Majestic Morning View from Our Balcony

Shiek Istana Hotel, Chiang Mai

Taken on: 30th November, 2011. Copyright: Attribution License - See norsez's page of Flickr

Read more about Chiang Mai

Thailand's northern capital, Chiang Mai is Thailand's second most-visited city, yet in terms of size it does not remotely compare to Bangkok. With its smaller size and population, Chiang Mai has a lot in its favour for tourists and travellers alike, with the centre of town packed with glittering wats, excellent restaurants and expansive shopping markets all of which are easily taken in on foot.

If Thai temples are your thing, then Chiang Mai has a lot to offer -- the hill-top Wat Doi Suthep is the crown jewels of a vivid collection of traditional Thai temples -- so popular in fact that one of Chiang Mai's most luxurious hotels (with some controversy) modelled itself on one.

Home to the prestigious Chiang Mai University, the city has quite a cosmopolitan feel to it with a lively entertainment scene and some of the best eating in northern Thailand -- this is not a town you'll go hungry in.

But most foreign holiday-makers find themselves in Chiang Mai not for the ... Read our complete Chiang Mai travel guide

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