Chiang Mai North Thailand

About 700 km North away from the Thai capital Bangkok, surrounded by the foothills of the Himalaya, there is the city of Chiang Mai located, also called “The Rose of the North”. Chiang Mai is the cultural and art center of North Thailand and there are many factories, specialised in handicrafts, which been sold all over Thailand. With Thai people Chiang Mai is famous for its cozy climate and many Bangkokians spent their holidays or weekends there. The name Chiang Mai means “new city”. Chiang Mai has been founded by the first Lanna King Mengrai the Great (1239 – 1317) in 1296 and he made the “new city” the capital of the Lanna Kingdom. In the following centuries Chiang Mai has been occupied by the Burmese several times.
At the 14.02.1774 the city at the Ping river has been allocated to Siam and from this time on has been governed by rulers under Siamese leadership. After the death of the last ruler of Chiang Mai, Kaeo Nawarat in the year 1939, there wasn´t a successor appointed.

© Thai Eyes
Image: View of Chiang Mai City from Doi Suthep

Nowadays Chiang Mai is a pulsing, rapidly growing, modern major city with international hotels, shopping centers, discotheques and a wide selection of all kinds of international restaurants. The gate to the North as Thailand is a melting pot for the different Hill Tribes of the North and a well-liked tourist destination.

Chiang Mai has an international airport and since the completion of the Doi Khun Tan railway tunnel in 1918, the city is connected to the Thai railway network. The city counts more than 200 (some sources speak about 300) buddhist temples, the most famous and also the landmark of Chiang Mai is the “Wat Phra That Doi Suthep” temple at the Suthep mountain.
The modern Chiang Mai is grouped around the historic city with its quadratic groundplan, surrounded by the ancient remains of the city wall and the water ditch. The entrance to the historic city are 4 city gates, the most well-know is the Thapae Gate in the east. Around Thapae Gate is the touristic center of Chiang Mai. There are lots of small bars, restaurants and dicotheques. Every Sunday some of the streets at Thapae Gate are closed for traffic and the area changes to a big market for arts & crafts, food, clothes and more. This market called, Walking Street, became very popular with Thai people and foreigners in the last years. Thai people performing Thai dances and playing Thai musical instruments to entertain the crowd.

Not far away from Thapae Gate, near the Ping river, there is another Tourist attraction, the famous, but louche Night Bazaar, where counterfeit, international brand-name products, as well as handicrafts been sold. The quality of the faked products is mostly as low as its price. Be warned, that faked goods could bring You in big trouble at Your home country´s custom.

Chiang Mai is the perfect springboard for excursions to the tropical highlands and prices for food and accomodation are cheaper, than in other Thai Tourist locations. The region of Chiang Mai is a shangri-la for golf enthusiasts, around the city, there are more than 10 world class golf courses (Golf in Thailand). Also extreme sportsmen will get there money’s worth, there are several facilities in and around Chiang Mai, for bungee jumping, river rafting, paint ball and Air softgun, in Thailand called BB gun.
Enjoy the friendliest people of Thailand, the flair of Lanna and delicious Thai food in a cozy climate. See You in Chiang Mai !
Hotels in Chiang Mai