We’ve been writing this Chiang Mai blog for some time now but still haven’t given a general introduction to Chiang Mai city but… better late than never, eh? Here’s a bit about what makes Chiang Mai a special city and the lay of the land so you can orientate yourself during a visit.

Tha Pae Gate: Chiang Mai's Piccadilly Circus.

Chiang Mai — “New City” in Thai (see our names post) — is actually more than 700 years old but was new when King Mengrai moved his capital down to the banks of the Ping River from Chiang Rai. There were probably Mon settlements in the area before this, such as the nearby 11th century site of Wiang Khum Kham, but Chiang Mai city as it appears today started to take shape with Mengrai at the end of the 13th century.

Overall view of Chiang Mai city from Doi Suthep.

The city is located in the north/south orientated Ping Valley (initially being established close to the west bank), with the Doi Suthep/Pui mountains to the immediate west and the Doi Saket hills a few kilometres off to the east: an excellent location with good transport routes and fertile surrounding farmland.

Ping Valley looking east.

Today Chiang Mai’s downtown area is relatively small, with an estimated 150,000 people, the urban area and suburbs nowadays probably account for at least a million. The population is traditionally northern Thai with scatterings of minorities such as Shan, but being a relatively wealthy city it’s now attracting workers from across the kingdom, and being an attractive place to live means it also sees a steady flow of more affluent Thais from Bangkok and elsewhere. Chiang Mai’s also very popular with expats and increasingly Thai tourists as much as foreign visitors.

Moat on the east side near Tha Pae.

The geographical centre has now moved from the old walled, moated city slightly to the east to include the area between the ancient walls and the Ping River, including the bustling night bazaar area, the bar and restaurants street of Loi Kroh and the commercial district of Worarot and Chinatown. The old city contains most of the town’s famous temples and is relatively undeveloped consisting of a maze of narrow streets lined with private houses and small businesses. This area, particularly around Somphet Market and the northeastern quadrant, is where most of Chiang Mai’s places to stay are located — it used to be just cheap guesthouses but the price range on offer now extends well upwards.

Northeast corner of the old city walls and moat.

Further east the riverside area is developing fast with plenty of chic cafes, hotels and guesthouses along the banks, and further east you’ll find the main, Arcade bus station, the train station and some of the embassies. The northern, inner suburb — Chang Puak district — is home to the local bus station, also named Chang Puak. There’s Kamthieng Market but little else in the district to hold your interest. (Though on the outside of the moat road is the useful Computer Plaza and a block back the excellent Den Chai trading — electronics and camera equipment store.)

Kamthieng flower market.

The sprawling and not particularly attractive southern suburbs contain little of interest to the average visitor, with the exception of the excellent Saturday walking market. Numerous large chain hotels catering mainly to local and Asian visitors call this area home.

When you reach Suthep district, the northern ‘burbs, things do start to get more interesting though. Once past the huge Central Shopping Mall you reach the town’s upmarket area of Nimmanhemin. This is the nightlife area for young chic Chiang Mai-ites and contains loads of bars, restaurants, coffee shops and boutiques (separate post to come).

Um, it's an upmarket jewellery and accessories boutique.

Continuing west we reach Chiang Mai University and the vast Chiang Mai zoo lying at the foot of Doi Suthep. Apart from passing through on the way to the national park or Wat Doi Suthep, this sector also contains Wat Umong and Wat Jed Yot as well as the National Museum and great little local market, Don Phayam.

Going to the zoo, zoo...

Surrounding the entire downtown and inner suburbs is the superhighway, an eight-lane circular expressway. (Well except for the section between the airport and Huey Keo Road which results in Nimmanhemin being the most congested road in the city.) Along the superhighway are all the huge shopping malls and home improvement and furniture centres: Tesco/Lotus, Airport Plaza, (the city’s largest mall), Big C, Homepro and so on. CNX, Chiang Mai International Airport, is just to the southwest of the road behind Airport Plaza and Chiang Mai immigration office.

Historic Jet Yot now situated aside the superhighway.

From the superhighway, main roads head off to all points: Chiang Rai, Chiang Dao, Lamphun, Lampang and so on via some of the outer suburbs, which were formerly separate villages and are still interesting in their own right: there’s the Hang Dong/Ban Thawai handicraft and wood product market and Sankhamphaeng and Borsang umbrella and paper making villages, for starters.

More still
» Previous post: Pha Ngan Challenge Race March 2012
» Next post: Visa runs from Samui

Disclaimer
Travelfish.org always pays its way. No exceptions.

Tags: Borsang, Hang Dong, Nimmanhemin, Sankhamphaeng, Tha Pae