Chiang Mai

Introduction

Spirit Bells

© All Rights Reserved kymar1

Chiang Mai (Thai เชียงใหม่) is the largest city in the North Thailand region. It is roughly 700 kilometres north of Bangkok and is a great place to spend some days, or even more if you want to explore the region around the city and do some of the activities mentioned below.

Sights and Activities

Elephants

You have to visit the Elephant Nature Park and spend at least one night there. It's highly rated by CNN, BBC, National Geographic and Time Magazine and the King of Thailand.

In Thailand there are so called elephant "camps" which are brutally treated elephants that have bleeding backs from the ropes that strap the chairs to them so toursits can ride them. The Elephant Nature park is a charity institution and rescues these, so the elephants are free and you can ride them naturally. You also go on trips organised by the park to vaccinate elephants kept elsewhere. Other activities at the park include bathing the elephants in the river, playing with the other animals and taking trips to the markets (day and night).

Markets

The Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is where vendors hawk various goods such as statues, t-shirts, DVDs, and Thai food. The Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is open every night but is more expensive than the Sunday Night Markets which take place in the Ta Pae Gate area and stretches into the middle of the old city. You can find more traditional Thai clothing and goods at this market and it's a good experience to simply check out the different local food available here.

Wararot Market is the largest local market in Chiang Mai and is also well worth a visit. It is where the locals come to shop so is less geared toward the tourist but is an absolute experience with all the sights and smells.

Muang Mai Market is a must visit for any food lover. It is the fresh food wholesale market for Chiang Mai located on the west side of the river near the US Consulate. There is an amazing variety of fresh food on sale, some of it straight off the back of farmers' pick up trucks.

Doi Suthep

To the north of Chiang Mai is Doi Suthep, a large mountain adorned with the temple of Wat Phrathet Doi Suthep. Anyone catching a song-thaew up the slopes (a tuk-tuk can't drive up the mountain) will be rewarded with fantastic views of Chiang Mai and the sights of a traditional Thai temple.

There are also many waterfalls along the way to the temple where the sweaty traveller can stop to cool off. Some of the waterfalls do charge an admission fee to foreigners though.

PhuPhing Palace

Past Wat Doi Suthep is PhuPhing Palace which offers yet another cultural experience for the keen tourist. Be sure to get there before 3:00pm though as the palace closes then.

Moat and Library

Walk the fantastic moat and take in the ruins that created it then visit the library to learn about how Thai's learn about western culture.

Events and Festivals

Songkran (Thai New Year)

ChangMai Lanterns

© All Rights Reserved rea-neill

Songkran is the biggest party of the year, held during the hot month of April. In the past, people would throw water among themselves in nice way to bless each other. These days, the festival has evolved into an all-out water fight that takes a whole week. Chiang Mai is the spot in Thailand where Songkran is celebrated for the longest period. The rest of Thailand limits the Songkran festival to some few days. The reason for this is that the festival originated from Chiang Mai in the past and so the city feels more strongly attached to it than anywhere else in Thailand.

Loy Krathong

Loy Krathong is a major festival celebrated in the 12th month of the Thai lunar calendar (usually around November). Although it's celebrated throughout Thailand, the festivities in Chiang Mai are renowned for being the best. During Loy Krathong, people release traditional hot air balloons (Kome Loy) into the sky, set off traditional fireworks and place Krathong (little rafts) on water.

Getting There

Most budget travellers coming from within Thailand will probably arrive by either bus or train, though there is an international airport serving Chiang Mai.

By Plane

Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) is found to the west of the old city. Low-cost Airline Air Asia flies to Bangkok, Hat Yai, Phuket and Kuala Lumpur. Many other airlines serve destinations like Yangon, Koh Samui, Taipei, Singapore, Seoul and Luang Prabang.

By Train

Chiang Mai Train Station is located near the Ping River. Many travellers take the train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. A total distance of about 700 kilometres, the trip generally takes about 12 hours to complete. Many backpackers choose to take the overnight sleeper as this saves them a night's accommodation, although the day train does allow you to take in the scenery. While 12 hours can seem like a long time, it actually flies by as the scenery is quite interesting to look at. Don't expect to get any great photos, however, as it doesn't take long for the train windows to get dirty. Your only option here is to stand between carriages along with the smokers. You might also like to take your own food as the food served on the train is very basic and not to everyone's taste.

Upon arriving in Chiang Mai, the train station actually has several large sign boards listing several hotels and guest houses, their amenities and room prices. If you haven't pre-arranged your accommodation, this makes it less of a gamble than just listening to some tuk-tuk driver who probably gets a commission by enticing you to a particular hotel.

By Car

Highway 118 goes north from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai and Highway 11 goes south to Lamphun, Lampang, Phrae and around to Nan. Highway 1 connects with Highway 11 and goes all the way to Bangkok.

By Bus

Travellers coming to Chiang Mai by bus will arrive at the Arcade Bus Station, which is near the train station on the east side of the Ping River. Chiang Mai has bus services to most main Thai cities. Buses leave frequently to Bangkok, Chiang Rai, Mae Sai, Nan, and other cities. Green Bus Thailand covers most routes in the northern regions and tickets can be booked on their website.

By Boat

Getting Around

Chiang Mai is an easy city to get around for those with no transport of their own.

There are several landmarks that the traveller can use to get around. The most obvious thing you will notice when you arrive is the square moat that still stands in the city centre from days long gone by. The gates and some of the walls are still standing as well and it is easy to use this landmark as a good way to gain your bearings. The road around the inside and outside of the moat is one way however, and it can be confusing for the first-timer as you are often required to over-shoot your destination and then do a u-turn to double back. As long as you remember that the inside road goes anti-clockwise and the outside road goes clockwise you should have no problems.

By Motorcycle

For the brave, motorcycles are can be rented for about 150 Baht a day for a manual 100cc bike, or slightly more for an automatic version. Make sure you ask for a helmet when renting a motorbike as the police around Chiang Mai have been known to pull foreigners over for not wearing a helmet even though there are a lot of Thais who do the same thing! You usually have to leave your passport with the owner when you rent the bike. Some places accept other forms of ID like drivers licenses.

By Public Transport

Local public transport is provided by tuktuks, songthaews, rickshaws and the infrequent Chiang Mai Bus service.

By Tuk-Tuk and Song-Thaew

If you prefer to be safer, then tuk-tuks (three-wheeled motorized pedicabs) and song-thaews (red pickup trucks with two rows of seating at the back) offer easy alternatives for those who want to move about. Song-thaews are a lot cheaper than tuk-tuks and a cross city-fare will cost you about 40 Baht. Song-thaews only go on main roads and most drivers don't speak English well, so it might be more convenient for the newcomer to hop on a tuk-tuk. Tuk-tuks are more expensive but faster than song-thaews. They will also drop you right at the front door of wherever you are wanting to go. A basic rule with both song-thaews and tuk-tuks is to negotiate the prices before you get into the vehicle. You avoid nasty arguments this way and both parties usually end up happier.

The usual line for tuk-tuk drivers in Chiang Mai is that fuel is expensive and hence their prices are so expensive. With a little haggling and perseverance, you can usually bargain the price down a bit. Another tip for bargaining with song-thaew drivers is to haggle in a group. They usually give a group discount for more than one traveller. Watch out for the song-thaew and tuk-tuk drivers around the Arcade Bus Station though. They are well-known to increase the price for the new tourist in Thailand. You can easily get around this by being in a group.

By Car

On Foot

By Bike

Eat

If you go east past the Night Bazaar from Ta Pae Gate you'll eventually end up at the Ping River which boasts a series of riverside restaurants. These are more expensive than your typical local restaurant but the atmosphere is more modern, they have live bands, and you'll be able to find English speaking staff.

• Riverside Restaurant is one of the most popular serving both Thai and international food and featuring live music throughout the evening.
• For a really local experience try Antique House or for excellent live Blues see legendary local guitarist Took at The Brasserie
• Another great local eating experience is at Anusarn Market near the Night Bazaar. There are a number of Hawker style restaurants the pick of the bunch of which is Best Taste Kitchen.
• At lunchtime try Huen Phen on Ratchamankha Road. This restaurant serves authentic northern style food at very reasonable prices. It is packed daily with locals.
• Eat at the cafe opposite Gecko book store.

Drink

• Tuskers Bar and Grill is one of Chiang Mai's best bars. Just off the Moat Road they have a large bar area and beer garden with great food and drink. It is very popular with local expatriates, locals and tourists and holds regular party nights.
• Guitarman is a great venue for live music with big names playing there regularly.
• For a late night drink the most popular spot is Jackies Van located around the corner from Tuskers and next to the legendary nightclub Spicy.

Sleep

Budget

On the eastern side of the Moat Road is Chiang Mai's main backpacker area, Ta Pae Gate. This is the area where the cheapest guest houses, most cheap foreign restaurants, and backpacker pubs and clubs are found. It is also close to the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar.

Mid-Range

Upscale

Keep Connected

Internet

Most hotels and guesthouses offer internet services at very affordable prices. In some places internet access is even complimentary for house guests.

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post

Thailand Post is the Thai postal service that deals with all local and international mail in Thailand. The business is operated from local post offices. Post offices are easy to recognise with their red white and blue motifs and the words 'Thailand Post' in English and Thai above the entrance. They are open from Monday to Saturday, usually 8:30am to 4:30pm (main ones until around 8:00pm), though keeping shorter hours on Saturdays (usually until 1:00pm). They are generally closed on Sundays and Public Holidays. Each post office offers a comprehensive service which includes an Express Mail Service (EMS) and parcel post. They also have a price calculator for letters, postcards and parcels, both domestically as well as internationally. They also have a track and trace system and money transfer services.