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| Chiang Mai Tour & Travel Packages |
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Chiang Mai is recognized as Thailand's Northern Capital, "The Rose of the North", It's a city with a beautiful cultural personality of its own. In addition, it's been blessed with much majestic beauty in nature. As well as guest from overseas, regard Chiang Mai as the holiday place to visit. Chiang Mai was founded in the late 13th century and is one of the oldest continually inhabited settlements in Thailand. It was once the capital of Lanna, an independent Thai Kingdom and has preserved its unique cultural heritage to a marked degree. |
| Tourist Attractions |
Chiang Mai Zoo is located on Huay Kaew Road on a hilltop overlooking Chiang Mai with a large collection of animals and two recent pandas.Doi Suthep is the name of the hill and the temple is Wat Phra Borommathat Doi Suthep that sits on the top of the overlooking Chiang Mai. The temple was built in 1383 by King Gue Na and the legend is that an elephant was sent to search for a suitable location, it circled three times, trumpeted and fell on its knees at the place where the temple now is.Close to Chiang Mai is the Mae SA valley about 30 minutes' drive, where you will see the Mae Sa waterfall, orchid farm, monkey and snake farms and botanical gardens. You can also ride on the back of an elephant at the Mae Sa Elephant Camp. Restaurants in the area are plentiful. Old Chiang Mai Cultural Centre - Located on the Chiang Mai - Hang Dong Road contains a hill tribe village and Thai style house. Every evening is the Khan Tok cultural event with Thai and hill tribe dancing |
| Shopping In Chiang Mai |
When it comes to shopping in Chiang Mai the only thing more impressive than the price is the sheer variety of goods offered. From antique statuary to the latest video games, if you can buy it in Thailand you can find in Chiang Mai, and for a lot cheaper than you'd pay just about anywhere else. Chiang Mai is famous for its handicrafts and they do make great souvenirs. As with all items of this nature the quality can be inconsistent but when the items are offered at such low prices you can afford to take a risk. The Night Bazaar is the best place to find handicrafts in Chiang Mai but the Weekend Market is another great place to look. |
| Chiang Mai Cuisine |
Unique, memorable and highly enjoyable, Thai food is very much a reflection of Thailand itself. Thai food is an expression of the values of Thai culture: tradition, family and enjoyment. The intricate flavors of Thai food have become rightly popular around the world and the chance to sample this delectable cuisine is one of the main draws for many visitors to the Kingdom. Although the enterprising Thai people have brought their cuisine to the four corners of the earth. Thai food consists of meat and vegetables in some kind of sauce served over rice. The four basic flavours of Thai food are sweet, sour, creamy and salty with plenty of spice on top. The secret to Thai food is finding the right balance between these four flavours and then making the whole thing as hot as you can stand. |
| Weather |
Chiang Mai has a tropical climate, but is cooler and less humid than elsewhere in Thailand. Chaing Mai experiences monsoons. The south-west monsoon arrives from India at the end of May and lasts until November, with the heaviest downpours in August/September. Rain usually occurs in the late afternoon. Between November and May cool air blows in from China and northern Vietnam, bringing a dry season with mild days and balmy nights. Temperatures are at their lowest in December/January, and it is chilly enough to require a warm jacket at night. |
| Currency |
| Thailand uses the baht as its currency which can be readily exchanged in most countries of the world. Coins come in 1, 5 and 10 baht denominations. There are also smaller coins, called satang, in .25 and .50 denominations. However, satang are generally not accepted in most places. As a rule they usually end up as souvenirs. Bank notes come in 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 baht denominations. |
