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Chiang Mai Flower Festival

admin — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:41:02 +0000

Chiang Mai Flower Festival

Home and garden lovers will discover that Chiang Mai in August is a showcase for exotic orchids, flowering plants and blooms that thrive in the Northern Thailand climate.

The Chiang Mai Flower Festival is held every year between the 10th to 12th August at Suan Buak Haad Public Park in the Old City. In 2009 the flower festival is in its 28 th year and visitors will be amazed with the range of beautiful flowers on display.

If you are obsessed with beautiful flowers and decorative plants, this is the festival for you, on display you will see hundreds of orchid varieties, miniature plants, as well as sophisticated flower display settings on mini-waterfalls. Also on exhibit are various types of award-winning flowers and decorative plants such as a Bonsai, Orchid, Broomeliads and Cactus.

Flower Festival Chiang Mai Thailand

Entry to show is free, gates open 9am and close at 9pm every day, and there is food and drinks on sale inside the Festival Showgrounds.

Make sure you bring a camera to photographing the wonderful flower displays is welcomed by the organisors and exhibitors.

Chiang Mai Flower Festival is one of the most famous events and is a total must see to all tourists headed to Chiang Mai in August.

Chiang Mai Weather

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:17:02 +0000

Chiang Mai Weather – The Right Time to Visit North Thailand

Chiang Mai is the capital of Chiang Mai province and is situated in the north of Thailand. Located in the midst of some highest mountains in the country, it has become one of the established modern cities though it does not boast the title of a cosmopolitan city. The city attracts thousands of tourists every year due to its historical importance and as it is the major source of handicrafts.

Nakhon Ping, Srivijaya, Mengrai, and Kavila are the four sub-divisions of Chiang Mai. The ruler King Mengrai founded the city in the 13^th century. Apart from its many tourist attractions, the Buddhist temples walk away with the glory. The city has more than 300 Buddhist temples, the famous ones being Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, Wat Chiang Man, Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Ched Yot, Wiang Kum Kam, Wat U Mong, and Wat Suan Dok.

If you want to experience the historicity and excellence of this place, the most important thing for you is to know about the weather conditions of Chiang Mai. The weather is unpredictable throughout the year, ranging between humidity, rainfall and biting cold. Since the city is surrounded by valleys, the day temperature is warm than night and the presence of mountains makes your stay unbearable if you do not know the precautions.

Below is a description of the weather conditions, divided into months.

November to February- This is the coolest season in Chiang Mai. The weather is a mixture of slight rainfall, low humidity and little warm temperature during the day. The most popular festivals during this time are the Loy Krathong (held in November) and the Chiang Mai Flower Festival (held in February). Carry warm clothing like jackets, sweaters or shawls to put on outside, especially in the evening. Days can be managed with just a shawl.
March to June- This is the hottest season and the temperature can reach upto 40 degree Celsius. Due to this, hot waves are a common phenomenon. Farmers burn their crops during this time and the smoke emanated moves around the valley for a long period. In April, the Thai New Year is celebrated through the Songkran Water Festival. The occasion is the main attraction for locals and tourists alike.
July to October- This is the rainy season in Chiang Mai. This is also the lowest season in terms of tourism. Visiting Chiang Mai in this period can get you cheap airfares, low rate hotel bookings and other packages. Basically, the rain reigns in a havoc. However, for the nature lovers, this is the manifestation of paradise on earth. The countryside and the waterfalls are in full glow and brightness.

Despite the restrictions posed by weather, one should take the chance of visiting Chiang Mai, especially for heritage lovers and nature admirers, evidence of the time’s bounty for the last 700 years. The time between November and February is the best time to visit.

Chiang Mai Vacation

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:16:19 +0000

Chiang Mai Vacation

Abounding in natural beauty and a place famous for activities like fishing and trekking; Chiang Mai has become one of the most visited places in the world. Chiang Mai is a mountainous region, 751 kilometers from Bangkok, in the country of Thailand. Its many rivers and lakes, with abundant amounts of different kinds of fishes, make it an ideal spot for anglers, to come and fish from around the world. Its beautiful valleys and mountains, dotted with small tribal villages, make it the ideal region for trekking. With so many activities and places to explore, there is no surprise that people from around the world prefer Chiang Mai for vacation.

Apart from being a heaven for anglers and trekkers, Chiang Mai has still a lot to offer. One of the famous attractions is the Patara Elephant Farm. This farm was set up with the intention of preserving the elephants in Thailand. Here the elephants are bred with the intention of returning them back to the wild. In the farm, the elephants are well looked after and are free to roam about happily, without anybody making them perform any tricks for the tourists. This is not a standard elephant show put up for tourists, but a place where you can get close and personal with an elephant. It is a bit expensive, but worth every penny and the perfect place to start off your Chiang Mai vacation.

If you love forests and are a wild life enthusiast, then you must take the Flight of the Gibbon Adventure Tour. The tour takes you to a 1500-year-old rainforest outside the Chiang Mai city. Here you will get to explore the rainforest canopy. Two kilometers of interconnecting zip lines have been built into the canopy of the forest, consisting of 18 platforms, sky bridges and lowering stations. You will get to explore the forest from a totally different perspective. Guides are there to take you around and although you will be walking on rope bridges, it is totally safe and fun adventure. Breathtaking sceneries and coming across different wild life will make this a truly exhilarating experience in your Chiang Mai vacation.

Another popular activity among tourists is whitewater rafting in the different rivers of Chiang Mai. Various tour operators take the tourists, rafting on different rivers. One of the tours you can take is the Sian River Adventures. You will be picked up at your hotel in a jeep and will be taken first to see different sites and then for lunch. After that you will be taken to the Siam river, given certain safety instructions and then you can have a thrilling rafting experience. Mae Taeng is another river where it is possible to do whitewater kayaking, in your Chiang Mai vacation.

After a few days of hectic activities, it is time to head out to the famous spas and massage parlors of Chiang Mai. They are famous for different types of massages and beauty treatments. It is the perfect opportunity to rejuvenate yourself at the end of your Chiang Mai vacation.

Chiang Mai University

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:15:49 +0000

Chiang Mai University

Known locally as Mor Chor, the Chiang Mai University was founded in January 1964, by a royal charter of the King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. Science, Social Sciences and Humanities were the three founding faculties at that time.

Now Chiang Mai University has seventeen faculties, a graduate school and 107 departments. There are more than twenty five thousand students studying at the university. The university offers 163 undergraduate and graduate diploma programs, 87 undergraduate programs and 3 Certificate programs. Also there are two international Bachelors program and 18 international Masters and Doctoral programs.

The University has made Collaborative agreements with many foreign universities, institutes and international organizations in 27 countries.

The Chiang Mai University has four campuses. Three are in Chiang Mai and one is in Lamphun, totally covering an area of 3490 acres. To the west of Chiang Mai city, at a distance of 5 kilometers is the Suan Sak, the main University campus. It has the Ang Kaew Reservoir supplying water to the whole campus. Originally the area of the campus was forest and in order to preserve it to a great extent, the university buildings were constructed between the trees. Due to this, the campus still has a tranquil atmosphere, full of trees and vegetation. The campus houses the main administrative buildings, the faculties of Science, Humanities, Engineering and Social Sciences and the major sport facilities.

The Suan Dok campus houses the Health Sciences complex and is within the main campus. It has the Maharaja Nakorn Chiang Mai hospital, which is the largest teaching hospital in Northern Thailand.

The Mae Hae campus is located 5 kilometers south of the main campus. It houses the Faculties of Veterinary medicines and Agro-Industry. It has the Energy Research and Development Institute (ERDI) that is famous for innovations in biogas and biomass technologies.

The Si Bua Ban campus is located 55 kilometers south of Chiang Mai, in Lamphun province. It is currently under development and will provide training and research facilities for many of the university’s faculties.

The University Library is very famous and was opened in the same year as the university. It has been continuously expanding its resources and is the most modern air-conditioned library in northern Thailand. It includes over 856,000 books and numerous audio-visual resources.

Another important on-campus service is the Information Technology Service Center (ITSC), established in 1975. It provides an intranet for the whole campus at a speed of 8 Gbps through fiber optics. Internet access is provided at 9 Mbps. The ITSC has more than 800 PCs for use by the students spread over 42 locations. All students are given their own user accounts with email ids. They can access the intranet and the Internet, free for 30 hours in a month. Through the computers students can access all the e-learning systems offered by the Chiang Mai University, and can also access and use the MS Office soft wares.

The Chiang Mai University International Center was recently completed in 1998 and offers accommodation for visiting students and academic staff. It has 3 conference rooms, 3 seminar rooms, international hostel, a business center and a restaurant.

Chiang Mai Travel

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:15:15 +0000

Chiang Mai Travel

Chiang Mai is emerging as one of the most preferred tourist destinations in the world. A trip to Thailand is incomplete without visiting Chiang Mai. Home to over 300 temples, this ancient city, blends the new and the old into a beautiful tapestry of color and sights. Rich in history and traditions, this modern city attracts tourists from all over the world.

Chiang Mai is a valley surrounded by mountains. It is full of natural beauty and has an abundance of lush vegetation all the year round. It has many water resources like rivers and lakes. These water bodies are rich in different varieties of fishes, and this makes Chiang Mai a favourite spot for fishing. Anglers from all over the world come to Chiang Mai for big game fishing. The landscape is a mountainous terrain, and home to many Ethnic tribal villages, making it a perfect spot for trekking activities.

From Bangkok that has the international airport, Chiang Mai is approximately 750 kilometers, and there are many ways of reaching it. There are regular bus services from the northern bus terminus in Bangkok. In a day there are 12 second-class air-conditioned buses going to Chiang Mai, taking roughly 10 to 11 hours of travel time.

When the air-conditioners are not working in these buses, be prepared to sweat it out in the summer months. More comfortable first class air-conditioned buses leave every half hour from 6.45 am until 9 pm. These are 42 seater buses with attached toilets. Then there are the governments VIP buses, which have seats that recline a bit more than the first class buses, and they have six departures between 7 pm to 9 pm and one in the morning at 9 am. About 10 private bus operators also run luxury bus services from various pick up points in the city. A return ticket is more economical than two, one-way fares. The fares range between 400 to 500 Bahts depending on the bus. Government buses are more reliable in their services and punctuality, then private tourist operators.

A much better way to travel would be by the train service. Thailand has an excellent train service, particularly the ones that run between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. You can either take a day train or an overnight sleeper coach. To get a berth booking is a bit difficult as many tour companies book off entire coaches. You have to book well in advance. Booking starts 60 days in advance of the travel date.

Chiang Mai has major bank branches; open from 8.30 am to 3.30 pm. In the main areas like Night Bazaar, Th Tha Phae and Th Moon Muang, there are ATMs and foreign exchange booths operating till 8 pm in the night.

Chiang Mai offers hotels and accommodation to suit every budget. From low budget guesthouses and hostels to five star hotels, Chiang Mai has it all. A night’s stay will cost you $3 in the cheaper guesthouses, to a whopping $650 in a five star hotel.

Chiang Mai Train

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:14:36 +0000

Chiang Mai Train

Thailand has become one of the major tourist destinations of the world. Many people from around the world are choosing Thailand as their favorite vacation spot.

Once in Thailand, it is very comfortable, safe and cheap to travel using the Thai Railway service. If you take all the meter gauge rail systems of the world, then Thailand’s rail is considered one of the best. The trains are operated and managed by the State Railways of Thailand (SRT). Among the various trains that operate, the Chiang Mai train is the most popular among the locals and the tourists.

The Chiang Mai Train service connects Bangkok and Chiang Mai. You save a lot in terms of money and time if you opt for this train instead of a flight. There are two timings available. One is a day train in which you can enjoy the countryside view in a comfortable air conditioned rail car. The train leaves Bangkok at 8.30 in the morning and arrives at Chiang Mai at 8.30 in the night, covering a distance of 751 kilometers. The fare is $13 one way in an air conditioned compartment.

The Chiang Mai Train also offers a night travel by a sleeper car. Many tourists prefer this, as it is more convenient compared to a flight and you save overnight bill of a stay in the hotel. There are totally five such trains departing Bangkok, between 2.30 in the afternoon to 10 in the night. Apart from the 1st and 2nd class sleeper cars there are the 3rd class seats and DRC, which means diesel rail car with 2nd class air conditioned seats. Even the 3rd class is very clean and quite comfortable by European standards. The fare for an air conditioned second class sleeper is just $25.

The overnight Chiang Mai train offers lovely sunrise scenery in the morning. The approach to Chiang Mai is very scenic as the train cuts through majestic mountains and valleys.

Hualamphong is Bangkok’s main railway station. The ticket reservation office is well organized and opens from 8 am to 4 pm. You can book your tickets up to 60 days in advance of your travel date. All reservations are computerized. The number of your seat or berth will also be printed on your ticket. There are other ways also to book your ticket for the Chiang Mai train. Since February 2009 SRT has introduced online booking. You can also book your ticket by emailing your requirements to a reputable Thai travel agency.

It is also possible to take a bicycle along with you on the Chiang Mai train. After buying your ticket, go to the cargo office where you will be issued a cargo ticket for your bike. Part of this ticket is attached to your bike and the other to your rail ticket. The cargo compartment will get full very quickly so make sure to get there early to give your bike.

The Chiang Mai train is really a fascinating, comfortable and an economical way to travel.

Chiang Mai Restaurants

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:13:27 +0000

Chiang Mai Restaurants

Chiang Mai is now dominating the tourist traffic of the world. It is a place of natural beauty and home to many cuisines of the world. A restaurant in Chiang Mai is the most popular hang out for the world tourist. You can find almost any cuisine of the world in Chiang Mai. From Western foods like American, French, German and Italian; to the Asian categories of Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Indian, the different Chiang Mai restaurants have it all.

The Gia Tong Heng is the oldest and the most popular restaurant serving Chinese food in Chiang Mai. It has an air-conditioned section as well. You will find all the classical Chinese as well certain Thai dishes here. The food is delicious and the prices are reasonable.

For a leisurely and peaceful meal, try the Whole Earth Restaurant situated near the Night Bazaar. It has a Thai style wooden structure built amongst well landscaped gardens. The restaurant serves some very delicious health food. The menu includes Thai, Indian and vegetarian dishes served by an excellent service-oriented staff. Bottled wine, coffee and smoothies are the beverages served.

The Good View Restaurant on the Charoenrat Road, as the name suggests, offers a commanding view of the city and the mountains, and is situated by the Ping River. Outdoor dining is popular here, and indoors you will be entertained by a live band. A variety of more than 150 dishes of Thai, Western and Chinese cuisines are served here. The special northern Khantoke dish is quite popular. A full bar is also attached to this restaurant.

It is surprising to find a very elegant French restaurant called the Le Coq d’or, on the Koh Klang road in Chiang Mai. The structure is a huge sprawling villa built among well-manicured lawns. The interior of the villa is divided into many cozy rooms where you can enjoy your meals. Since 1960, this establishment is serving the best French cuisine in Chiang Mai.

The Jerusalem Falafel restaurant in the old city, serves Mediterranean, mid-eastern and North-African dishes. A favorite hang out of expatriates and back packers, the restaurant serves very filling food at a very reasonable rate, by their friendly and hospitable owners. Whole wheat Pita bread and an array of different salads is their specialty.

The Huen Phen is a popular restaurant for authentic Thai cuisine. Tucked away in the old city, on Ratchamangkha Road, this restaurant has two floors, decorated with all kinds of Thai arts and crafts. A spicy papaya salad and a crispy pork paste dip are its specialties. It is a popular hang out for the locals, and guests can have a good Lanna meal served in the shortest possible time.

For plenty of vegetarian dishes and Northern Thai food, the Home Restaurant on the Chaiyapoom Road is quite popular with the locals and expatriates. It is well-hidden behind the Amora hotel and might take some time to find. It is an old Thai teak house surrounded by a garden. The different red curries are delicious and you can wash it all down with the popular Singha beer.

Chiang Mai Resorts

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:12:38 +0000

Nature’s Ecstasy: Chiang Mai Resorts

Nature is the true source of all energy in the world. And energy is what in turn drives all the actions around the world. Thus, being close to nature would mean a close meeting with your own energy that will rejuvenate oneself completely. So as soon as we get a chance, we tend to fall upon nature as our lone savior from the stress and tensions of the world. There are numerous places all over the world, where nature is ever present in its true form. One of such places is our own – Chiang Mai.It possesses in itself a very desirable mix of the historic lanna era as well as a hint of modernity. Thus, it truly justifies its image of being the “rose of the north”.

Chiang Mai, situated in the northern part of Thailand, has really developed as a major tourist attraction in the recent times. Unlike major high tech cities of Bangkok and others, Chaing Mai is situated on the banks of the Ping River and is a home to natural skyscrapers- beautiful lofty mountains. It is a city of tradition and thousands of foreign tourists visit chiang Mai every year due to the temples and the beautiful landscape it has to offer.

The surrection of the city as a major tourist attraction has also been possible due to the vast variety of luxury tourist resorts, spread all over the city, and the quality of service they have to offer. Come to Chiang Mai and pamper yourself in these resorts. There are traditional luxury resorts like Chiang Mai Four Seasons Resort that offers you to live the lanna life. It has recreational facilities like golf, swimming, trekking etc. Apart from this, there is Holiday Inn resort that offers beautiful riverside view from its rooms. Then there are other boutique resorts like Yantarasiri, Taraburi, Ayatana and the Orchid resort that offers you spa facilities as well. The tariffs of these luxury resorts are quite affordable and as an icing on the cake, all these resort offer handsome discounts and saving plans so as to make your stay in Chiang Mai, a memorable experience.

All these resorts are situated at prime locations in the city and are accessible through local transport. They offer special plans for people of all ages. There are family package tours across the city, sight seeing expeditions etc. These resorts also have high tech convocation halls and handle business conferences and team meetings. They offer special deals on that as well. All these resorts of Chaing Mai, amongst many others, have separate websites that offer a great deal of information about the plans and services they endorse. Online booking facilities are also supported by most of the resorts in Chiang Mai.Many of these resorts have a direct booking tie-up with the major travel service providers and tour operators, around the world. So, even if you are coming to chiang Mai through travel tour operators, they are waiting with their arms stretched and hearts wide open.

Come to Chiang Mai! The resorts of Chiang Mai are waiting to bowl you over with their hospitality.

Chiang Mai Car Rentals

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:11:56 +0000

Chiang Mai Rental Cars

Chiang Mai, the “rose of north Thailand” has developed as a major tourist destination over the past few decades. Situated on the fertile banks of the Ping River and its network of tributaries, Chiang Mai offers a mix of the Lenna era tradition as well as a hint of up kept modernity. It started as a remnant of the Lenna era, and still has a lot of temples and houses that remind you of the Lenna period. The destination is located on high mountains, offering scenic landscapes and unmatched Thai hospitality that will rejuvenate one and all, whoever visits the place.

Chiang Mai has many famous tourist destinations, which attract a host of foreign tourists every year. There are a lot of temples and worship places that transport you to the world of spirituality in the ancient Lenna era instantly. The best option to visit all these places is through road. This option is most viable as the network of road throughout north Thailand and the entire Chiang Mai is very efficient, and hence would enable you to cut down on the traveling time.

There are quite a few options available for hiring cars, buses, trucks or trevellers, if you are here for leisure purpose and aim to travel by road. There are many service providers like the Northern Wheels that provide you with all types of budget as well as luxury cars, buses and other vehicles, not just to travel within Chiang Mai, but over the entire north Thailand. If you are flying to Chiang Mai, Argus rentals provide you the facility to a comfortable pick up from the airport to the destination or the hotel you choose. The rental rates are very attractive and a host of cars maybe rented. You can make a booking with them online, to avail attractive discounts. Another transport service provider, Budget Chiang Mai car rentals provides rentals at low rates and has 22 branches, all over Thailand. So rent a car today and drive to Chiang Mai to have an experience of your life.

All these transport rental providers offer you fully insured cars, so as to cover for any forbidden mishap that may occur. Apart from this, they provide you with 24-hour customer support. They have twenty -four hours on the prowl mechanics that can rectify any breakdowns on the way. Apart from these value add-ons, you even have the liberty to choose from a host of cars, ranging from budget cars, travelers vans to luxury cars. Thus, whoever you may be, we have a car for you to rent and have a drive of your life through Chiang Mai.

The booking for these cars can be done online from the websites of these service providers as well as from a host of local offices and booking centres, spread all over Thailand. You can even rent cars directly from your hotels as most of these service providers have a direct tie- up with the major hotels in Chiang Mai.So, what are you waiting for! Pack your bags and come to chiang Mai. And make sure you dont forget your driving license!!

Chiang Mai Massage

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:10:56 +0000

Chiang Mai Massage

Massage as a health and beauty treatment is gaining popularity throughout the world. Each place is famous for its own unique system of massage therapies. Thailand’s massage parlors have gained popularity among the world’s tourist crowd. In Thailand the place for the best massage parlors is Chiang Mai.

Before going in for a massage treatment, it is advisable to consult your doctor as certain massages will not suit people suffering from certain ailments. People having varicose veins, thrombosis, skin diseases, heart conditions and arthritis should check what type of massage, if at all, is the most beneficial for their condition. The massage should not end up aggravating the ailment they are suffering from. Once the doctor allows you, head for the best massage parlors Chiang Mai has to offer. No risk should be taken in this regard.

Chiang Mai is known for a variety of massages, the most popular one being the Thai massage. In this you have a choice between the traditional and the oil massage. The traditional massage is a strenuous one performed with stretching of the different parts of the body and application of very firm pressure by fingers, elbows and even knees and feet. Some might find this massage a bit brutal and heavy. However, in this massage the specialist focuses on your stress areas and help you unwind your self. The Thai oil massage, on the other hand is much gentler.

Among Chiang Mai massages, another favorite is the hot stone massage. Volcanic Basalt stones of different sizes and shapes are heated to about 130 degrees and placed on muscles of the body. The heat promotes the relaxation and rejuvenation of musculature and connective tissues. Apart from deep relaxation, it benefits the primary systems of the body in a major way. It detoxifies the cells and promotes lymph drainage, thus improving the body’s immune system. This massage sedates the central nervous system and the person feels a marked reduction in stress. This massage is opted by the maximum people visiting the spa.

Another massage offered in Chiang Mai is the Japanese body work of Shiatsu. In this, finger pressure is applied rhythmically along the acupuncture meridians of the body. The pressure is held for 2 to 8 seconds with the aim of improving the flow of the life force in the body. It balances the systems in the body, and first timers are usually surprised at its efficacy.

Reflexology, popularly called the foot massage, is another favorite. In this system, it is believed that points on the sole of the foot are connected to the different internal organs of the body. Applying pressure on these points stimulates the respective internal organs to function properly. A relaxing massage enjoyed by people who have achy feet.

These are some of the types of massages offered all over Chiang Mai, making it the best destination to head for a relaxing massage. The massage here is not only very satisfying but is available in all ranges to suit the pocket of everyone.