Vacation Thailand - Chiang Mai ... by ash-hotel.com
     temples, night bazaar, handicraft village, hilltribes, national parks, dinners, wats

Chiang Mai has long been a city worth a visit at any time

MAP
Although bustling Chiang Mai is relatively small compared to Bangkok in size and population, it ranks as Thailand's second largest city after the capital. Originally, the city was surrounded by walls and a moat, parts of which can still be seen along with the gates. It is within these walls in the old city that a visitor feels closest to Chiang Mai's past. And it is in many of the surviving temples or wats, enclosed within these walls, that the city's rich historical heritage lives on - the pride of its 250,000 inhabitants.

Wat Chedi Luang
The 500-year-old Wat Chedi Luang is a fine example of one of these ancient temples and one of its most important. It houses the lak muang, the 'city pillar' or foundation stone and symbol of longevity (of the city, presumably), in which the guardian spirit resides.

Doi Suthep - Wat Prathat
Towering over Chiang Mai is Doi Suthep, a mountain crowned by yet another of the city's venerated temples -tupa of Wat Prathat, also known as Doi Suthep. A stairway of some 300 steps lead you to the top, which affords slpendid views of the city and its surrounding plains. There is also a cable car to whisk you to the summit if the climb seemd too daunting.
Doi Sutrhep is a favourite site of pilgrimage for Thais and a premier sightseeing stop for foreigner visitors. Its donation book bears testimony to the temple’s popularity for merit-making.

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Wat Phra Sing - Wat Chiang Mun
Even a casual intinerary in Chiang Mai should include two more temples : Wat Phra Sing, the Temple of the Lion Buddha’ housing a revered Buddha image, said to Have originated from Sri Lanka, and the Wat Chiang Mun, the oldest in the city, where the story of Chiang Mai first began.

There is more to Chiang Mai than just temples. You can visit the National Museum, for an insight into the city's past, or the Folk Art Museum, or go shopping for the arts and crafts for which Chiang Mai and the northern region are noted. If you are the more energetic type, you can explore Chiang Mai's beautiful highland country on a mountain bike, visiting sacred caves or hot springs. Or you could go on a trek to visit colorfully-dressed hilltribes living in villages in the surrounding area.

lnthanon National Park
Although designated a national park, Inthanon is quite unique as it is hilltribe country. The park is inhabited by groups of Karen and Hmong who had been successfully 'persuaded' to switch from poppy-growing and opium-making to providing the city's markets with fresh produce, fruits such as strawberries, lychees and-longans, and vegetables like cabbage and mushrooms. The Thai King's Project, responsible for this accomplishment, has been in action for about 30 years
Today, Inthanon draws visitors because of its seclusion and natural beauty. Its perennial forests and the 'thousand-year rose' - known everywhere else as the rhododendron - blooms here from December through March and are magnets to nature lovers.On Sundays, the national park is filled with picnicking Thais, out to enjoy the refreshing mountain air. Around a chedi, containing ashes of Chiang Mai's last king, visitors, young and old alike, gather to offer respects. All year round, Inthanon attracts birdwatchers, its microclimate and vegetation create a refuge for no less than about 400 species of birds.

Handicraft Hub - San Khampaeng - Bor Sang Road
It is no exaggeration that North Thailand and especially Chiang Mai stand out as Thailand's most prolific producers of arts and crafts. It is also true to say that whatever handicrafts you may buy elsewhere in Thailand are likely to have been made by the talented crafts people in the north. In Chiang Mai, handicrafts are an industry. Handicraft 'villages" stretching several kilometres on San Khampaeng Road, dubbed the Handicraft Highway, west of the city, have replaced the more traditional guild centres of old. Most of these villages have showrooms-cumshops. Air-conditioned and spacious, they accept payment by credit cards and offer worldwide shipping.

Any artefact you could possibly take home as a souvenir can be found here: rosewood and teak furniture, lacquerware, leather goods, attractive textiles for decoration and wear, and chunky silver jewellery. The so-called 'Handicraft Highway' ends at the village of Bor Sang, which is picturesque, because of the paper umbrellas that are produced here in various sizes and in traditional design. You can choose your design from a catalogue, specify the size, pay for it and have it shipped to your home. Bargaining is advised

Night Bazaar
Come night fall, pavements of Changklan Road is transformed into a colourful tourists shopping venue. This is of course Chiang Mai's well-known Night Bazaar. It is a conglomeration of outdoor stands and a low-rise department store with an incredible selection of merchandise. There is a wide spectrum of Thai and specifically northern Thai goods. There are trinkets and more practical merchandise such as ethnically styled jackets and leather bags. Silver jewellery, textiles and betel nut lacquer boxes make good buys.

Maesa
If you have never seen elephants training to perform tricks, a visit to the Maesa Elephant Camp, a 30-minute drive from Chiang Mai, makes for an interesting half day excursion. In parts of Thailand, such as the remoter regions of Umphang province, elephants are still the only means of transportation - when paths become unnegotiable for humans on foot. When logging was at its height across the border in neighbouring Myanmar, many Karen mahouts, or elephant guides, in Northern Thailand were able to make good money, allowing them to purchase even more elephants.
In the past few years, with a decline in logging activities end except for carrying people on short treks, most elephants were left with little else to do. Someone then came up with the idea of training elephants to perform tricks to entertain visitors and also for deployment in circuses. A trained young elephant goes for about Baht 250,000, the equivalent of a second-hand pick-up truck.
The Maesa Elephant Camp is located 26 kilometres north of Chiang Mai on the Mae Rim-Samoeng Road., show are held daily 8 am to 9.40 am. Treks on the backs of elephants are conducted daily strarting at 7 am

Hilltribes of Northern Thailand
Lisu or Liso
Execptionally large turbans and silver bangles distinguish Lisu women from other mountain peoples. The Lisu live in remote villages, at high altitudes. Though largely conecntrated in China's Yunnan Province, many dwell in northeastern Burma and northern Thailand.

Lahu or Muser
Tribal people of northern Thailand and the Burma-Laos-China border area. Generally, Lahu live at elevations of 4,000 feet or more. Although gins are used, Lahu men still hunt with crossbows and poisoned arrows.

Yao or Mien
The Chinese use the name Yao to designate a scattered minority in Southern China. These people are also found in northern Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. Yao craftsmen produce not only the hill people's customary tools and weapons such as knives and crossbows but also rifles and paper. Men traditionally wear black caps, Yao women often add red collars to their garments.

Akha or Ikaw
Akha women wear elaborate headdress and jewellery. The Akha grow rice in the hills of northern Laos-Burma-China and Thailand. Akha villages, guarded by sacred gates erected to keep put eevil spirits, generally lie at elevations of 3,500 to 4,000 feet.

Hmong or Meo
The colour of a Hmong woman's dress often identifies the subgroup - white, red, black and flowered, to which a Meo of Laos or Thailand belongs. The majority, however, live in southern China, where they are called Miao. Man and Women alike usually wear silver necklaces, often with a chain looped across the opening. The elevations of their villages are 3,000 to 6,000 feets.

Karen or Kariang
These people of the hills in southeastern Burma, western Thailand and in the Irrawaddy Delta vary in economy and religion. Many Karens are Christians. Most are engaged in wet rice farming. Some own elephants are work as mahouts in the teak forestd. A closely related group of Karen, called Kayah, live in their own semi-autonomous state in Burma.

Pa-Duang (Long-neck Karen)
Their villages are on the bank of the Salween River in Burma. They have been pursuaded by the Burmese Government to take off their traditional ring necklaces. A girl when she is 9 years of age, starts to wear her traditional ring necklace, adding one each year until she wear 28 rings, or when she get married. We can now see Pa-Duang on Thai-Burmese border. Pa-duang means "the basket" or "flowers

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