Tourist places in Chiang Mai allow you to experience the best offerings of Thailand. Chiang Mai city is known for being the largest city in the Beautiful country of Thailand. The Chiang Mai is also known as the Chiengmai and sometimes Chiangmai. It was the capital of a kingdom called, “The Kingdom of Chaing Mai”, a state that was a tributary to Thailand The state of Thailand from the 1700s, onwards to somewhere in the 1890s, which had a prince who was the only namesake. It lays somewhere among the highest mountain ranges that exist in Thailand and lies at a distance of about 700 km away from the very busy, very pretty city of Bangkok. It lies on the banks of the Of Ping, which is one very major tributary of the River of Chao Phraya.
The word, “Chiang Mai”, essentially means something along the lines of “New City”, and the city is known as this because it was the named the new capital of the kingdom, after the city of Chiang Rai. Therefore, Chiang Mai is a city tucked away on the tresses of the mountains in Thailand and was the capital of a very independent kingdom of Lanna to the year of 1558. In the older parts of the city, there are the leftovers of all the amazing walls, monuments, statues, temples that were built in the beautiful city which make Chiang Mai tour packages pretty exciting. Chiang Mai is the hub of almost all social and cultural activities of the country.
The mixture is as homogenous as it gets. It is also religiously accentuated to suit the needs of everyone living in this city. Hundreds of carved temples of Buddhists. These temples, such as the Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang, are beautifully decorated with serpents carved all over the walls, and caves and every outer surface. The amazing view from the mountains, the secluded spots for couples and lovers, the wind the blows, the river that flows in the true essence of an Asian scenic view, is beautiful and appreciated by one and all.
Learn few words from the local language prevalent here. This will not only be helpful in communicating with the locals here but will also make them feel that you are taking an interest in their culture.
Don’t wear skimpy or revealing clothes when you are at a religious place. Of course, you must avoid wearing them otherwise too but do not compromise on the decorum at the religious places.
Don’t take pictures where it is not allowed.
Don’t involve yourself in any practice that may not be pleasing or is against the law.
Filming without permissions is prohibited.
Avoid entertaining the guides way beyond necessary.
Do not trust anyone with your cash or valuables.
Do not get in a taxi without negotiating on the fare. Taxi drivers here have a tendancy to over charge you. So, type your location on the internet and get an idea of basic taxi fare before getting in the vehicle.
Don’t leave your important documents or valuables in the hotel.
Make sure you do not flash cash or valuables in public places.
Avoid carrying too much cash when you go to a crowded place.
Don’t indulge in drugs of any form. Keep yourself away from drug dealers. If you do suspect anyone to be harmful, get away from the site or call the cops.
Don’t let any one mislead you.
Avoid eating at unhygienic stalls.
The legal drinking age for drinking in Chiang Mai is 20 years. However, you may have to display your ID proof before purchasing alcohol here.
Wat Chedi Luang is a Buddhist temple right at the center of the city. Originally when it was built, it was made up of three different temples but currently it's just one. The history of this temple goes back to the 14th century and the locales are filled with picturesque sights.
Elephant Nature ParkThailand is famous for its elephants and your tour to Chiang Mai will be incomplete without visiting the Elephant National Park. It acts as both, a sanctuary as well as a rescue center for elephants in Thailand. There are separate branches of the park in different places like Suri and Cambodia. The future plans also include opening a new branch in Phuket which shall give the park more exposure as it is a famous tourist place in Thailand.
Wat Chiang ManWat Chiang Man is another popular tourist place in Thailand, it is a Buddhist temple inside the city walls of Chiang Mai. The spot is so famous because it was the first temple of the city and is closely related to the sentiments of the locals here.
Chiang Mai ZooThe Chiang Mai zoo which takes the name of the city is the oldest and the first commercial zoo of Chiang Mai. Surprisingly, rhinos in Thailand can be spotted only in this very zoo. You must definitely include it in your places to see list when you visit Thailand. The zoo is also home to rare animals like Koalas, Penguins and much more.
Wat Suan DorgThe name of this Buddhist temple translates to a flower garden temple. When you see the beautiful architecture of the temple, you would agree with its name. A large bell in the temple is made in a Sri Lankan style and tourists love to capture it in pictures.
The Doi Suthep mountain in Thailand is located in this city and is the perfect place for activities like hiking. The views are surreal and you will have a great time just walking around the place. For hiking, you would need to make pre-arrangements and if you have some friends along, it will be a fun and adventurous experience.
Night SafariNight Safari is a concept that you won't find easily in many places of the world. However, a nocturnal zoo is located in the city where you can go and have a nice time. Along with basic sightseeing, most tourists visit this place for its peculiarity. You will be astonished to know that the zoo is the second night safari in the world, the first one is at Singapore.
MuseumsThe museums in Chiang Mai are a lovely place to know more about the cultural heritage of the location. The National Museum located in the city is huge and there are various artifacts and items along with highlights in both, Thai as well as English. The museums in the city receive a huge footfall of tourists almost during all the months in the year.
The best time to visit a place like Chiang Mai is between October and April. The time between said months is spent in cool and pleasant and comfortable weather. It is also the tourist season of Chiang Mai, which has its advantages and disadvantages. A month by month time chart of the best time to visit Chiang Mai is as follows:
November to February: is the best time to visit Chiang Mai. This is when the weather is just perfect, for just about anything you want to do, be it lazing around, playing games like Scrabble, or going out for adventure. Also, the November tourists are lucky enough to catch Loi Krathong Festivities, the February ones enjoy the Chiang Mai Flower Festival.
March to May: Summer there is the off-season tourists, which provides people going there during this time, better deals with better with flights and hotels. The summer temperatures shoots up to 40°, but swimming during the day and going out in the evenings is possible.
June to October: is when the monsoons of Chiang Mai sets in, the northern part of Thailand experiencing a distinctly heavy rainy season during this time. The off tourist season continues, so if seclusion is what you are looking for, this is the time to visit Chiang Mai for you.
There are many ways to reach Chiang Mai, being an important tourist attraction Thailand, the country keeps inaccessible. Some of the best ways to reach Chiang Mai, however, are:
By air: The Chiang Mai International Airport is available and provides people with both domestic and international flights, to go in and out of the country when they please.
By bus: there two official bus stations within the city, they are as follows:
By Train: the Chiang Mai Railway Station lies at a distance of about 3km from the center of the city. This station is provided with amiable staff, daytime services, along with overnight sleeping arrangements.
Of the many things to do at Chiang Mai, here are the best of all of them:
The local food of Chiang Mai is as good as it gets in Thailand, all of the country’s delicacies and exotics are available at Chiang Mai. The best Local Food at Chiang Mai are:
The best places to experiences these delicacies are:
With Thailand’s Road fatality coming second on the list when the whole world is concerned, the best thing to do is travel by taxi, which, despite being more expensive, is provided with seat belts, and are much safer. The best public transport to commute around Chaing Mai are:
Local language Chiang Mai is easy or difficult depending on the retentivity of a person and varies from person to person:
The shopping one has to do while on vacation is massive. And very expensive. But that is one of the most painful parts of vacation, becomes the best thing about it in Chiang Mai. The best shopping centers of Chiang Mai are:
Being as highly maintained as Chiang Mai is, the nightlife there is at par with the classiness of the rest of the city. The many bars, pubs, and restaurants are beautiful and almost always packed at night. Some of the places that can be enjoyed at nighttime in Chiang Mai are:
For a place as beautiful as the city of Chiang Mai, the sights to see are plenty. The temples are beautiful. The museums are old. The old city is a museum in itself. The bazaars are what locals and tourists feed on. The people love animals, the zoos, the shops, and everything comes in the middle. The famous Places to Visit in Chiang Mai are plenty:
With the right weather, the time after the wedding season becomes the tourist season for Chiang Mai. The honeymoon season is right after the real tourist season because that is when the city is quiet and without too much crowd. Everywhere you look, you see couples moving around, but the city is not exclusively for honeymooners, it is a hub for unmarried couples, lovers etc. The honeymoon couples check into the following hotels:
Chiang Mai is located in the Mountains of Thailand, And the adventure Activities is so many, that people mostly don’t make it through them all. The terrains of the city, the forests, the big area on which it is located, the rivers, provide Chiang Mai with many adventure activities, which one cannot help but appreciate. The adventure activities in Chiang Mai are:
The variety of Wildlife and diversity in wildlife or flora-fauna, in general, is very unanimously large. The many mountains that Chiang Mai is located on, are the source of many areas where wildlife can be available. The animals, the smell of the trees, the chirp of the birds, the sound of a nearby stream all adds up to make wildlife touring in Chiang Mai very amazing. The options are many, but the famous places to enjoy Wildlife in Chiang Mai are:
Even though amusement comes as a taken, along with the Chiang Mai travel package, some people like to go the extra length for amusement at literal amusement parks. The amusement that comes from the parks is very important. If someone has had a serious vacation or a squabble or with the other vacationers, the best place to go to is an amusement to cut away awkwardness. The famous amusement parks of Chiang Mai are:
The roads being slightly unsafe, one would suggest the other to not learn cycling at Thailand, what with its second-highest road fatality, but once you know cycling, it’s the best thing you could do in Chiang Mai. The wind against your face, as you rush through alleyways and feel the spray of water when the neighboring lady waters her [plants, the beautiful sun shining on your face, the sweat running down your back, the adrenaline rushing through your veins, all come together to make the trip as beautiful as possible. Therefore, the best cycling routes to take in Chiang Mai are:
Water river rafting is one of the best adventure activities that a person could possibly come across. With the rush of the water, the wind against your face, one could possibly not love river rafting. With its beautiful terrains, and running rivers, Chiang Mai’s best white water rafting sites are:
The temples and chapels, along with the monasteries are decorated with beautiful engravings and carvings on their walls. The serpents and dragons are a favorite among the Chiang Mai religious sites. These destinations provide visitors with spiritual upliftment that lasts a lifetime, people make memories and connect with their god in these places. The famous spiritual destinations in Chiang Mai are:
The national parks which entertain night safari, provide people with the Vegas-like environment. Even though the fun in the morning is cool, but nightlife is even better. One has to travel on a tram, that was only exclusive to Kolkata and England. The people who know of this activity, and experience it fall in love with is overnight, literally. The places where one can enjoy Night Safari in Chiang Mai are in: