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Exploring Chiang Mai, former capital of Lanna Kingdom

Chiang Mai, also written Chiangmai and Chiengmai, is the second largest city in Thailand. It is located at an elevation of 313m above sea level in the Ping river valley, a broad fertile plain that includes Chiang Mai and nearby Lamphun. The Ping river runs from north to south across the eastern side of Chiang Mai. The old city was the capital of the ancient Lanna kingdom. Once the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Lanna (Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields, also called Lannathai), Chiang Mai is the capital of Chiang Mai Province as well as the largest city in Northern Thailand. Chiang Mai is also the centre for culture and handicraft.



Novice monks in Chiang Mai(24 October 2006)
© Timothy Tye


Located on the southern branch of the ancient Silk Road, Chiang Mai has long seved as an important centre for handicrafts, including umbrellas, jewellery - particularly silverware, and woodcarving. Increasingly modern, and with a population of 700,000, Chiang Mai is one of the most livable cities in Asia. Chiang Mai's old town is located on the west side of modern Chiang Mai. The most apparent remains of the medieval city is the fortress that forms a square encircled by a moat. The area within the Old City is dense with temples, but it is not a historically preserved quarter. Apart from the temples, the buildings within the Old City are the same in form and style as elsewhere in Chiang Mai. Although much of the fortress had either been torn down or broken down, parts of it still remains, and have been systematically restored. It is actually more significant than impressive. To the eye of most beholder, the remains of the fortress look like nothing more than a red-brick wall.

Layout of ancient Chiang Mai

Similar to Angkor Thom and Mandalay, ancient Chiang Mai was laid out as a square with a moat around it. Most of the ancient temples still exist within the old quarters surrounded by the moat and old city fortress.

How to get there

You can fly to Chiang Mai. Its airport is located on the southwest part of the city. For details, read Getting to Chiang Mai by Plane.

You can also go to Chiang Mai by train from Bangkok. Tickets can be purchased 60 days in advance. It is advisable to book in advance. The distance is 751km (467 miles), and the journey takes 13 hours. It is certainly much slower than flying from Bangkok, but you will get to view the Thai countryside all the way in between. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) website, www.railway.co.th provides information and time table for the trains.

There are six train services between Bangkok and Chiang Mai daily. According to the SRT website, the first train of the day leaves Bangkok's Hualamphong Station at 8:30am in the morning and arrives at 8:30pm the same day. It is a 2nd Class train with no sleeper berths. The next train is the Overnight Train. It leaves Bangkok at 2:30pm in the afternoon, and arrives in Chiang Mai at 5:30am the next morning. At 6:00pm, another overnight train leaves Bangkok, arriving at 7:15am the next day. Other trains leave Bangkok at 7:20pm, 7:35pm and 10:00pm, arriving in Chiang Mai at 7:40am, 9:45am and 12:45pm respectively.

Getting around in Chiang Mai

Getting around in Chiang Mai is possible by foot. The Old City is quite walkable, and you will be able to view the sights at a more unhurried pace. However, the city can get blazingly hot in the afternoon. It may be less time consuming to take a tuk tuk or songthaew.

I would not have recommended tuk tuk or songthaew if you were exploring Bangkok, where there are better modes of transport such as taxis and mass rapid trains. In Chiang Mai, however, the taxis are not that many - it takes a long time before you see a taxi passing by on the road. As Chiang Mai is also less crowded and less polluted than Bangkok, it is possible, even enjoyable, to explore it by tuk tuk.

Calling a taxi

A taxi would be a convenient option for transfers between Chiang Mai and the airport, especially if you have a lot of luggage. There are now about 50 taxis in Chiang Mai, a very low number if compared to the over two thousand songthaews in the city. Call 053-279291 when you are in Chiang Mai to get a taxi. The rates are 30 baht for the first 2 km followed by 4 baht for every subsequent km.

Where to stay in Chiang Mai

Looking for a hotel room in Chiang Mai? Click on Hotels in Chiang Mai to compare room rates provided by different Online Booking Websites. If you prefer budget accommodation, click on Hostels in Chiang Mai

I would recommend staying somewhere between Modern Chiang Mai (2 on the map) and the Old City (3 on the map). In any case, the city is small enough for you to walk around on foot, and if you're a hardy walker with stamina, you can explore much of it without resorting to any form of transport. For most people, however, it is faster and more convenient to simply hire a tuk tuk for a single journey, or to charter it by the hour or even the whole day.

Photos of Chiang Mai


Wat Chedi Luang, one of the most famous ruins in Chiang Mai(24 October 2006)
© Timothy Tye


Hill tribe weaving(25 October 2006)
© Timothy Tye


Hill tribe huts in the northern Thai highlands(26 October 2006)
© Timothy Tye


Chiang Mai Night Market(25 October 2006)
© Timothy Tye

Preparing for Chiang Mai

  1. Introducing Northern Thailand
  2. History of Chiang Mai
  3. Festivals in Chiang Mai
  4. Glossary of Northern Thai Temple Terms
  5. Northern Thai Temple Architecture
  6. Tuk Tuk & Samlor
  7. Songthaew

Places of Interest in Chiang Mai

* sights of considerable interest
* * sights of major interest
  1. Acharn Mun Bhuridatto Viharn
  2. City Pillar
  3. Lanna Architecture Center
  4. Mahamakut Buddhist University
  5. Night Bazaar * *
  6. Phaya Yakkharaj
  7. Tha Phae Gate
  8. Wat Chai Phra Kiat *
  9. Wat Chedi Luang * *
  10. Wat Chedi Luang Northern Stupa
  11. Wat Chedi Luang Ubosot
  12. Wat Cheitta
  13. Wat Chetawan
  14. Wat Doi Suthep * *
  15. Wat Mahawan
  16. Wat Muen Lan
  17. Wat Nong Jed Lin
  18. Wat Phan On
  19. Wat Phan Tao *
  20. Wat Phra Singh * *
  21. Wat Sri Gerd
  22. Wat Suan Dok *
  23. Wat Sum Pow
  24. Wat Tung Yu
  25. Yang Tree

    Sightseeing outside Chiang Mai

  26. Doi Inthanon * *
  27. Golden Triangle *
  28. Inthanon Royal Project Research Station
  29. King Inthanon Memorial Shrine
  30. Mae Sai *
  31. Mae Ya Waterfall *
  32. Napamaytanidol Chedi *
  33. Opium Museum
  34. Siriphum Waterfall
  35. Vachiratharn Waterfall
  36. Wat Rong Khun, Chiang Rai * *

Compare Hotel Room Rates

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AsiaExplorers is researched and written by Timothy Tye. Reasonable care is taken to check and verify the accuracy of the content. AsiaExplorers disclaims responsibility for any inconvenience, mishap, injury or death resulting from following the tips and advice provided directly or indirectly by this website. All pages may be printed out for your own personal, non-commercial use. Photographs not credited to a third party belong to Timothy Tye and may not be reused in any form unless you are first given permission. Write in to inquire if interested. Third party photographs are governed by their respective licenses. The author is a Christian. Click here if you are interested to know more about his Christian beliefs. To contact AsiaExplorers, use the following email address: