Lampang Travel

Best time to visit

With the only exception of the month of August which is better to be avoided unless you’re a fan of tropical storms, the rest of the rainy season running from May to October is still a good time to visit Lampang, but not the best if you’re planning some trekking in the national parks. From November to February the weather is cooler and whatever you are going to do, you’ll enjoy a more pleasant weather.

A rich calendar of events and festivals makes visiting Lampang interesting all year round. Among the others the Fish Eating Fair in March will give you the chance to sample a good variety of local freshwater fish while the Klong Bu Ja Festival in April focuses on musical traditions (especially drums and string musical instruments) of the Lanna ethnic group. In December the Lampang Ceramic Fair is held celebrating the most widespread industry of the province.

Check the below table for the general idea of Lampang weather throughout the year.

Lampang’s current weather and 7-day forecast

LAMPANG WEATHER

If you want an authentic taste of Northern Thailand yet don't do well with crowds, Lampang might be just the right destination. Small, calm, and rich with ornate temples and inviting hot springs, this city is a mere one-hour drive from Chiang Mai.

Check out these top things to do in Lampang, Thailand, and enjoy authentic local experiences before the rest of the world catches on.

1. Chae Son National Park – Waterfalls and natural hot springs

It’s not just in the South that you can take a dip. The North also brims with waterfalls and natural hot springs. Here in Lampang, apart from treating your tense muscles to Chae Son Hot Spring after months of hard work, you can enjoy your DIY poolside snack – hot spring soft boiled eggs.

If you want to make a cooler splash, go for it at the waterfalls in Chae Son National Park. The highlight is the 6-tiered Chae Son Waterfall, located 1 km from the park center and a short walk from the hot spring. 

2. Pha Thai Cave National Park – 9-million-year-old limestone, stalagmites, stalactites, and bats

This huge limestone cave is at least 9 million years old and full of stalagmites and stalactites. The 1-kilometer-long passage is equipped with lights, so curious explorers can see the exquisite details crafted by nature. As an added bonus, you’ll get a breath of fresh air as Pha Thai Cave National Park is nestled in the heart of green mountains.

3. Wat Phra That Lampang Luang – Lampang’s very own Emerald Buddha

This Lanna-style temple holds Lampang’s history. Legend has it that the Buddha once graced his way through this land, tossed a bamboo can to the north and claimed that the land would later be called Lampang.

He also ran his fingers through his hair and gave a tuck of it to a male devotee. The man put it in a golden container and into a tunnel, then built a stupa over it. Wat Phra That Lampang Luang is considered highly sacred by local people and every successor of Lampang has since taken great care of the temple. 

4. Dhanabadee Ceramic Museum – Lampang’s signature Chicken Ceramic workshop

Lampang’s signature craft is Chicken Ceramics – ones you most likely munch from in Thai noodles stalls. Here, you can both shop and learn how to make your very own ceramic kitchenware. 

5. Wat Phra Bat Pupha Daeng – Stairways to heaven

Wat Phra Bat Pupha Daeng or Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat is a heaven for both devout Buddhists and nature lovers. Atop the sky-high cliffs are small white stupas – all man made. The 300-step staircase to the temple cuts right through the middle of a green forest where the air is fresh and clean.

Once at the top, you can marvel at both the human’s effort and nature’s beauty. We recommend coming up here in the late afternoon for sunset dinner – pure magic we say. 

6. Tha Ma-O Cultural Road – Local grub and handmade goodies

Northern Thai food stalls, handmade traditional Northern-style outfits and retro toy shops occupy both sides of the Tha Ma-O Walking Street. Locals occasionally perform Northern Thai dances here too.

7. Kad Kong Ta Weekend Walking Street – Even more local grub for the weekends

Kad Kong Ta (literally Kong Ta Market) is where locals come to get their weekend edibles. Just like other local markets, Kad Kong Ta promises cheap but authentically local food – some also rarer-to-come-by. Let's make your day a one to remember by going for a morning jog and stop for brunch at a homey cafe near Kad Kong Ta.  

8. Wat Chiang Rai – A glimpse of Chiang Rai in Lampang

The name might cause you to raise an eyebrow. Wat Chiang Rai was built by a blue blood who migrated from Chiang Saen (a prehistoric kingdom located in present-day Chiang Rai and also the name of a district in Chiang Rai today). After establishing his Baan Chiang Rai Village, the noble had Wat Chiang Rai built as the community's spiritual center.

Now, Wat Chiang Rai probably reminds you of the renowned White Temple in Chiang Rai with its pristine white decoration. What sets Wat Chiang Rai apart, though, is its ornate gold on white decor, a handful of glitzy golden stupas and a gigantic white Buddha with matching silver ornaments.

Having been born in Thailand and thus seen a gazillion temples, we personally think Wat Chiang Rai is still one of the most unique temples. Even if you aren’t into history or Buddhism, the intricate architecture and decor alone are enough for admirers of pretty things.

9. Mexican Sunflower Field – Pretty yellow field overlooking river and hills

From November to December, the tiny yellow Mexican sunflowers blossom right in Thailand’s major coal mine and power station area, Mae Moh. The field covers over almost 200 acres and nestles itself in the hills and the sea of mist during the early hours.

Here, the air is crisp and cool – exactly what Thai city dwellers would travel long hours for. And even if you happen to be in Lampang during at another time of the year, rotation of other wildflowers will be your seasonal feast for the eyes.

10. Authentic Northern Thai home cooking class in organic farming village – Homegrown produce, mountain and river views, and bike ride with locals

Besides relaxing in the serene atmosphere among the mountains and the river, you are more than welcome to join the locals in farming, fishing, or crafting. Then you’ll have homemade lunch made with local organic produce and later learn how to dish up your favorite Northern Thai dish.

Hotels and guesthouses are scattered all around town without any specific area aiming mainly to western tourists. Many options can be found anyway close to the old town, both on the northern and southern banks of the Wang River, making this the first spot to head to when searching for accommodation. A lot of the hotels fit into a mid-budget range offering quite good value for money. A bit more problematic is to find upscale resorts, especially without your own transportation.

Budget options

Hop Inn Lampang 

Add: 79/31 Phaholyothin Road, Suan dok Sub District, Mueang, 52100 Lampang, Thailand 

Hop Inn Lampang is located near the heart of Lampang. Free WiFi access is available.

Each room here will provide you with a flat-screen cable TV, air conditioning and a refrigerator. Featuring a shower, the private bathroom also comes with free toiletries.

At Hop Inn Lampang you will find a 24-hour front desk and free public parking.

The Riverside Guest House 

Add: 286 Talad Kao road, 52100 Lampang, Thailand

The Riverside Guest House features classical Thai style décor guest house surrounded by a tropical garden. Free Wi-Fi and parking are provided at the guest house.

Lampang Airport is just a 10-minute drive from Riverside Guest House. Kad Kongta Walking Street is 100 m away from the residence.

Each room features a private balcony and an en suite bathroom with shower facilities. Some rooms offer a cable TV and a refrigerator.

Guests can relax with leisure activities at the garden area. Bicycle and motorbike rental can be arranged at the tour desk.

City Ratsada Apartment 

Add: 38 Ratchabut Rd., Tambon Huaviang, Muang Lampang District, 52000 Lampang, Thailand

Situated in Lampang province, City Ratsada Apartment offers a self-catering accommodation with a free daily maid service. The property provides free Wi-Fi access in all areas. There is free public parking available at the property.

City Ratsada Apartment is 50 m from walking street. It takes around 2 to 3 minutes to Pongsanuk Temple. Guests can enjoy the famous landmark chariot service which is located next to the property.

Each unit at City Ratsada Apartment comes with a balcony. This air-conditioned apartment features a flat-screen cable TV. There is a dining area with a dining table and a fridge. Its en suite bathroom is equipped with shower facilities.

Guests will find a laundry service available at the property.

Lada House 

Add: 69 Behind Wat Nam Lom, Thippawan Rd, Huaweing, Muaeng, Lampang, 52000 Lampang, Thailand 

Located in a convenient area of Lampang, Lada House offers a boutique and well-decorated guesthouse with free WiFi throughout the property. Several attractions such as night market and Wat Pong Sanuk are reachable within a 10-minute walk. Free private parking is available on site.

Each room at this property is air-conditioned and features a seating area. The en suite bathroom comes with a shower, slippers and free toiletries. Lada House also offers free use of bicycles. All staff are always ready to assist guests with trip planning and arrangements.

A shuttle service to the airport and other destinations can be arranged upon request. Guests can also join art and craft training at the property.

Mid-range options

Villa Rassada Nakorn Lampang 

Add: 9/4 Charoenprated Rd., Muang District, 52000 Lampang, Thailand

Situated in Lampang, Villa Rassada Nakorn Lampang offers comfortable and cozy accommodation decorated in earth tones, free WiFi access in all areas and free private parking on-site. It is a 5-minute walk from Lampang's famous weekend walking street Kad Kong Ta and a 10-minute walk from Baan Sao Nak.

All rooms are equipped with air conditioning, a flat-screen cable TV and a refrigerator. It also comes with a balcony. Shower facilities, slippers and free toiletries are included in the private bathroom.

At Villa Rassada Nakorn Lampang guests will find a shared lounge area and a garden. Horse carriage can be arranged at the property.

Ma Chic & Cozy 

Add: 258 Highway Lampang-Ngao Road, Phrabath, Muang, 52100 Lampang, Thailand

Located in Lampang, Ma Chic & Cozy offers comfortable accommodation with free minibar. Guests enjoy free WiFi access, which is available throughout. The property is 78 km from Chiang Mai Airport.

Accommodation here will provide you with air conditioning, a flat-screen satellite TV and a fridge. Featuring a shower, private bathroom also comes with a hairdryer and free toiletries.

At Ma Chic & Cozy you will find a 24-hour front desk. Other facilities like a shared lounge and a vending machine are offered. The property offers free parking.

Ban Mae Boonthong 

Add: 161-163 Thanon Tipchang, Hua Wiang, Muang Lampang, Lampang, 52000 Lampang, Thailand

Set in Lampang, 200 m from Kad Kong Ta Street Market, Ban Mae Boonthong offers accommodation with a shared lounge, free private parking, a garden and a terrace. This 3-star hotel offers a concierge service and valet parking. The accommodation provides a 24-hour front desk, airport transfers, an ATM and free WiFi.

The units at the hotel come with a seating area, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels and a private bathroom with a hairdryer and a shower. All guest rooms at Ban Mae Boonthong feature air conditioning and a desk.

The accommodation offers a buffet or à la carte breakfast.

City 2 Lampang 

Add: Thanon Rachabuth, 52000 Lampang, Thailand

Located in Lampang, 500 m from Kad Kong Ta Street Market, City 2 Lampang provides accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking and a garden. All rooms feature a flat-screen TV with satellite channels and a private bathroom. The air-conditioned rooms provide a city view and come with a wardrobe and free WiFi.

At the hotel, every room comes with a balcony.

Staff speak Thai and English at the reception.

Deluxe option

Tree Tara hotel 

Add: 171 ถนนพหลโยธิน ตำบลชมพู อำเภอเมืองลำปาง, 52100 Lampang, Thailand 

Tree Tara hotel in Ban Na Kom features a shared lounge and a garden. With a fitness centre, the 4-star hotel has air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi, each with a private bathroom. The accommodation offers a 24-hour front desk and room service for guests.

At the hotel all rooms are fitted with a desk and a flat-screen TV.

Guests at Tree Tara hotel can enjoy a continental or a buffet breakfast.

The accommodation offers a hot tub.

Lampang is a great place to taste local northern Thai specialties in a more authentic version than those found in more tourist-oriented Chiang Mai venues.

Street Food and Markets

Street food is available everywhere in town, both in the old part and in the new one. Every evening many local vendor set up stalls with cooking stations and a few plastic chairs and tables and offer delicious traditional Thai food. Even if it can be quite complicated to communicate, give it a try anyway, since most of time this is how you’ll get the chance to try the most authentic, tasty and cheap food.

If your hotel happens to be on Sanambin Road (the road to the airport) check out Khao Gaeng Im Aroy, located in the beginning of the road coming from the city centre. They cook everything right in front of you and their curries are exceptional – don’t miss the panaeng gai if you like chicken. For a fish alternative you can try pla duk, catfish fried with curry paste; the result is crispy and extra tasty pieces of catfish with a mixed sweet and spicy flavour. Everything they sell will come at THB30 per portion.

If you’re looking for a more organized night market with a lot of vendors to choose from head to train station where you’ll find all the classic street food dishes like chicken or pork skewers, rice dishes, pad thai, noodles and much more. Seating options are very few since the Thai way to visit a night market is just to walk around and with a snack and buying more food to take home.

Noodle Shops

For a quick lunch while visiting the old town, search for one of the many noodle shops selling khao soi, a traditional northern Thai dish made of egg noodles with a coconut milk curry sauce. They usually come with chicken or pork, but even the beef option is quite common in Lampang. Every different shop has their secret recipe of the curry and the result is that you’ll hardly find two dishes tasting exactly the same. Make sure you choose a shop that uses homemade noodles. A dish shouldn’t cost you more than THB40/THB50 regardless of the setting and the location.

Local Food

On the southern side of the river, close to the River Side Guesthouse, Mae Hae (1017 Thanon Upparaj), is an institution among locals for regional northern Thai food. With over 50 years of history, they definitely know what they’re doing, with no concessions to any changes in favour of healthier or fancier variations of this incredible tasty cuisine. And the best part is that if you don’t know about this venue, you would probably never stop there, since it doesn’t look any different from the other countless hole-in-the-wall restaurants with just 3 or 4 tables.

Mae Hae is best visited at lunch time, since the food is prepared in the morning and put on display in a glass showcase. And of course the best dishes will sell out quite quickly and if you show up in the evening, you’ll have a much narrower choice. Most of the dishes contain pork meat and everything is delicious, but if we had to choose one we would go with gaeng hunglay, tender and juicy (and extra fatty) pieces of pork belly in a terrific sauce where ginger, garlic and tamarind are the strongest tastes. Northern herbs sausages are definitely not too be missed either. Prices are within the THB30/THB50 range and Mae Hae is open every day from 11:00am to 8:00pm.

Western and International Food

A great option for a chilled dinner in a great location is Riverside, next door to River Side Guesthouse (286, Talad Kao Road) and owned by the same people. Thai and Western food are listed among the entries of rather a long English menu, and the location right on the river makes it a good spot to spend a few hours before or after dinner enjoying a cold beer with a nice view.

Get in

By plane

Lampang Airport (LPT) is currently served twice daily by Nok Air from Bangkok Donmueang and three-daily by Bangkok Airways from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi

Contact us for the latest flight schedule and price. Or you can check via some online platform such as SkyScanner.com or Kayak.com

Here you can find some tips to book the cheapest flight

By train

The Northern railway line from Bangkok to Chiang Mai passes through Lampang. As such, there are several trains in either direction every day. The journey from Bangkok takes 10-12 hours; 2nd class air-con sleeper ticket costs 734-804 baht, air-con seat car is 574 baht (both can be booked online). 2nd class fan sleeper is 150-200 baht cheaper than air-con, but can be booked only at the station.

From Chiang Mai, the journey takes around 2 hours. Express fan car tickets are 23 baht. Air-con car tickets are just over 100 baht and all tickets can be bought at the station only.

By bus

There are many buses going from Mo Chit bus terminal in Bangkok to Lampang. Many of those are continuing on to Chiang Mai. First-class air-con bus ticket costs around 400-450 baht, the trip takes 8-9 hours (as such, overnight buses are recommended).

From Chiang Mai (Arcade bus station), buses are very frequent, and it takes just around 1-1.5 hours to get to Lampang. The price is 40-80 baht, depending on bus class. 

Finally, many buses going from Chiang Mai to various other destinations in central and northeastern Thailand have a stop in Lampang. It is therefore usually possible to board a direct service to get where you need to.

A minibus from Phrae will cost B80. It goes every 45 minutes, and takes 1.5 hours.

We recommend you check the latest bus schedule and price via rome2rio.com

Get around

There are no tuk-tuks serving Lampang, so you either rely on the horse-drawn carriages, or on green/yellow songthaews, which can be hired like a tuk-tuk. If it is not on a fixed route, ask the driver for a price to where you want to go, and make sure that you understand if this is a price for the trip or a price per person.

It appears that most of the songteows do a circuit which includes the bus station. At the bus station itself, you tell the driver where you are going, and when he has a full load, he then goes, dropping off passengers at their required destination. Costs B20.

From the Clocktower Circle, which is a 6 way intersection - with the park behind you, the road immediately to the left goes to the train and bus stations (southwest). Continuing clockwise - the next road leads to the shopping area and markets some 300 metres distant. You will come to a 711 on your left, and to the left of this are the night street eats. The next road northwest from the clocktower is a laneway, and the next one leads to the river not far distant. The next road leads to the Asia Hotel a short distance along, and 2 more upmarket hotels a little further along. The next road from the Clocktower leads to the Old City.