Thailand North
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai Photo Gallery
Chiang Mai is Thailand's second city located in the north just one hour’s flight from Bangkok or an overnight train journey. The city lies on a plateau surrounded by mountains which each have their own unique attractions – elephant training camps, rafting, orchid farms, Hill Tribe villages, snake and monkey shows and a whole avalanche of temples and historic sites.
The city is famous for her friendly people, the night bazaar with refined handicrafts, the cool climate and stunning mountain scenery. The river Ping meanders through the town and there are many places to stay along the river with great restaurants to dine.
More than three-hundred temples, among them some of the most beautiful and revered in the entire Buddhist world, give the city an atmosphere of calmness and timeless elegance. The old city is a perfect square, walled and surrounded by a moat lending charm and eloquence. Within the old city life is peaceful and the majority of Chiang Mai’s temples are contained within these walls.
The quality of living is unsurpassed. Accommodation and food are of the highest standard at very low cost. Entertainment is plentiful with numerous festivals, outdoor activities and great nightlife.
Shopping is great, be it for handicrafts, clothes or luxury items. Everything can be found at great prices in stores ranging from small family-run shops to world-class luxury outlets and shopping malls. The city centre shopping radiates from the Night Bazaar Street and on the outskirts of the town are villages such as Baan Tawai which offer factory prices and an abundance of choice.
At night in addition to shopping there are many bars and nightclubs providing a lively entertainment’s scene. Many of the hotels offer outside concerts and parties and the city is filled with the smell of delicious food cooking from its many fabulous restaurants.
There are many domestic flights into Chiang Mai and these are very cheap. If travelling overnight by train from Bangkok this will take some 14 hours and 9 during the day. Coaches are available for the journey too and these take just a little bit longer to reach Chiang Mai.
Chang Rai
Chiang Rai, the northernmost province of Thailand is about 785 kilometres north of Bangkok. Situated on the Kok River basin, Chiang Rai covers an area of approximately 11,678 square meters with an average elevation of 580 meters above sea level. The province, which is located within the renowned Golden Triangle area where Myanmar, Laos and Thailand converge.
Chiang Rai, which was founded in 1262 by King Meng Rai, was the first capital of the Lanna Thai Kingdom which was later conquered by Burma. It was not until 1786 that Chiang Rai became a Thai territory and was proclaimed a province during the reign of King Rama VI in 1910.
Today, Chiang Rai is a travellers paradise endowed with abundant natural tourist attractions and antiquities; the province itself is evidence of past civilisation. Attractions range from magnificent mountain scenery, ruins of ancient settlements, historic sites, Buddhist shrines and ethnic villages as the province is also home to several hill tribes who maintain fascinating lifestyles. For those interested in the natural side of Chiang Rai, jungle trekking is recommended along various trails.
Chiang Rai which tends to be a little more 'laid back' now competes with Chiang Mai as a tourist attraction and is fast becoming a popular escape for tourists wanting to get away from the troubles they left behind.
Chan Rai like Chang Mai is easily accessible by air which takes 80 minutes and road which takes some 9 hours on the bus. Train journeys are possible although you will need to change at Chang Mai or Lampang and take a bus for a further 90-120 minutes.
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