Welcome to Travelfish, original Asia travel intelligence you can trust.
Username: Password: | Join
 

Chiang Mai




























 
 

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 temples nor the food, nor even the entertainment scene, but rather for the hill-tribe trekking. For decades Chiang Mai has formed the trekking base of northern Thailand -- and while there are some excellent tour companies in the city, there remain a number of shoddy operators -- be sure to do your research before heading into the hinterland. Many travellers are now opting to commence their treks further afield in Mae Hong Son, Pai or Soppong (amongst others) where the tourist numbers are lower and the perceived experience more "authentic".


 















Our recommendations

Where to start? Do the trip up to Doi Suthep. Do the night market, which is touristy, but for a reason: There are some cracking deals to be had. Chiang Mai has hundreds of wats, but to the casual visitor for whom wat fatigue quickly sets in.

Chiang Mai has fabulous eating, but to see why, start your day at the fresh produce market (some of the cooking schools work this into their packages). There's also good nightlife -- you'll find the most farang orientated entertainment around the centre of town and along the Ping River. Locals tend more towards east Chang Mai (Nimmanhaemin Rd area) and to the north of town. Chiang Maians are a friendly lot -- if you want to check out the local scene, ask your guesthouse staff when they knock off and hit the town with them. Chiang Mai can be a lot of fun in the evening (and early morning).

Regarding trekking, if you've got the time, you'll almost certainly have a more "authentic" (whatever that means) experience trekking from a less central location such as Mae Hong Son, Pai, Chiang Rai or Nan. But if you're set on trekking from Chiang Mai, then do so for as many days as you can afford -- three days at a minimum we'd say.

Add to scrapbook



 
Travelfish Guides: Bringing together the best of the Travelfish site in a concise, easy to read format.
Buy a Ko Phi Phi 2008 Travelfish Guide   Buy a Ko Samet Travelfish Guide   Buy a Kanchanaburi Travelfish Guide   Buy a Phuket 2008 Travelfish Guide   Buy a Ko Tao 2009 Travelfish Guide  
 

  Search for accommodation


Search for guesthouses & hotels
where in Thailand?

Sort results by:
Travelfish ranking (best first)
Price (cheapest first)
Name (A-Z)
Show only properties bookable online


Sponsored listings


Recommended reading

 » Chiang Dao getaway
 » Exploring Lamphun
 » What is a good guesthouse in Chiang Mai?
 » Trekking in Thailand
 » How do I catch a train in Thailand?
 

Chiang Mai reviews

Backchat from the Travelfish community

Not a soul has had a thing to say about this place -- why don't you get the ball rolling?

Have your say

You need to be logged in to add a review.
Username: Password:
Not a member? you can join here.

Review title

Snappiness encouraged ;-)

When did you visit here?

This gives your review a bit of context - especially if you were last in Chiang Mai in 1932.

Your review

(Remotely sensible, non-ranting comments are much appreciated. If you don't like somewhere, please explain why -- it's all far more helpful for others that way.) Serial ranters, loons and spammers will be banished!
And please, no self-promotional URLs -- that's what your signature field is for.


So how does it rate?
On a scale of one to ten (with 10 being outstanding and 1 being bloody awful) how would you rate Chiang Mai for the following criteria?

Note: Ratings are OUT OF TEN -- not five!

Sights & activities:  
History & culture:  
Scenery & environment:  
Eat & drink:  
        
Traveller scene:  
Romance:  
Value for money:  
I'll be back (or not):  

Please note comments are edited for clarity, typos and style before they appear. Ranting tirades, spam and anything else that really belongs somewhere else won't make the cut. If you want to rant, go to Thorntree.

Please login and refresh this screen before writing your review -- thanks!




 
 

 

Vision: Chiang Mai

Baan Ched Yod Really inconvincing model food Hom Bar Bug cart Thai Suki Banquet Kao Soi
Porn Really Bad Sushi Giant water bug Bugs Bamboo worm, the best tasting bug Reclining Buddha Wat Chedi Luang
Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai Thailand Walking street market, Chiang Mai Walking street market, Chiang Mai

 

The bottom line

This site was constructed out of 100% recycled electrons -- if you don't, you should recycle too!
All material copyright Travelfish Pty Ltd ACN 107 758 985 -- please don't steal our content
Thailand FAQ | Cambodia FAQ | Travel related links | Jobs with Travelfish | Press
For ZoneAlarm Users | Contact Travelfish | Privacy statement | About us
Advertise with Travelfish | How do I get my business listed on Travelfish?
Yahoo! FareChase
Last updated pretty recently ;-)
There are 97 visitors online, jcprodigy, khack, wanderingcat, and your boss!
Travelfish | Blog | Fourelephants | AsiaNewsDesk | BangkokMetro | Affiliates