Chiang Mai, worth a visit (video)
Chiang Mai, the Rose of the North, is a great base for adventurous trekking or you can get acquainted with mysterious mountain peoples.
Chiang Mai is even 500 years older than Bangkok. The city is located in a fertile valley, completely surrounded by rivers and green hills. Chiang Mai is also a paradise for gourmets. At every street stall in the city you can find a spicy Khao Soi (rice noodle soup), a delicious Phad ภาษาไทย (fried noodles) or a delicious Tom Kha Gai (coconut soup with chicken) for barely two euros. It is therefore not surprising that the Thai cooking courses here are so popular with Westerners.
The countless stalls in Chiang Mai's daily Night Bazaar cater to souvenir hunters: you'll find cheap T-shirts, jeans, watches, jewelery and other knick-knacks, as well as fine wood carvings, wickerwork and a variety of other handicrafts often sold by the locals. hill tribes from the region are manufactured and sold here by the colorfully dressed women.
For authentic shoppers, don't miss the Celadon pottery, whose surface has been crackled by the firing process. And Bo Sang's hand-painted parasols are also worth a detour.
The biggest attraction of the city are the temples or 'wats': more than 300 and especially within the canals of the old city it is wonderful to let a bicycle rickshaw drive you from one temple to the next and enjoy the serenity from, for example, Wat Prah Sing (from the 14th century) or Wat Chedi Luang, with 9 meter high Buddhas and giant elephants.
From Chiang Mai you can go on a day trip to the hill tribes of the north. They number 450.000 in total, with their own language, religion, clothing and architectural style.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/KquacUwSN2A[/youtube]
Bo sang, the long road with all the outlets, is indeed worth it. However, make sure to agree where you want to go, because before you know it they will drag you from one point of sale to another, and that will not make you happy.
I always check the umbrellas when I'm in the area, it's still fun.
As for the famous night market, nice market, not nearly as busy as it used to be, but aimed at the tourists.
As for the woodcarving, there is a kind of "wood village" where everything made of wood is sold. The name is Ban Thawai
However, don't be fooled, because most wood carvings are not made there at all, but in Burma (cheaper labor, and wood enough)
You see them making it there, but usually that is someone from Burma, who they put there for show.
Moderator: Such long URLs in a comment are not allowed. Shorten it with a URL shortener.
Ok, you should know that, but then I would have left the text alone!
You have removed a piece!
The other market that is therefore authentic, and a lot cheaper, is the Warorot market, definitely worth a look http://goo.gl/nh2IH
Ban Thawai link http://goo.gl/F97jE
Ps just a tip for editors: As far as shortening urls is concerned, I would be careful with that, it is often used to spread misery, because the shortened url makes it difficult to see what is hidden in that link .
Take this one if you must: http://goo.gl/ , or create an editor so that the link can be placed under the relevant word, that might be a more elegant solution.
And those more than 300 temples in Chiang Mai keep popping up.
Be aware that this means the province of Chiang Mai and not the city and immediate surroundings.
I have been scootering around Chiang Mai for years (20) and have seen many temples.
I forgot to count them, because there is one looming in every village, hamlet or in the middle of the rice fields or hills.
I have not yet seen the more than 300, so another reason to continue looking.
Chiang Mai is and remains a great base for the "Lonley Farang on the motorbyke".
Good roads, beautiful views, good food along the way and an always helpful, friendly population. Should not be more.
Eddy, I completely agree with you about the lonely Farang on the scooter, I prefer to drive Honda wave myself, it is a bit easier in the mountains, also on the unpaved roads. You see more than from a car and everywhere you go you get quite a Wai from large to small.
Indeed, I have never had such good Thai food as in Chang Mai. Moreover, it is beautiful. But of course most of us know the north.
I find Chang Mai more relaxing to stay in than Bangkok, but this city also attracts us, on the return trip home we also stay there for a few days, we don't call it amazing Thailand, but the secret of Thailand is a feeling.
Cycle rickshaw ? Don't we just call something like this a samlor in Thailand?