If it's your first time here, plan on staying longer than you originally thought you would. It's that kind of place.

watch out for theft here.

if you got the time, the two weeks thai massages training in the Old Hospital are quite interesting, also Chiang Mai is popular with thai cooking training

One of my favorite cities throughout all my travels. I was here for just about a month total. Made friends that I still keep in contact with and plan to get back someday to possibly live.

Chill out in the old city behind the walls or eat at one of the many restaurants along the river. Maybe rent a bike for the day and head out to the lake.

Go trekking in the jungle live with the locals !!

Never pay money to 'Trekking' agencies based in Chiang Mai, or anywhere in Northern Thailand, to take you to have a hill-tribe experience. You are being grossly overcharged by unscrupulous Thai middlemen, who are exploiting these unique ethnic minorities for their own means (they get very little if anything from these trekking 'guides'). Its really not that hard to find them yourself, with a good map, bike and some courage sensitivity.
Do your research beforehand. Trust me you'll have a much better reception when (if) you find them, plus your overall experience will be much more genuine. Take gifts of course (food and pens are welcome), if you are invited to stay overnight offer cash only to the head of the village on leaving and its fair to give the same amount that you would have paid to a hotel/gh/restaurant for the same.
Forgive me for being blunt but I have spent a lot of time first hand seeing the effects of this type of tourism and all I can say is that if all this seems too much effort then leave them well alone.

a trek in the jungle is a most. Its a fantasts experience pretty tough but worth it when you arrive each night in the villages. Small highlights was a waterfall we had to climb up, attending a traditional wedding, and views along the way.

Buy cheap clothes on the market, go to a dancing performance and enjoy the traditional food.. Do not forget to see the Mae Hong Son .. you are too close now..

chiang mai is really good to go hiking with various friends from all over the world. U can enjoy yourself and get close with each other while travelling and scrambling the mountain.

Old chiangmai khantoke dinner.

Dinner with tribal dances