Top Reasons to Visit Chiang Mai, Thailand

I never would have thought of visiting Chiang Mai if it hadn't been for my son falling in love with the country, the culture, and the people of Thailand.

Now that I am living here in Chiang Mai, I have come to understand why he chose to live, thrive and grow in Thailand.

For those of you, like me, who may have never considered Thailand when thinking about places for taking a vacation, I hope to convince you otherwise. If you have always dreamed of visiting Thailand my intent is to spur you on to realize your dream!

Thailand is located in Southeast Asia, with borders along Burma, Laos, and Cambodia. The southern part of Thailand is a peninsula in the Adaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, with many beaches and beautiful islands.

Chiang Mai Province is located in the Northwestern part of the country, close to the Burma border, nestled in a valley in the mountains.

The city of Chiang Mai is rich in color, culture, and beauty. Steeped in history, Chiang Mai has an interesting blend of historic buildings and revered Buddhist Wats mixed in with modern day structures. Street vendors are abundant, as well as little mom and pop run shops.

At the very heart of Chiang Mai is the Old City, surrounded by a moat and wall. Within the Old City are many low cost accommodations, So now we have zeroed in and your destination, the center of Chiang Mai!

When considering a vacation, cost is always an issue. Visiting Chiang Mai can be extremely affordable, even considering the expense of the airfare to get here.

High Season vs Low Season

When planning your trip to Thailand keep in mind that there are 2 distinct seasons. High Season (November to April) when you can expect the best weather, and some very fun festivals. You will also pay slightly more for everything.

Low Season (May to October) you will find the best deals on rooms, but the weather will be a little unpredictable, as rainy season is in full swing. The tropical rains keep Thailand lush and green, and are really easy to live with. If you have never experienced a tropical rain, you are in for a delight! It is as if some one turned on a faucet as the rain comes down in buckets, and as quickly as it starts, it stops, and within a few minutes the earth has soaked up the rain and all is dry and calm again.

Accomodations

Depending on your style, you can stay in Chiang Mai on a shoestring budget at one of the many Guest Houses, ranging in price from $5.00 to $15.00 a night, or you can splurge on a fancy Resort Hotel where you may pay $50.00 to $100.00 a night!

To get the bests deals do not book accommodations online with a travel service. If you want to make advance reservations, I recommend you deal directly with the Guesthouse or hotel. If you really want to be adventurous wait until you get here to decide where you want to stay!

Thai Food

Dining is the same. Food is abundant, available everywhere you turn, and affordable. Thai food can be spicy, and delicious! You can general find a good meal for $1.00 - $2.00, For more expensive tastes, $3.00 - $5.00 will get you a fantastic meal at many of the Thai and international restaurants scattered throughout the city.

A part of Thai cuisine consists of curries, rice and noodles, with chicken and pork the favored meats. There is a wide selection of vegetarian food also available. Lucky for me!

The majority of eating places take advantage of the great climate with open air restaurants, often surrounded by lush gardens of tropical plants. Some can be as simple as a food stall with plastic table and chairs set up on a sidewalk. It all adds to the ambiance of Thailand.

No matter how long you plan your vacation here, you will not run out of places to go, sights to see, things to do.

For animal lovers, there is the Chiang Mai Zoo, the Night Safari, Elephant Camps, the Tiger Kingdom, where you can actually sit and hold a baby tiger, to name a few places worth visiting.

If adventure is your game, you can fly through the jungle tree tops at Flight of the Gibbons, soar through the skies in a Microflight adventure, trek through the jungles, raft on the rivers, hike and bike through Suthep National Park.

Sight Seeing

Chiang Mai has over 300 Wats, and picking out a few to visit while here on your trip will take up a good day, or 2, depending on how many you want to see. Doi Suthep, sitting upon a hill over looking Chiang Mai, is always a popular spot. Within the Old City of Chiang Mai Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phan Tao are great points of interest and beauty.

On the outskirts of the city you will find tranquility and peacefulness at the beautiful Wat U Mong, situated in a forest along side a small lake. You can relax by the lake, and feed the many turtles, catfish, and doves that live there. While there you will want to walk through the amazing tunnels

Activities

Chiang Mai offers a plethora of things to do, day and night. Nightclubs are scattered throughout the city, where you can hear live music and relax with friends and have a drink. Thai massage is available everywhere, for $4.50 - $6.00 you can experience an hour long relaxing massage.

Shopping is another favorite pastime, Chiang Mai is full of open air markets, where you can pick up local handicraft items very cheaply. The Night Bazaar and the Sunday Walking Market are 2 of the most popular shopping spots.

After tasting the delicious Thai food you may want to take a Thai cooking class to learn how to prepare these tasty dishes back home.

Getting around Chiang Mai is easy, and very affordable. Red Trucks (Songtows) operate in and around the city, and cost between $1.00 to $2.00, depending where you are going. Motorbikes can be rented for those of you that are adventurous for about $6.00 a day, or you can rent a car for around $30.00 a day.

Traffic flows opposite than in the U.S., and vehicles always have the right of way here, not pedestrians, so be aware of that while visiting. Do not step out into traffic to cross a street expecting the traffic to stop for you, they won't. Even in a cross walk with a green light, be very aware of the traffic coming your way, and make sure they are stopping for you.

One of the best parts of visiting Thailand is meeting the people. Thai's are very friendly, generous, honest, respectful and hard working people who welcome foreigners to share the beauty and wonder of their country.

Next time you are debating where to go on your next vacation, consider a trip to Thailand, and be sure and visit Chiang Mai while you are here. Chiang Mai is very affordable, full of beauty and opportunities for adventure, and is a fun and safe place to bring your whole family. You will discover for yourself why Thailand is known as the Land of Smiles.

You can see more of my Thailand photos on my wallpapers site Wallpaper by Design.com.

There is only one danger you need to be aware of before coming to Chiang Mai, and that is that you may never want to leave.

Have a safe journey!