Lampang Things to Do

Any trip to Lampang will not be complete without visiting one of the natural or national parks. Waterfalls, hot springs, trekking routes and mountain view points – you name it, Lampang has it. As the province sits relatively close to Chiang Mai, it is often overlooked but actually makes for a nice change if you want Chang Mai-like attractions without too many tourists around.

Chae Son National Park

Located in the north of the province, roughly 70 km away from Lampang city, Chae Son is a small natural park with lots of attractions quite close to each other making it a perfect destinations for families with children willing to spend a few hours (or a couple of days) in a natural environment without having to face long treks.

Lush vegetation, forests and mountains form the beautiful setting where waterfalls, caves, hot springs and several species of flora and fauna can be discovered. Chae Son Waterfall, just a one-km walk from the park’s headquarters, offers 6 natural pools where bathing is possible all year round.

The main attraction of the park is the hot springs where for some extra baht you can experience the apparently magical powers of the 73 degree water. If visiting in February, don’t miss Dok Siew in full bloom covering one side of a mountain easy reachable via a short drive from the visitor centre.

To get to Chae Son National Park local buses are available in Lampang or you can hire a songthaew for the day. If you have your own car, the ride is easy and pleasant and accommodation options can be found in and outside the park, which is open all year round from 8:00am to 6:00pm. Admission fee is THB200 (THB100 for kids).

Doi Chong National Park

Another small and compact natural park, Doi Chong covers a mountainous area in the southwest of the province, with the highest peak soaring up over 1300 m providing spectacular 360 degree views all over the surrounding area.

Located 7 km far from the park’s headquarters, the peak can be reached only via a quite challenging hiking trail. Fauna is limited to various species of birds, wild boar and civet cats, while flora is particularly interesting thanks to the presence of various kinds of orchids, blooming every year between November and January.

Chae Son National Park

If you have to choose only one daytrip, we would recommend you to consider Chae Son NP which is easy to access; but if you have your own car and heading south to Kamphaeng Phet or Tak, it could be a nice place to stop for the night and go on a trek to the top early in the morning taking advantage of the cool breeze.

Visit Elephant Sanctuary, Camp or Hospital

As usual we are not going to mention any particular elephant camp in the province leaving more freedom of choice to you according to your preferences. For some consideration on how to responsibly choose a place please refer to our article about Elephant Sanctuaries in Thailand.

The only elephant-related establishment we would be confident to recommend without hesitations is Lampang Elephant Hospital. It is not related in any of the next-door elephant camps and doesn’t offer any rides or shows whatsoever.

Lampang Elephant Hospital is a leading medical facility in Thailand where animals are treated using both Western medicine achievements and traditional natural remedies. Elephants come from all over the north of Thailand and far beyond to be treated here, and some of them suffering long lasting or chronic conditions end up staying there as permanent residents. The visit doesn’t involve any interaction with the animals but provides a lot of information about elephants in general and the sick ones hosted at the hospital in particular. No fees are imposed and if you wish to support the hospital a donation or a purchase of a couple of souvenirs at the souvenir shop will do the trick. The hospital is located 20 km north of Lampang, close to the main road to Chiang Mai. Any bus travelling this route can drop you off there.