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Clockwise from top right: Thapae Gate is one of the city’s many gates; Golden elephant in Wat Si Kham; Don’t leave without riding on an elephant; Three Kings Monument; Colourful blooms on display during the Chiang Mai Flower Festival
EV Tips
GETTING THERE
Chiang Mai International Airport was recently expanded to handle larger numbers of visitors. The airport is a 10-minute drive from the city centre. There are many direct flights between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, which takes about
1 hour and 10 minutes. There are also direct international flights from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Kunming and Yangon.
Alternatively, take the train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Most journeys are overnight and take approximately 12 to 15 hours. www.chiangmai-thai.com/train_schedule.htm
There are also many buses plying between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, most of which run overnight taking approximately 10 hours. www.chiangmai-thai.com/bus_schedule.htm
GETTING AROUND
Travel like the locals by songthaew or tuk tuk. Most drivers know some English.
Metered taxis are a recent phenomenon, many parked outside malls.
Weather
Northern Thailand has three distinct seasons: • November to early February is cool and dry
with fog in highlands
• March to June is hot and humid, and can be
hazy
• July to Oct is official rainy season with sunny
skies in between
Don’ts
• Don’t venture into dark or remote areas.
• Don’t be coerced into buying precious stones
at a 90 percent discount because of “a final day government sale”. Some tuk tuk drivers perpetuate this discount scam or may want to bring you to shops which offer them high commissions, so stand your ground.
for clothing and shoes. Explore surrounding side lanes and shophouses which sell clothing, fashion items and handicrafts. Cross the footbridge across Ping River and explore the quiet neighbourhood of Wat Gate where large teakwood homes still exist.
Temple Tour
Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep may be crowded but on clear days, the views from 1,000m above Chiang Mai are stunning. A modern symbol of the city, the temple’s gold plated 7m-high chedi can be seen miles away. Originally established in 1383, the site was chosen by a white elephant which was let loose to roam the hills. Upon reaching the present site, it circled three times and knelt down – an auspicious
inner city a village-like atmosphere, one of the charms of this rapidly growing city.
In recent years, there has been a sudden growth of new hotels, shops and restaurants in and around the city, indicative of Chiang Mai’s lure as a tourist destination. Even the local authorities are doing their part to make the city more attractive for visitors and locals alike by removing unsightly overhead cables, cleaning up the Ping River and planning riverside walkways. Long-term foreign residents have also been roped in as tourist police. So don’t be surprised to see a Caucasian dressed in Thai police uniform giving directions to lost visitors!
So it comes as no surprise that Chiang Mai was voted the world’s fifth best destination by readers of Travel & Leisure magazine in 2005. Here are some ways to enjoy the city.
Festivals Galore
Chiang Mai is blessed with festivals almost year-round. Two major festivals are Songkran and Loi Krathong, usually celebrated in April and November, respectively. From 1 – 4 February this year, the annual Chiang Mai Flower Festival takes centerstage with a parade of flowery floats and beauty queens. For the first three days, prized blooms can be viewed at Suan Buak Haad City Park in the southwest corner of the moat. The best viewing location for the Saturday parade is near the VIP stand at the Govenor’s
residence near Narawatt Bridge or any vantage point on Thapae Road.
Walk The City
The city’s authorities coined the term “Walking Street” to denote street-side shopping, flea markets and open-air food stalls on cobbled inner city roads which are closed to traffic from 4 – 11pm every Sunday (also Saturdays from November to January). The original Walking Street is Ratchadamnoen Road, a main artery west of Thapae Gate and the side road of Phra Pokklao where the Three Kings Monument stands.
Shop On The Streets
From sunset to midnight year-round, both sides of Chang Klan Road become a fairyland of lights and pushcart stalls that have become a symbol of the city’s street shopping scene. Bargaining is a must here. The street stalls are actually an offshoot of the official Night Bazaar, a three- storey building on the same road housing better quality wares and offering a vital element to stress- free shopping absent on the streets: price tags. When hunger strikes, visit the many nearby international restaurants, the new Kalare Food Court or decades old favourite, Anusarn Night Market.
To Market, To Market
For a colourful local experience, visit Warorot (local name: Kad Luang) market in the heart of Chinatown. Its upper floors are worth a wander
ENDLESS VACATION 19