Things to do in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is an exotic city, rich in cultural heritage and offering many things to do and see. It is also especially popular for its elephant and walking treks in the surrounding countryside. Thai cookery classes are also a popular tradition in the city. Chiang Mai has an extensive night market, with dozens of street vendors selling a variety of traditional Thai wares that can be snapped up at very low prices if you have the patience to bargain for them.

Night Bazaar

The Night Bazaar sprawls along the entire Chang Klan Road, and is a shoppers’ paradise. The street stalls sell a variety of items including fine Thai silk, antiques, silver, clothing, handicrafts, CDs, videos, perfumes and watches. Many imitation goods flood the market, with vendors selling an unusual range of products. The Night Bazaar is an exciting area to shop for gifts, with plenty of places to eat and drink. Open every day from 18:00 to midnight. Phone: +66 53 235 575.

Thapae Gate

Chiang Mai’s major landmark, Thapae Gate is one of the Old City’s five main gates. Each corner and each main gate of the Old City faces the eight main points of the compass, with one extra gate on the south side. Thapae Gate faces east, and is believed to be endowed with astrological prosperity. The gate was first called Pratu Chiang Ruak, as it was located at Chiang Ruak village when it was built in the reign of King Mangrai, in 1296.

Kawila Monument

This monument commemorates Kawila’s role in the history of Chiang Mai and the larger Lanna Kingdom. Born in 1742, Kawila was the first of Prince Chai Kaew’s 10 children. When he became ruler of Lampang, he helped in a plot to rid the city of oppressive Burmese rule. King Rama I officially appointed Kawila as ruler of Chiang Mai in 1802. The Kawila Monument stands appropriately in front of Kawila Army Camp, on the east bank of the Ping River, about a kilometre south of Nawarat Bridge.

Wat Chiang Man

Chiang Mai’s oldest temple was founded by King Mengrai in 1296. Its large Viharn features massive teak columns and lavish royal red-and-gold wall paintings. The smaller Viharn to the right contains the famous crystal Buddha, Phra Setangamani, thought to originate from Lopburi about 1,800 years ago. Next to it sits the marble Buddha, Phra Sila, another venerated image dating back some 2,500 years.

Doi Inthanon National Park

This 1,005 square-kilometre park south of Chiang Mai city is home to species that are not found anywhere else in Thailand. However, Doi Inthanon’s biggest draw is that it boasts Thailand’s tallest mountain. Standing at 2,565 meters, it offers one of the best places in Thailand for bird-watching, and the cool weather here makes it a popular retreat.

Wat Phra Sing

This temple, situated in the city centre, was founded in the 14th century. Most of the buildings however have been restored from the 19th century. In the Viharn Lai Kham, at the rear of the main temple, sits an image of the Phra Sihing Buddha. In the same building are some of northern Thailand’s most famous murals; to the right of the main entrance is the magnificent scripture repository where some holy books, written on bai lan paper, are stored.

Chiang Mai Zoo

This zoo not only houses more than 6,000 animals in an environment that comprises of two waterfalls, reservoirs, an open park, camping spots and animal breeding areas, it also offers some spectacular views of the city. Among its recent arrivals are 10 penguins, gibbons and Chayo, the baby elephant that was born at the time of the Leonid meteor shower. The most popular attraction however, is two pandas on loan from China. Phone: +66 53 221 179.

Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep

Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep is a famous and important temple that dates from 1383, and it enjoys a prominent position in Chiang Mai, overlooking the city from its mountainside perch. It sits about 3,520 feet above sea level, accessible via a steep staircase of 300 steps. The temple has a huge golden spire, within which lie some holy Buddha relics that attract devotees from around the world. A walk through the grounds reveals a variety of colourful and fragrant flowers and murals that depict Buddha’s previous lives. Any visit to Chiang Mai is not considered complete without stopping at this temple. Website: www.doisuthep.com.

Museums

Chiang Mai National Museum is housed in a recently renovated building on the highway north of the city, and it offers an interesting way to learn about ancient Lanna culture. Downstairs, various displays document the history of northern Thailand from pre-Neolithic times to the present day. See impressive bronze and gold jewellery and ceramics excavated from the famous 14th to 16th century Lanna kilns. Upstairs, gain insight into the crafts and skills practiced during the Lanna period, with a collection of farming tools, wood carvings, old photographs and textiles on display. Phone: +66 53 221 308.

A welcome addition to the city’s museums and galleries is the Chiang Mai Arts and Cultural Centre, a two-storey building in the heart of the Old City, right behind the Three Kings Monument. The ground floor of the centre features exhibits about the pre-Chiang Mai period, the city’s founding; its relationships with other cities and its changes in the last 100 years. Upstairs, the focus is on the kings of Chiang Mai, Buddhism, northern Thais and agriculture. Phone: +66 53 217 793.
  
Up until 1998, more than 1,000 examples of traditional crafts from the hill tribes had been located in a small museum at Chiang Mai University. Today, this collection is displayed at the Hill Tribe Research Institute Museum, a modern three-storey building that showcases farming implements, embroidery, weapons, hunting traps and a variety of musical instruments. The museum also displays a collection of photographs of various members of the royal family who have been indispensable to community-building work over the years to help the hill-tribe people in the region. Phone: +66 53 221 933.