How many days do you need in Lampang?

1. 1Wat Phra That Lampang Luang & the old towntemple at opening, carriage in the afternoon1 day
2. 2Elephant center or Wat Chaloem Phra Kiathire a car for Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat1 day

The short answer by trip length

• Day trip from Chiang Mai: Lampang is about 2 hours by train or bus, so Wat Phra That Lampang Luang and a carriage ride fit in a long day. You miss the riverside town after dark.

• 1 night: arrive by lunch, carriage and the old quarter in the afternoon, Lampang Luang early the next morning, then on to Chiang Mai.

• 2 days: the right amount. Add the elephant center or Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat.

• 3 days: what we had. Both of the second-day options, plus a weekend evening at the walking street by the river.

Lampang is a working provincial town on the Wang River, not a resort. The reasons to stay are its pace, its teak houses and temples, and the horse-drawn carriages that still run there.

Day by day: 2 days in Lampang

Day 1, Lampang Luang and the old town. Go early to Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, about 18 km southwest of town, by songthaew, hired car or scooter. It is a walled complex rather than a single building: an open-sided teak viharn on a stone base with carved and painted panels, and a gilded chedi said to hold a relic of the Buddha. The light comes in sideways through the open viharn in the morning, and coach groups from Chiang Mai arrive by mid-morning. Cover shoulders and knees and take off your shoes; see the Thailand temple dress code.

In the afternoon, take a horse carriage from the stand near the market. Published fares have run about 200 baht for a 15-minute loop and 300 baht for 30 minutes, per carriage rather than per person; check the board for current prices. Longer routes include Ban Sao Nak, a teak house built on 116 pillars, now a museum. Walk the Wang River at dusk and eat khao soi or sai ua, the northern herb sausage sold by weight at the market. On a weekend evening, the Kad Kong Ta walking street runs along the river in the old merchant quarter.

Day 2, choose one. The Thai Elephant Conservation Center is about 30 km from town at km 28 to 29 on the Lampang to Chiang Mai highway, at Hang Chat. It is government-run, home to an elephant hospital, and open roughly 7am to 4pm; shows and activities are priced separately, so check what runs that day. If you want to see elephants without performances, read how to choose an ethical sanctuary first.

Or go to Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat, the white chedis perched on rock pinnacles above Chae Hom district, north of town on Highway 1035. A concrete road of about 5 km leads to the base. You cannot drive to the top yourself: shared trucks run up, or there is a forest path of about 1 km, around 30 minutes' climb. Hours are roughly 7:30am to 4pm. Hire a car for the day; public transport does not reach it practically.

Where it fits in a northern Thailand route

Lampang sits on the Northern Line between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, about 2 hours before Chiang Mai, so it is the easiest break in the journey north. Our sleeper train guide covers the trains on that line.

Our route reached it from the old capitals: Ayutthaya (3 days), Lop Buri (1), Sukhothai (2), then Lampang (3) and Chiang Mai (6). From Sukhothai it is bus only, roughly 3 to 6 hours with few departures a day. See how many days in Sukhothai, how many days in Chiang Mai, and our 6-week Thailand itinerary for the full route.

Stay near the Wang River in the old quarter, within walking distance of the market, the carriage stand and the riverside restaurants. Our Lampang guide has more on the town.

When to go

• November to February: the cool, dry season and the best time. Our December stay fell here; mornings are cool enough for the temple and the carriage rides.

• March to May: Lampang gets very hot from March, and the burning-season haze that affects all of northern Thailand can close in. Check the air quality before you book; our burning season guide applies here too.

• June to October: the rainy season, green and quiet, with afternoon storms.

Common mistakes

• Reaching Lampang Luang at 11am. Go at opening for the light and before the coaches.

• Treating Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat as a quick hop. With the drive north, the wait for a truck and the climb, it is most of a day.

• Paying per person for the carriage. Fares are per carriage; agree the route and price first.

• Arriving on a weekday for the walking street. Kad Kong Ta runs on weekend evenings; check which nights locally.

• Skipping it entirely. If you are on the train north anyway, one night costs little and gives you the north at its most unhurried.

For the dishes to try, see what to eat in Thailand.

Frequently asked questions