Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is a most attractive destination with sights and charms peculiar to itself and the picturesque Northern region of which it is the centre.

Located 700 kilometres north of Bangkok, Chiang Mai is less than an hour from the capital by plane and is served by several daily flights. It can also be reached conveniently by airconditioned overnight train or coach. Although readily accessible, the city popularly known as the "Rose of the North" presents a superb contrast.

Where as Bangkok is a mere 200 years old, Chiang Mai was founded in the late 13th century and is one of the oldest continually inhabited settlements in Thailand. It was once the capital of Lanna, an independent Thai kingdom, and has preserved its unique cultural heritage to a marked degree.

Accordingly it is a veritable treasure house of the arts and architecture unique to the region.

Chiangmai invites you to take a relaxing tour of the Old City in pedaled trishaws. Chiangmai's oldest form of transportation. Similar to the tricycle, but much larger and called Semlor.

Taking a ride in one is a must for every visitor to Chiangmai and an excellent way to take in the city sights, since they travel at about the same speed as a bicycle.

See the Old City walls around the moat.

Within the city's original perimeter, still marked by moat and fortified gates, are numerous ancient Buddhist temples and other monuments attesting to a distinguished past. Close by are more magnificent attractions, including Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, and Phuping Palace, the summer residence of the Royal Family.

Golden Triangle

The Thai people are the friendliest people in the world - this is truly the land of smiles! The Thai People Have A Great Sense of Humor!

See Hill Tribes, elephants, jungles and the mountains.

Enjoy excellent Thai cuisine. It's deliciously affordable - mild to spicy.

You can get in to any travelagency and decide what you want to see here. Or go out to a taxi and ask if the chauffeur can take you around and visit the attraction near. They are proud to show you and you get a very fair price and your own guide.

HILL TRIBE TREK - hike to remote Hill Tribe villages (light to moderate hiking). Sleep in a typical village house . . . ride your first elephant !

Remain in CHIANG MAI. Visit Buddhist temples, here is moore than 300 temples. The most famous Wat is

Phra That Doi Suthep

is right outside the city and have a wonderful view over the city.

There is 305 stairs up to the Wat, it´s easy to walk up. You can use the mountain lift up to, but you are going to miss some of the intresting things to see. Outside the wat you can buy everything.

Enjoy Thai massage or spend time to brows the "Night Market".

The hilltribe people come down in the evening to the nightmarket and sell their own handicraft, like silver and handmade clothes and moore.

They sell it cheap.

If you are visit they in their own village and you must ! It´s a little bit more expensive. The one who is near is the Maesa Village and you can se people smoke everything but it´s natrually here. No one take a notice. The pigs and chicken and all other animals get around every where. Don´t give any money, it´s better to buy something.

You can visit very beautiful waterfalls, butterfly gardens, snake shows

and visit an orchidfarms. It´s more to se, to long to list !

You must see it by your own !

Fly north or go with mini van to MAE HONG SON near the Burmese border in the cool highlands.Here you can see the long - necked women.

Just outside the city, there are a handicraft road. All the factory is here. You can watch how they do it. You can se how they are doing silk from the kokongs (start) to the end and afterwards right in to the shop.

We are often in to the wooden shops and buy furniture in rosewood. They are wonderful. You can se how they carve the wood.

                Last updated   1999-09-09