Thailand

Visiting Chiang Mai, Cultural Capital of Thailand

With a history of over 700 years, Chiang Mai has long been considered the cultural hub of Northern Thailand. Roughly 435 miles from Bangkok, it is a city that combines scenic vistas of the highest mountains in Thailand, arts and crafts centers, and modernity that have been drawing an increasing number of travelers and long-term visitors: as many as five million tourists come to Chiang Mai annually, thanks to its combination of unique culture and accessibility.

The city offers a vast range of attractions, sightseeing options and adventure tours that appeal to any traveler, whether you are traveling with your spouse, your extended family, or your elderly: in Chiang Mai there are various ancient ruins, public parks and botanic gardens that will readily suit the tastes of travelers looking for a quiet spot, while for adventurers and/or families with children the Chiang Mai Zoo and Aquarium-as well as rafting adventures, caving, tiger farms and elephant camps-provide the perfect diversions. For the shopper there are numerous markets such as the Warorot Market and the Night Bazaar that give you a glimpse into Thai culture and lifestyle, as well as an opportunity to buy unusual souvenirs to take home. The famous Walking Streets, available Saturday and Sunday, fulfill much the same function but offer an even wider range of merchandise usually sold directly by artists, sculptors, silversmiths and weavers. Outside the city itself there are various crafting villages and factories from which high-quality, unique goods can be bought.

Another reason to choose Chiang Mai for your destination in Southeast Asia is that it is one of the cheaper cities in Thailand as well as one of the least expensive in the region while not giving up cleanliness and safety. While a trip to an Asian city of a similar price range will require compromise with your accommodation, hygiene and personal security, in Chiang Mai this is not the case: it is possible to stroll about the city late at night, alone, in most areas without having to fear for your life or your valuables.

The tourist hotspots such as the Night Market and Walking Streets have a remarkably low rate of crime (indeed the city as a whole has a vanishingly small rate of violent crime, at about 0.02% in 2009, especially since obtaining firearms in Thailand is difficult for the average citizen) and travelers rarely need to fear pickpockets. Tourist police are moreover stationed throughout the Sunday Walking Street in case of any (unlikely) emergency. Depending on the location of your hotel or guesthouse, most of these markets can be reached on foot; failing that transport costs do not generally exceed 100 baht (roughly 3.50 USD as of April 2011) but are often much cheaper than this figure. Food, drinks, places to stay and nightlife are similarly priced. If you are looking for an economic option for your Thailand holiday that fits a careful budget while retaining comfort and excellent sightseeing, there are few destinations better than Chiang Mai.

Last but not least, the renowned hospitality of Chiang Mai is easily one of its biggest attractions. As you step into your accommodation you will notice beautiful décor in the style of the Lanna Kingdom that transports you back to the Chiang Mai of centuries past, and you will be greeted by friendly staff in the traditional costumes of the same. Authentic Thai cuisine, both of Central Thailand and northern Thailand, can be had at every street corner. Service is prompt and friendly across the board, and the locals are generally helpful and don’t mind taking a few minutes out of their time to give you directions.

Given these reasons and more, why not consider including Chiang Mai in your list of places to see before you die? A perfect combination of price, culture, and tropical climate: you would be hard-pressed to find a city more welcoming and tourist-friendly!

About the Author

Joanne Chong works in Business Development as an expert at the Empress Hotels Group, a family of luxury Chiang Mai hotels providing the best value for three/four-star accommodation suited for Chiang Mai holidays and long-stays, convention facilities and fine dining in Chiang Mai’s city center.

 

children day in chiangmai thailand

Hill tribe girl weaving on a narrow loom in Chiang Mai Photo Mugs Hill tribe girl weaving on a narrow loom in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia….

Meo hill tribe woman weaving Photo Mugs Meo hill tribe woman weaving, near Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia….

Young child in costume for the Shan folkloric parade Photo Mugs Young child in costume for the Shan folkloric parade, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia….

Photo Jigsaw Puzzle of Meo hill tribe woman weaving from Robert Harding Photo Puzzle, Meo hill tribe woman weaving. Meo hill tribe woman weaving, near Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia. Chosen by Robert Harding. 10×14 Photo Puzzle with 252 pieces. Packed in black cardboard box of dimensions 5 5/8 x 7 5/8 x 1 1/5. Puzzle image 5×7 affixed to box top. Puzzle pieces printed on RA4 paper at 300 dpi. This item is shipped from our American lab….

Photo Jigsaw Puzzle of Young child in costume for the Shan folkloric parade from Robert Harding Photo Puzzle, Young child in costume for the Shan folkloric parade. Young child in costume for the Shan folkloric parade, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia. Chosen by Robert Harding. 10×14 Photo Puzzle with 252 pieces. Packed in black cardboard box of dimensions 5 5/8 x 7 5/8 x 1 1/5. Puzzle image 5×7 affixed to box top. Puzzle pieces printed on RA4 paper at 300 dpi. This item is shipped …

Photo Jigsaw Puzzle of Hill tribe girl weaving on a narrow loom in Chiang Mai from Robert Harding Photo Puzzle, Hill tribe girl weaving on a narrow loom in Chiang Mai. Hill tribe girl weaving on a narrow loom in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia. Chosen by Robert Harding. 10×14 Photo Puzzle with 252 pieces. Packed in black cardboard box of dimensions 5 5/8 x 7 5/8 x 1 1/5. Puzzle image 5×7 affixed to box top. Puzzle pieces printed on RA4 paper at 300 dpi. This item is shipped from our…

I LOVE CHIANG MAI – City-series – White T-shirt Brand New, never worn 100% cotton front print Authentic white T-shirt. Anvil, Gilden, or Similar Heavyweight Jersey T-Shirt 100% pre-shrunk cotton, seamless collarette, double needle hems. The shirt reads “I HEART CHIANG MAI”….

No Childhood at All: A Report about Child Soldiers in Burma. …

Personalized Floor Puzzle $29.95 Children love to find the pieces that spell out their name and birth date in this giant 24in x 28in personalized puzzle! For boys and girls ages 3-10.

God Loves You! Personalized Book $24.95 The God Loves You! personalized children’s book tells your child just how much God loves them… and that they are God’s special creations! It comes personalized with a child’s name on the cover and throughout the text. God Loves You! features beautiful poetry by award-winning children’s author Jennifer Dewing and colorful, whimsical illustrations by award-winning artist Maria Carluccio. The book is perfect for the birth of a baby, baptism, naming ceremony, first communion, Easter, Passover or everyday occasion. It makes a perfect gift for children of the Christian, Jewish or Muslim faith.

My Very Own Name & Lamb Gift Set $38 My Very Own® Name is a beautifully illustrated personalized storybook that helps children to learn to recognize letters and spell their names. In this hardcover, professionally bound book, animals bring letters one by one to create the child’s first and last names in rhyme. A jackal brings a J, an ostrich brings an O, and so on. At the end, the animals celebrate because they’ve created the perfect name. As an added personal touch, this gift set includes the child’s birth date, a printed dedication from the sender, an illustrated encyclopedia of 61 animals and cuddly plush lamb. The storybook is made in the USA and written by Maia Haag.

Who Loves Me? for siblings $24.95 It is often said that there is no better gift that you can give a child than love. Who Loves Me? features the names of family members and friends who love the child, and encourages the child to reach to the sky when asked ‘how much’ each of one of them loves him or her. This beautifully illustrated book reassures the child that he or she is loved ’so much’ by each person, with melodious rhymes describing the depth of each individual’s love. Written by Jennifer Dewing, with colorful, whimsical illustrations by Maria Carluccio, this 8.5 inch x 8.5 inch hardcover book has 20 tear-free pages that are made for babies and young children to read every day!

Who Loves Me? Personalized Book $24.95 It is often said that there is no better gift that you can give a child than love. Who Loves Me? features the names of family members and friends who love the child, and encourages the child to reach to the sky when asked ‘how much’ each of one of them loves him or her. This beautifully illustrated book reassures the child that he or she is loved ’so much’ by each person, with melodious rhymes describing the depth of each individual’s love. Written by Jennifer Dewing, with colorful, whimsical illustrations by Maria Carluccio, this 8.5 inch x 8.5 inch hardcover book has 20 tear-free pages that are made for babies and young children to read every day!

The Super, Incredible Big Sister $29.95 The perfect gift for a new big sister! The Super, Incredible Big Sister book from I See Me! comes personalized with big sister’s name and the name of the new baby. The book reassures big sister that she is loved and appreciated… and it rewards her for helping out and being a ’super star’ with her new sibling. It comes with a coordinating Super Incredible Big Sister award medal with a place on the back of the medal to write the proud sister’s first name! Written by award-winning children’s author Jennifer Dewing and Illustrated by award-winning artist Jill McDonald, this hardcover book is an adorable, whimsical and fun-filled personalized story.

The Super, Incredible Big Brother $29.95 The perfect gift for a new big brother! The Super, Incredible Big Brother book from I See Me! comes personalized with big brother’s name and the name of the new baby. The book reassures big brother that he is loved and appreciated… and it rewards him for helping out and being a ’super star’ with his new sibling. It comes with a coordinating Super Incredible Big Brother award medal with a place on the back to write the proud big brother’s name! Written by award-winning children’s author Jennifer Dewing and Illustrated by award-winning artist Jill McDonald, this hardcover book is an adorable, whimsical and fun-filled personalized story.

My Very Own Name Personalized Storybook $29.95 My Very Own Name is a beautifully illustrated personalized book in which entertaining animals bring letters one by one to spell the first and last names of your child. This award-winning book for boys and girls ages 0-8 has been featured in People and Good Housekeeping.

My Very Own Fairy Tale Personalized $29.95 This personalized storybook is a powerful way to show a child how absolutely unique and special she is. My Very Own Fairy Tale transports little girls into a magical garden where flower fairies bring letters one by one to spell out her first and last name, and then the fairies crown her as their fairy princess. This award-winning storybook makes a keepsake gift for girls ages 0-12.

The World According To Me $29.95 Turn a child’s view of the world into a charming, personalized book! The book includes the child’s own illustrations and classic comments. For boys and girls ages 3-12.

My Very Own Animal T-Shirt $14.95 This beautifully embroidered t-shirt features an entertaining animal character holding the letter of your choice from A to Z. Your child will be delighted to find that the animal featured on the t-shirt matches one of the animals illustrated in his or her My Very Own Name personalized storybook.

Who Loves Me? And Personalized Lovie Blanket Set $49.95 Who Loves Me? features the names of family members and friends who love the child, and encourages the child to reach to the sky when asked ‘how much’ each of one of them loves him or her. This beautifully illustrated book reassures the child that he or she is loved ’so much’ by each person, with melodious rhymes describing the depth of each individual’s love. Written by Jennifer Dewing, with colorful, whimsical illustrations by Maria Carluccio, this hardcover book is a perfect gift for a new baby! The super soft, 100% polyester lovie blanket comes with baby’s name embroidered on the satin trim. We will select a pink blanket for a girl or a blue blanket for a boy

My Very Own Pirate Tale Storybook $29.95 In My Very Own® Pirate Tale, entertaining sea creatures bring letters one by one to spell out your child’s name, and they describe why he or she is the perfect candidate to be the captain’s first mate. The sawshark brings the S, the octopus brings the O, and so on. At the end of this adventurous pirate story, your child’s name is revealed as the secret to opening the treasure. Includes an illustrated encyclopedia of 62 sea creatures with fun facts about each. Filled with beautiful, hand-painted illustrations, this hardcover book is a unique keepsake that will be cherished for a lifetime.

A Christmas Bear for Me $36.95 One of our popular personalized gifts for kids, A Christmas Bear for Me is a beautiful, heart-warming, personalized story about a child’s Christmas wish for a special Teddy Bear friend. A Christmas Bear for Me captures the anticipation leading up to Christmas morning and the magic of receiving a special gift from Santa.

My Very Own Pirate Tale and Personalized Bandana Gift Set $39.95 This swashbucklin’ gift set includes the My Very Own® Pirate Tale personalized storybook and a personalized pirate bandana embroidered with the words ‘Cap’n [Your Child's First Name.]‘ Boys and girls love the pirate bandana that lets them live out their very own pirate adventure! In My Very Own Pirate Tale, entertaining sea creatures bring letters to spell out the name of the child whom they’ve chosen as the perfect first mate for the pirate ship. The sawshark brings the S, the octopus brings the O, and so on. At the end, your child’s name is revealed as the secret to opening the treasure. Includes a dedication from you and an illustrated encyclopedia of 62 sea creatures with fun facts about each. Filled with beautiful, hand-painted illustrations, this hardcover book is a unique keepsake that will be cherished for a lifetime.

Preschool According to Me $29.95 Preschool According to Me is a 10inch x 8inch hardcover book with 20 glossy pages that document your child’s view of preschool forever. Watch your pre-designed book come to life as you provide your child’s information. You will be asked to upload photos of your child and type your child’s answers to questions such as why he or she loved preschool, what he or she hopes to learn in kindergarten, and more.

A Hanukkah Bear for Jamie $36.95 One of our popular personalized gifts for kids. In this beautifully illustrated, personalized story, the child lights the Menorah, plays with a Dreidel, enjoys chocolate Gelt and Latkes, and on day eight receives the gift of a cuddly bear. Sure to be a family classic, the story is written by award-winning author Jennifer Dewing and illustrated by Wilson Ong.

Children $22.38 Based on a lifetime of experience with children, Dr. Rudolf Dreikurs, one of America's foremost child psychiatrists, presents an easy-to-follow program that teaches parents step-by-step how to cope with the common childhood problems that occur from toddler through preteen years.

Children’s Table $295 Children’s Table

Children’s Bench $225 Children’s Bench

For the Children $9.99 Format: DVD Rating: Not Rated Genre: Foreign Year: 2006 Release Date: 2006-06-06

Oscillococcinum for Children 6 Dose $14.99 Oscillococcinum for Children .

W.A.S.P. – Headless Children $33.82 Headless Children

Children of the Harvest $30.52 Disc 1:Children of the Harvest: Act 1Children of the Harvest: Act 2Children of the Harvest: Act 3Children of the Harvest: Act 4Children of the Harvest: Act 5Children of the Harvest: Act 6Children of the Harvest: Lunchtime BluesChildren of the Harvest: Wayfaring Stranger (acoustic version)Children of the Harvest: One Hundred HatpinsChildren of the Harvest: DialogueChildren of the Harvest: Shenandoah

Children Sing, Children Play $36.26 This highly successful book for all teachers of young children, both classroom teachers and music specialists, is divided into a year-long sequence of rhymes, songs, games and music listening activities. Drawn from our rich heritage of folk material, the carefully-sequenced curriculum will provide a wealth of enjoyment and experience, while developing language skills and musicianship. Practical advice fills this book, and the well-designed layout makes lesson planning a breeze! Also available, a demonstration recording with children’s voices to help children and teachers learn the songs, or to allow classroom teachers to reinforce the learning. For grades K-2. Available: Book, Demonstration CD, Book/Cassette Pak, and Book/CD Pak.

Children’s Songs $18.95 By Chick Corea. For Piano. Children’s. Book. Published by Advance Music

Medieval Children $63.55 Looks at the lives of children, from birth to adolescence, in medieval England.

Children of Bodom Reaper Sticker $4.99 CHILDREN OF BODOM REAPER STICKER

Where Are the Children? $16.44 A woman who was accused of murdering two children years earlier goes through a similar tragedy when her children are kidnapped by a vigilante with a twisted sense of justice.

Pioneer’s Children’s Multi 120VCaps $17.99 Pioneer’s Children’s Multi 120VCaps

Pioneer’s Children’s Multi 60VCaps $9.99 Pioneer’s Children’s Multi 60VCaps

Children Of A Lesser God $28.79 Children Of A Lesser God

Children Of The Corn (Blu-ray) $24.67 Children Of The Corn (Blu Ray)

Father Of My Children (DVD) $38.96 Father Of My Children