Chiang Mai – The City Where Civilization Meets Nature in Thailand
General Information of ChiangMai
If you are talking about a place that is not as civilized as Bangkok with huge mountains and abundant nature, Chiang Mai is the dream province that you are looking for this whole time.
The province itself is a mountainous area and you are expecting to see a lot of mountains here. You can see that the entire place is surrounded by mountains and even the place is literally on the mountain areas. There are many high mountains here at Chiang Mai in which the first to third highest mountains in Thailand are all here. You can travel up the mountains to see the fog or mists in the morning and watch the sunrise or sunset in the evening.
It is the perfect place to start and end your day. If you want to be that close to nature, you can even set up a tent or a camp to stay overnight on the mountain in which you can see stars in the sky.
To travel here,
there are different options for your convenience in travelling. The most obvious one is to travel by place which is the fastest way to Chiang Mai with just over an hour of flight. You can choose to travel by bus as well. However, it will take you around 12 hours to get here. Some people do travel by train to get here, even Thais. The journey on the train is about 14 to 16 hours, depending on what train that is. It is crucial that you choose the travel choice that suit you the most to enjoy the most of your time here!
Famous attractions in Chiang Mai
As there are many famous attractions here in Chiang Mai, it might be difficult for you to choose one to go to. So, to make it easier for you, these are the recommended tourist attractions that you should not miss!
Doi Inthanon or Inthanon Mountain

The first place is Doi Inthanon or Inthanon Mountain which is the highest mountain in Thailand with the height of around 2,565 meters above sea level. It is as high as two and a half kilometers up there! Other than the fog or mists that you can see up here, you can immerse yourself with the sunset and sunrise in the morning. Other than the amazing views, there are two Chedis around Phra Maha That which are decorated with flowers.
Kiw Mae Parn

Another place that you cannot miss if you are here at Doi Inthanon is Kiw Mae Parn, it is one of the most beautiful sightseeing spots at Doi Inthanon that you can go easily. This spot is about 2,000 meters high. If you happen to come here around January, you will be able to meet the wild Himalayan cherry which also known as Thailand?s sakura. You can see more of it by visiting these two places that contain the most beautiful wild Himalayan cheery in Thailand. Those two places are Khun Wang Royal Project Development Center and Orchid Rong Tao Naree Conservation Center.
Khun Wang Royal Project Development Center

At Khun Wang, you can see a tunnel filled with wild Himalayan cherries that you can take a lot of pictures with. It is both magical and a truly spectacular sight to see once in a lifetime. At the conservation center, there are wild Himalayan cherries near the lake. The lake is surrounded by them which is almost like you are in another country, but not in Thailand as it is very rare to see a place like this here.
Mae Ya Waterfall

Other than that, you can visit a waterfall here as well. Mae Ya Waterfall is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Thailand with more than 30 levels and a height of more than 260 meters. The waterfall itself will be quite wide in the rainy season in which it can expand up to 100 meters wide like a white curtain. Whether you want to relax, rest your minds, or have some fun with your friends and families, you can do all of that right at this place.
Google Map for Doi Inthanon
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

Chiang Mai Thailand
The next place is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep which is a temple and a place of symbol for Chiang Mai. It is situated on Doi Suthep with more than a thousand meters in height. It has one famous golden Chedi which is built with Mon style in the year 1384. The Chedi is very archaic, but it signifies the architecture of ancient Lanna. Surrounding the Chedi are sightseeing spots which you can oversee the whole city of Chiang Mai.
Khun Chang Kian

If you come to Chiang Mai around January, you can take a visit to Khun Chang Kian for another sightseeing spot of the cherry blossoms which is a place that is near Doi Suthep.
Google Map for Doi Suthep
Local Tells
? ? ? ? ? If you want some recommendations for local places you can go to and enjoy, here are some of the places.
Yee Peng Festival

The first stop is a tradition that you cannot miss which is called the Yee Peng Festival. This is the most epic festival of Lanna tradition in the month of November that you can see many sky lanterns or Khom Loi in the sky and you can also set some sky lanterns free if you want to! You will set them free along with others in which you will see mesmerizing views in the sky. Not just that, the belief of this tradition is that you also release bad things with the lantern and open the door for good things to come to you. Do not forget to take pictures!
Doi Luang Chiang Dao

The second recommended place is Doi Luang Chiang Dao which is the third highest mountain in Thailand with 2,275 meters in height. This is the place for observing one of the most beautiful mists in Thailand, including sunset and sunrise which is one of the most beautiful spot in the country to see them.
The unique characteristic of this place is that you are able to see sub-alpine vegetation here at this mountain, including the flowers. You will know what they are at the instance that you see them, and this is the only place that you can see those beautiful flowers in Thailand too.

Wat Sri Supan

Wat Sri Supan is our next place. This temple is the first and only temple that is made out of silver and the structure has been carved into magnificent arts. It was built more than 500 years ago which is also the first Chapel Temple in the world. The details both the interior and exterior are amazing to watch as it comes from the local craftsmanship, especially in the knowledge of silver. However, according to the tradition of this temple, women are prohibited to enter.
Grand Canyon in Thailand

Did you know there is a Grand Canyon in Thailand? It is a 15 meters rock cliff with many activities and you can jump from it to the water below. The pond itself occurred naturally and the water is constantly monitored for safety. There are various activities, inflatable toys, and other attractions for you to enjoy, including food stores and massage services.
The walking streets around Chiang Mai

To end your trip, it is recommended to go to the walking streets around Chiang Mai to buy some local handmade products such as umbrellas, fabric products, and silverware from experienced craftsman.
More about Chiang Mai
The motto for Chiang Mai is ?The Shadow of Doi Suthep Mount, Blessed with Rich Customs and Traditions, Beautiful Wild Flowers, Magnificent Nakhon Phing?.
To get around Chiang Mai,
you can use the songthaew called the red car by the locals. You can rent a car or the motorcycle as well. There are taxis available only at the airport to get you inside the city. Currently, the city of Chiang Mai is promoting tourists and locals to travel by bicycle from place to place. This will make you enjoy your stay more than ever. If you like to ride bicycles, then this is an opportunity for you to do so!
For accommodation,
there are various ranges of hotels for you to choose from budget ones to high-end resorts. The price starts from 400 baht to 10,000 baht or more for hotels. Enjoy your time here at Chiang Mai!
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