Beautiful scenery, friendly people and excellent food, this is Chiang Mai
Amidst the rolling foot hills of the Himalayan Mountains some 800 kilometers north of Bangkok is the culturally rich city of Chiang Mai, the longest continuously lived in settlement from the ancient days of Siam. Founded in 1296 AD it was isolated from Bangkok and could only be reached by an arduous river journey or an elephant back trip until the 1920's. Such isolation has helped keep Chiang Mai's distinctive charm intact up to the present day. When you arrive in Chiang Mai, it helps to know a bit about transportation within the city. At the airport, train station, or bus station, you will probably be met by the representatives of various guest houses and hotels and tour operators. If you have a specific place in mind and you don't see the specific signboard, you can always call the place to have someone pick you up from the train station, airport, or bus arcade depot. Taxis are available at the airport, with a price of 150 baht to most destinations.
The common vehicles of public transportation are more varied than public buses. The terms 'dtoog dtoog' and 'sarmlor' are open-air, three-wheel vehicles, and 'zeelor' and 'songthaew' describe vehicles with four wheels. Whenever you get in a 'dtoog dtoog', 'zeelor', or 'samlor', you should make sure that they take you where you want to go. Often the drivers work on commission and may tell you that the place you want to go is dirty, closed, or full if they don't have a previous agreement with the place you have in mind. Always negotiate the price before you get in a dtoog dtoog or samlor. A zeelor ride should cost 15 Baht on a regular route, more if you hire it out to go somewhere out of the way.
The Songtaew (left)The Thai people have several customs that are important to remember to avoid causing offense. Never touch the head, because it is the most sacred part of the body. The feet are the lowliest part, so don't point them at others or rest them above ground level. Never stop a rolling Thai Baht coin or any type of Thai currency with your foot, as the money here has a picture of the king on it.
Respect for the king and religious customs is another important part of Thai protocol. They have great respect for the royal family, the flag, and anything with an image of the king, including the money. When you visit a Buddhist temple, you should always remove your shoes before entering any buildings. Men should wear long pants, and women should wear knee-length or longer skirts. Women are not allowed to touch monks or make prolonged eye contact with them. Do not sit on the walls surrounding the jedee, which contains the temple's sacred relics of the Buddha.
Meeting and making friends with different people is an exciting part of travel anywhere. In Northern Thailand, it helps to know a bit of the language and something about the protocol. To say "hello", say "Sawasdee Krup" for men and "Sawasdee Kha" for women. To learn more Thai before you come, an excellent free teaching website can be found at http://www.learningthai.com/. You will gain loads of respect from the Thai people if you learn just the basics.The Thais put a lot of emphasis on manners, so it's a good idea to learn to say "Thank you". In Thai, it's "Kob Khun", followed by "Krup" or "Kha" for women. The "wai" made by placing your palms together in front of the upper chest is the traditional Thai gesture of greeting or respect, and the gesture is always appreciated. The custom is that younger people "wai" elders first, so let the children and persons you think are younger than you "wai" before you "wai" them.
The Thai Wai (left) Thailand is a country of gourmands. Eating out is one the nation's favorite activities, and knowing a bit of table manners will help you appear more civilized. Waiters and waitresses in Thailand are trained to take your entire order. When they take the order, they will often ask "one", which is their way of asking whether they got it correctly or not. The entire meal is customarily served at the same time, but the empty dishes are removed one by one. Some street-side restaurants will not remove any dishes or bottles until you finish your meal. This is because they do not write down your order. They shout your order to the cook, and after the meal, they will count the plates and bottles and figure out the bill then.
Chiangmai and the north have plenty of night entertainment available. It runs the gamut from restaurants to nightclubs, discos, or video bars. Thai people are often as interested in meeting you as you might be in meeting them, but one should exercise discretion and sometimes a bit of caution, especially in matters of the heart. In romantic situations, Westerners and Thais both occasionally get hurt. The best advice is to think with your head AND your heart. Enjoy yourself, but be very adult about any given situation. The Loi Krathong Festival
This festival is great for those who enjoy fireworks, parades and floats. Each year the festival is at a different date in October or November depending on the lunar calander. In 2008 the festival will be from November 8th through the 11th. Reservations need to be made early as people from all over the world come to join in the festivities.
Here is an article I wrote about the festival and what it all means to the Thai people. You can also view a short streaming video of the "Khom Loy" celeration during the first evening of the Loi Krathong Festival. I am sure you have seen nothing like it. To be there in person is a real experience you will remember for a lifetime.
The Chiang Mai Flower festival
This is the Thailand version of the Rose Bowl Parade in the USA. Colorful floats made with colorful flowers, orchids and seeds are used. Wonderful traditional northern Thai costumes are worn by all and lovely girls and beauty queens adorn the floats. There are marching bands and country folk playing northern Thai music in the parade.
The festival is always the first weekend in Feburary. On Saturday is the parade and on Sunday is the beauty pagent and displays of unique flowers, plants, trees and orchids in the park. As with every festival in Chiang Mai there is plenty of delicious food available from vendors along with a Shopping Bazaar surrounding the park.
For more detailed information about the flower festival you can read my article here. You can also see the short streaming video of the Flower Festival Parade I took last year.
* Sonkran or the Thai New Year Songkran first started in the old Kingom of Lanna, which then comprised of Northen Thailand, parts of Laos, and southern Yunnan Province China. Today it is celerated some what in most of Thailand but nothing like in Chiang Mai. The dates are April 12 - 15 each year. Most people in other countries think of Songkran as a chance to throw water on each other but it is much more than that for the northern Thai people. You can read about Songkran, the rituals, festivities and what it all means. You can also view the short streaming video of the Songkran Festival Parade and the biggest water fight on the planet.a>
Thailand Travel and Culture Page
The common vehicles of public transportation are more varied than public buses. The terms 'dtoog dtoog' and 'sarmlor' are open-air, three-wheel vehicles, and 'zeelor' and 'songthaew' describe vehicles with four wheels. Whenever you get in a 'dtoog dtoog', 'zeelor', or 'samlor', you should make sure that they take you where you want to go. Often the drivers work on commission and may tell you that the place you want to go is dirty, closed, or full if they don't have a previous agreement with the place you have in mind. Always negotiate the price before you get in a dtoog dtoog or samlor. A zeelor ride should cost 15 Baht on a regular route, more if you hire it out to go somewhere out of the way.
The Songtaew (left)
The best way to get around Chiang Mai is by 'songthaew'. These are covered pick-up trucks with two benches in the back. "Songthaew" means "two benches" in Thai. You will see them everywhere, and it's easy to get them to pick you up.
All you need to do is to put your arm out and look at the driver, and they will stop. Then tell the driver which street you want to go to, and if he is going that way, he will shake his head "yes"; if not, he will say "no" and go on. Don't worry-there will be another one right behind him. When the driver turns down the street you want, start looking for where you want to get off and press the switch located on the roof of the cab. The driver will pull over, let you out, and then you pay him.
The fare should be 20 Thai baht or less (around 50 cents). If you tell the driver a hotel or establishment, he will think you want to hire him for a private trip, and the price will be much more. Negotiate any price beforehand if you want to go to an establishment.
Respect for the king and religious customs is another important part of Thai protocol. They have great respect for the royal family, the flag, and anything with an image of the king, including the money. When you visit a Buddhist temple, you should always remove your shoes before entering any buildings. Men should wear long pants, and women should wear knee-length or longer skirts. Women are not allowed to touch monks or make prolonged eye contact with them. Do not sit on the walls surrounding the jedee, which contains the temple's sacred relics of the Buddha.
Meeting and making friends with different people is an exciting part of travel anywhere. In Northern Thailand, it helps to know a bit of the language and something about the protocol. To say "hello", say "Sawasdee Krup" for men and "Sawasdee Kha" for women. To learn more Thai before you come, an excellent free teaching website can be found at http://www.learningthai.com/. You will gain loads of respect from the Thai people if you learn just the basics.The Thais put a lot of emphasis on manners, so it's a good idea to learn to say "Thank you". In Thai, it's "Kob Khun", followed by "Krup" or "Kha" for women. The "wai" made by placing your palms together in front of the upper chest is the traditional Thai gesture of greeting or respect, and the gesture is always appreciated. The custom is that younger people "wai" elders first, so let the children and persons you think are younger than you "wai" before you "wai" them.
The Thai Wai (left)
Whatever happens, though, don't display your anger, because the Thais will think you uncultured, and ranting will get you nowhere. Smile and think "no problem". Thais do not like confrontation, so getting angry will get you nowhere in Thailand. Here is an example:
Let's say you arrive at your hotel and want a nice, hot shower or bath. You turn on the tap and find the hot water is not working. What most people would do is call the front desk and complain, and if you are tired, you might raise your voice a little, saying, "The hot water doesn't work-what's the problem?" It might take a long time before someone comes to check it out, if at all. What you should do is say, "I don't know how to get the hot water turned on in my room; would you please have someone show me?" Someone will come to your room within a minute or two to check it out.
Chiangmai and the north have plenty of night entertainment available. It runs the gamut from restaurants to nightclubs, discos, or video bars. Thai people are often as interested in meeting you as you might be in meeting them, but one should exercise discretion and sometimes a bit of caution, especially in matters of the heart. In romantic situations, Westerners and Thais both occasionally get hurt. The best advice is to think with your head AND your heart. Enjoy yourself, but be very adult about any given situation.
North Thailand people are passionate when it comes to festivals unlike anywhere else in the Kingdom.
The 3 main festival are.
This festival is great for those who enjoy fireworks, parades and floats. Each year the festival is at a different date in October or November depending on the lunar calander. In 2008 the festival will be from November 8th through the 11th. Reservations need to be made early as people from all over the world come to join in the festivities.
Here is an article I wrote about the festival and what it all means to the Thai people. You can also view a short streaming video of the "Khom Loy" celeration during the first evening of the Loi Krathong Festival. I am sure you have seen nothing like it. To be there in person is a real experience you will remember for a lifetime.
This is the Thailand version of the Rose Bowl Parade in the USA. Colorful floats made with colorful flowers, orchids and seeds are used. Wonderful traditional northern Thai costumes are worn by all and lovely girls and beauty queens adorn the floats. There are marching bands and country folk playing northern Thai music in the parade.
The festival is always the first weekend in Feburary. On Saturday is the parade and on Sunday is the beauty pagent and displays of unique flowers, plants, trees and orchids in the park. As with every festival in Chiang Mai there is plenty of delicious food available from vendors along with a Shopping Bazaar surrounding the park.
For more detailed information about the flower festival you can read my article here. You can also see the short streaming video of the Flower Festival Parade I took last year.
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Chiang Mai Thailand Videos
Click on the thumbnail photo or BLUE text to watch the video.
- Doi Suthep Temple Tour Video
Everyone who comes to Chiang Mai Thailand visits Doi Suthep Temple. This beautiful temple overlooks the city of Chiang Mai. Here is a video with my wife and her friend visiting the temple.- Warorot Market in Chiang Mai Thailand
Here is a market most visitors to Chiang Mai Thailand seldom know about. Lots of fun here. If you enjoy shopping for Fabrics, Clothes, Herbs and Spices and hard to find items you should take a look at this Video. It also includes the beautiful flower market and out of this world fireworks stand.- The Chiang Mai Zoo, Thailand
Visit the Chiang Mai Zoo with us as we see the Giant Panda, Aviary, Lions, white tiger and many other animals and travel in the new monorail.- A traditional khantoke Dinner in Chiang Mai Thailand
When you come to Chiang Mai you should take in a Khantoke Dinner and show. This is not just for tourists as the Northern Thai people have been enjoying the Khantoke Dinner for centuries. Here is a short 6 minute video of the Khantoke dinner with my wife and friends.- Family fun tour in Chiang Mai Thailand
There are many things for families with children to do in Chiang Mai Thailand. Here is a streaming video of our friends and their children visiting an elephant camp, Huai Tung Tao lake, Chiang Mai Zoo and the weekend walking market in Chiang Mai Thailand.- Chiang Mai Thailand Local Market
Here is a video with my wife and I at our local Monday market in Chiang Mai Thailand. here we shop for fresh produce, fruit and even insects to eat.- Chiang Mai Thailand's Sunday Market Bazaar
While the Night Bazaar has its flashing neon signs advertising the western food chains and merchandise, crowded narrow walkways crammed with hawkers and tourists, the Weekend Bazaars offer a more relaxing experience. Large wide avenues are blocked off from vehicle traffic at 4pm until 11pm. Talented craft persons and northern Thai fresh food vendors politely sell they wares along the sidewalks and on colorful temple grounds. Rajdumnern Road seams to have one temple after another. The temple grounds are where almost all the food stalls are set up. Here they have tables and chairs where you can sit and have everything from french fries to papaya salad, soups, and grilled Thai dishes. Lots of different foods and desserts you probably have never seen before are available. Soft Thai music is usually played on the temple sound system to add to the eating experience.- Loi Krathong Festival 2008 in Chiang Mai Thailand
This video is of the first night of the Loi Krathong Festival. This as taken in the small town of Mae Jo 25 kilometers north east of Chiang Mai. You will see the release of thousands of Khome Loi hot air balloons all at the same time. What a wonderful sight.- Loi Krathong parade Chiang Mai Thailand 2008
The parade started at Thapae gate at 7 PM, down Thapae road to the river then left to the city offices. Then the parade floats were launched on the river to float down stream to the take out point. The parade included beautiful lighted floats and traditional Northern Thai music and dance performed in traditional costumes and as with all parades in Thailand beautiful women.- Loi Krathong Festival in Chiang Mai Thailand
Loi Krathong is a special event for the Northern Thai people. It originated in Sukhothai and spread north and east. The other parts of Thailand celebrate this festival but nothing like in Chiang Mai. Here is the video We went down to the Ping River in Chiang Mai Thailand for the Loi Krathong Festival around dusk. We purchased food from vendors a waited for it to get dark. More and more people arrived to float krathongs and shoot fireworks. We left around 9 PM as it was getting too crazy with people and fireworks. The water parade starts around 10PM, The Land parade starts around 6:30 on the road next to the river. Next year we will video the land parade. We went home and toured our neighborhood, lit candles, launched Khome Loi ate and drank with our Thai neighbors.- Songkran festival or Thai New Year in Chiang Mai Thailand
Songkran or as it is now known as the Thai New Year started in Lanna around 700 hundred years ago. Then the Lanna Kingdom comprised of North and Northeast Thailand, parts of Laos, Burma and southern Yunnan Province China. Songkran today is still celebrated in these areas except Burma where it has been banned by the military government there. The meaning of water during Songkran is very important. Pouring water on each other and Buddha statues is to wash away the past and a cleansing for the future year. This started as just pouring water on the hands or on the shoulder of others with a small cup of water. This has now grown into the largest water fight on the planet. Here is a short streaming video of the festival over a two day period. The first day, April 13, is the Songkran parade, which takes place on Muangchareon and Thapae roads at 2 PM and lasts around 3 hours. We then hit the streets to join the water fight mostly concentrated along the moat in the city center.- Songkran, Thai New Year 2008 in Chiang Mai Thailand
This is the largest water fight on the planet. I took this video in Chiang Mai Thailand. This festival is every year April 13- 15. You have to see this.- Chiang Mai Thailand Flower Festival Parade
This is the Thailand version of the Rose Bowl Parade in the USA. Colorful floats made with colorful flowers, orchids and seeds are used. Wonderful traditional northern Thai costumes are worn by all and lovely girls and beauty queens adorn the floats. There are marching bands and country folk playing northern Thai music in the parade. The festival is always the first weekend in Feburary. On Saturday is the parade and on Sunday is the beauty pagent and displays of unique flowers, plants, trees and orchids in the park. As with every festival in Chiang Mai there is plenty of delicious food available from vendors along with a Shopping Bazaar surrounding the park.- Chiang Mai Thailand Flower Festival 2008
In this Chiang Mai Thailand Flower festival video we look at the different flowers on display and close up look at the floats.- Chiang Mai Thailand Night Safari Video
Here is a video of the Chiang Mai Night Safari. We went early to see some of the animals before dark on the Jackel Trail around the Lake. We then visited the resort there and checked out some of the rooms and bungalows. We took the Tram on the night trails then watched the Lazer Lighted Fountain Show. I ran out of memory or I would have shot more video.
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