Northern Thailand and the famous old city of Chiang Mai have been on my list to visit since first moving to Phuket two years ago. Sitting in the mountainous northern part of Thailand, it was founded in 1296 and is now the second largest city after Bangkok. But what is there to do in Chiang Mai? Why is it a must see in Thailand? Let’s have a look…
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As soon as I arrived in Chiang Mai, after a six hour train ride from Sukhothai, I had a great feeling about this city. However, it was already late, so I had to wait until the next day to see what there is to do.
Walk the old city of Chiang Mai
Walking the streets of the old city is, of course, a must. Inside the old city square, you find plenty of pretty streets, boutique hotels, tiny coffee shops, temples, and many massage spots. Surrounded by a canal, I enjoyed strolling the inside as well as the outside of the ancient city walls.
The city set up, especially the canal, reminded me a little bit of Strasbourg.
And if you are in need of a break, just stop at one of the many cute coffee shops to enjoy local Chiang Mai coffee. It is very delicious. Of course you can’t miss visiting one or more of the temples. There is certainly no lack of them inside the old city.
But why are there so many temples in Chiang Mai?
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The Temples
There are more than 300 temples in and outside of Chiang Mai, with around 117 of them inside the old city. Why? Chiang Mai was once the capital of the Lan Na kingdom in Northern Thailand for nearly 500 years, so I guess that explains it. However, sometimes too many is a little bit too much and so after visiting a few of them, I stopped noticing the others.
That said, it was nice to see the contrast of the new and the old temples for a change. Not solely ancient ones like in Sukhothai. One of my favourite temples was the old Wat Umong Suan Phutthatham. Established in 1297 it sits in the forest outside of Chiang Mai city.
The tunnel with narrow walk ways and a buddha at the end of each were certainly unique. I really enjoyed it.
I was also surprised to read a sign at one of the temples that said women aren’t allowed in, because they menstruate. I must say I have never before seen or read a sign like that. Although I am used to signs saying ‘no women allowed’. Interesting.
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Wat Chedi Luang Stupa
Wat Lok Molee
Wat Umong Suan Phutthatham
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The Huay Tueng Tao Lake
I like looking for different spots to do my morning walk. So, after some research online, I found the Huay Tueng Tao Lake.
Well, I didn’t actually walk it. It was a little bit too long to walk the loop, and so I enjoyed scootering around it. The little huts look very idyllic and are supposedly popular sitting and dining spots to enjoy some Thai food.
Riding on my scooter, taking photos here and there, I suddenly see these big animal statues placed amongst rice fields. I had to stop to have a closer look. This was a very different art display and certainly not a place where I expected to see King Kong. What a fun thing to do in Chiang Mai.
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The mountains of Chiang Mai
Of course you can’t visit Chiang Mai without a trip to the mountains. Having had practice from my ride to Pai I decided to follow the route 1004 to the Palace Bhubing. Sitting in the Doi Buak Ha Mountain, the drive is 27 km and quite enjoyable.
Once I arrived at the top, I didn’t visit the palace, but instead decided to go back downhill a little bit, to visit the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. A sacred place to many Thai people. Entering via a beautiful stair way, it was quite a beautiful temple with some breathtaking views.
Unfortunately, due to dry season, I didn’t stop at the Waterfalls spots nor did I do any hiking. I was still recovering from my incident in Pai so I wanted to take it easy in Chiang Mai.
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Shopping and Dining – Day & Night Markets
I don’t shop much when I travel, and I have already bought my souvenir from the Karen ladies in Pai, but I certainly like looking at various shops and markets. Especially when they have unique hand crafted pieces for sale. And Chiang Mai is full of them.
From beautiful handwoven cushions, rugs and bags to wood carved elephants and hand made jewellery, the old city of Chiang Mai is certainly the place to shop. In my opinion it is a much better place than Bangkok. It feels more authentic. And I prefer that.
Besides all the shops, there are also plenty of markets to choose from in Chiang Mai. The Night Bazaar is certainly the most popular one. It can be fun to walk through all the stalls offering lots of accessories, clothing, and local goodies. But it is also very crowded.
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The Warorot Day Market on the other hand is more colourful and more local. From shops selling baskets and other handmade goodies, to herbs and other local specialities, I found it a little bit too dirty and chaotic. Based on Google, it is apparently THE market to visit though.
As for the food, I definitely enjoyed the Ploen Ruedee Night Bazaar Food market. And so did other tourists. I ate there almost every night. It is small but the atmosphere is great. Not to mention all the various food options you can choose from.
Want more? Here is a list of other markets in Chiang Mai.
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And so…
Well rested and happy to have finally explored the northern part of Thailand, Chiang Mai and Pai were certainly worth the trip. I would highly recommend to come to this part of the country. You won’t be disappointed.
And if you feel fancy, stay at the Astra Sky River Condo. It has the most amazing pool.
As for me, it is time to head back to Phuket,to the beach and my friends. Maybe it is time for some sailing as well?
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(Post 185)
