A Weekend In Chiang Mai
While Chiang Mai might translate as 'new city' from Lanna (a dialect of northern Thailand) to English, this is a city packed with culture and history. It's a great place to stop over for a weekend while travelling through Thailand ? and as one of the country's major cities, it can serve as a great base for inbound or outbound flights to the UK and Europe.
When most of us travel to the Far East, Thailand is conceived as a never-ending run of white beaches, perfect blue clear water and stunning lush vegetation. Indeed, the southern coasts of the country, which bend around the Gulf of Thailand and boast famous destinations such as Koh Samui and Phuket.
Yet we have little idea that these tourist honey-pots form only a fraction of the country's land mass. Move further inland, up into the northern reaches of the country near the borders with Cambodia and Laos to the east and Burma to the north and north-west, and you will find that there is far more to Thailand than meets the eye.
Over 400 miles north of Bangkok, Chiang Mai is the capital of Chiang Mai province, located on the Ping river. Situated in the mountainous and extremely verdant northern region, to the west of the northern plateau, it was once a trade centre for numerous Thai products and crafts, including woodcarving, jewellery and silver.
It is an impressive area of the country, with a wealth of natural beauty, elephant parks and tea and coffee reservations. Doi Inthanon, the country's highest peak, is nearby and well worth a visit. You can climb to the peak for stunning views, of stay near the lower slopes and visit the Vachiratharn waterfalls.
On return from the mountains, be sure to explore the wonders within the city walls as well, including an array of Buddhist temples. Make sure you visit Wat Chiang Man, the city's oldest temple dating from the 13th century. A guide book is worth investing in as there are over 300 temples to visit, in a variety of stunning locations.
If you want the kind of neon lights of Bangkok on a small scale, you can find go-go bars and the like; but a different type of Chiang Mai night might take you into the night bazaar, and vast array of stalls selling all sorts of handicrafts and fabrics. You could even have a go at the four-years-young Chiang Mai night safari.
Tag : Thailand,Chiang Mai,Bangkok,Thailand Travel
When most of us travel to the Far East, Thailand is conceived as a never-ending run of white beaches, perfect blue clear water and stunning lush vegetation. Indeed, the southern coasts of the country, which bend around the Gulf of Thailand and boast famous destinations such as Koh Samui and Phuket.
Yet we have little idea that these tourist honey-pots form only a fraction of the country's land mass. Move further inland, up into the northern reaches of the country near the borders with Cambodia and Laos to the east and Burma to the north and north-west, and you will find that there is far more to Thailand than meets the eye.
Over 400 miles north of Bangkok, Chiang Mai is the capital of Chiang Mai province, located on the Ping river. Situated in the mountainous and extremely verdant northern region, to the west of the northern plateau, it was once a trade centre for numerous Thai products and crafts, including woodcarving, jewellery and silver.
It is an impressive area of the country, with a wealth of natural beauty, elephant parks and tea and coffee reservations. Doi Inthanon, the country's highest peak, is nearby and well worth a visit. You can climb to the peak for stunning views, of stay near the lower slopes and visit the Vachiratharn waterfalls.
On return from the mountains, be sure to explore the wonders within the city walls as well, including an array of Buddhist temples. Make sure you visit Wat Chiang Man, the city's oldest temple dating from the 13th century. A guide book is worth investing in as there are over 300 temples to visit, in a variety of stunning locations.
If you want the kind of neon lights of Bangkok on a small scale, you can find go-go bars and the like; but a different type of Chiang Mai night might take you into the night bazaar, and vast array of stalls selling all sorts of handicrafts and fabrics. You could even have a go at the four-years-young Chiang Mai night safari.
Tag : Thailand,Chiang Mai,Bangkok,Thailand Travel
0 comments:
Post a Comment