Planning a Visit to Chiang Mai, Thailand by Vicarious Eye Photography

Chiang Mai is a wonderful city and a must-see destination in Thailand. Phuket has the beaches and Bangkok is the capitol with a lot of everything (sometimes too much of everything, such as pollution and traffic), but Chaing Mai offers significantly more culture and a lot less vice. Unlike other well-trafficked tourist destinations in Thailand, Chiang Mai has relatively less prostitution and fewer night clubs in its tourist spots. Don't get me wrong; the red light neighborhoods are still available. You just have to look a little bit more to find them. But for the traveler who wants to leave the urban areas to experience the more rural and natural parts of the country, Chiang Mai offers easier and more convenient access. If you decide to visit Chiang Mai, here are some tips on how to spend a couple of days there:

During the Day in Chiang Mai

If you are a Buddhist temple aficionado, you can spend an entire day visiting the various wats (temples) scattered around the Old City, with the biggest and most well-known being Wat Phra Singh on the west end of Th Ratchadamnoen. Unlike Bangkok, these wats are more operational with orange-robed monks going about their daily routines. Remember when visiting to wear clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. Entrance is free to all of the wats. Lonely Planet guidebooks have a walking tour of the major wats in the Old City.
A visit to Thailand isn't complete without a Thai massage. Visit Sawasdee Massage by the Night Bazaar. According to a local postman, Sawasdee Massage is one of the first massage centers in Chiang Mai and its service is firmer and better than the "softer" massages given on the streets. A Thai massage will run you about US$13 for two hours, and the focus is mostly on your legs, but some on your back, shoulders, and arms.
Outside of Chiang Mai

Another option is to head out of the city area of Chiang Mai altogether. Travel offices make this easy for you, as it is difficult to do on your own. There are plenty of offices in the Old City so you will not have to look far to book an excursion. They offer one-day or multi-day excursions. The price for the same trek will vary depending on the office you go to, but many of these offices work with each other so regardless of the price you pay or which travel company you go with, you will end up merging with other travel groups. The zipline treks are excellent and a lot of fun and can take up an entire day, as they include more than 20 platforms to zip between. The most well-known is named Flight of the Gibbons, and it's operated by a New Zealand man. There is a local alternative that is equally large and slightly cheaper. There are guides and instructors at both. Separately, the elephant treks are fun because you get to ride an elephant through the secluded jungle and down rivers. The whitewater rafting is mild, but fun for people who haven't done it much, or at all. The bamboo rafting is a quiet, peaceful drift down a fairly still river. The elephant treks and rafting give you an opportunity to leave the city and spend some time in nature, so it's a good option if you have a day to kill, and you can get a package that includes all three activities. Often bundled into these excursions are visits to a tribal village, with the most popular being the Karen longneck tribe. One thing to note about these villages is that they are fairly artificial and are mostly there to sell you something. If you are looking to peer into the daily life of Thai villagers, you will be disappointed. The Karen longnecks in particular are actually from Myanmar or further north in Thailand. Just a handful of villagers were brought to Chiang Mai to showcase to the tourists.

Shopping

There are three unique options for shopping, but the top two require being in Chiang Mai over the weekend. The best and biggest is the Sunday Walking Street. This is a very long street that gets packed with vendors selling everything you can possibly imagine and more, for prices that are so low you wonder how they turn a profit. There is a high level of quality and creativity here. These aren't the typical products you find in Chinatowns and other markets around Asia. The products are much, much better, and there's something for everyone. The Sunday Walking Street runs from 6pm until midnight on Sunday evenings, and stretches from the Tha Pae gate on the east side of the Old City all the way down Th Ratchadamnoen to Wat Phra Singh. The Saturday Walking Street is outside of the Pratu Chiang Mai gate on the south side of the Old City down Th Wualai, and operates from 6pm until midnight on Saturday evenings. It is very similar to the Sunday Walking Street and many of the products are the same, but there is just a little less being sold here. This is not to understate the size of this shopping venue; it is still quite large with many options. The Saturday Walking Street also offers fewer places to sit down and take a drink break, but both the Sunday and Saturday Walking Streets offer foot massages on comfortable chairs that allow for nice people watching while you get the knots worked out of your worn legs. The final option is the Night Bazaar to the east of the Old City. I did not go there, but from what I hear, it cannot hold a candle in terms of quality or options to either of the above shopping streets. However, if you are not in Chiang Mai over the weekend and have an inkling to do some shopping, then the Night Bazaar is probably your best option.

Where to Stay

If you are willing to splurge a few more dollars and stay somewhere a step above the backpacker and one star hostels, consider staying in the U Chiang Mai or the Tamarind Village, both on the main Th Ratchademnoen road so you will be centrally located to all of the action. These hotels are clean and the service and food are great. Otherwise there are plenty of options for every budget inside the Old City.

Muay Thai Boxing

For a late evening activity (9pm to midnight), you can go watch a Muay Thai boxing match. Ringside tickets cost between US$12-18. The majority of these competitions are exhibition matches because they don't kick or punch as hard as they are normally supposed to. They are "90% real" according to my hotel concierge. But going to a competition is a nice option for an evening out.

For photographs of Chiang Mai taken during many of the activities mentioned above, visit Vicarious Eye Photography at http://vicariouseye.com