Chiang Mai City Guide

Thailand > Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is Thailand's principal northern city, in terms of location, regional attractions, culture, hospitality and an incredible value for money. It is the provincial capital of a largely mountainous province. Situated 700 kilometers north of Bangkok, Chiang Mai flourishes as a major religious, cultural and trading center.

Ching Mai, the land of magnificent temples (wats), originally built, decorated with colorful porcelain chips and religious sculptures. Temples such as Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Chiang Man, Wat Ku Tao and others are among the many, beautiful temples worth seeing.

Trekking is quite an exciting activity in Thailand, the best trails are in northern Thailand, particularly the remote provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son. This is also the region of the infamous Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet and from where much of the world's opium originates. Don't miss a bird's eye view here.

When you are looking for hot and spicy, Thai food is hot and spicy; it just caters to your needs. For those who dislike hot stuff, most tourist restaurants tone down the food. Pri-kee-noo, a tiny red or green pepper, is one of the hot ingredients that might best be avoided. There are also a wide spectrum of international food that lives up your expectation.

Getting There and Moving Around

By air

Thai Airways International (TG) and Bangkok Airways (PG) run services to all major towns and also serves international flights as well.

By rail

The railway network extends over 4600km, linking all major towns with the exception of Phuket. It has recently been extended to serve centers on the east coast. There are four main trunk routes to the northern, eastern, southern and northeastern regions, and also a line serving Thon Buri, River Kwai Bridge and Nam Tok.

By road

There are inter-urban routes to all provinces. Conventional bus services in Bangkok are operated by the Government Mass Transit Authority, but there are also extensive private minibus operations and passenger-carrying trucks. Despite that, the city is also served by taxi and car rental services.

Moving Around

There are several modes of public and private transportation available to ensure your convenience when it comes to getting around Chiang Mai, air transport, car rentals, motorcycle rentals, and public transportation, is a good way of getting around the city.