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Lifestyle Section • Winter 2016 • Kentucky
The Chiang Mai Old Town
The old town is protected by a moat
and stone walls. Its narrow lanes are
lined with guesthouses, restaurants,
coffee shops and stores that serve the
crowds of foreigners who travel to
Chiang Mai every year. The old town
is a good place to find budget accommodation and its restaurants serve
both Thai cuisine and Western food.
300 Buddhist Temples
Chiang Mai was once the centre of the
Lanna Kingdom that ruled Northern
Thailand for hundreds of years.
Today Chiang Mai has more than 300
Buddhist temples (wat) and many
are built in the Lanna style. It is difficult to walk anywhere in Chiang Mai
without passing the gilded rooftops of
a temple.
Wat Chedi Luang in the old town is
one of the most impressive temples
in Chiang Mai and one of the most
popular tourist attractions in the city.
The old brick chedi (a tower that contains relics) that is now partly ruined
dates back to the 15th century. Wat
Chedi Luang was once briefly the
home of the famous Emerald Buddha
that is now located in Wat Phra Kaew
in Bangkok.
Next to the old chedi is a viharn (an
assembly hall where the main Buddha
images are kept) that was built in the
early 20th century and houses a large
standing Buddha statue. A beautiful
wooden temple, Wat Phan Tao, stands
next to Wat Chedi Luang and is also
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open for visitors. Most Buddhist
temples in Chiang Mai are free to enter
and welcome foreign tourists, but visitors should dress appropriately and
behave respectfully.
Thai food, cheap but delicious street
food and foods from all parts of the
world. The many local markets are
great places to sample local food and
fresh tropical fruit.
The Doi Suthep Temple
Traditional Thai Massage
It would take a long time to visit
each of Chiang Mai’s more than 300
wats, but one temple that is definitely
worth exploring is Wat Phra That
Doi Suthep. This 14th century wat
stands on the Doi Suthep mountain
just outside Chiang Mai and is one of
the holiest Buddhist shrines in North
Thailand. Daytrips to Doi Suthep are
easy to arrange and the drive up the
mountain is very scenic.
Street Market Shopping
Chiang Mai is known for its street
markets and many visitors end up
doing a lot of shopping here. There are
few things you cannot find at the daily
Night Bazaar or the weekly Sunday
market in the old town.
The Night Bazaar covers a large
area around Chang Klan Road.
Prices can be slightly higher than at
the Sunday market that takes over
Ratchadamnoen Road every Sunday
evening. Both markets are packed with
vendors who sell clothes, souvenirs,
textiles, handbags, hill tribe arts and
crafts from the villages in the mountains, fake designer goods, DVDs, jewellery and delicious food.
Food is another good reason to visit
Chiang Mai. You can find excellent
Chiang Mai is a centre for learning
traditional Thai massage and the
perfect place to get a massage. There
are dozens of Thai massage schools in
Chiang Mai and even more places that
offer massage treatments, but the quality of the massages can vary. Reputable
traditional Thai massage schools
include the Old Medicine Hospital
and the Loi Kroh. The latter also offers
massage treatments. Respected and
well known Thai massage masters who
teach and give treatments in Chiang
Mai include Pichest Boonthumme and
Sinchai.
Travel to Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is easy to get to. There are
daily flights from Bangkok and there
are comfortable and affordable overnight trains from Bangkok to Chiang
Mai. Buses connect Chiang Mai to
many destinations in Central and
Northern Thailand.