thailand 16 chiang mai province

Chiang Mai
Province
(PDF Chapter)

jp1

Edition 16th Edition, Jul 2016 Pages

COVERAGE INCLUDES: >

60
Page Range 304-363

Useful Links

Want more guides?
Head to our shop
Trouble with your PDF?
Trouble shoot here
Need more help?
Head to our FAQs
Stay in touch
Contact us here

• Chiang Mai
• Mae Rim

• San Kamphaeng
Hot Springs

• Mae Sa-Samoeng

Loop

• Hang Dong
• Ban Tawai

• Chiang Dao
• Doi Ang Khang

• Doi Inthanon
National Park

• Fang
• Tha Ton
• San Kamphaeng &
Bo Sang

‘

1© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. To make it easier for
you to use, access to this PDF chapter is
to askvouto use itfa^^jMnal, non-commercial purposes only. In other
words, please doll|||m to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of
saying

n

,ass em


©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Includes
Chiang Mai.......................306
Mae Rim...........................354
Chiang Dao.......................355
Doi Ang Khang.................357
Fang..................................358
Tha Ton............................358
San Kamphaeng
& Bo Sang.........................360
Hang Dong ......................361
Ban Tawai........................361
Doi Inthanon
National Park....................361

Chiang Mai
Province
Why Go?

Best Places to Eat
Best
Places (p340)
to Stay
* SP Chicken

* Anantara Resort & Spa
* Talat Pratu Chiang Mai
(p338)
(p341)

* Rachamankha (p336)
* Ginger & Kafe @
*The
Baan
Orapin
(p338)
House
(p342)
** Tengoku(p344)
Mo Rooms (p336)
* Awanahouse
(p334)
Chiang Dao Nest
(p357)

Thailand’s northern capital is an overnight train ride and light years away from
the bustle and bombast of Bangkok. Wrestled from Burmese control by the
kingdom of Siam, the former capital of the Lanna people is a captivating collection of glimmering monasteries, manic markets, modern shopping centres, and
quiet residential streets that would not look amiss in a country village.
Chiang Mai is more country retreat than mega-metropolis, but this historic
city has evolved into a major traveller centre, luring everyone from backpacking
teenagers to young families, round-the-world retirees and a huge contingent of
youthful tourists from China, who are redefining the traveller experience in the
city.
Historic monasteries and cooking courses are just part of the picture. The
surrounding province is a jumble of forested hills, and thrill seekers flock here for
rafting, hiking, mountain biking and other adrenaline-charged activities, while


less energetic visitors interact with elephants, soak in hot springs and wander around experimental farms and lush botanic

gardens.

When to Go
* Chiang Mai is at its best during the cool season, roughly from November to February, when
temperatures are mild and rain is scarce.
* The hot season runs from March until June, and the


MYANMAR

(g)Mae
MAE
Salawin National
MaeMae
Ban
Ngao
Sop
o 0
Sariang o
0
HONGNgao
Park
National
Park
SON

Chom
25 miles50 km
Doi
Ang

ÍTT84)
Mae
Khang
Taeng
NrfO
Hong SonDoi Doi Inthanon
<•)
CHIANG
Phayao
RAI
Si Lanna
Inthanon
Ob Thong
Luang
Doi Chiang Dao
Doi
Pha
Hompok
Tan
Fang
o 018 Doi Khun
DoiLampang
Luang
MaeChiang
Salong
aeRai
San Kamphaeng
Hot
National Park
(1928m)PA

National ParkNational Park
National
National Park
OThoen
National
Park
Salako
Springs
(2175m) A Chiang
(1071

O

hep-Pui Mae Rim ial Park

Ov

Hot

Oo

g CHIANG
National P'ark CHIANG
Dao
Q

Pha Daen

Doi Saket

ooooo

o
Bo Sang o Mae Kampong LA

Chiang Mai San Kamphaeng g Dong
Ban Tawai [108)
(§)Lamphun

Kheuan

Pasan;

LAMPHUN
Mae Ping National Park

Chiang Mai Province Highlights
O Taking in Chiang Mai’s
golden trinity - Wat Phra
Singh (p307), Wat Chedi
Luang (p311) and Wat Phra
T hat Doi Suthep (p322).
2 Meeting monks at Monk
Chat (p328) and discovering
what motivates Chiang Mai’s
men in orange.

o Learning how to make green
curry during a Chiang Mai
cooking class (p328). o

Joining the human shopping
parade at the Saturday
Walking Street and
Sunday Walking Street
(p316).
G Plunging into the
commercial beehive of Talat
Warorot (p317).

o Exploring the mystical
Chiang Dao cave (p356) in
Chiang Dao.
o Jungle bathing in the hot
springs (p361) at San
Kamphaeng.
O Scaling Doi Inthanon
(p361) to see plunging falls
and modernist chedi (stupas).


50

CHIANG MAI

wtol™ History

POP 398,000

CHIANG MAi PROViNCE CHIANG
MAI

Thailand’s northern capital is an escape from the whirlwind
pace of life of its southern rival. Despite the constant arrival
of planes and trains full of sightseers, the former seat of the
Lanna kingdom is still blissfully calm and laid-back. This is
a place to relax after the chaos of Bangkok and recharge your
batteries with fabulous food and leisurely wandering. If you
don’t want to participate in the vast array of activities on
offer, just stroll around the backstreets, and discover a city
that is still firmly Thai in its aspect, atmosphere and attitude.
Nestled among forested foothills, Chiang Mai is much
older than it first appears. During the city’s medieval heyday,
almost everything was made of teak hauled by elephant from
the surrounding rainforest, with the notable exception of its
towering wat. The monasteries still remain, centred on
ancient brick chedi (stupas) in a remarkable range of shapes
and styles, but the gaps between them have been filled in
with modern Thai houses and traveller hotels. Despite this,
the historic centre of Chiang Mai still feels overwhelmingly
residential - more like a sleepy country town than a bustling
capital.
A sprawling modern city has grown up around ancient
Chiang Mai, ringed by a tangle of superhighways, but if you
drive in a straight line in any direction, you’ll soon find
yourself in the lush green countryside of northern Thailand.
A short ride by motorcycle or chartered rot daang (‘red
truck’) will deliver you to pristine rainforest reserves,
churning waterfalls, serene forest wat, bubbling hot springs
and peaceful country villages - as well as a host of adventure
camps, elephant sanctuaries and souvenir markets.

O PARK LIFE IN CHIANG MAI
The old city’s only public park, Suan Buak
Hat (Map p308; Th Bamrungburi; @5am9pm) is a delightful spot to unwind. As the
sun slides towards the horizon, locals gather
to jog along the running tracks, run around
the playground (if they’re little), feed the fish
in the ponds, or buy bunches of lychees from
the vendors out front and sit on rented reed
mats (10B) enjoying the balmy evening
temperatures.

King Phaya Mengrai (also spelt ‘Mangrai’) is credited for
founding the kingdom of Lanna in the 13th century from his
seat at Chiang Saen, but his first attempt at building a new
capital on the banks of the Mae Ping river at Wiang Kum
Kam lasted only a few years, before the city was eventually
abandoned due to flooding.
In 1296, King Mengrai relocated his capital to a more
picturesque spot between the river and Doi Suthep mountain
and named the auspicious city Nopburi Si Nakhon Ping
Chiang Mai (shortened to Chiang Mai, meaning the ‘New
Walled City’). In the 14 th and 15th centuries, the Lanna
kingdom expanded as far south as Kamphaeng Phet and as
far north as Luang Prabang in Laos, but it fell to Burmese
invaders in 1556, starting an occupation that lasted 200
years.
After the fall of Ayuthaya in 1767 to the Burmese, the
defeated Thai army regrouped under Phraya Taksin in
present-day Bangkok and began a campaign to push out the

occupying Burmese forces. Chao Kavila (also spelt
‘Kawila’), a chieftain from nearby Lam- pang principality,
helped ‘liberate’ northern Thailand from Burmese control,
and was appointed king of the northern states, placing
Chiang Mai under the authority of the Kingdom of Siam.
Under Kavila, Chiang Mai became an important trading
centre, aided by its abundant supplies of teak, and
monumental brick walls were built around the inner city.
Many of the later Burmese-style temples were built by
wealthy teak merchants who emigrated from Burma during
this period. In their wake came missionaries and British teak
concessionaires who built colonial-style villas around the old
city.
The demise of the semi-autonomous Lanna state was
only a matter of time. Bangkok designated Chiang Mai as an
administrative unit in 1892 in the face of expanding colo nial
rule in neighbouring Burma and Laos, and the Lanna
princess Dara Rasmi was sent to Bangkok to become one of
the official consorts of King Rama V, cementing ties
between the two royal families.
The completion of the northern railway to Chiang Mai in
1922 finally linked the north with central Thailand, and in
1933 Chiang Mai officially became a province of Siam. Even
so, Chiang Mai remained relatively undeveloped until 2001,
when prime minister and Chiang Mai native Thaksin
Shinawatra


sought to modernise the city by expanding the airport and
building superhighways.

Though the prime minister’s grand vision was
interrupted when he was ousted from power in 2006, many
loyal Thaksin supporters remain in positions of power, and a
high-speed rail link to Bangkok is slated for construction by
2019.

1 Sights
Chiang Mai overflows with temples, markets and museums,
but don’t overlook the sights outside of the old city, both
inside and outside the fringing highways.

51
ment offices move out, residents sell up and developers
move in.

Wat & Religious Sites
The highlight of any visit to the old city is exploring the
temples that burst out on almost every street corner,
attracting hordes of pilgrims, tourists and local worshippers.
For a calmer experience, visit late in the afternoon, when the
tourist crowds are replaced by monks attending evening
prayers. Visitors are welcome but should follow the standard
rules of Buddhist etiquette: stay quiet during prayers, keep
your feet pointed away from Buddha images and monks,
and dress modestly (covering shoulders and knees).

Owat Phra Singh

1 Old City

wihahn 20B; ©5am-8.30pm) Chiang Mai’s most revered
temple, Wat Phra Singh is dominated by an enormous,
mosaic-inlaid wvhahn (sanctuary). Its prosperity is plain to
see from the lavish monastic buildings

WHAT, MORE WAT?
If you still have a taste for more Thai religious architecture, there are dozens more historic wat scattered
around the old city and the surrounding streets. Here are some good places to start your explorations.

Wat Inthakhin Saduemuanj (ioounidd^ooifioi; Map p312; donations appreciated;
© 6am-6pm) Marooned in the middle of Th Inthawarorot, this was the original location of the Lak Meuang
(city pillar), and the gilded teak wihahn (sanctuary) is one of the most perfectly proportioned buildings in
the city.

Wat Phan On (io^uou; Map p312; Th Ratchdamnoen; donations appreciated; ©6am-5pm) Set with gilded
Buddhas in alcoves decorated with lai-krahm stencilling, the gold chedi (stupa) at this prosperous wat is
visited by scores of devotees after dark. The courtyard becomes a food court during the Sunday Walking
Street market.

CHiANG MAI PROViNCE CHIANG
MAI

Within the old city, temples dominate the skyline, orangerobed monks weave in and out of the tourist crowds and the
atmosphere is more like a country town than a heaving
modern city. However, the residential feel of the old city is
changing as govern-

BUDDHIST TEMPLE

(iflyiMdw; Map p312; Th Singharat; admission to main

Wat Jet Li (ioramu/imuoiTmu; Map p312; Th Phra Pokklao; donations appreciated;
© 4am-6pm) This friendly wat was used for the coronation of Lanna kings in the 16th century; today you
can see a collection of giant gongs, a big old momdop-style chedi and a large gilded Buddha with
particularly graceful proportions.

Wat Lokmoli (ifllmlnw; Map p312; Th Chaiyaphum; donations appreciated; © 6am-6pm) An elegant wooden
complex dotted with terracotta sculptures. The wihahn is topped by a three-tiered roof and the tall, barrelshaped chedi still has some of its original stucco. Wat Chomphu (lowt]; Map p312; Soi 1, Th Chang Moi Kao;
donations appreciated; © 6am- 6pm) Just north of Th Tha Phae, this calm monastery has a gorgeous gilded
stupa with gold elephants, restored as a tribute to the king in 1999.

Wat Ou Sai Khan ('MOtmdm; Map p312; Th Chang Moi Kao; donations appreciated;
© 7am-6pm) This friendly neighbourhood wat has an impressive collection of jade Buddhas and jade and
nephrite boulders in its main wihahn.

Wat Mahawan (iofl'miu; Map p312; Th Tha Phae; donations appreciated; ©6am-6pm)
A handsome, whitewashed wat that shows the obvious influence of the Burmese teak traders who used to
worship here. The chedi and Burmese-style gateways are decorated with a stucco menagerie of angels and
mythical beasts.


52

Chiang Mai
50O

Chiang Mai
Zoo
(500m);
Doi Suthep-Pui

National Park
(14km)

13

©

•

Main Entrance
to Chiang Mai
University
24

See Western Chiang
Mai Map (p318)

37

0
30

CHIANG MAi PROViNCE

o

Palaad
Tawanron
(1.5km)

0

55

16
© 0 52

Th Suthep

Pratu
Suan Dok
Q 31

• 25

....Chiang Mai
—International
Airport

Th Mahido/

• 61

62

©

o

66

■

Hang
Dong
(14km);
Doi Inthanon
National ___Park
(75km)

22


53
1 km
0.5 miles

63
O

Huan Soontaree w \
(8km) \
Payap
University
(800m)

18 •
41
ú
Ú

Wat Fa
ham

14
Ú

Sanam
Gila (City
Stadium)
Mandir
© Devi
Chiang Mai

6°

R

Saphai

29
ÿ

Arcade®
(lkm);
Central i
Festival
(1km)

ú39
1

)sin
O

64

Wat
Chiang Yuen Ú

phar;

Th Si Phum

'h
Wichayai
@28

©

Th Ratwithi

Wa/n Post

2

58

Th Bamrungburi
Th Chang
Loi

15
Ú

34
ÿ

mice
©(700m);
(500m);

AS

©49© 38
•

Iron ñ
10 Bridge■ ÿ 32 •
u
ú®*
ú 43 70165
36
t
Saen
a

Chiang|See Central Chiang Mai Map (p312)|

û
48

26 ú 46
60Í
ÿ
27 • 21
Ú

Wat
Chaimongkhon

WiangKu
m Kam
(5km);
Lamphun
(37km)

CHiANG MAi PROViNCE

Th Mani No


54


55

Chiang Mai
0 Sights
1 Anusawari Singh......................
........D1
Baan T uek Art Center.............

(see 58)
2 Chiang Mai National Museum. .
........D1
3 Chiang Mai University..............
.......A3
4 Chiang Mai University Art Museum...B4
5 Chinese Cemetery....................
........D1
6 Elephant Monument.................
........E3
7 First Church..............................
.......H4
8 Matsayit Ban Haw.....................
.......G4
Philatelic Museum....................
..(see 9)
9 Pung Tao Gong Ancestral Temple....G4
10 Samakkee Charity Foundation
Temple...................................
.......G5
11 Suan Buak Hat........................
.......D5
12 Talat Ton Lam Yai....................
.......G4
13 Wat Jet Yot...............................
........C1
14 Wat Ku Tao..............................
........E2
15 Wat Srisuphan.........................
........E6

16 Wat Suan Dok..........................
.......C4
17 Wat U Mong Thera Jan...........
.......A5

38 Kao Soi Fueng Fah................
39 Khao Soi Lam Duan Fah Ham...
40 Khao Soi Prince......................
41 Khao Soi Samoe Jai..............
42 Khun Churn.............................
Pun Pun.................................
43 River Market...........................
44 Talat Na Mor...........................
45 Talat Thanin............................
46 The Service 1921....................

.........G4
.........H2
.........G3
.........H2
.........D7
..(see 16)
.........G5
.........A1
.........E2
.........G5

0 Drinking & Nightlife
47 Akha Ama Cafe......................
Good View..............................

48 Pinte Blues Pub......................
49 Riverside Bar & Restaurant....

.........D2
.(see 49)
.........F6
.........G4

0 Entertainment
50 Kalare Boxing Stadium...........

.........G5

CHIANG MAi PROViNCE CHIANG
MAI

© Shopping
51 Central Airport Plaza.............
0 Activities, Courses & Tours
52 Hill-Tribe Products Promotion
18 Chetawan Thai Traditional
Centre..................................
Massage School....................
........E2 53 Mengrai Kilns..........................
19 Gymkhana Club.......................
.......H7 54 Saturday Walking Street........
20 Lanna Muay Thai Boxing Camp.. ........B1 Sop Moei Arts........................
2: Mae Ping River Cruise..............
.......H6 55 Talat Ton Phayom..................
22 Old Medicine Hospital..............

.......D7 56 Thai Tribal Crafts Fair Trade..
23 Peak Adventure Tour................
.......H7 57 Vila Cini..................................
24 UniTEFL International...............
.......B2
Wat Srisuphan..........................
(see 15) 0 Information
25 Wat Suan Dok Meditation Retreat....C4
58 Chiang Mai Municipal Tourist
Information Centre..............
0 Sleeping
59 Chiang Mai Ram Hospital......
28 Anantara Resort & Spa.............
.......G5 60 French Consulate...................
27 Baan Kaew Guest House.........
.......G6 61 Immigration Office..................
28 Baan Orapin..............................
.......G4 62 Japanese Consulate..............
29 Hollanda Montri........................
.......G2 63 Lanna Hospital........................
3( International Hotel Chiangmai.... .......D3 64 McCormick Hospital...............
31 Rachamankha..........................
.......D4 65 Tourism Authority of Thailand .
32 Riverside House.......................
.......H5 66 Tourist Assistance Centre......
33 Spicythai Backpackers.............
.......D3 67 UK Consulate.........................
34 Tri Yaan Na Ros.......................
........E6
35 Viangbua Mansion....................

........E2 0 Transport
68 Budget Car Rental..................
© Eating
69 Chang Pheuak Bus Terminal....
38 Anusarn Food Center...............
.......G5 70 Saphan Lek Sorng'taa'ou Stop
37 Imm Aim Vegetarian Restaurant .......D2

and immaculately trimmed grounds, dotted with coffee
stands and massage pavilions. Pilgrims flock here to venerate
the famous Buddha image known as Phra Singh (Lion
Buddha), housed in Wihan Lai Kham, a small chapel
immediately south of the chedi to the rear of the temple
grounds.
This idol is said to have come to Thailand from Sri
Lanka and was enshrined in 1367, and the chapel is similarly
striking, with

.........D7
.........C4
.........D5
.........D6
.(see 28)
.........B4
.........H3
........H4

.........G4
.........D3
.........G6

.........C7
.........C7
.........F1
.........H3
.........H5
.........C7
.........H3
.........D7
.........E3
.........H5

gilded naga (mythical sepent) gables and laikrahm
(gold-pattern stencilling) inside.
Despite Phra Singh’s exalted status, very little is actually
known about the Phra Singh image, which has more in
common with images from northern Thailand than with
Buddha statues from Sri Lanka. Adding to the mystery, there
are two nearly identical images elsewhere in Thailand, one in
the Bangkok National Museum and one in Wat Phra


Mahathat Woramahawihaan in Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Regardless of its provenance, the statue has become a focal
point for religious celebrations during the Songkran festival.
As you wander the monastery grounds, note the raised
temple library, housed in a dainty teak and stucco pavilion
known as Ho Trai , decorated with bas-relief angels in the
style of Wat Jet Yot (see p324). The temple’s main chedi,
rising over a classic Lanna-style octagonal base, was
constructed by King Pa Yo in 1345; it’s often wrapped in

bolts of orange cloth by devotees.

reclining Buddha and a handsome

NAVIGATING CHIANG MAI

Chiang Mai is an easy city to navigate. The old city sees little traffic except on its main
thoroughfares, and most explore by bike or on foot, using túk-túk (pronounced đúk đúk)
and rót daang (shared taxis) to reach attractions outside this compact central area. A copy
of Nancy Chandler's Map of Chiang Mai, available in local bookshops, will help you wander
the old city with confidence.
Heading out from the old city, Rte 107 runs north, Rte 108 runs south and Rte 106 runs
southeast. These radial routes intersect with a complicated outer ring road made up of
two superhighways, Rte 11 (Th Superhighway) and Rte 121 (Th Klorng Chonprathan). If
you are driving yourself, it's almost always easier to stick to the roads radiating out from
the centre rather than trying to navigate via the superhighways. When travelling beyond
the old city, directions are often given in relationship to the old city's four cardinal gates.
Pratu Tha Phae (east) Head east from here along Th Tha Phae to reach the riverside, Talat
Warorot and the Night Bazaar.
Pratu Chang Pheuak (north) Head north from here along Th Chotana (Th Chang Pheuak) to
reach the Chang Pheuak Bus Terminal and Rte 107 to northern Chiang Mai Province.
Pratu Suan Dok (west) Head west from here along Th Suthep to reach Chiang Mai
University, Doi Suthep and the entertainment district of Th Nimmanhaemin.
Pratu Chiang Mai (south) Head southwest from here along Th Wualai for the Saturday
Walking Street market and Rte 108 to southern Chiang Mai Province.
When entering or leaving the old city by road, you'll have to navigate the complicated
traffic system along the city moat. Traffic on the ring road inside the moat moves in an
anticlockwise direction; traffic on the ring road outside the moat moves clockwise. To get
between these two thoroughfares, you must cross the moat and make a U-turn. As none
of the crossings line up with the cardinal gates, you will almost always have to drive past

where you want to go and then come back on the far side.

CHIANG MAi PROViNCE CHIANG
MAI

BUDDHIST TEMPLE
(loraotman; Map p312; Th Phra Pokklao; donations
appreciated; ©6am-6pm) Wat Chedi Luang is not quite as
grand as Wat Phra Singh, but its towering, ruined Lannastyle chedi (built in 1441) is much taller and the sprawling
compound around the stupa is powerfully atmospheric. The
famed Phra Kaew (Emerald Buddha), now held in
Bangkok’s Wat Phra Kaew, resided in the eastern niche until
1475; today, you can view a jade replica, given as a gift from
the Thai king in 1995 to celebrate the 600th anniversary of
the chedi.

OWat Chedi Luang

This was possibly the largest structure in ancient Chiang
Mai but the top of the che- di was destroyed by either a
16th-century earthquake or by cannon fire during the recapture of Chiang Mai from the Burmese in 1775 (nobody
knows for sure). Like most of the ancient monuments in
Chiang Mai, Che- di Luang was in ruins when the city
began its modern renaissance, but a restoration project by
Unesco and the Japanese government in the 1990s stabilised
the monument and prevented further degradation.
As you wander around the chedi, you can easily spot the
restoration work on the four naga stairways in each of the
cardinal directions. The base of the stupa has five elephant
sculptures on the southern face - four are reproductions, but

the elephant on the far right is the original brick and stucco.
The restorers stopped short of finishing the spire, as nobody
could agree what it looked like.
In the main wi-hahn is a revered standing Buddha
statue, known as Phra Chao Attarot , flanked by two
disciples. There are more chapels and statues in teak
pavilions at the rear of the compound, including a huge


Central Chiang Mai
102 ú ú
Pratu
t
106
Chang
____.________• Pheuak

Th Si
Pl

12
1

.. .Ú

Wat Hua
Khwang
Wat Lam46
Chang

Kaew

Former Chiang
Mai Women's
Prison

Th
Inthawarorot
59

©
Wat Phra

©

4

ú
104

0

©

ü ■ © Wat Si
111 ị ©Koet

Singh

30

Wat
Duang Di

38

®ÿ84, mno
â ©©116 11
126 _ 2 Wat

Ping

©

Wat
Umongmahatherachan

©

â

• Wat Pan

©

©

56

133

©â14
â 10

Chedi Luang 3 ©

©

23

41
Soi 4

CHIANG MAiPROViNCE

Lanna 1
Folklife â
Museum 112ü

â

Wat
Thung Yu

©

Th
Ratchamankha
Wat Phra
Jao Mengrai

62 ÿ

I ©.............

125 ©
8
©
Soi^ #
42
31#
150

19 ©

ÿ

57
107
ú

í

Chinese
Consulate

# Pratu
# Chiang
Mai

63

ÿ


aONIAOdd IVIN 0NVIH3


58

Central Chiang Mai
0 Top Sights
1 Lanna Folklife Museum.....................C3
2 Talat Warorot.....................................H3
3 Wat Chedi Luang...............................C4
4 Wat Phra Singh.................................A4

CHIANG MAi PROViNCE CHIANG
MAI

0 Sights
5 Anusawari Sam Kasat (Three
Kings Monument)...........................C3
6 Chiang Mai City Arts &
Cultural Centre................................C3
7 Chiang Mai Historical Centre............B3
8 Chinese Welcome Gate....................G3
9 Lak Meuang.......................................C5
10 Lanna Architecture Center................C4
11 M useum of World Insects &
Natural Wonders............................C4
12 Namdhari Sikh Temple.....................H3

13 Talat Muang Mai................................H1
14 Treasury Pavilion Coin
Museum..........................................C4
15 Wat Bupparam..................................G4
16 Wat Chiang Man................................D2
17 Wat Chomphu....................................F3
18 Wat Inthakhin Saduemuang..............C3
19 Wat Jet Lin.........................................C6
20 Wat Lokmoli.......................................A1
21 Wat Mahawan....................................F4
22 Wat Ou Sai Kham..............................F3
23 Wat Phan On.....................................D4
24 Wat Phan Tao....................................C4
0 Activities, Courses & Tours
25 American University Alumni..............E4
26 Art of Massage..................................G6
27 Asia Scenic Thai Cooking.................D3
28 Baan Chang Elephant Park..............B4
29 Baan Thai..........................................D4
30 Chiang Mai Mountain Biking
& Kayaking......................................A4
31 Chiang Mai Rock Climbing
Adventures......................................D6
32 Chiang Mai Thai Cookery
School.............................................E4
Easy Study Thai......................(see 140)
33 Elephant Nature Park........................E5
34 Fah Lanna.........................................B2
35 Flight of the Gibbon...........................E5
Gap's Thai Culinary Art

School.....................................(see 65)

Chinese-influenced seated Buddha barely contained by
his robes. The daily Monk Chat (p328) under a tree in
the grounds always draws a crowd of interested
travellers.
If you enter the compound via the main entrance on
Th Phra Pokklao, you’ll pass Wat Chedi Luang’s other
claim to fame. Housed in a striking mon dop (library)like chapel is the Lak Meuang (City Pillar; Map p312;

36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50

Jack Chaiya.......................................A2
Lanna Thai Massage School.............F3
Lila Thai Massage.............................C4
Lila Thai Massage.............................C4

Namo.................................................E4
Oasis Spa..........................................A4
Pooh Eco-Trekking...........................D6
Sabai De Ka......................................E4
Scorpion Tailed River Cruise............H1
Segway Gibbon........................(see 35)
Siam River Adventures......................E3
Spice Roads......................................D2
Thai Farm Cooking School................E1
Thai Massage Conservation Club.....C5
Vocational Training Center of the
Chiang Mai Women's
Correctional Institution....................B3
Wat Phakkao.....................................E5

ÿ Sleeping
51 3 Sis...................................................C5
52 60 Blue House...................................D6
53 Awanahouse......................................E4
54 Baan Hanibah Bed & Breakfast........E2
55 Baan Huenphen................................B5
56 Baan Pordee Guesthouse................D4
57 Banjai Garden...................................D6
58 Banthai Village..................................G4
59 Buri Gallery........................................A4
60 Charcoa House.................................E1
61 Diva 2 Guesthouse............................E2
62 Diva 3 Guesthouse............................D5
63 Diva Guesthouse..............................D6
64 DusitD2 Chiang Mai..........................H5

65 Gap's House......................................E4
66 Hostel In Town..................................G4
67 Imperial Mae Ping Hotel...................G6
68 Julie Guesthouse...............................D6
69 Julie Guesthouse Part II....................E5
70 Le Meridien Chiang Mai....................H6
71 Mo Rooms.........................................F4
72 Nat Len Boutique Guesthouse..........F3
73 Roong Ruang Hotel...........................F4
74 Shakara Garden................................B2
75 Smile House 1...................................E5
76 SoHostel............................................G6
77 Sri Pat Guest House..........................E2
78 Tamarind Village...............................D4
79 Thapae Boutique House....................F4
80 Thapae Gate Lodge..........................E6

Wat Chedi Luang, Th Phra Pokklao), or city pillar,
allegedly raised by King Mengrai himself when Chiang
Mai was founded in 1296. The pillar is known locally as
Sao Inthakin, and it was previously enshrined at Wat
Inthakin, around the corner on Th Inthawarorot. Buddhist rules dictate that only men can enter the pavilion
to view the pillar. The gateway to the shrine on Th Phra
Pakklao is flanked


59

81 TJR Boutique House............
82 Tropical Inn...........................

83 Vieng Mantra.........................
84 Villa Duang Champa.............

..........E3
.........A6
..........E4
.........C4

122 Thapae Boxing Stadium..........

.......E4

CHIANG MAi PROViNCE CHIANG
MAI

© Shopping
123 Anusarn Night Bazaar............. ......H6
124 Backstreet Books..................... .......F4
ú Eating
125 Chaitawat Bikeshop................ .......D6
85 AUM Vegetarian Food..........
..........E4 126 Chiang Mai Cotton................... .......C4
86 Blue Diamond........................
..........E2 127 Chiang Mai Night Bazaar........ .......H5
87 Chez Marco Restaurant & Bar. ..........F5 128 Elements.................................. .......F4
88 Dada Kafe.............................
..........E5 12$ Ethnic Lanna............................ .......A2
89 Dash......................................
..........E6 13C Gecko Books........................... .......F4
90 Fern Forest Cafe...................

.........A2 13] Gecko Books............................ .......E5
91 Ginger & Kafe @ The House
..........E2 Ginger......................................
(see 91)
92 Girasole.................................
.........D4 132 Herb Basics............................. .......F4
Good Morning Chiang Mai.. .
.. (see 82) 133 Herb Basics............................. .......C4
93 Hot Chilli................................
.........D4 134 HQ Paper Maker...................... .......A4
94 Huen Phen.............................
.........B5 135 Kalare Night Bazaar................ .......H5
95 Khaow Tom 1B......................
.........C4 Kesorn Arts............................(see 142)
.........C3
.......F5
.........C4
.......F4
98 Lert Ros.................................
..........E4 138 Night Bazaar............................ .......H5
99 New Delhi..............................
.........D3 13$ Nova......................................... .......G4
100 Night Market.......................... .........H5 14C Pantip Plaza............................ .......H7
101 Pak Do Restaurant............... .........A4 141 Praewphun Thai Silk............... ......H4
102 Party Buffet........................... ..........B1
......H4
.......D4
..............F2
.......G7
104 SP Chicken........................... .........A4 145 Thai Tribal Crafts Fair Trade... .......E5

105 Swan..................................... ..........F3 146 Vila Cini.................................... ......H6
106 Talat Pratu Chang Pheuak... ..........B1
107 Talat Pratu Chiang Mai........ .........C7 0 Information
108 Talat Somphet...................... ..........E2 147 Center of Thai Traditional &
109 Whole Earth Restaurant....... .........H7 Complementary Medicine.....
.......A6
110 Yok Fa.................................. .........D3 148 Mungkala Traditional Medicine
Clinic......................................
.......E5
Q Drinking & Nightlife
111 Akha Ama Cafe...................
.........A4 0 Transport
112 Café de Museum.................. .........C3 14$ Air Asia..................................... .......E4
113 John's Place......................... ..........E5 15C Mr Mechanic............................ .......D6
Raming Tea House..............
.(see 142) 151 Mr Mechanic............................ .......E3
114 UN Irish Pub......................... ..........E3 152 Mr Mechanic............................ .......D3
115 Wawee Coffee..................... .........D4 153 North Wheels........................... .......F3
116 Writer's Club & Wine Bar..... .........C4 154 Pratu Chiang Mai Sorng'taa'ou
117 Zoe In Yellow....................... .........D3 Stop.......................................
.......C7
155 SM Travel................................ .......D4
© Entertainment
156 Sorng'taa'ou to San Kamphaeng .......H3
118 Inter...................................... ..........F4 157 Talat Warorot Sorng'taa'ou Stop .......H3
119 Loi Kroh Boxing Stadium..... .........G6 158 Thai Airways International....... .......C2
120 Nabé..................................... ..........F1 15$ Tony's Big Bikes...................... .......E5
121 North Gate Jazz Co-Op....... ..........C1

by yaksha (guardian demons) and Lanna warriors are Luang. Set in a compound full of fluttering orange flags,

depicted in bas relief on the gates.
the monastery is a monument to the teak trade, with an
enormous prayer hall supported by 28 gargantuan teak
Wat Phan Tao
BUDDHIST TEMPLE
(Tfiwuim; Map p312; Th Phra Pokklao; donations pillars and lined with dark teak panels, enshrining a
appreciated; © 6am-6pm) Without doubt the most particularly graceful gold Buddha image. The
atmospheric wat in the old city, this teak marvel sits in juxtaposition of the orange monks’ robes against this
dark backdrop during evening prayers is particularly
the shadow of Wat Chedi
sublime.


60
WEEKEND SHOPPING
As Bangkok has Chatuchak Weekend Market, so Chiang Mai has its weekend ‘walking streets' - carnivallike street markets that close off main thoroughfares in the city on Saturday and Sunday for a riot of
souvenir shopping, street performances and hawker food.
As the sun starts to dip on Saturday afternoon, the Saturday Walking Street (muu MUlUlffli; Map
p308; Th Wualai; © 4pm-midnight Sat) takes over Th Wualai, running southwest from Pratu Chiang Mai.
There is barely space to move as locals and tourists from across the world haggle vigorously for carved
soaps, novelty dog collars, woodcarvings, Buddha paintings, hill-tribe trinkets, Thai musical instruments, Tshirts, paper lanterns and umbrellas, silver jewellery, herbal remedies, you name it.
An eclectic soundtrack is provided by street performers - blind guitar players, crooners, precocious
school children with headset microphones - and food vendors fill every courtyard and alleyway. There are
more stellar street-food offerings at nearby Talat Pratu Chiang Mai (p341). To escape the crowds, duck
into Wat Srisuphan (p319), whose silver ubosot (ordination hall) is illuminated in rainbow colours after
dark.
On Sunday afternoon, the whole shebang moves across the city to Th Ratchadamnoen for the equally
boisterous Sunday Walking Stree (nuumuiuOTTM; Map p312; Th Ratchadamnoen; ©4pm-midnight Sun),
which feels even more animated because of the energetic food markets that open up wat courtyards along
the route. If you went to Th Wualai on Saturday, you'll recognise many of the same sellers and buskers that

you spotted the night before. The markets are a major source of income for local families and many traders
spend the whole week hand-making merchandise to sell on Saturday and Sunday.

CHIANG MAi PROViNCE CHIANG
MAI

Above the facade is a striking image of a peacock over a
dog, representing the astrological year of the former royal
resident’s birth. The monastery is one of the focal points for
celebrations during the Visakha Bucha festival in May or
June, when monks light hundreds of butter lamps around the
pond in the grounds.

Wat Chiang Man

BUDDHIST TEMPLE

(IOITOJU; Map p312; Th Ratchaphakhinai; donations
appreciated; © 6am-6pm) Chiang Mai’s oldest temple
was established by the city’s founder, Phaya Mengrai,
sometime around 1296. In front of the ubosot (ordination
hall), a stone slab, engraved in 1581, bears the earliest
known reference to the city’s founding. The main wvhahn
also contains the oldest known Buddha image created by the
Lanna kingdom, cast in 1465.
A smaller, second wvhahn enshrines the city’s guardian
images, the bas-relief marble Phra Sila Buddha, believed to
have been carved in Sri Lanka more than 1000 years ago,
and the tiny crystal Phra Sae Tang Khamani Buddha,
reportedly crafted for the king of Lopburi in around 200 AD.

The sacred images are housed inside a handsome,
mondop-like altar known as a khong phra chao, a
distinctive feature of ancient Lanna temples. The monastery
has a glorious chedi, with an elephant-flanked stucco base
and a gilded upper level.

Anusawari Sam Kasat (Three Kings Monument)
MONUMENT

(oua™w™nwiTO; Map p312; Th Phra Pokklao) Marking
the centrepoint of the old administrative quarter of Chiang
Mai, the bronze Three Kings Monument commemorates the
alliance forged between by Phaya Ngam Meuang of Phayao,
Phaya Mengrai of Chiang Mai and Phaya Khun
Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai in the founding of the city. The
monument is a shrine for local residents, who swing by after
work to leave offerings.
The square is a favourite promenade spot for families
after dark, with vendors selling ‘helicopter’ toys inspired by
dipterocarp seeds.

Museums
The old city has three excellent historical museums - the
Lanna Folklife Museum, Chiang Mai City Arts & Cultural
Centre and the Chiang Mai Historical Centre - located in a
series of Thai-colonial-style buildings that used to house the
city administration. You can buy a single ticket covering all
three, valid for a week, for 180/80B (adult/child).

OLanna Folklife Museum

MUSEUM

CwmfimmUmumuui; Map p312; Th Phra Pokklao;
adult/child 90/40B; ©8.30am-5pm Tue-Sun) Set inside
the Thai-colonial-style former Provincial Court, dating from
1935, this imaginative museum recreates Lanna village life
in a series


61
of life-sized dioramas that explain everything from lai Thailand’s giant butterflies and creepy crawlies are
krahm stencilling and fon lep (a mystical Lanna dance showcased at this little museum operated by a malaria
with long, metal false fingernails) to the intricate researcher and his entomologist wife. As well as pinned
symbolism of different elements of Lanna-style and mounted specimens, there are info panels on
insect-borne diseases and surreal paintings of nudes
monasteries.
with mosquitoes. There’s a small branch (Map p318;
This is the best first stop before heading to the
www.thailandinsect. com; Soi 13, Th Nimmanhaemin;
many wát dotted around the old city.
admission adult/ child 200/100B; © 9am-5pm Mon-Sat,
Chiang Mai City Arts &
9am-4pm Sun) in the Th Nimmanhaemin zone.

Cultural Centre

MUSEUM

(•HoffitlifflUiTTfimMlra; Map p312; www.cmo city.com;

Th Phra Pokklao; adult/child 90/40B; ©8.30am-5pm
Tue-Sun) Set in the former Provincial Hall, a handsome
Thai-colonial-style building from 1927, this museum
provides an excellent primer on Chiang Mai history.
Dioramas, photos, artefacts and audiovisual displays
walk visitors through the key battles and victories in the
Chiang Mai story, from the first settlements to the
arrival of the railroad. Upstairs is a charming recreation
of a wooden Lanna village. The museum gift shop is
exceptionally well stocked with lacquerware, jewellery
and even metal false fingernails for the fon lep dance.

Mai

Historical

(uotbslifnaMfioilTOl™;

Map

Centre

p312;

Th

MUSEUM

Rat-

withi;

adult/child 90/40B; ©8.30am-5pm Tue-Sun) Housed in
an airy Lanna-style building behind the Chiang Mai City
Arts & Culture Centre, this appealing museum covers
the history of Chiang Mai Province, with displays on the
founding of the capital, the Burmese occupation and
the modern era of trade and unification with Bangkok.
Downstairs is an archaeological dig of an ancient
temple wall.

Museum of World Insects &
Natural Wonders

MUSEUM

MUSEUM (Map p312;
Th Ratchadamnoen, Treasury Pavilion; ©8.30am-noon
& 1-4.30pm) IF* It’s worth ducking into this small
government museum to see the bizarre shapes that
Thai money has taken over the years, from hammered
coins to round silver balls and ingots.

1

East of the Old City Beyond Pratu Tha

Phae is Chiang Mai’s traditional commercial quarter,
with sprawling bazaars and old-fashioned shophouses
running down to the riverbank

OTalat Warorot

MARKET

(flmmTiid; Map p312; cnr Th Chang Moi & Th
Praisani; ©6am-5pm) Chiang Mai’s oldest public
market, Warorot (also spelt ‘Waroros’) is a great place
to connect with the city’s Thai soul. Alongside
souvenir vendors you’ll find stalls selling items for
Thai households: woks, toys, fishermen’s nets,
pickled tea leaves, wigs, sticky-rice steamers, Thaistyle sausages, k&ab moo (pork rinds), live catfish
and statues for spirit houses. It’s easy to spend half a
day wandering the walkways, watching locals
browsing, and haggling for goods that have a practical
use back home.

(Map p312; www.thailandinsect.com; Th Ratchadamnoen; adult/child 100/70B; © 9.30am-4.30pm)

JEEN HOR
In ancient times, Chiang Mai straddled one of Asia's famous crossroads: the southern spur of the Silk
Road. Chinese-Muslim traders from Yunnan Province (China) drove their horse-drawn caravans south
through the mountains to the Indian Ocean to trade with the merchant ships of seafaring powers. To the
Thais of Chiang Mai, these caravans were a strange sight and the traders were nicknamed jeen hor
(galloping Chinese), a reference to their strange beasts of burden.
The focus for this horse-trading was the market district known as Ban Haw, near the present Night
Bazaar, where you'll still find a thriving Yunnanese Muslim community. Traders worship at the 100-yearold Matsayit Ban Haw (Hedaytul Islam Mosque; Map p308; Soi 1, Th Charoen Prathet (Halal St)),
founded by later arrivals from China. Along Halal St are a number of simple restaurants selling ThaiMuslim-style food, including excellent kôw soy (curried chicken and noodles), kôw mòkgài (chicken
biryani) and néua òp hỗrm ('fragrant' dried beef).

CHIANG MAi PROViNCE CHIANG
MAI

Chiang

Treasury Pavilion Coin Museum


62
■ 200 m ■
0.1 miles

Western Chiang Mai
31
©

26
©

27

17 ú

10 13 1
© úú

¡ÿf......

21©

4ÿ

:

11 5 ®
^U16
1 22
%©

15 19
•ú
©
30

3
25

©7
23

©

»24

CHIANG MAi PROViNCE CHIANG
MAI

12

Western Chiang Mai

0 Sights

1 Museum of World Insects & Natural
Wonders....................................................

18 Tengoku......................................................
19 Tong Tem Toh.............................................
.. B3

© Drinking & Nightlife

0 Activities, Courses & T ours
.. B3

Q Sleeping

....B2
....A2

20 Beer Republic..............................................

....B2

21 Blar Blar Bar................................................

....B2

22 Soho Bar......................................................

....D2

23 Warmup Cafe...............................................
24 Year Garage................................................

....A3
....B3

3 Artel Nimman.................................................

.. B3

4 Baan Say-La...................................................
5 Bunk Boutique...............................................
6 Bunthomstan Guesthouse.............................

.. A2
.. D2
.. B2

ý Entertainment

25 Sangdee Gallery..........................................

....C3

7 Kantary Hills...................................................

..A3

26 Sudsanan....................................................

....C2

8 Nimman Boutique Resort..............................
9 Sakulchai Place.............................................

.. B3
... D1

© Shopping

10 Yesterday Hotel.............................................

. A2

27 Chabaa........................................................
28 Doi Tung......................................................
29 Ginger..........................................................

....A2
....A1
....A1

11 Ai Sushi.........................................................
12 Anchan Noodle..............................................

.. D2
.. C3

30 Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Center...

31 Maya Lifestyle Shopping Center.................

....D3
....B1

13 Esan Cafe......................................................
14 I-Berry............................................................

.. A2
.. B3

32 Shinawatra Thai Silk....................................
33 Srisanpanmai...............................................

....D2
....A1

15 Salad Concept...............................................

.. A2

34 Studio Naenna.............................................

....B1

16 Salsa Kitchen.................................................
17 Smoothie Blues.............................................

.. D2
.. A2

The Booksmith......................................(see 33)

© Eating

You will know that you have arrived at the market when
the river is no coincidence; historically, most of the farm
traffic comes to a standstill and carts laden with merchandise produce sold in Chiang Mai was delivered here by boat
weave in between the cars. The location by
along the Mae Ping river.


63
ple (Map p308; Th Praisani; ©6am-6pm) ia:F was
Adjacent to Talat Warorot is Talat Ton Lam Yai, the
city’s main flower market, and to the south are more bazaars,
full of ‘wet and dry’ footstuffs, fabric vendors, Chinese
goldsmiths and apparel stalls. The northern end of the bazaar
area is thronged by fruit vendors selling bushels of lychees,
longans, mangosteens and rambutans. Sahm-lor (cyclerickshaws) - now rarely seen in the city - wait to shuttle
shoppers home with their produce.

Talat

Ton

Lam

founded in 1876, but the shrine fell into ruin as the city’s
Chinese population declined. The temple was reconstructed

as part of the city’s 700th anniversary celebrations in 1995,
complete with towering pagodas and writhing dragons, and
two shophouses in front were removed to improve the flow
of chi. A small parade winds through the streets for Chinese
New Year.

Wat Bupparam
BUDDHIST TEMPLE
Yai (ifitJtltrmu; Map p312; Th Tha Phae; donations ap-

MARKET
(eimommlp; Map p308; Th Praisani; ©24hr) Adjacent to
Talat Warorot, Talat Ton Lam Yai morphs from a covered
household market into an animated flower market (gàht

dòrk mái), flanking the river on Th Praisani. Florists here
are almost architects, assembling blooms and banana leaves
into fantastically elaborate sculptures for festivals and home
shrines. The smell of jasmine floats like perfume along the
passageways, and drivers stop outside day and night to
purchase strings of miniature roses and jasmine blossoms to

preciated; ©6am-6pm) This highly ornate temple shows
the clear influence of the Burmese teak merchants who
immigrated to Chiang Mai during the 19th century. The eyecatching dharma hall has a mon dop (library) downstairs
and a large prayer room above, but the most striking feature
is the gorgeous, wonky wi-hahn on the grounds, built from
teak inlaid with mirror mosaics in the classic Lanna style.
The chedi at the rear of the compound is in the Burmese
Mon style, with four stucco singha (lions) around the base.

1 South of the Old City

MARKET
(flhlfudo'aivrn; Map p312; Th Praisani; © 24hr) Chiang
Mai’s main wholesale fruit market is a riot of activity every
morning, when enormous cargoes of mangoes, durians,
rambu- tans, longans, watermelons, Malay apples,
passionfruit and just about any other tropical fruit you could
mention are unloaded from trucks along the east bank and
sold on to juice-stand owners and market traders.

Chinatown
NEIGHBOURHOOD
(Th Chang Moi) The area dominated by the Warorot and
Ton Lam Yai markets doubles as the city’s small Chinatown,
marked by a flamboyant Chinese welcome gate (Map
p312) across Th Chang Moi. Dotted around the bazaar area
are several small Confucian temples, a handful of Chinese
apothecaries and lots of Chinese jewellery shops, decorated
in brilliant red, a symbol of good fortune. However, the area
has lost some of its prominence with the construction of the
vast new Samakkee Charity Foundation temple (Map
p308; Th Loi Kroh; ©6am-10pm) HF.
South of the flower market on Th Praisani, the Pung

Tao Gong Ancestral Tem

Wat Srisuphan

BUDDHIST TEMPLE

(lOffiqTRmi; Map p308; Soi 2, Th Wualai; donations
appreciated; ©6am-6pm) It should come as no surprise
that the silversmiths along Th Wualai have decorated their
patron monastery with the same fine craftsmanship shown in
their shops. The ‘silver’ ubosot at Wat Sri- suphan is
covered inside and out with silver, nickel and aluminium
panels, embossed with elaborate repousse-work designs.
The effect is like a giant jewellery box, particularly after
dark when the monastery is illuminated by coloured lights.
Wat Srisuphan was founded in 1502, but little remains
of the original wat except for some teak pillars and roof
beams in the main wi-hahn. The murals inside show an
interesting mix of Taoist, Zen and Theravada Buddhist
elements. Note the gold and silver Ganesha statue beneath a
silver chatra (umbrella) by

CHIANG MAi PROVINCE CHIANG
MAI

The main highway running southwest from the old city, Th
Though the market is open 24/7, the bulk of its trade Wualai is famous for its silver shops and the entire street
takes place after dark, away from the wilting daytime heat. reverberates to the sound of smiths hammering intricate reThe market goes into overdrive for big festivals such as Loi ligious designs and ornamental patterns into bowls,
jewellery boxes and decorative plaques made from silver or,
Krathong and the Flower Festival.
more often, aluminium. This is also the location for the
Talat
Muang
Mai

energetic Saturday Walking Street market (p316).
sweeten their cabs.


64
members of the Thai royal family, with the misty ridge of
the ubosot, a sign of the crossover between Hinduism and Doi Suthep soaring behind.
Buddhism in Thailand.
The hangar-like main wihahn contains a huge standing
Because this is an active ordination hall, only men may Buddha statue that almost touches the ceiling. Take some
enter the ubosot.
time to wander the memorial garden of whitewashed chedi
in front of the monastery, which contain the ashes of
Wiang Kum Kam
HISTORIC SITE
(ntNfjumu; Rte 3029; tour by horse cart/tram 300/400B; generations of Lanna royalty.
Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist University is located on
©8am-5pm) The first attempt at founding a city on the
banks of the Mae Ping river, Wiang Kum Kam served as the the same grounds and foreigners often join the popular
Lanna capital for 10 years from 1286, but the city was Monk Chat and English-language meditation retreats.

CHIANG MAi PROViNCE CHIANG
MAI

abandoned in the 16th century due to flooding. Today, the
excavated ruins are scattered around the winding lanes of a
sleepy village 5km south of Chiang Mai. The centuries haven’t been kind to Wiang Kum Kam, but the brick plinths
and ruined chedi give a powerful impression of its former
magnificence.
The landmark monument of the ruins is Wat Chedi

Liam, with a soaring stucco chedi divided into dozens of
niches for Buddha statues, an architectural nod to India’s
famous Mahabodhi Temple. In fact, this spire was created as
part of a rather fanciful restoration by a Burmese trader in
1908. Over 1300 inscribed stone slabs, bricks, bells and
chedi have been excavated at the site and some pieces are
displayed at the visitor centre. The most important
archaeological discovery was a four-piece stone slab, now
housed at the Chiang Mai National Museum, inscribed
with one of the earliest known examples of Thai script.
Most people explore the ruins by horse cart or tram,
starting from the visitor centre on Rte 3029; if you come
with your own transport via Th Chiang Mai-Lamphun (Rte
106), follow the signed road past a small roundabout with a
fountain and turn left at the T-junction to reach Wat Chedi
Liam.

1 West of the Old City
Modern Chiang Mai has sprawled west from the old city
towards Doi Suthep and the Chiang Mai University, but
there are a few historic sites dotted around the streets.

Wat Suan Dok

BUDDHIST TEMPLE

(lOdTUOon; Map p308; Th Suthep; donations
appreciated; ©6am-10pm) Built on a former flower
garden in 1373, this important monastery enshrines the other
half of the sacred Buddha relic that was transported by white

elephant to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. The main chedi is a
gilded, bell-shaped structure that rises dramatically above a
sea of immaculate white memorial chedi honouring

Wat U Mong Thera Jan

BUDDHIST TEMPLE (looluin; Map
p308; Soi Wat U Mong, Th Khlong Chonprathan;
donations appreciated; ©6am-6pm) Not to be confused
with the small Wat U Mong in the old city, this historic
forest wat is famed for its sylvan setting in the forest, and its
ancient chedi, which rises above a brick platform
wormholed with passageways, built around 1380 for the
‘mad’ monk Thera Jan. As you wander the arched tunnels,
you can see traces of the original murals and a number of old
and venerated Buddha images. The scrub forest around the
platform is scattered with centuries’ worth of broken Buddha
images.
The attendant monks raise cows, deer, chickens and,
curiously, English bull terriers, and in the grounds is a
pretty, artificial lake, surrounded by gudi (monastic cottages). Check out the emaciated black stone Buddha in the
Burmese style behind the chedi.
Wat U Mong is 600m south of Th Suthep near Chiang
Mai University; be sure to ask the driver to take you to ‘Wat
U Mong Thera Jan’ so you end up at the right monastery. If
coming with your own transport, look for the signs to
Srithana Resort on Th Suthep.

Chiang Mai University

UNIVERSITY

(uminmwMMl™, CMU; Map p308; www.cmu. ac.th; Th
Huay Kaew & Th Suthep; entry adult/child 60/30B;
©9am-5pm) The main campus of Chiang Mai’s famous
public university occupies a 2.9-sq-km wedge of land about
2km west of the city centre, partly covered by forest and
open greenery. It’s a peaceful place to wander and there are
bike lanes throughout the campus and plenty of cafes for pit
stops.
The entry fee for tourists - introduced after Chinese
tourists started dressing up in school uniforms and sneaking
into classes! - is charged at the Information Center near
the Th Huay Kaew entrance; this includes a tram ride to the
Ang Kaew reservoir in the grounds.


ONE MILLION RICE FIELDS

Chiang Mai University Art Museum

GALLERY (Map
p308; www.finearts.cmu.ac.th; Th Nimman- haemin;
©9am-5pm Tue-Sun) IF * The Faculty of Fine Arts
displays temporary exhibitions of contemporary Thai and
international artists at its own gallery near the Th
Nimmanhae- min/Th Suthep junction, but there’s no permanent collection. Some shows take place at the Baan
Tuek Art Center (Map p308; Th Tha Phae; ©3-8pm
Tue-Sun) IF * on Th Tha Phae.

Chiang Mai Night Safari

CHiANG MAi PROViNCE CHIANG
MAI

Once upon a time, northern Thailand was as separate and foreign to Bangkok as Cambodia or Laos is today. The northern kingdom of Lanna (meaning ‘one million rice fields')
had its own dialect, writing system, religious and social customs and tribal ethnicity. A
concerted effort to create a unified ‘Thai' identity began after WWII, and Lanna traditions
declined in the face of massive influence from the south. Nevertheless, if you scratch the
surface, you can still find traces of Lanna identity and even glimmers of Lanna national
pride.
Carved crossed gables known as kalae (a legacy of animist tribal cults) still adorn
buildings across Chiang Mai, and the Northern Thai dialect continues to be spoken by
millions of kun meuang (people of the north). Religious festivals in Chiang Mai erupt in a riot
of noise and colour, as piphat bands strike up traditional tunes and devotees perform
Lanna dances in outrageously colourful costumes. Songkran (p331), a festival introduced
to Thailand from the north, is celebrated with particular aplomb in Chiang Mai.
More tantalising glimpses of old Lanna can be seen at Anusawari Singh (p324), just
beyond Hwy 11 in the north of the city, where Chao Kavila built two stucco lions on an artificial island to scare off would-be Burmese invaders. The lions are the focus of boisterous celebrations as part of the Suep Jata Muang festival in June, when older residents of
Chiang Mai dance and make offerings to Chiang Mai's guardian spirits. Chao Kavila is
also credited with building the stucco guardian elephants in the Elephant Monument
(p324) by the bus station on Th Chotana (Th Chang Pheuak).
The animist origins of the Lanna kingdom are even more tangible at the Pu Sae Ya Sae
festival, held 10 days after Suep Jata Muang at Mae Hia in the forest below Wat Phra
That Doi Kham (p322). According to legend, Doi Kham mountain was once the domain of
two evil giants known as Pu Sae and Ya Sae, but Buddha appeared to the giants and
convinced them to pursue a life of dharma, saving the people of Mae Hia. To invoke
blessings from the giants, a water buffalo is sacrificed and skinned by a village shaman,
who becomes possessed by the spirit of Pu Sae.

There’s also the Jaguar Trail (adult/child 100/50B), a
1.2km walk around the lake, passing enclosures with all the
usual zoo favourites. The Night Safari is about 12km from
central Chiang Mai, just west of Rte 121. Most people come
on package tours arranged through hotels and tour agencies,
with transport included.
Come late in the afternoon before the Night Safari to
enjoy the excellent children’s playground.

Royal Park Rajapruek

GARDENS

(OTOiWHdlliiOTiqra; www.royalparkrajapruek. org; Rte

zoo
121, Mae Hia; adult/child 100/50B; ©8am-6pm) Close to
(iTOlnnlutwifilii;
0053
999000;
www.chithe Night Safari, this sprawling formal garden is another
angmainightsafari.com; Rte 121; tours adult/child
venture honouring the king and queen, with 21 themed
800/400B; ©11am-10pm; ffl) This expansive animal park
gardens donated by international governments as part of
is open day and night, but the real action happens after dark,
when you can view all sorts of critters from the back of an Chiang Mai’s International Horticultural Exposition in 2006.
open-sided tram. With animal shows and musical fountains, It sounds a bit corporate on paper, but the complex is
it’s all a little bit Las Vegas. Despite having come under fire actually lush, green and peaceful, with a vast wat-shaped
from animal welfare experts for alleged poor animal central pavilion full of slightly OTT displays honouring the

management, it remains popular with families, with lots of Thai royal family.
big predators and African herbivores on display. Predator
Prowl and Savannah Safari tours leave at fixed times, day and night.


Wat

Phra

That

Doi

Kham

BUDDHIST

TEMPLE

(irnwraTOdm; Mae Hia; donations appreciated; ©6am6pm) Reached via a steep naga stairway through the forest,
this handsome wat looms above the city from the hillside
above Royal Park Rajapruek With its gilded chedi,
supersized Buddha statues and panoramic city views it’s an
attractive and quieter alternative to Wat Phra That Doi
Suthep. The easiest way to get here is by rented motorcycle
or chartered rot daang; follow the signs for Royal Park
Rajapruek from Rte 121 and go right at the roundabout
before the entrance.

Chiang Mai Zoo

zoo

CHIANG MAi PROViNCE CHIANG
MAI

(diuoVnmjil™; www.chiangmaizoo.com; 100 Th Huay
Kaew; adult/child 150/70B, combined zoo & aquarium
ticket 290/200B; © 8am-4.30pm; ffl) Chiang Mai Zoo is
better than many zoos in the region when it comes to animal
welfare, and the setting, sprawled across the forested slopes
of Doi Suthep, is gorgeous. As well as animals from across
the globe, including penguins in their own refrigerated icehouse, the zoo has several special exhibits requiring separate
admission, including an impressive aquarium (adult/child
225/175B), the panda house (adult/child 100/50B) and
the snow dome (150/100B), where locals come for their
first taste of the cold stuff. You also stand a good chance of
seeing giant bugs crawling out of the surrounding jungle.
The zoo monorail is dormant, but a shuttle bus
(adult/child 30/20B) pootles around the grounds, and
provides access to the slightly neglected upper reaches of the
grounds, which are a steep hike from the entrance. Many enclosures sell bananas and other healthy snacks for the
animals; kids will love the ruckus of feeding emus and other
exotic beasties.

Doi

Suthep-Pui

National

Park

NATIONAL

PARK

(onmuuwwmom™ - do; 0053 210244; Th Huay Kaew;
adult/child 100/50B, car 30B; camping per person 60B,
bungalows 400-2500B; ©8am-sun- set) Often bearing a
crown of clouds, sultry Doi Suthep (1676m) and Doi Pui
(1685m) are two of northern Thailand’s most sacred peaks.
A dense cloak of jungle envelops the twin summits, which
soar dramatically on the fringes of Chiang Mai. A 265-sq-km
area on the slopes of the mountains, encompassing both
summits, is preserved as a national park, attracting hordes of
nature lovers, and legions of pilgrims who come to worship
at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.
As you climb, lowland rainforest gives way to cloud
forest, full of mosses and ferns,

providing a haven for more than 300 bird species and
2000 species of ferns and flowering plants. The park is also a
renowned destination for mountain biking, and several
Chiang Mai-based agencies run technical mountain-biking
tours along trails that were once used as hunting and trade
routes by hill-tribe villagers.
The park accommodation makes a comfortable base
from which to explore and a trail runs for 2km from the
campground to the summit of Doi Suthep, though the only

view is of eerie mists swirling between the trees.
As with other national parks in the area, Doi Suthep is
blessed with many thundering waterfalls, including Nam
Tok Monthathon, about 2.5km off the paved road, which
surges into a series of pools that hold water year-round.
Swimming is best during or just after the monsoon, but
you’ll have to pay the national park fee to visit. Closer to the
start of the road to Doi Suthep, Nam Tok Wang Bua
Bahn is free, and full of frolicking locals, although this is
more a series of rapids than a proper cascade.
Above the Bhubing Palace are a couple of Hmong
villages. Ban Doi Pui is off the main road and is basically a
tourist market at altitude; it’s more interesting to continue to
Ban Kun Chang Kian, a coffee-producing village about
500m down a dirt trackjust past the Doi Pui campground (ask
the park staff for directions). Rot daang run from the Wat
Phra That Doi Suthep parking lot to both Ban Doi Pui (60B)
and Ban Kun Chang Kian (200B return).
The entrance to the park is 16km northwest of central
Chiang Mai. Shared rot daang leave from Chiang Mai
University (Th Huay Kaew entrance) to various points within
the national park. One-way fares start at 40B to Wat Phra
That Doi Suthep and 70B to Bhubing Palace. You can also
charter a sorngtaaou (passenger pick-up truck) for a halfday of exploring for 500B to 600B.

OWat Phra That
Doi Suthep

BUDDHIST TEMPLE

(ifiwssinqfiOEiqivm; Th Huay Kaew, Doi Suthep;
admission 30B; © 6am-6pm) Overlooking the city from its
mountain throne, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is one of
northern Thailand’s most sacred temples, and its founding
legend is learned by every school kid in Chiang Mai. The
wat itself is a beautiful example of northern Thai
architecture, reached via a strenuous, 306-step staircase
flanked by mosaic naga; the climb is intended to help
devotees accrue Buddhist


lotus blossoms and other offerings at the shrines
surrounding the chedi, which are studded with Buddha
statues in an amazing variety of poses and materials.
Within the monastery compound, the Doi Suthep
Vipassana Meditation Center (p328) conducts a variety of
religious outreach programs for visitors.
Rot daang run to the bottom of the steps to the temple
from several points in Chiang Mai, including from in front
of the zoo (40B per passenger) and in front of Wat Phra Singh (50B per passenger), but they only leave when they have
enough passengers. A charter ride from the centre will cost
300B, or 500B return. Many people cycle up on mountainbiking tours from Chiang Mai, and you can also walk (p324)
from the university.

Bhubing Palace
(yRMiuunnwn

Phra

GARDENS

Tamnak

Bhu

Bing;

www.

bhubingpalace.org; Th Huay Kaew, Doi Suthep; admission 50B; ©8.30-11.30am & 1-3.30pm) Above
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, the grounds of the royal
family’s winter palace are open to the public (when the

royals aren’t visiting). Thanks to the mountain’s cool climate, the royal gardeners are able to raise ‘exotic’ species such as
roses, attracting lots of Thai

TEAK-ERA CHIANG MAI

CHIANG MAi PROViNCE CHIANG
MAI

merit, but less energetic pilgrims can take a funicular-style
lift for 20B.
The monastery was established in 1383 by King Keu
Naone to enshrine a piece of bone, said to be from the
shoulder of the historical Buddha. The bone shard was
brought to Lanna by a wandering monk from Suk- hothai
and it broke into two pieces at the base of the mountain, with
one piece being enshrined at Wat Suan Dok. The second
fragment was mounted onto a sacred white elephant who

wandered the jungle until it died, in the process selecting the
spot where the monastery was later founded.
The terrace at the top of the steps is dotted with
breadfruit trees, small shrines, rock gardens and monuments,
including a statue of the white elephant that carried the Buddha relic to its current resting place. Before entering the
inner courtyard, children pay their respects to a lizard-like
guardian dragon statue known as ‘Mom.
Steps lead up to the inner terrace, where a walkway
circumnavigates the gleaming golden chedi enshrining the
relic. The crowning five-tiered umbrella marks the city’s
independence from Burma and its union with Thailand.
Pilgrims queue to leave

Chiang Mai was never colonised by European powers, but the city has many of the hallmarks of European
influence, dating back to the time when teak concessionaires from Britain and the US built fortunes on the
timber being hauled from the surrounding forests.
One of the most striking colonial relics is the weatherboard First Church (Map p308; Th Chiang MaiLamphun), just south of Nawarat Bridge on the east bank, founded by the Laos Mission from North
Carolina in 1868. Just south of here, the Iron Bridge was built as a homage to the demolished Nawarat
Bridge, whose steel beams were fabricated by engineers from Cleveland in England. Local folklore states
that the famous memorial bridge in Pai is not a WWII relic but a 1970s fake, built using reclaimed beams
from Chiang Mai's Nawarat Bridge.
If you head in the other direction along the west bank, you'll pass the colonial-style former Main Post
Office, which now houses a small philatelic museum (Map p308; Th Praisani; ©9am-4pm Tue-Sun) IF*
Similar Thai-Colonial administrative buildings spread out around the junction of Th Ratwithi and Th Phra
Pokklao in the old city, where the former Provincial Hall, now the Chiang Mai City Arts & Cultural Centre
(p317), and Provincial Courthouse (now the Lanna Folklife Museum (p316)) show the clear influence of
the British 'gentlemen foresters' who controlled 60% of Chiang Mai's teak industry in the 19th and 20th
centuries.
Many of the teak concessionaires' mansions have fallen into disrepair, but the colonial style of
architecture was adopted by the Lanna royal family. One of the most impressive surviving teak-era mansions

is the Lanna Architecture Center (Map p312; www.lanna- arch.net; 117 Th Ratchadamnoen; ©8.30am4.30pm Mon-Fri) IF* formerly owned by prince Jao Maha In, built between 1889 and 1893; it displays some
interesting models showing the changing face of Lanna architecture through the centuries. The former British
Consulate, now The Service 1921 restaurant (p343) at the Anantara Resort, and the Darapirom Palace
(p354) in Mae Rim are also fine examples of this hybrid style.


WALKING TO DOI SUTHEP

At the start of every academic year in July, the entire first-year class from Chiang Mai
University embarks on a pilgrimage on foot to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, to introduce new
students to the spirit of the city, believed to reside in the mountain. More ambitious
students make the ascent via a muddy footpath, which starts close to the TV tower near
the back entrance to Chiang Mai Zoo and continues through the grounds of Wat Phalad.
To get to the start of the path, go to the end of the university perimeter wall on Th Suthep
and then follow the signposted road on the right towards Palaad Tawanron to reach the
back entrance to the zoo; bear left at this fork and you'll reach the TV tower and a brown
sign showing the start of the trail.

CHIANG MAi PROViNCE CHIANG
MAI

sightseers. More interesting is the reservoir in the grounds,
brought to life by fountains that dance to the king’s own
musical compositions. You can rent a ‘trolley car’ (golf cart)
to explore for 400B.

The distinctive chedi is said to resemble a stack of
watermelons, hence the name (tao means ‘melon’ in the
Northern Thai dialect). Contained inside are the ashes of
Tharawadi Min, son of the Burmese king Bayinnaung, who

ruled over Lanna from 1578 to 1607.

1 North of the Old City

Chiang

From Pratu Chang Pheuak (White Elephant Gate), it’s a short
walk north to the Elephant Monument (Map p308),
whose twin elephant statues in stucco pavilions are said to
have been erected by King Chao Kavila in 1800.

(wmnmvidfflmwstiSraiJil™; Map p308; 0053 221308;
Rte 11/Th Superhighway; ©9am-4pm Wed- Sun)
Operated by the Fine Arts Department, this museum is the
primary caretaker of Lan- na artefacts and Northern Thai
history, but most of the galleries were closed at the time of
research for refurbishment, and only the ground floor, with
Buddhist statues, howdahs (elephant carriages) and
dioramas of historical scenes, was open to the public. When
the museum reopens, expect the old admission fee of 100B to
be reinstated.
Bags and cameras must be left in the free lockers by the
ticket desk. To make a visit more worthwhile, combine your
trip with a visit to Wat Jet Yot and the Chinese cemetery.

Wat Jet Yot

BUDDHIST TEMPLE

(loraofioo; Map p308; Rte 11/Th Superhighway;

donations appreciated; ©8.30am-5pm) Beyond Rte 11 in
the north of the city, this historic wat still has much of its
original stucco intact, and gives a strong impression of what
other wat in the city would have looked like in their heyday.
The monastery was built to host the eighth World Buddhist
Council in 1477, and its historic wvhahn is decorated with
time-worn stucco bas reliefs of deva (angelic Buddhist
spirits).
Topped by jet ydrt (seven spires), representing the
seven weeks Buddha spent in Bodhgaya in India after his
enlightenment, the old wvhahn is believed to be a replica of
Bodhgaya’s Mahabodhi Temple, but scholars believe that
the plans were copied from a clay votive tablet showing the
temple in distorted perspective. Dotted around the compound
are more chapels and chedi, as well as lots of mature ficus
trees propped up with wooden stakes by devotees seeking
merit.

Wat Ku Tao

BUDDHIST TEMPLE

(lonim; Map p308; Soi 6, Th Chotana/Th Chang
Pheuak; donations appreciated; ©6am-6pm) North of
the old city, behind the Muang Chiang Mai sports stadium,
photogenic Wat Ku Tao dates from 1613 and incorporates
many Burmese and Confucian elements.

Mai

National

Chinese Cemetery

Museum

MUSEUM

CEMETERY

(Map p308; Soi 1, Th Chotana/Th Chang Pheuak;
©6am-6pm) Tucked away on a quiet soi behind the
National Museum, this peaceful cemetery is lined with
elegant Chinese gravestones, whose level of ornamentation
provides a good indication of the former wealth of their
occupants. Nearby are the curious Anusawari Singh (Map
p308; Soi 1, Th Chotana/Th Chang Pheuak), two stucco
lions said to have been erected by King Chao Kavila himself.

2

Activities

Outdoor escapes are easy in Chiang Mai, with tropical
rainforests, looming mountains, rushing rivers, hill-tribe
villages, and sanctuaries and camps full of elephants all
within an hour’s drive of the city. Dozens of operators offer
adventure tours, exploring the forested