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Suggested Pathways North
From Bangkok, travellers have a number of ways to get to
Chiang Mai. A slow car drive north will take you past the unforgettable
destinations of Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, and Pitsanolok, to name but a few. A bus
ride will take ten plus hours, but with some amazing landscapes along the way be
sure to take the trip during the day light hours. By train, it takes even longer
to get to Chiang Mai. However, a first class Beth can give you the rest and
relaxation that may be needed following a few days in Bangkok. Taking a plane
flight is no more than an hour and will ensure you lose little time in
investigating this northern oasis.
Accommodations
Like Bangkok and many other Thai cities, hotels and guest
houses run the gamut. Prices vary greatly and if a deal is what you’re looking
for they can be easily found. In Chiang Mai, top end is available as
well. As an international destination, Chiang Mai offers international standards
in hotels and resorts.
Food
Maybe you’ve been travelling for sometime, far away from
all that delicious hometown cooking you have grown to love and you’re hankering
for a big, juicy burger? Well, in Chiang Mai you can, and they just don’t make them like this anywhere in
Thailand.
Getting a burger in Chiang Mai is just an example to
illustrate the huge variety of choices available for visitors. Chiang Mai has
great restaurants to satisfy any taste, Italian, Mexican, Indian, Middle Eastern,
Chinese and many western style restaurants can be found in Chiang Mai.
In addition to this, in the center of town, next to
Chiang Mai’s infamous Night Bazaar, is a food court to beat all food courts.
Offerings are plenty and various to satisfy all sorts of food desires. And while
guests are hunkering down on any of a number of dishes, Thai classical dance is
performed on the center stage right in the middle of the food court!
Things To See And Do In Chiang Mai
Temples
With hundreds of temples spread throughout the city,
you’re never very far from one. The highest concentration of the most
significant ones are right in the center of town. Chiang Mai was once fortified
with a mote and wall. Within the confines of the mote are some of the cities
more spectacular temples, including the town’s most famous temple Wat Phra
Singh, which is host to the Lion Buddha image.
However, one special temple resides high above the city
in nearby hills over looking the city. Wat Phra Thai Doi Suthep is very holy
indeed, and some say it is the most sacred of northern temples. It’s an easy
drive of some 14 kilometers from the center of Chiang Mai.
It is also within easy reach of a nearby Hmong Village.
A bit touristy, the Hmong Village houses shops and eateries. In the early
morning, you can get some hot soi milk along the entrance to the village shops.
Trekking On Foot And On Elephants
Hill tribe treks are popular among tourists in Thailand.
For many city folk, a day hike or a week hike in the hills are a real adventure.
Breathtaking scenery and dense forest brush await trekkers in many mountainous
regions of the north.
Living in many northern provinces in Thailand are
indigenous tribes that make much of their living on what travellers spend on
their way through the villages. Tribes-people craft many products such as
jewellery, purses, wallets and other small handicrafts.
Treks are easily organized from Chiang Mai. Travel
offices dot the center city. Just stop in any one of them for details. Many
display photos and maps outside with facts and costs. All provide
transportation, food, camping equipment or lodging. Almost any length of trek
can be put together. You organize your own group or join another. Some treks
include lengthy river boat trips as part of the itinerary.
But if all you really want to do is hop on something big
and comfy and let it do all the trekking for you, then maybe an elephant ride is
the ticket. This also can be arranged easily in Chiang Mai. Mind you, Chiang Mai
is only one of many provinces where you can ride an elephant in Thailand.
Elephants have become a major tourist attraction throughout the land of smiles.
Usually, they are a couple of hours long and involve ploughing through a river and
an adjoining forest. Don’t miss this opportunity to ride with beasts. Again,
check out some of the travel shops and agents around Chiang Mai for details.
Shopping
OK, we know that Thailand is one big shopping experience.
If you’ve visited Bangkok, then you know so much can be purchased and for a very
good price. Chiang Mai takes the shopping experience to a cosy place with their
famous Night Bazaar. Every night without fail, Chiang Mai’s faithful gather
along a very busy Chang Khlan Road near the river. Here is where much of what is
manufactured in factories all around Chiang Mai is sold, along with consumer
products of all sorts.
Beyond the Night Bazaar, Chiang Mai is riddled with shops
selling locally produced goods. Chiang Mai boasts a large concentration of
factories that manufacture everything under the sun. These shops also sell
hand-crafted goods produced by regional hill tribes.
If you venture out into some of these craft villages, for
instance the wood carving village south of town, you’ll discover art, furniture
and other crafts that can be bought, boxed and shipped on the spot. These
villagers have an evolved system of getting the product to you. So don’t worry
about extra luggage. It’s that easy.
Chiang Mai is no slouch when it comes to brand named
consumer goods. The mall is a short hop from the center of town and all what you
might find in a Bangkok shopping center is there for the taking. A cinema is
also on the premises for short travel diversions and, of course, food courts and
restaurants are also housed there.
Nightlife
Chiang Mai features many clubs serving up live music. You
can even find American blues played with a down home flair in a couple of clubs.
There are also a couple of discos along the eastside of the mote, near the Ping
river. Some beer bars and one or two go-go clubs also line the area east of the
outer edge of the mote.
Car And Motorcycle Rentals
Competition is fierce among rental shops. A good car or
motorcycle can be rented easily and cheaply. It helps to have an international
driver’s license but it’s not necessary. All along the east end of the mote area,
shops are open for business and signs and vehicles can be seen out front.
Public Transport
Chiang Mai has public transportation and it is getting
better. They’ve opened up several set bus lines that have become popular. Unlike
other provincial cities, many of the songthaews (small trucks with bench seats
in back) do not have set routes. You have to make inquiries about which way they
are headed before you venture forth. Tuk-tuks abound and some able bargaining is
necessary so you don’t get fleeced going around the corner.
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