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Northern Thailand, Thailand ActivitiesSeven Things to Do in Chiang Mai - Favorite Chiang Mai Activities (Contest Winner – 3rd Place)
Northern Thailand, Thailand ActivitiesSeven Things to Do in Chiang Mai - Favorite Chiang Mai Activities (Contest Winner – 3rd Place)
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Seven Things to Do in Chiang Mai - Favorite Chiang Mai Activities (Contest Winner – 3rd Place) |
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| Northern Thailand, Thailand Activities 1 Comment |
Champ - Essay Author
“We must come back!” this is what most of my foreign friends tell me when they leave Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai, in Northern Thailand, is a peaceful place where you can take your time exploring the many sights in and around the city. Life in Chiang Mai is much more relaxed than the busy streets of Bangkok and it is an excellent place to chill out and enjoy life. As I am a Thai person living in Chiang Mai, I can give some advice about the best places to visit. Here are some things to do during visit to Chiang Mai; but be aware if you spend a little time, you will definitely want to stay for longer.
Doi Suthep - Chiang Mai's Most Famous Temple
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Doi Suthep: This one is very high on the list of things to do in Chiang Mai; perhaps the top favorite activity. The mountain that borders Chiang Mai city is called Doi Suthep and is one of the most well known places to visit when in Chiang Mai. The base of the mountain is only about 15 minutes from the city center so it is easily accessible by road. Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, the famous and beautiful temple, can be seen shining on the mountain from miles away. As you arrive at the parking area there are two easy ways to reach the temple: climb the stairs for free or take the inclined tram which costs only 50 baht for foreigners and 20 baht for Thais. The golden temple is an impressive sight and the view from the top is beautiful. Also nearby is a Hmong hill tribe village where you can learn about and experience the lifestyle of the native people of the mountain. | |
| The Riverside Bar & Restaurant: The Riverside offers the food and drink of a mixed cuisine restaurant in a fun and relaxing atmosphere. On one side of the street is a classy restaurant where you can enjoy a nice dinner and live entertainment; the other side of the street is more a pub atmosphere along side the Ping River. Every night you can dance and sing along to the live bands, which play popular music as well as some Thai music. Another option is to take a relaxing dinner cruise along the Ping River and see beautiful Chiang Mai and the river at night. The menu has a variety of delicious Thai foods and there is also a good assortment of Western food if you really want a cheeseburger or a pizza. The price is not so expensive and you will see a good mix of Thai people and foreigners. |
The Riverside Bar & Restaurant
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Doi Inthanon - Thailand's Highest Mountain
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Doi Inthanon: Doi Inthanon is also one of the most attractive places to visit in Chiang Mai and Thailand. At 2,565 meters (8,415 ft), it is the highest mountain in Thailand. On the mountain, there are many kinds of plants and birds that you can enjoy in the splendid natural surroundings. Also, on the peak of the mountain, there are two pagodas called Napapon Phoom-Siri Chedi and Napamaytanidol Chedi which were dedicated to the Queen of Thailand for her 60th birthday in 1992. In the winter, it is very cold, which is surprising for Thailand. You may even have the rare pleasure of seeing frost on the grass. Doi Inthanon on New Years is quite crowded because people go there to celebrate. Local people camp out in tents on the mountain and have a big party. It is a memorable experience for everyone, and definitely something to experience if you are in Chiang Mai in the winter. | |
| Sunday Walking Street: Walking Street is a place where people sell many different kinds of local Thai products. It is in the main city starting at the well-known Tapae Gate. There are a lot of people walking, shopping, and hanging out. There are many kinds of street musicians and performers providing entertainment and you can buy everything from traditional hill tribe handicrafts, such as bags and clothing, to Thai silk and handmade jewelry. There are many unique items at good prices and bargaining is not as common here as at the Night Bazaar Market because this market attracts mostly local people. You can also have a snack of some sticky rice or Pad Thai while you browse the items, as there is a large selection of food vendors. There are also beautiful temples along the market street where you can see monks and people going to worship. Go early if you want to avoid the crowds, but be prepared to stay a long time because you will find many interesting things to look at. |
Chiang Mai Sunday Market
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Mae Ngad Dam
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Mae Ngad Dam: About an hour north of Chiang Mai there is a peaceful area for sight-seeing or camping called Mae Ngad Dam. Camping here is a little unique because here you can camp on the water in bamboo houseboats. You can relax by swimming, looking at beautiful views, hang out with your family and friends, or even sing karaoke. There are delicious and inexpensive Thai and Northern Thai foods available from many local vendors and, of course, you can also buy some Singha or Chang Beer to enjoy. | |
| Mork Fah Waterfall (also spelled Mok Fah or Mok Fa): Here is a wonderful and beautiful waterfall, about 40 minutes from the Chiang Mai to the north, off of the highway to Pai. The falls is within a national park and there is camping available or you can just go for an excursion trip to see a beautiful falls. The water falls about 60 meters so this is a very impressive sight year round. |
Mok Fa Waterfall
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Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center
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Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center: For a unique dinner experience, you can enjoy Northern Thai cuisine and beautiful Thai dance performances at the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center. This is a great way to experience Thai culture and tradition during a very unique evening. The dancers the beautiful traditional costumes of Thailand and you can also buy Northern Thai and hill tribe handicrafts. |
This is only a short list of some things to do in and around Chiang Mai. I am excited to tell people about the beautiful experiences in this city and I hope you will have a chance to come and enjoy Chiang Mai. There is much more to see and do in Chiang Mai but you might want to start with these ideas and I am sure you will want to return again and again.
To view all winning essays, please see 2008 ThailandTravelOnline.com Essay Contest Winners
April 4th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Thank you for this well written and informative article. I have visited three of the places you mention. Doi suthep is wonderful work of art. I will visit there again on my next trip. I shall attempt to see the other places you mention when I visit in April during the Song Kran festival.