Chiang Mai Crash Course
Situated on a plain with a wall of mountains to the west and a lush countryside, and an amazingly cosmopolitan aire, the large foreign population enjoys it far more than the noise and pollution and crowds of Bangkok. Being much greener and quieter than the capital, are some of the factors which have led many from Bangkok to settle permanently in Chiang Mai. Other factors, unfortunately are more clandestine and unwholesome, cheap opium and brown sugar heroin, and the availability young ladies.
Chiang Mai is throwing off its ancient ways and is rapidly moving into the 21st century. However, it is still loaded with attractions. Historically, Chiang Mai was on an ancient trading route, serving as a center for household impliments, and condiments, and these traditions continue to this day, beautiful painted umbrellas, silver jewelry, intricate wood carvings, and other handicrafts.
HistoryNot much was written before 1296 AD. Before it was called Chiang Mai, the area was known as Haripunchai and survived by trading with people on the coast in central Thailand. Phaya Mangrai of Yonok State heard about Haripunchai's wealth and conquered Chiang Mai in 1292 and formally founded Chiang Mai on 12 April 1296 as the capital of the kingdom of Lannathai, succeeding Chiang Rai as capital. The first temple built was Wat Chiangman. The city wall and moat was constructed as a means of fortification against Burma. Today, sections of the
Buddhism arrived from Sukhothai during Phaya Kuena in the period 1355 - 1385. Prahat Doi Suthep was built in 1373 to house the remains of the Lord Buddha.During the Tilokaraj period from 1441 - 1487 Lanna prospered and had many battles against Ayutthaya to the south. Chiangmai was attacked and fell under the control of King Bureng Nona of Myanmar (Burma) in 1558 and then was governed by a succession of princes and remained a Burmese colony for 200 years. In 1774 Lanna asked King Taksin to fight against the Burmese and control switched to the Thai and led by Phraya Jaban, and after his death, King Rama 1 appointed Phraya Wachiraprkarn. Because of the war with Burmese that culminated in the demise in April 1767 of Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai became so un[populated that they abandoned it from 1776 to 1791. Some sources say that the Chiang Mai is the longest continuously settled place in all of Siam, but this disputes that claim. Chiang Mai, although colonized, was free to rule itself and the main obligation was to send gold, flowers, teak and cloth to Bangkok three times a year. Chiang Mai started once again to dominate northern Thailand, and hasn't looked back since.
During the British and French colonial periods, Lanna was a buffer state and left alone. It's main wealth come from logging. King Rama V was concerned that Lanna would be colonized and so Chiang Mai was made part of the Kingdom of Thailand. In 1932 Chiang Mai became a Province of Thailand. The railway reached Chiang Mai in 1921 and replaced the waterways as the main means of transportation. Until then it could only be reached by a difficult river trip or taking elephants. This is probably what has helped Chiang Mai retain its charm until now. During World War 2, Japanese troops established themselves in Chiang Mai. After the war electricity and water services were developed.
The city then developed as the centre for the Northern Region and a major tourist destination. Hotels and condos were constructed along with resorts in the hills. This development has led to many environmental issues and increased attention to improve life in Chiang Mai. Modern Chiang Mai has grown in all directions, but particularly away from the mountains in an eastward direction approaching the Ping River or Mae Nam Ping. This is where Thanon Chang Klan, the Night Bazaar and majority of Chiang Mai's guesthouses and hotels are located.
Among themsleves, the Chiang Mai people speak Kham Muang, also known as Lanna, but the Thai language spoken in Bangkok is taught in school and thus understood by nearly everyone. The alphabet of the Kham Muang alphabet is dying fast and only studied and researched by scholars, as even Kham Muang is written in the central Thai alphabet.
Travelling to Chiang Mai
Thailand entry requirements
Ordinary passport holders of most countries, including the United States, European Union countries, Japan,and Australia, do not need a visa if their purpose of visit is tourism and if their stay does not exceed 30 days. Visa-on-arrival is available at certain entry points for passport holders of 14 other nations, including India, China and Russia.
Proof of onward transit is something of a sticky issue when flying into Thailand. Thai immigration law states that one must have return/onward ticket in order to be admitted without a visa at the airport, yet hundreds of thousands arrive each year by air with one-way tickets and the intent to leave the country overland, without difficulty. However, because the law states that the airline responsible for bringing you to Thailand will be penalised if you are denied entry, some passengers find themselves prevented from boarding their flights because they only have a one-way ticket.
It is impossible to predict which airlines will or will not permit boarding with only a one-way ticket, as this may depend on many variables, including passenger nationality and point of departure, and contacting the airline for confirmation may produce an 'official' rather than 'real world' response. If denied boarding for this reason, it may be possible (if time permits) to purchase a one-way ticket for a flight out of Thailand on the spot, and then attempt to cancel and get a refund for the ticket after arriving in Thailand (not all tickets permit this).
Thai immigration requires visitors passports to have a minimum of six months validity and at least one completely blank visa page remaining.
A 300 baht surcharge is levied on domestic departures, as well as the 500 baht surcharge on international departures. These charges are not included in the ticket price.
If you are new to travelling, or even if you have travelled the globe for years, I strongly recommend you check out the following link for some very interesting and informative reading about safe travelling in Chiang Mai, and the Third World in general. It is an accumulation of original thoughts and experiences of several worldly travellers, just go to Safely Travel. It was written with the Third World in mind, where travelling disasters are around every corner, and a pre-emptor to what we may all expect someday in the First World as populations increase and desperate people become more brave and sophisticated in their survival techniques. It will make you aware of all sorts of scams, how to check into a hotel, advice for single lady travellers, advice for single men travellers, rip tides, credit card scams, driving in a foreign land, kidnapping, street people, you name it. It is an essential read for anyone travelling, and the most comprehensive discussion I know of!
The standard of hygiene in first-class hotels is in general fine, but you should not drink the tap water. The better hotels provide bottled drinking water for free. You should be careful with the food, especially meat from foodstalls or in simple restaurants. Eat only things that have been thoroughly cooked and are served really hot. The large amounts of chili that are part of nearly every Thai dish may have a disinfecting effect, but you should not rely on this! (The people themselves are nearly always neat and clean, but sometimes they use dirty water for dishwashing, etc.) Chiang Mai and Bangkok are malaria-free, but if you plan to do trekking tours in the hills, you should take a prophylactic drug. Malaria is a serious disease that can be deadly.
Thailand is generally considered a safe country and for tourists, Chiang Mai and the North of Thailand are very safe places with no open violence in the streets. Of course there is criminality, but it is unlikely that you will encounter it. The worst that could happen to you is probably that you get pickpocketed or that a tout tries to take you to a shopping center - very often these people will tell you that a temple or museum that you are about to visit is closed and instead they suggest a visit to a jewellery or shopping mall. Just ignore them. If the temple happens to be really closed, you can come back and get a taxi then. Always refuse when somebody offers you a free tour at tourist attractions.
As everywhere, of course, it is better to avoid carrying large amounts of cash; credit cards or traveller`s cheques are preferable.
Like the rest of Thailand, prostitution is quite prevailent in Chiang Mai. To read more about the industry, the legalities, how the business operates, as well as health and safety concerns, please check out the information from our Bangkok website by clicking here
Buses leave Bangkok for Chiang Mai from the northern bus terminal, Moh Chit. The least expensive milk run bus takes about twelve hours, and has no A/C, while the fastest buses are the VIP non-stop 24 seaters that do the trip in about nine hours. The central terminal of Chang Pheuak terminal just north of the Chiang Puak Gate offers transportation to other places in the province of Chiang Mai, as well as the main towns and hubs in northeast Thailand. There is also a direct bus service to Rayong and Pattaya on the Gulf of Siam bypassing Bangkok altogether. The bus terminal, Chiang Mai Arcade, north-east of Chiang Mai, which needs a tuk-tuk or songthaew to get to, had bus service to about twenty more destinations, particularly Bangkok several times per day.
RailThere are fourteen trains each day between the Chiang Mai Station and Bangkok's Hualamphong
The international airport in Chiang Mai takes in twenty eight flights per day directly from Bangkok, with an estimated air time of seventy minutes. There are also several flights leaving Chiang Mai to service northern Thailand such as Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son and Phrae. If you are really adventurous, try a flight from here to Xian or Kunming in China; Luang Phrabang, Laos; Taipei,Taiwan; Singapore, Hong Kong, Yangon in Myanmar (formerly Burma), Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and even Tokyo.
The Chiang Mai airport is about three kilometers southwest of central Chiang Mai, maybe ten minutes by taxi. Designated airport taxis cost 140 baht for one to five passengers, going wherever you want in Chiang Mai. If you can find a metered taxi, you will be charged less than 100 baht. You can also take a bus into town for only fifteen baht, or more conveniently, a tuk-tuk for about sixty baht. If you already made a hotel reservation, see if they will pick you up for free.
Getting around Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is yet still too small to have rapid transit transportation, and it really would ruin its charm anyway. However, Chiang Mai has air-conditioned buses. These nice new white buses can be seen all over Chiang Mai. You can take a pedicab or samlor, a the three-wheeled tuk-tuk or a songthaew.
The most popular way to get around is the songthaew, meaning 'two benches', simply a modified pick-up truck with a roof over the ftat bed and seats running along both sides. They are everywhere, to stop one, just hold out your arm out and stare at the songthaew driver. He will stop, tell im where you ant to go, if he nods 'yes', get in, if he shakes his head, 'no', don't fret, another one will be by shortly.
When you get to know your way around, different coloured songthaews mean different routes.
By tuk-tuk or samlor
Tuk-tuks are like taxis in Chiang Mai and take you to a specific destination, costing about forty baht and upwards. Samlors are three-wheeled bicycles that do the ame as a tuk-yuk, and are a great way to check out the town at a nice slow pace, especially around the inner city, and the temples. For example, try going to Wat Chedi Luang Temple or Wat Prasing Temple just before sunset, or cruise the city in the early morning when the Buddhist monks are collecting their alms from everyone. Both of these type of vehicles operate only until about 10 or 11pm, and after that they get scarce and expensive.
Just recently, Chaing Mai introduced metered taxis. They are thirty baht for the first two kilometers, and four baht for each kilometer after that. To go to the airport, they are a flat one hundred baht.
Chiang Mai's buses have a reputation for being infrequent, to non-existent. They are presently operating, and cost a straight fifteen baht on any of their five routes. Probably the most useful route for you wil be to and from the airport.
Another fun option for getting around ChiangMai and up into the hill tribe areas is to rent a motorcycle. The smaller ones, like about a 110cc or 125cc cost only about $7 per day including insurance, bigger off-road bikes run upwards of 900 baht per day, also with insurance. Ask for a multi-day discount. They often take your passport as security, while some will take a photocopy and about a 2000 deposit. They don't insist that you have an international drivers licence, but if you get stopped by the police, expect to fork over about 200 baht for the 'mai pen rai' fee.
Perhaps the healthiest and easiest option to get around the inner city is by bicycle, they are rented for 50 baht per day or 200 baht per week, and save the hastle of flagging down and negotiating with a tuk-tuk or songthaew.
Things to see
- Chiang Mai City Arts and Cultural Center
If you want a capsulated history of Chiang Mai, this is the place to see it. It is a multimedia center located in the middle of the old city behind the 'three kings' statue, in an elegant large white building. Guides in traditional clothes take you inside for you to watch a English video depicting Chiang Mai and northern Thailand. Next, you enter a series of rooms that lay out the history of the area starting about 12,000 years ago in the pre-muang period and the earliest river civilizatios, to early kings, wars with their neighbours, the Burmese, through the dynasties, Chiang Mai today, and what is expected in the future. Still other rooms have the agricultura history, religious beginnings, the story of the hill tribes, and other cultures in the region.
- Hilltribe Research Institute Museum is in a three storey pavilion situated on the attractive property of Ratchamangkala Park or Suan Lor Gao off Chotana Road, about fifteen minutes from central Chiang Mai. It was founded by anthropologist Prof. W.R. Geddes in 1965 and exhibits things of the nine various hill tribes's daily lives like musical instruments, traditional dress, agricultural tools, utensiles from around hteir home, religious artifacts and so forth. There is no other like it in the world, and worth the effort to see it.
Religious sitesChiang Mai has over 300 Buddhist wats (temples). Inside Chiang Mai's remaining city walls are more than thirty of these temples dating back to the founding of the principality, in a combination of Burmese, Lanna Thai and Sri Lankan styles. Intricate carvings in wood and fierce Naga serpent stair banisters add a bit of flare reflecting the reverence towards Buddha.
- Loi Kratong (known locally as Yi Peng): Held on full-moon nights in November, each year thousands of Chiang Mai persons put together banana leaf boats called krathong filled with candles and flowers onto Chiang Mai's rivers and other bodies of water in order to praise their Goddess of Water. Also, it is amazing to see thousands of hot air lanterns called khom fai flying about far into the night ground. These are to help get rid of people's problems, and decorate their homes and streets. If you like this type of thing, fireworks, beautiful girls in traditional dress, parade floats, lots of food, and parties, don't miss the Loi Krathong festival, which in Chiang Mai lasts for 3 full days, the last night being that of the 12th full moon of the year. In the small town of Mae Jo, north of Chiang Mai, they start the festival on Saturday night by simultaneously launching thousands upon thousands of hot air balloons called "Khom Loy".
- Songkran is the festival held each April to help bring in the New Yaer. A variety of Buddhist and fun related exercises like a giant cross-city water fight, parades and the traditional beauty contest to crown Miss Songkran.
- The Flower Festival is held for three days on the first full weekend in February when the local flowers are fully bloomed and the temperatures are perfect. The
- Sankampang Handicrafts Festival and Bo Sang Umbrella occur the 20th to the 22nd of January at Ban Bo Sang, Sankampang. It is a street fair on the villages central road as the stores are decorated in the Lanna style with the well known decorative umbrellas, plus traditional lanterns. Lots going on with exhibitions, contests, and cultural shows going night and day. Later watch the grand parade with umbrellas and other local products, the sale of handicrafts , kantoke food, and the Miss Bo Sang beauty pageant.
- The Orchid Fair, each January, is the largest orchid fair all year, a market of orchids, and other activities.
There are several universities in Chiang Mai, including Chiang Mai University, Rachapat Chiang Mai University, Rajamangala University of Technology, a University called Payap, and the Maejo University, as well as several tech schools and a teachers college. Chiang Mai University was the first government university established outside of Bangkok.
Things to see and do in and around Chiang Mai
- Bhuping Palace is situated in the mountains past Doi Suthep 22 kilometers from town. Wonderfully landscaped grounds, and open to the public when the royal family are not there at the time.
- Chiang Mai Zoo is at the bottom of Doi Suthep. It has over seven thouand animals in a wooded, and natural environment. Recently it received from China two giant pandas, and has become extremely popular.
- Maesa Elephant Camp, 119/9 Tapae Rd., Muang District. +66 53-206247 or +66 53-206248 is an elephant camp in the hills about a half hour's drive north of the city center. It has an elephant show, which includes elephants playing football and painting. You can also take half hour or one hour elephant rides. Not exactly a place to bring a PETA activist, but many do enjoy the performances.
- Elephant Nature Park: A better alternative, approximately 60km north of the city or about one hour drive, the Elephant Nature Park is home to approximately 30 rescued elephants. You can visit the park with options ranging from a day trip to volunteering.
- Kawila Boxing (Thailand's national sport) is the real thing with about ten bouts every Friday night from novices to real pros. There is an admission of 400 baht.
- Lots of companies sell whitewater rafting trips down the Maetang River, often together with lumbering elephant rides and exercising on a mountain bike. Depending upon the season, the rapids are rated anywhere from two to five, the most difficult. To do a five, you must be experienced, and a bit crazy.
- Touring northern Thailand by motorcycle is one of the best ways. One route I did many years ago was up to Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, climbing the 300 stairs for a panoramic view of Chiang Mai, later to the great reservoir, then continuing on to a hill tribe, where the elders were smoking opium, the parents were selling opium pipes, and the children were half naked at their feet, really intrepid memories of that day.
- Another 'self-propelled' way to get around northern Thailand is on a scooter, rented by a company called 'Motorbike Thailand', easy on the nerves, take your time and enjoy the scenery, perhaps go out to Mae Hong Son, a day an inexperienced motorcyclist will never forget.
- Simon Cabaret - take in a drag show of Chiang Mai's 'Guys as Dolls.' In good taste and family oriented.
- Hill-tribe trekking is offered by several different tour operators with treks through the local forests and hills by foot or on an elephant. You will droop into some local hill tribes such as the Hmong, Akha, Lisu and Karen.
- The changing local landscape is excellent for elephant riding and mountain biking, or caving, hot springs, waterfalls, orchid and butterfly farms, even night safaris. Surprisingly, here are lots of gold courses, and a national park nearby with Thailand's highest mountainThe area also has several golf courses. The nearby national park with hiking trails including Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in Thailand.
- In Chiang Mai you will find their infamous night bazaar with handicrafts and lots of counterfeit good, if you want a Rolex or a Gucci handbag, impress your friends. There are now several new shopping centers.
- Several meditation schools
- Thai Cookery: Chiang Mai has become one of the renouned places in Thailand to experience and learn northern Thai cooking. Learn techniques from the masters, fruit and vegetable carving, vegetarian cooking, shopping in the market, organic herb and vegetable garden supplements ingredients, you'll walk away with a whole new approach to cooking.
Chiang Mai has great shopping and an internationally renowned night bazaar. There are two very large shopping malls at Airport Plaza and Central Kad Suan Keaw, both with the shops found in large cities in most countries. There are also streets with vendor booths that line the streets after dark, selling all types of merchandise including antiques, silks, silver, art, electronics, and knock-off and copycat merchandise, such as watches, handbags, and designer label clothing, all at very negotiable prices. As of today, March 28th, 2007 one USD$ = 31.34 Thai Baht.
- Night Bazaar is a huge market covering a long outdoor stretch of Chang Khlan Road between Tha
- Saturday Market on Wualai Road (the street that shoots off at an angle just outside the Chiang Mai gate on the south side of the old city) officially starts at 5pm, although the road will be closed to cars from about 2pm onwards; it's pretty much over by 11pm. It's the old silver working district, and some shops stay open late on this day. Like the better-known Sunday Market, there's lots of food and local crafts.
- Sunday Market from 2 to 10pm, (during the rainy season it doesn't start until 5pm) with local craftpersons operating stalls along Rajdumnern Road on the inner-east side of the moat near Tapae Gate. The street is blocked from traffic so there is plenty of room to safely walk. Unlike the sellers on Chang Khlan Road, who peddle many fake designer goods, excellent hand made items are displayed and sold. At the five temples on this road you can enjoy real northern Thai food and snacks.
- Warorot Market - is north of Nawarat Bridge and west of the Ping River between Thapae Roads and Chang Moi Road. This sprawling outdoor market is where the locals shop, and is well worth a visit for those who enjoy shopping for fabrics, clothes, herbs and spices and hard to find items. It also includes a beautiful flower market and fruit, and out-of-this-world fireworks stands.
Thai people from the north like their food slightly bitter or sour, and a tang to it, and not so sweet like Thai from further south. Sawtooth coriander, acacia leaf and eggplants are all found in kaeng khae soup, and sour tamarindo juice or pickled bamboo help make dishes sour, such as kaeng ho. Local vegetables make a difference as well. Sai ua is a unique northern dish of fried pork sausage, lime peel, and lemongrass, with shallots, chili, garlic all stuffed into a pork intestine.
Just like their close neighbours in Laos and Burma, stick rice eaten by hand is a basic food item. Burmese curry, Kaemg hangleh, that probably originated in India is eaten at weddings and funerals.
South Asian influences helped make the best flat noodles in chicken and cabbage that has been pickled is one of Chiang Mai's favourite dishes.
Many visitors are invited to a kahn toke dinner, where the diners are on the floor at a low table, and serve themselves from many different dishes.
Chiang Mai's restaurants have a huge variety of food. Naturally it's a good place to sample northern Thai food: in particular, hunt down some khao soi, yellow wheat noodles in curry broth with chicken or beef.
Hint: when you go out to dinner, try and dress up in neat, clean pressed clothes, it makes a world of difference regarding service and the table you get.
Chiang Mai's nightlife is the best in the northern Thailand, though not up to the reputation of Bangkok. ou'll find Karoake bars, discos and live music almost everywhere. Loi Kroh Road, Tapae Gate and along Charoenrat Road on the east side of Ping River are the most popular places. If you are looking for something more erotic, stay towards the eastern side of Chiang Mai.
The majority of Chiang Mai's bars are along Loi Kroh and Moon Muang Roads. There are foreigners hangouts, go go bars, and even sports bars with pool tables and some with hostesses, plus sports on TV and music videos later at night.
Like the rest of Thailand, prostitution is quite prevailent in Chiang Mai. To read more about the industry, the legalities, how the business operates, as well as health and safety concerns, please check out the information from our Bangkok website by clicking prostitution
Chiang Mai hotels
As mentioned above, the following Auckland hotels had to qualify to be listed here. They must be independently owned and operated, meet minimum eco-friendly requirements, rise to the top after a series of former guest reviews, and their average nightly double occupancy room rate must be less than US$100 per night. We have also listed budget accommodations as well as popular bed and breakfasts.
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