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Ancient capital of the kingdom of Lanna, Chiang Mai is "the Rose of the North", famous for its mountains and the tribal villages which encircle it.

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<p>In the daytime you can visit the town to see and admire its numerous temples and its flower market, though I much more enjoyed <strong>exploring Chiang Mai in the evening</strong>&nbsp;once&nbsp;the heat had subsided. Browsing the markets, strolling the banks of the Ping River and visiting the bars in the buzzing&nbsp;atmosphere created by the little lights becomes a real pleasure at these times.</p><p>If you like great food, I recommend 'the canteen,' which gets set up for the evening at the Sunday market held in the temple of Wat Phan Tao. It's a delight for both the taste buds and the eyes, and simply must be experienced at all costs.</p><p>For the more adventurous, hiring a scooter and heading off to explore the region should provide ample satisfaction. Additionally, there are organised tours available that offer&nbsp;you the chance to experience the splendor of both the mountains and the people of Northern Thailand.</p>

Chiang Mai is known as the 'Rose of the North,' and it's the point of departure for all the excursions you'll be looking forward to in Northern Thailand. In short, it's somewhere you absolutely must visit if you want to experience the 'real' Thailand.

<p class="MsoNormal">The ideal departure point for mountain walks and <span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none;text-underline:none" data-mce-style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">lovers of trekking</span>, <strong>I liked the town of Chiang Mai</strong> because its climate is more or less temperate, and because it's a town on a human scale.
Chiang Mai has its collection of old temples, like Wat Chiang Man which dates from the 13th century, and the unmissable <span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none;text-underline:none" data-mce-style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">Doi Suthep</span> on the neighbouring mountain, from where you can see the whole town.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">If you <strong>are staying in Chiang Mai over the weekend</strong>, don't miss the night market in the old town (from the Tha Pae door), and if not, there is the night bazaar in the new part of town. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I love how calm the town is.  Obviously you go there for the temples, but it's also loved by the Thais themselves who use it to escape from a hectic Bangkok.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Drink a cup of coffee or eat a cake in one of the shops along the river, poke about in the shops and admire the special local crafts - that's the sort of thing I prefer to do when visiting Chiang Mai.</p>
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Ancient capital of the kingdom of Lanna, Chiang Mai is "the Rose of the North", famous for its mountains and the tribal villages which encircle it.<br data-mce-bogus="1">

<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #302a25; font-family: 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><strong>Chiang Mai is the second largest city in the country, after Bangkok,</strong> and capital of the Chiang Mai region. It lies by the banks of the Ping River and has a very distinctive culture.</span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #302a25; font-family: 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #302a25; font-family: 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I spent three days in Chiang Mai and really loved the city. It has a lot to offer, yet without the hustle and bustle the of the Thai capital. It's the best place to go in the country if you want to purchase local arts and crafts items. I visited a number of wood, silver and ceramics workshops there. The city-center night market is something not to miss!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #302a25; font-family: 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Just outside the city you can go for long hikes, treks, go rafting, go on elephant-back rides and visit tiger parks ... </span><span style="color: #302a25; font-family: 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Those who like to get off the beaten track when on holiday will be delighted!</span>
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Chiang Mai is the capital of Northern Thailand.

Chiang Mai Vacations

Visit Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai: How to get there?

Chiang Mai: When to go?

Chiang Mai: For how long?

Chiang Mai: What to see in the surroundings?