.

The city is built on Phayao Lake, a human-made lake fringed by mountains. Think Geneva, Asia-style. There’s a large promenade skirting Phayao Lake that is a great place to wander, at all times of the day (although sunset is when the prime action is). It seems like the whole town comes out to enjoy the lakeside for sunset, creating an awesome community feeling. 

And to boot, not only is Phayao gorgeous, but it also has some seriously cool vibes going on (like that community feeling we mentioned above). It’s the kind of place where the vibe is the main attraction (although there are still a bunch of cool things to do in Phayao too). 

There are about a million cafes everywhere and people are out all the time enjoying the lakeside. Phayao is a place that is just fun to hang out in. If this is your type of travel destination, then you’ll love Phayao too. 

Where Is Phayao?

Phayao is in northern Thailand, about 100 km northeast of Chiang Mai. The journey takes around 3 hours by either private car or public transportation. 

Where to next? Check out Lampang, Chiang Mai’s cool little sister

How to Get to Phayao

Phayao, like most destinations in Thailand, is pretty easy to get to, with bus and minibus connections from most cities in northern Thailand. 

Read: 8 Awesome Things to Do in Chiang Dao + Essential Travel Guide

Getting to Phayao By Bus

From Chiang Mai, there are frequent buses and minibuses that travel to Phayao. These leave from Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3 and arrive at the Phayao Bus Terminal. 

Both take approximately 3 hours and cost anywhere from 200 THB – 300 THB. 

You can also get to Phayao from Bangkok, although at around 10 – 12 hours, that’s a long journey and you’re better off stopping in either Chiang Mai or Lampang in between. 

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

Getting to Phayao By Car or Scooter

The absolute best way to get to Phayao is by driving yourself! We first visited Phayao as part of our epic Northern Thailand road trip, and we couldn’t recommend it more. 

It’s pretty straightforward to rent a car in Chiang Mai, with several companies at the airport and city centre. If you’re going to Phayao direct from Chiang Mai, it should take around 3 hours. 

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

You can also rent a scooter in Chiang Mai and drive it to Phayao. We recommend Bamboo Bikes as we’ve always had good experience with them.

We recommend a bike of at least 250cc due to the mountain passes you must drive through to get to Phayao. From Chiang Mai to Phayao direct, the journey should take around 4 – 5 hours. 

Pro tip: If you’re taking the bike for more than a few days, be sure to negotiate the price. 

When to Visit Phayao

The best time of year to visit Phayao is November – January, during Thailand’s winter. The weather is mild and perfect for outdoor exploration (like enjoying beautiful Phayao Lake). 

Like most cities in Thailand, however, Phayao can be visited year-round, you may just have to put up with some afternoon rain. 

Related: Bangkok’s Top 5 Coolest Neighbourhoods

Things to Do in Phayao

For such a little and unknown place, there are plenty of things to do in Phayao. From enjoying Phayao Lake to temple hopping, you’ll find enough to keep you busy here.

Take a Boat to Wat Tilok Aram – Phayao Lake Temple

Wat Tilok Aram is a half-submerged 15th-century temple in the middle of Phayao Lake, which you can take a boat ride out to. The temple predates Phayao Lake and when the lake was formed (the area was flooded after a dam was constructed), the temple became submerged. It’s a really fun experience and one of the best things to do in Phayao. 

Boats leave from the pier on Phayao Lake, which is located here. The fare is 50 THB per person. The boat leaves whenever there are 6 people, which in our experience, was about 15 minutes.

If you’re in a hurry, you can just rent the entire boat for 300 THB. The ride takes no more than 5 minutes. When you get there, the boat waits until everyone has had enough time to walk around and enjoy the small space. Then you go back.

It’s a simple experience, but a cute and fun one at that. 

Kayak and SUP on Phayao Lake

For a more active thing to do in Phayao, you can also rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards to cruise Phayao Lake. These can be rented from Cupcake Cafe and cost 150 THB for a couple of hours. This seems to be a casual timeframe. 

Enjoy Phayao Lake

Walking around Phayao Lake is probably the number one thing to do in Phayao. It sounds basic, but it’s actually really nice. 

Around Phayao Lake you can watch people fishing or getting their portraits painted, or just hanging out and enjoying the ambience. There are a ton of delicious restaurants all along the waterfront of Phayao Lake, so grab some food, a nice drink and spend a few hours just relaxing.

Pro tip: sunset at the lake is especially enjoyable and highly recommended thing to do in Phayao. 

Weekend Morning Market 

Every Saturday and Sunday there is a really fun morning market set up on the promenade around Phayao Lake. You will find lots of different carts serving delicious coffee, pastries and other delicious items.

There are also little lawn chairs set up to relax in while you have your coffee and breakfast. If you’re visiting Phayao on the weekend, we highly recommend this thing to do in Phayao. 

The market runs every Saturday and Sunday from 6 am – 11 am. The market is located here.

Check out Phayao’s Temples

If you haven’t had your temple fix yet, checking out the city’s various temples is a nice thing to do in Phayao. The notable ones are Wat Ananlayo and Wat Phrathat Chom Thong. 

For something a bit different, head to Wat Si Khom Kham. Not only is there a 17-metre statue of the Buddha, but there’s also an intriguing sculpture garden of Dante-style hell depictions. It’s pretty gruesome. 

Huai Pha Kiang Rock Sculptures 

Just outside of Phayao is Huai Pha Kiang, a garden full of great rock sculptures. They’re spread throughout a small area and it’s really nice to walk through the garden and enjoy the sculptures. This thing to do in Phayao isn’t going to blow your mind, but it’s a nice excursion.

It should take about 15 – 30 minutes to walk around (depending on how long you admire them). You can find them here. To get to the Huai Pha Kiang Rock Sculptures, it’s best to have your own set of wheels (see more on getting around Phayao below).

Take a day trip

Phayao 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 Phayao.

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

Doi Phu Nang National Park

Doi Phu Nang National Park is a lovely national park 55 km south of Phayao. It’s home to Than Sawan Waterfall, a really beautiful waterfall, which you can swim in. 

There’s also a short and pretty underwhelming nature trail. 

Entrance to Doi Phu Nang National Park is 100 THB per person, 20 THB per bike and 100 THB per car. 

If you’d like to stay the night, there are camping facilities available. Camping costs 30 THB per person per night and you can also rent a tent, sleeping bags and mattresses. 

Pro tip: while you’re at Doi Phu Nang National Park, be sure to swing by Haui Ton Phueng waterfall, another lovely waterfall just outside the park. 

Mae Yom National Park

Just past Doi Phu Nang National Park, 85 km from Phayao, is Mae Yom National Park. 

Mae Yom National Park has a number of short hiking trails, plus some attractive waterfalls. You can swim in the river and if it’s high enough, arrange some tubing trips. 

Entrance to Mae Yom National Park is 100 THB per person, 20 THB per bike and 100 THB per car. 

If you’d like to stay the night, there are camping facilities available. Camping costs 30 THB per person per night and you can also rent a tent, sleeping bags and mattresses. 

Related: The Top 5 Thailand Camping Sites

Go On an Overnight Trip to Phu Langka Forest Park

If you’re up for a bit of a longer trip, and one that will most definitely require an overnight stay, head to Phu Lanka Forest Park.

Most visitors head to Phu Langka Forest Park to see the ‘sea of fog’. In the early morning, fog collects in the valley below the park, creating a magical effect. You can also see the mountains of Doi Hua Ling, Doi Phu Lang Ka and Doi Phu Nom. 

There are also a few short walking trails and some waterfalls in the park, which you may as well do if you’re in the area anyway. 

How to Get Around Phayao

Many of the wonderful things to do in Phayao are just outside the city, so it’s worthwhile to rent a scooter or car to explore the area. 

Scooter Rental

A scooter is perfect for exploring Phayao and its surroundings. You can rent a scooter in Phayao from Phayao Car Rental Shop, located at Phayao Bus Terminal in the city centre. They have a fleet of motorcycles with varying prices starting from 250 THB per day.

Car Rental  

If you’d like something more powerful than a scooter, you can also rent a car from the Phayao Car Rental Shop, or if you like to arrange your rentals in advance, then on Discover Cars. 

Is Phayao Worth Visiting?

So, is Phayao worth visiting? Yes, Phayao is absolutely worth visiting! 

Phayao is fun, authentic and beautiful. It’s a great place to hang out to get a sense of local Thai culture, not to mention, there are some awesome things to do in Phayao. If you want to see what Thailand is like away from the elephant pants and selfie sticks, this is your place.

What are you waiting for? 

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