Chiang Mai ThailandA visit to Chiang Mai Thailand is a must if you want to check out some fantastic countryside in Northern Thailand but still base yourself in a great city. Chiang Mai is the gateway to the North and an absolute must for anyone who wants to explore Thailand's rich history. Chiang Mai ProvinceOutside of the city, Chiang Mai province, which includes the city, is 20,000 square km and has the largest rain forest area in the north of Thailand as well as two of the tallest mountains; Don Chiang Dao and Doi Inthanon which stand at around 2200 metres and 2500mtrs respectfully. As you can now imagine, the province of Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand is very popular with hill walkers, bird watchers, elephant trekkers and anyone who loves an outdoor pursuit in natural surroundings. A great time to visit is in the spring when the flower festivals are at their peak and the province is in bloom. The people of Chiang Mai are famous for their friendliness and live their lives at a different pace to those in Bangkok and the popular beach resorts such as Phuket. This also rubs off on the tourists and ex-pats, giving Chiang Mai an ambience of relaxation that you will find hard to match in any other major city. Chiang Mai Thailand ClimateChiang Mai winters are a favourite time to visit the Province. The climate is not as humid as other areas of Thailand. In the hill and mountains tops you will see Thai tourists dressed in thermals who are there for their first glimpse of ice or frost.Deep mid winter (just for a few weeks) usually means temperatures above 10 degrees centigrade but the temperatures for most of the winter are often akin to a perfect spring time. For us that means it's t-shirt and shorts weather during the day and light trousers in the evening. Perfect:-) The rainy and hot season is from May to October and that can often mean endless days of heavy rain sometimes dispersed with uncomfortably hot weather. Not ideal for going to Chiang Mai zoo. Chiang Mai Thailand - City GuideChiang Mai is striving to keep its traditional image intact but its success is underpinned by a mixture of modern shopping attractions, western style shops and a thriving tourist industry.None of these stop the city from retaining its character and charm, in fact there are more temples per square km in the area than anywhere else in Thailand, making Chiang Mai a significant location for Thai religion (Buddhism).
A popular area of the city is around the night bazaar where the older hotels are situated. This is also in close proximity to the Mae Ping River. Unlike Bangkok, where the Chao Phraya River is littered with extravagant hotels, the Mae Ping has not been spoilt by any over development. There are many fine restaurants on the river which are extremely popular with Thais and tourists alike. The area has not lost its traditional look and feel which is a great thing to see in Thailand when you see some other areas being spoilt in the name of profit. That is just one of the reasons we stay near the river when we are there. There was one occasion we visited Chiang Mai Thailand during the Loy Krathong festival when the drink is free flowing and locals all join in the fun. Health and safety are not high on the agenda in Thailand and you will see locals letting off fireworks everywhere, often holding rockets in their hands as they ignite them and liberally igniting ‘jumping jacks’ (banned in many counties) in busy thoroughfares. We were at one of the riverside restaurants watching the Thai locals on both sides of the river bank aiming rockets at each other. Very spectacular but as we were with our children we beat a retreat to a local air conditioned bar. The air conditioned shopping malls would make any western tourist feel at home; you can sometimes forget that your are in Chiang Mai Thailand; there are always KFCs to hand, ice cream parlours, well known department stores and of course branded coffee shops (where I like to relax when my family are busy damaging my credit cards). Chiang Mai Thailand - Getting ThereChiang Mai is about one hour’s flight north of Bangkok, so it's not a long haul to get there. You could however consider travelling to Chiang Mai on the Orient Express; this is a great way to start your break there. Although we have not tried this ourselves, everyone who experiences this journey raves about it, so it is definitely on our 'to do' list.If your budget doesn't stretch to the Orient Express then 1st class train travel in Thailand is still a cheap and comfortable alternative to air travel; and an enjoyable one-off experience. Any taxi ride from Bangkok to Chiang Mai Thailand can be an ordeal. 10 hours cramped in a taxi is not my idea of fun. If you are inclined to travel by road, then the bus can be a better option and considerably cheaper. Our Favourite Hotel in Chiang Mai ThailandThe Westin hotel location makes it perfect for our holidays. We always ask for a room that overlooks the river (as we do in Bangkok). It is only 10 minutes drive from Chiang Mai airport and a few minutes away from the train station and night bazaar.The service has always been excellent, the rooms comfortable, as you would expect from a highly rated hotel and the prices are not extortionate if you shop around the various websites to find a deal.
Top TipDon’t take the first price you see. Shop around on the Chiang Mai Thailand on-line travel agencies, there are plenty of good sites to choose from and you can often stumble on a great deal.If you want to know more about Chiang Mai, read what some of the locals have to say..... Chiang Mai, Thailand - The Travel Industry's Biggest Secret
Return from Chiang Mai Thailand to the Thaland Holidays
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