During our recent visit to Thailand we couldn't help but do it a trip to the north of the country. The constant words of praise we had heard from the travelers we met throughout our travels around the world fueled our curiosity toward those small towns where we were "still" told "the real Thailand can be found."
So after having discovered and deciphered the complicated capital, Bangkok, we got on a plane to try the northern areas of the country.
Our first stop was Chiang Mai, a small but populous city 700 kilometers north of Bangkok, also the most populated and important city in northern Thailand.
Only shortly after would we discover that on a cultural level it is also one of the richest cities in the country, full of temples and attractions steeped in history.
In fact, the town has a very particular imprint, it still preserves the 'old' structure, it is thought that they still exist. tape walls that in the past made it impassable and that today inevitably give it a touch of charm and originality, also highlighting its characteristic old "square" shape.
Already upon our arrival, while the taxi (an Uber driver) took us to the GuestHouse we had chosen, we stayed glued to the windows to observe the characteristic shape that even the road takes around the city walls, which is molded in what is a 'ring' in a strange Thai square version.
Most of Chiang Mai's most beautiful attractions and temples are located right there. inside the square of the old city, but in past and even more recent times other areas of interest have been formed outside of it.
One thing is for sure, since we set foot in the town we were captivated by a veil of curiosity and charm, which naturally pushed us to enter the ancient city in search of its most beautiful and particular points, which we will tell you about below.
The most beautiful temples of ancient Chiang Mai.
Upon entering the city through the old entrances we inevitably find ourselves walking along one of the main streets, Highway to Pokklao, where just by walking we glimpse numerous buildings with strange shapes and an ancient (and sometimes even a little mystical) air.
It is on this same path that we find it. Wat Chedi Luang Buddhist temple, a huge temple complex dating back to 1385.
Since ancient times the temple has been the home ofEmerald Buddha, the Emerald Buddha statue was most recently moved to Royal Palace in Bangkok, which we had the opportunity to see in our exploration of the capital.
The complex is visited daily by numerous monks and is an active place of worship, open from 8am to 00pm, so when we arrived in the morning it was already open to visitors inside.
What you see when you are in front of the doors is a large and fairly new temple, but what really catches your attention is the old temple, located behind. It looks like a mountain now in ruins but in reality it has been preserved quite well if we take into account that it has been standing since the 15th century.
We took the opportunity to observe it from above with our drone and this is what we saw:
Inside the temple and in every corner of Chiang Mai you know many monks with their characteristic orange, burgundy and brown tunics, according to their rank in the order.
The young people are always dressed in orange and they are also the most 'expansive', they are the ones who approach and do not disdain a few words.
Most of the time we only extrapolate the smiles of senior monks, although they are among the most beautiful, simple, and profound we have ever seen.
In the same area as the previous temple we also discovered Wat phra singh, another important Buddhist place of worship in the town, located at the end of the Ratchadamnoen Street, another main artery of the city.
Thanks to its particular architectural style, this temple has a visual impact that leaves its mark; We enter the garden in front of the temple and we do not know where to divide our gaze due to thehuge golden bell that shines before us and subtemples that have spikes and other unique features.
The complex can be visited every day from 6:00 to 20:00, we took advantage of the lunch time when most visitors were having lunch to have the place to ourselves and be able to take a few more photos.
Another of the temples worth visiting in Chiang Mai is the Wat clear man, As well as the first and oldest temple in Chiang Mai.
In the past it was also the residence of the founder of the city, immediately after its construction in the year 1200. In fact, the complex is made up of magnificent buildings that house some very ancient statues of Buddha that are still venerated today. This can also be visited inside every day from 6:00 a.m. to 17:00 p.m.
One of the most original and relatively modern temples that we have discovered is the Wat Sri Suphan, Also know as the “Silver Temple”.
Its peculiarity is simple to understand, it is completely made of silver and aluminum, materials that give it its original shiny silver color. However, the temple has a small flaw: women cannot enter here, for cult reasons linked to ancient beliefs about "pollution".
Being a couple we separated and while one entered, the other waited outside. The temple, really small, barely the size of a normal room in the house, is full of details that really leave you speechless. The quantity and quality of the details, inlays and stories represented in bas-reliefs on the silver interior is truly incredible, something practically unreplicable!
We were told that at night they lit it in a particular way, so since we were here we opted to stay, killing time by getting lost in the details of the entire exterior of the temple, made up mostly of spikes and inlaid flourishes. .
After a very long and very strange prayer in which a monk shouted into a microphone in an incomprehensible language and people hugged each other as if simulating a great network that connected all humans in a single body, magic happened.
The setting sun colored the sky with orange-brown tones while Thanks to an imaginative play of lights, the temple's façade changes color cyclically assuming the shadows of the rainbow! We remained motionless for a good 20 minutes, as if hypnotized by that fascinating fantasy of colors.
Once outside we took the opportunity to continue walking without worries since in the town, which can also be easily explored on foot, there are numerous small temples that know how to surprise and fascinate you, large enough to appear between buildings or small to contain historical treasures of inestimable beauty. Get lost in the streets of downtown Chiang Mai. is the best advice we can give you, you will find more than you could have imagined.
As soon as we left the doors we found ourselves facing a swarm of people and movement, due to the Wualai Market, which is celebrated on Saturday afternoon until late at night, which begins right there and extends through much of the center. The markets in these parts are very popular., we will mention below some that are definitely worth visiting.
The characteristic markets of Chiang Mai
A common characteristic that we have noticed that Thai cities have in common is the presence of markets, of all types and sizes, from the one that permanently occupies a portion of the city to the smallest one that takes place in a couple of hours in the morning. , but they are all similar and opposite in their own way.
In some of these markets food is sold, in others flowers and all kinds of objects, from souvenirs, to clothing, to ornaments for home decoration (most of the time at really affordable prices).
Several times we found ourselves saying “amazing! Shall we take it? only to later realize that it would have been too bulky to pack and that shipping it home, although possible, would have taken up time we would otherwise have spent exploring the next day. You bite your lip, smile, and move on. ?
algunos of these markets They are open all day, others only at night.. In Chiang Mai the town does not stop at night, for the most part it also offers places to relax, walk and do small shopping.
In fact, the best place is Night bazaar, the largest market in Chiang Mai as well the night market, open from 18 p.m. until late at night, where we find all kinds of stalls, from food to souvenirs, from clothing to paintings of elephants and forgotten deities.
In one area of the market there is also an indoor dining room, where you can find various typical products (be sure to try the “sticky rice with mango”, a delight!).
Chiang Mai's most famous market, however, is the one held in the old city on Sunday afternoon, open until late into the night. This immense river of stalls stretches from Tha Pae Gate to Ratchadamnoen Road, both streets which are reasonably closed to traffic from 4pm and become pedestrianized (you will find that Traffic in Chiang Mai is no joke).
In this market we really saw everything, crafts, souvenirs, toys, clothes, animals, street musicians, even the strange Asian food made of grasshoppers and fried lobsters. If you're wondering, we haven't gone too far, it's because we're not passionate about frying! ?
Discover attractions outside of Chiang Mai
Even on the outskirts of Chiang Mai there is no shortage of important attractions and must-see places, one of them is the Wat Phra That Doin Suthep, located about 15 km from the center.
Everyone here calls him. Dos Sutheps, from the name of the mountain on which it was built; AND one of the most sacred and revered temples in northern Thailand (and also one of the most visited in Chiang Mai), which completely fascinated us.
The day we visited it was understandably very busy so we had to organize ourselves to avoid the long queue at the entrance. Being located higher than the level of the street where the ticket office is located, the temple is accessible by elevator and also by stairs, several steps, but not fatal.
Since the elevator would have been busy coming and going for quite some time, we prefer stairs, something positive because as we climbed we realized the new views that the height gave us, not bad after all!
Since Doi Suthep is located about 1000 meters above sea level, from the Temple terrace we enjoy a beautiful panorama over all Chiang Mai and the Ping River Valley. You absolutely can't miss it if you visit Chiang Mai!
And it is not the only attraction worth discovering outside the center, among the most colorful attractions in Chiang Mai is also the Rajapruek Royal Park, “the King's garden”, An immense estate with a park and temple, nestled in the northern mountains!
The amount of floral species and the care that we have seen in this park leaves us speechless and that is not all, looking further towards the mountain you can also see another temple, the Ese Doi Kham.
Would you like to meet elephants in Chiang Mai?
Surely you have heard about it, perhaps a photo was posted on the web or a friend told you about it. In this area you can find elephants., accurate information since in the north of Thailand there are several parks and farms that offer excursions to meet elephants.
What is often not said is that Few of these parks treat the animals well., respecting them and thus making the attraction enjoyable for both visitors and these gentle giants.
By experiencing them in person we realized even more how elephants are intelligent and wonderful beings that, unlike their appearance, show an extremely sensitive emotional sphere. We also discovered that they have an excellent memory, as well as terrible eyesight!
The park where we went to meet them is a nature reserve created for them, where they can live and move freely without chains or stings. The elephants housed in these structures actually come from circuses or circuits where they have been mistreated for a long time. placed on a "rehabilitation" path in which the animal recovers its free nature, although it will never be as it was originally.
That is why we say that it is also possible to get to know them up close and sometimes come into contact since they are animals "accustomed" to human beings; You can hardly get closer than 10 meters to an elephant in the wild.
When choosing which attraction to visit to get to know them It is always good to pay special attention to the company you use.; Reading other users' reviews will help you understand how elephants are treated in that particular park, before choosing it as a place to meet these splendid animals.
Be advocates of conscious tourism, we want to raise awareness about practices that many Thais still cynically carry out (such as riding an elephant) and that end up prolonging the suffering of these large but defenseless beings. All of us, where we can, must do our part to ensure that nature gets the respect it deserves, in all its forms.
Is it worth trying typical Chiang Mai food?
But what questions, of course! Thai food is very good.When you try it you won't be able to do without it!
Some recipes stand out for their originality, such as Khao se, an egg noodle soup with chicken, coconut sauce and curry; As an accompaniment, fried noodles are added, with garnishes of red onion, pickled green mustard and lemon, to give even more flavor to the dish.
Another typical dish that you should not miss is Khao Kha Moo, stewed pork served over rice, accompanied by pickled mustard and spicy garlic sauce. Not for everyone, but really delicious!
It is not all! Are you the type who is imaginative in the kitchen?
What better way to bring a piece of Thailand to your home than learn to cook some typical dishes with a Thai cooking course?
You should know that Chiang Mai is full of 'Cooking Classes', real courses (very fun and very instructive) where they teach how to stir-fry like a real Thai!
It was the only way to not suffer from nostalgia for those dishes once we returned to Italy! Attempt!
What is the best time to visit Chiang Mai?
For strictly climatic reasons, the best time to visit Chiang Mai is no matter what. from mid-February to the end of April, in which we find the warm and dry season with little rain.
However, April is usually celebrated for Thai New Year, so be aware that prices may increase slightly.
After this period it really hooks you. the rainy season (during which it would be best to avoid vacations), whatever from the end of April to the end of October. In these months the air is humid with cool temperatures, and although there are numerous rains, they do not usually last long.
However, if you do not have the opportunity to visit Chiang Mai in the dry season, an alternative period that we could recommend is that between November and early February, in which the climate improves with cool temperatures but little precipitation.
However, this period is considered high season due to European tourist flows, so prices may be higher.
And you, are you curious to discover Chiang Mai? Will you go visit him?
