Lanna 101 by Talisman Media

lanna 101

CHIANG MAI, NATURALLY ELEGANT

first edition 150 baht

CHIANG MAI CHIANG RAI THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE DOI MAE SALONG MAE HONG SON SUKHOTHAI DOI TUNG MAE SAI PAI

t h r o u g h t hf ei r se ty eesd iot fi ohni s k i n g d o m

Head north to Chiang Mai and discover a destination where cultural heritage and tranquillity come together. Nestled within subtropical greenery of Mae Rim Valley and offering plenty of adventure-oriented activities, Away Suansawan Chiang Mai is perfect for comfortable exotic holidays whether you seek a well-deserved break or a little bit of adventure. Reminiscent of the glorious Lanna legacy, Khum Phaya Resort & Spa provides as unique selling for a romantic getaway This truly inspiring resort, set in the heart of Chiang Mai, hosts luxurious accommodation and a full range of leisure and in-room health facilities which make for an idyllic retreat. Explore the many wonders of Chiang Mai at either of these two Centara Resorts.

Please contact us at: T +66 (0) 2101 1234 Ext. 1 E reservations@chr.co.th www.centararesorts.com

Celebrating

YOUR GUIDE TO

the 750th anniversary talisman media

of Chiang Rai in 2012

Northern THAILAND HISTORY & CULTURE ■ SIGHTSEEING & EXCURSIONS ■ DINING & NIGHTLIFE SHOPPING ■ SPAS ■ SPORTS ■ EVENTS CALENDAR ■ LANNA MAP & MORE

publisher’s

letter

First Edition

he Kingdom of Lanna occupies a special place in Thai history. The name translates as ‘a million (lan) rice fields (na)’, an apt description for this rich agricultural region. Because of its value, a succession of kings ruled this large swathe of what is now northern Thailand from the 13th to 18th centuries, variously fighting with and paying tribute to Burmese and Siamese rulers. Following its incorporation into Siam in 1774, the people of Lanna still retained many of their unique traditions, customs and culture, though the distinctive local script has long since been replaced by its Thai equivalent. Today, the Lanna region is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand, including the former kingdom’s capital city of Chiang Mai. Once the exclusive domain of intrepid backpackers on their way to hike in the surrounding mountains; today this fastgrowing city boasts luxury resorts, high-end spas and a slew of gourmet restaurants; while still retaining the character and charm that made it attractive in the first place. Elsewhere, Lanna’s second city of Chiang Rai has emerged as a destination in its own right over the last few years, as well as retaining its traditional role as the gateway to the infamous Golden Triangle, where Thailand meets neighbouring Myanmar and Laos. Visitors here discover that the former notorious practice of opium growing has been replaced by legitimate farming activities, such as coffee planting, while several luxury resorts close to the border offer guests the chance to train as elephant mahouts. The Lanna area and its immediate surroundings, which includes areas once fought over by various kingdoms, boasts many other attractions, including the laidback vibe of Pai; hill tribes of Mae Hong Son; isolated charm of Nan; former Thai capital of Sukhothai; Thailand’s northernmost town of Mae Sai; Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s tallest mountain; and Mae Salong, founded by Chinese Nationalists na 101 sed, Lan an who fled China following their defeat in the late 1940s. nd unbia a r more th s t fo n e rn d a n e y ng o depe ri h b In w Unlike other travel guides, we only feature contributions vellers ook s. It sav v y tr a ty, dated guideb dents , to si re rs l a te c a h c by resident writers and photographers, a talented group of of lo weig y find in tors . o’s W ho what the u thori tative W h ltural commenta professionals who are experts in their fields, and as passionate a u c n tr avel a d f n r o a e d th ri rs b toge as we are about Lanna. As such, we hope you enjoy this tographe nd intelligent hy o h p ff the , o rs d wri te pac t a u on a n inaugural edition of Lanna 101, and find it a useful companion is a com takes yo ighest lt t h a su e th re th e e s in Th employ y maga z 1 0 it 1 c on your travels through northern Thailand – remember to no a d d n n n n a guide smu t a ack . La tourist tr with no fluff, no ught. o also visit www.lanna101.com for ongoing updates and stories. rn b o e b -w ll t s, no we

What is1? Lanna10

Welcome to Lanna. The keys to the kingdom are yours.

Enjoy.

Mason Florence Publisher

st andard rial content can aders , editorial ito n our re . O ur ed ls a e focus o ri is th to th r in y e v ta jo d n a e ain rously m is to ensure you in it . g in We rigo v n li o e si v mis we lo a nd our m u ch a s gd o m a s great K in

lanna

contributors Stu Lloyd Executive Editor of Lanna 101, Stu Lloyd is trying to live down his infamy as author of the best-selling Hardship Posting – true tales of expat misadventure in Asia. However, The Telegraph (UK) has called him ‘the perfect storyteller’, while apart from 7 books, he’s also written for National Geographic Traveler and hundreds of other publications. See www.stulloyd.com

Joe Cummings One of the most well known and respected scribes in the country, Joe was the author of Lonely Planet Thailand for over 20 years. Though he still contributes to periodicals all over the world and recently published two coffee table books on Lanna culture, he spends most of his time playing guitar for his popular roots rock band, The Tonic Rays, at hotspots all over Thailand.

Pim Kemasingki Pim is half Thai and half British. Though born and (mostly) bred in Chiang Mai, she has lived all over the world. She freelances for magazines and papers worldwide, and runs Citylife magazine, an English language monthly for expats and residents in Chiang Mai. This is all, of course, an elaborate excuse to enjoy great food, stay at fab hotels, sample exotic cocktails, visit spas and take part in all the wonderful diversions the city has to offer.

Kong Rithdee Kong has been writing about movies for the Bangkok Post for 12 years. He also writes for Variety in LA, and and Sight and Sound in London. In addition, Kong is associated with the Thai Film Foundation, an NGO that promotes the wealth and variety of Thai cinema. He also co-directed documentary The Convert, which has been shown at international film festivals.

Oliver Benjamin After visiting Chiang Mai repeatedly for over a decade Oliver finally admitted he was smitten with the place, settled down, and embarked on a leisurely career in travel journalism. Along the way he put together a local funk rock band, started a religion (www. dudeism.com), and published a book (The Outsider’s Guide to Thailand). According to both Western and Chinese astrology, he is a goat.

Sara Lynn Latshaw What started out as a simple vacation soon blossomed into a complex vocation: today Sara is director of Cultural Canvas Thailand, an outfit that places volunteers with organisations in Chiang Mai. With her passable Northern Thai and patently charming demeanour, she’s become a well-known fixture around town – even featuring in an ad campaign by the Tourist Authority of Thailand.

Andrew Bond Andrew settled in Chiang Mai to write a big travel novel but hasn’t made it past penning the author’s bio. His plan B has become virtualtravelguides.com – a thriving web travel content business. He’s also responsible for the popular www.1stopthailand.com online travel series and regularly writes on travel and property in Thailand. On weekends you’ll find him zipping down dirt trails in full mountain-biking regalia somewhere on Doi Pui.

Colin Hinshelwood A writer and editor for a succession of magazines in Thailand, “Hinsh” is also a stalwart adventurer, journalism teacher, and relentless man about town. Having lived in various locales around the world, including South America and Scotland, he’s acquired a gift for the gab in several languages, including a barely intelligible variety of Scottish-English.

Publisher Mason Florence Editor-in-Chief Dr. Jesda M. Tivayanond Associate Publisher Parinya Krit-Hat Managing Editor Simon Ostheimer Executive Editor Stu Lloyd Consulting Editor Oliver Benjamin Deputy Editor Max Crosbie-Jones Art Director Jarmmaree Janjaturonrasamee Senior Editorial Assistants Pattarasuda Prajittanond Amornsri Tresarannukul Strategists Nathinee Chen, Sebastien Berger Contributing Writers Emily Scott, Aaron Espana, Kong Rithdee, Andrew Bond, Pim Kemasingki, Mike Pearce, Wicha Cavaliero, Joe Cummings, Colin Hinshelwood, Sara Lynn Latshaw, Peter Richards Contributing Photographers Tourism Authority of Thailand, Peeracha Taatniyom, Leon Schadeberg Director of Sales & Marketing Jaffee Yee Yeow-fei Sales & Marketing Manager Jhone El’Mamuwaldi Director of Business Development Erika Teo Administration Peeraya Nuchkuar Distribution Pradchya Kanmanee Published by Talisman Media Group Co., Ltd. 113 Soi Tonson, Bangkok 10330 T: 02-252-3900 F: 02-650-4557 info@talisman-media.com Designed by Letter Space T: 02-386-7181 F: 02-386-7182 letter_space2000@yahoo.com © Copyright Talisman Media Group Co., Ltd 2011. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written, prior permission of the publisher. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher, which accepts no responsibility for them.

table of

contents snapshots 10 12 16 18 19 20 21 22 23

101 picks festivals history religion customs spirit houses architecture people hill tribes

sightseeing 25 28 30 31 32 33 38 39 40 41 42 44 45 48 49 51 52 54 56 58 60 62 64

arts 66 68 70 71

chiang mai route 101: chiang mai temples museums parks & zoos daytrips lampang chiang dao doi inthanon & mae chaem mae hong son pai mae sai chiang rai route 101: chiang rai the golden triangle hall of opium doi tung doi mae salong elephants motorbikes community based tourism the royal projects akha swing festival

galleries bookstores on location cinema

On the cover: A Lanna girl celebrates the Chiang Mai Flower Festival

table of

contents food & drink 72 74 75 76 77 80 87 88

cafĂŠ culture lanna cuisine my lanna country kitchen spirits street eats chiang mai khantoke hold the rice

nightlife 90 91 92 94 96 98

chiang mai live music bars & pubs clubs cocktail bars lanna at night

shopping

100 markets 102 malls 103 chiang mai

accommodation 106 hotels

103

106

116

wellness

116 spas & springs

sports 118 120 122 123

activities adventure flying & driving muay thai

community 124 courses

reference

126 survival thai 127 contacts 128 transport

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Who needs beaches and skyscrapers when you’ve got waterfalls and temples? Lanna is our favourite part of the country, and here are a few reasons why.

101 picks

open air

thai style

natural wonders

shopping

lanna flavour

■ Night Safari While admittedly we don’t know the names of all the animals here, we do know that they come alive at night.

■ Temples Sometimes seeming that it has more temples than people (well, almost), Lanna is all about meritmaking and spirituality.

■ Huay Tung Tao Enjoy papaya salad (som tum) while sat alongside a languid lake. Minutes from town but feels like a world away.

■ Walking Street Chiang Mai’s giant outdoor market features numerous handmade items boasting artistic and culinary skill.

■ Khao Soy This exquisite and spicy curry noodle soup concoction will render you speechless; we mean that quite literally.

■ Chiang Mai’s Old City district Strolling around this network of tiny lanes gives you a chance to see Thai life up close.

■ Massage You can’t walk ten metres without running into a top-drawer massage parlour at any village, town or city.

■ Doi Suthep Take in the amazing views of Lanna’s unofficial capital city, Chiang Mai, from this peaceful hilltop lookout.

■ Night Bazaar This Chiang Mai favourite is the place in Lanna to load up on knickknacks. Let’s get ready to haggle!

■ Boutique Dining Take par t in Lanna’s ongoing culinary renaissance at one of the many world-class restaurants opning up.

■ Mae Rim This green area is full of elephant camps, extreme adventure and plenty of wacky naturethemed attractions.

■ Thai Cooking Classes Thailand is rightfully world famous for its cuisine and cooking. Now you can be too!

■ Pai This tiny tourist hamlet is fast becoming worldfamous for its rustic charm, and ‘Pai in the Sky’ catchphrase.

■ Ban Tawai & San Kamphaeng These handicraft villages are loaded with the fruits of northern Thai imagination.

■ Khantoke While it can come across as a little contrived, this dinner is also a fun course in Lanna and hill tribe traditions.

■ Wiang Kum Kam This remarkable slice of the past contains the remains of King Mengrai’s original kingdom.

■ Elephants Endless opportunities for pachyderm doings abound up North, from learning to be a mahout to bathing with them.

■ Doi Inthanon The highest point in Thailand is also one of its most beautiful, making it worth every cent to get to the top.

■ Tha Phae Road This long Chiang Mai boulevard is peppered with boutiques and galleries geared towards traveller tastes.

■ Café Culture As well as cafes across the north, make sure you visit Chiang Mai’s ‘coffee Lane’, a peoplewatcher’s paradise.

■ Buak Hat Park Makes the perfect spot for a quick snack and a little breather when touring the Old City in Chiang Mai

■ Monk Chat All you wanted to know about nirvana but were afraid to ask is just a conversation away. So don’t be shy, say hi!

■ Waterfalls Dotted all over the north, these offer the chances to swim, commune with nature and picnic with friends.

■ Kad Luang Jumbled, gritty and often odiferous, this central market is great fun, and worth spending an hour or two in.

■ Pubs & Clubs From chic to shabby, and everything in between, the northern nightlife scene has something to suit everyone.

■ The Royal Flora Ratchaphruek Lef t over from the 2006 expo, this huge expanse of gardens is free and still pretty.

■ Spas Northern Thailand is rapidly becoming spa central for the world, so there’s no reason not to indulge in a bit of luxe.

■ Doi Angkhang This little-known paradise close to the Myanmar border is home to one of the original Royal Projects.

■ Airport Plaza & Kad Suan Kaew Lanna’s best shopping malls offer a little aircon escape from the humid streets outside.

■ Spicy Sausage Known as sai oua, this famous Chiang Mai sausage packs a real punch, and comes packed full of local Lanna flavour.

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www.lanna101.com

ulture and calm

51/4 Sankampaeng Road Moo 1 T. Tasala A. Muang, Chiang Mai 50000, Thailand T: +66 (53) 888 888 www.mandarinoriental.com/chiangmai

S N A P S H OT S

festivals

January

14-16 January Umbrella & Handicraft Festivals Borsang & San Kamphaeng It’s time for souvenir hunters to get their wallets ready. Often referred to as the ‘Umbrella Village’, every year Borsang presents a plethora of prettily painted paper parasols. Nearby San Kamphaeng also gets in on the act with its own handicrafts fair. 21-23 January Pai Reggae Festival Huay Tung Tao Lake, Chiang Mai. A beautifully laidback magnet for those who like to take things slow, where better to hold a reggae festival than Pai? But this year’s knees-up will be held in Chiang Mai, featuring Ky-mani Marley. Tickets: B1500 three day pass, available from www.paireggaefest.com

February

3 February Chinese New Year In some parts of Asia, Chinese New Year can turn tourism into a crippling, 12

overcrowded affair, but in Chiang Mai it’s far more quaint and manageable. Welcome in the Year of the Rabbit around Warorot market, which is where the local Chinese community congregates. The ornate Chinese temple located there will be a hub of activity, and the streets will be festively decorated with red lanterns and an assortment of unexpected explosions and quirky snacks. 4-6 February Flower Festival Chiang Mai Outside of California’s Rose Parade, you’ve probably never seen such amazing things done with flowers. Head down to Buak Hat park at the Southwest corner of the Old City and check out amazing floats festooned with fanciful, exuberant floral designs that would melt even the coldest Bauhaus heart. There’ll also be several floral art installations and the requisite beauty contests, music, and petal items for purchase. Make sure to wear some flowers in your hair. 11-13 February Strawberry Fair Samoeng All together now, “Are you going to Strawberry Fair…” oh, hang on that was Scarborough. Never mind. If you like your fruit small, red and juicy, head out to Samoeng, where over 7,000 tonnes of the things are produced every year. There’ll be dancing, beauty pageants (yes, Miss Strawberry 2011) and a million different ways to eat those yummy little things. February 14 Lanna Wedding Festival Elephant Conservation Centre, Lampang Want to make a really big romantic statement? Get married, or renew your vows, on elephant back on Valentine’s Day amid grand traditional pageantry. Imagine lovely silken Lanna costumes, wedding reception and overnight accommodation all snapshots

included in the package. Over 50 couples have celebrated this way so far. Or come along and watch, it’s all part of the daily elephant show.

March

13 March National Elephant Day Mae Rim If you’ve already realised how much Thailand loves its elephants, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that they have their own holiday. The folks over at the Lampang Elephant Conservation Centre shut down for a day of rest, but in Mae Rim, a few kilometres north of Chiang Mai, the Mae Sa Elephant camp takes another approach with a giant buffet for the creatures and a spot of basketball and football. Go to www.maesaelephantcamp.com

April

1-5 April Train & Horse Carriage Festival Lampang Town Before the railroad linked Lanna with Bangkok, travel between the two regions took weeks and possibly longer. Lampang town commemorates those rugged, romantic days with exhibits of old-fashioned modes of transport and elaborate outfits of yesteryear, a light-and-sound show, and heaps of locals fetching up in cowboy and cowgirl gear. Yeehaaa! www.lanna101.com

S N A P S H OT S

4-7 April Poi Sang Long Wat Muai Taw, Mae Hong Son One of the most colourful, if curious, festivals in Thailand, Poi Sang Long consists of dressing up little boys in garish, gleeful costumes and parading them around town. It’s meant to afford them special honour before shaving off their hair, discarding their finery and entering the monkhood for several months. A funny, photogenic delight any way you look at it.

3-9 April Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes Now one of the world’s most popular amateur sporting tournaments, teams come from all corners of the cricketing world to participate in this fun competition in the quasi-colonial ambience of Thailand’s oldest sporting club, the Gymkhana Club 9-13 April Salung Luang Lampang This festival centres on a large procession of the Emerald Buddha image (believed to have originated in Chiang Rai with the original now in the Grand Palace, Bangkok), accompanied by a procession of the grand alms bowl for donation of food to monks. The transportation of sand to temples also plays a part. Ask a local to explain it to you.

May

13-15 April Songkran Nationwide The biggest festival of the year is as wet as it gets – and in Chiang Mai it’s longer and louder than anywhere else in the country. Though the citywide water fight is meant to last three days, most locals here spread it out over a week. Set your hydrophobia aside and join the fray – if nothing else it’ll help you cool off in the hottest month of the year. 1-9 April Chiang Mai Art & Culture Festival Chiang Mai This is essentially a festival designed to capitalise on the incredible popularity of Songkran. Events of various shapes and sizes run throughout the fortnight, including live performances, puppet shows, exhibitions, beauty pageants, markets, and everything else. 14

10-17 May City Pillar Inthakin Festival Chiang Mai This weeklong opportunity to pay obeisance and ensure fertility for the rainy season draws folks from all over the North. Parades snake through the town and end up at Chedi Luang temple, which houses the city pillar. During the week vast crowds show up here to light candles, chant and pray that the Spirit of the Rains returns the favour. Mid-May Lanna Giant Drum Festival Lamphun As the name suggests, this festive occasion is devoted to the banging of the drum. Modern techno parties have nothing on this festival, where the gigantic thumping beats keep everyone frenzied as they celebrate the making of loud noises by hitting things with sticks. 22-24 May Lychee Festival Chiang Rai Thailand loves fruit festivals and Chiang Rai is resolutely on the bandwagon snapshots

with their annual Lychee Fest. Perhaps the most internationally famous of the Thai fruits, expect to see it presented in innumerable ways – including snacks, desserts, juices, wines, and even as part of costumes worn by contestants in the Miss Lychee beauty contest. Sounds sweet. 17 May Visakha Bucha Day Doi Suthep Commemorating the birth, enlightenment and passing away of Buddha, all of which happened on the same day of the year, this festival is the holiest on the Buddhist calendar. Faithful monks and pilgrims show their devotion by walking all the way up the 12km mountain road to Doi Suthep, where they make offerings to Lord Buddha and light candles.

June

10 June Pu Sae Ya Sae (Liang Dong) Ceremony Wat Doi Kham, Chiang Mai Think you’ve seen it all? Well feast your eyes on this extraordinary festival of ritualised gore. According to legend, Lord Buddha persuaded a brother and sister to give up their cannibalistic ways, but allowed them to instead eat buffalo flesh once a year. As their spirits are believed to be watching over Chiang Mai, they are ritually appeased by a spiritual representative who openly tucks into raw buffalo meat and blood on their behalf. Not for the faint-hearted.

July

16 July Khao Phansa All temples nationwide Often translated as ‘Buddhist Lent’, this is the traditional time of year when monks returned to the monasteries to cease their itinerant wanderings. This provided them with shelter from the storms and also prevented them from treading on the new rice shoots. Of course, since most monks live full time in the monasteries these www.lanna101.com

days, the celebration is now more symbolic than practical, but it’s still seen as a time of ‘going inwards’ to seek spiritual renewal. Seeking to jettison any accrued bad karma, laypeople make offerings at their local temples.

August

12 August Mother’s Day & Queen’s Birthday Nationwide Chosen to coincide with Queen Sirikit’s birthday, this holiday serves the dual purpose of honouring the ‘mother of the nation’ as well as Thai mothers’ faithful service in doing their part to keep the nation well-populated, well-reared, and well-behaved.

around the world, we’ll never know. But one thing’s for certain – you owe it to yourself to check out rolling Thai hills carpeted with the giant yellow blooms. Especially lovely at sunrise, you’ll be assured of a truly buena vista (‘good view’) and the added colourful spectacle of hilltribes people in their colourful costumes.

December

September

10-11 September Phitsanulok Boat Races Phitsanulok No one is sure where the boat racing tradition came from, but it most likely was to do with preparing troops for war. Today, it’s more about attracting tourists and is consequently a much more fun pastime. The biggest, most beautiful boat races in the country take place on the Nan River in Phitsanulok, and follow the annual offering of saffron robes to a revered Buddha image. 12 September Moon Cake Festival Chiang Mai Dedicated to Chang E, the mythical Chinese goddess of the moon, sweet yolk-filled pastries known as mooncakes are consumed for the duration of the festival. Though many find them as delightful to eat as doorstops, others are quite fond of the heavy filling. Hotels and restaurants often fashion special recipes filled with uncommon flavourings, such as ice-cream.

November

1-5 November Mexican Sunflower Festival Doi Mae Ukor, Mae Hong Son How Mexican sunflowers got halfway www.lanna101.com

further – by sending off floating lanterns (loy khum) into the sky. Rather than honouring any god or goddess, this is a way to discard one’s sins by sending them into the ether. During the San Sai Yee Peng festival, crowds gather and send 5,000 of these flame-powered paper balloons into the heavens from a spot in Mae Jo district (about 10km north of the city), providing one of the most surreal, stunning sights you’re ever likely to witness. The entire sky is illuminated for an hour or so with currents of illuminated dots of light.

9-10 November Loi Kratong Nationwide Second only to Songkran in size and significance, no place in the country celebrates the holiday with more style and enthusiasm than Chiang Mai. Overlapping with another regional festival called ‘Yee Peng’, it’s quite possibly the best time to visit the town, especially considering that the rainy season has normally drawn to a close and the temperatures are cool. Aside from amazing parades with artfully-decorated floats and all sorts of festive behaviour, the principal activity are the floating kratongs down the river – essentially little baskets carrying a few baht and blessings for the river goddess. Try to ignore the miscreants downriver waiting to scoop the money out – in spiritual matters, it’s the thought that counts. 5-11 November Yee Peng Chiang Mai Yee Peng takes the Loy Kratong concept of floating vehicles one step snapshots

2-5 December Nimmanhaemin Art & Design Promenade Chiang Mai Nimmanhaemin Soi 1 has been the centre of the Chiang Mai art scene for years, a fact that this glamorous, funky annual festival helps reinforce. With regular musical performances, interactive art demonstrations for both adults and kids, booths selling fabulous artistic creations, and Chiang Mai’s most celebrated aesthetes in attendance, it’s one of this traditionally-oriented town’s most unique and contemporary events. 10-14 December Mardi Gras Chiang Mai Certainly this annual Chiang Mai-based festival is strangely-named; given that Mardi Gras is a Christian holiday that takes place around March, and is often associated with the southern American city of New Orleans. However, the connection with Mardi Gras has nothing to do with biblical tradition at all – rather it’s all about copying the glamorous aspects of Carnival as celebrated in America and Brazil. Expect the loveliest and most talented of Chiang Mai’s cross-dressing community to come out in full force on the Night Bazaar-located stage, and lip-synch the night away to classic songs such as ‘I’m Every Woman’ and ‘I Will Survive’. All dates and details correct at time of print 15

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Doi Suthep

customs history

ack in the 14th century, when Bangkok was nothing more than a village, the northern kingdom of Lanna (‘One Million Rice Fields’) was already a centre of art and culture, and a major player in regional trade. Chiang Mai was its capital. Having ruled the Lanna kingdom previously from Chiang Saen and then later Chiang Rai, King Mengrai ultimately decided to administer Lanna from the banks of the lovely Ping River. Unfortunately, the river proved ignorant of the great king’s plans and the first site was flooded, an area today known as Wiang Kum Kam. Prudently, the king moved his settlement a few kilometres away to what is presently known as the Old City: a striking, walled fortification surrounded by a picturesque and protective moat. ‘Nophaburi Sri Nakorn Ping Chiang Mai’ was founded by Mengrai in 1296, in association with two other regional kings, King Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai and King Ngam Muang of Phayao. Indeed, these three kings

are emblematic of the city, and their likenesses can be seen throughout town. As Thai citizens are obliged to graciously wai the kings as they walk past, you won’t miss them. During the course of their reigns, the three kings managed to consolidate much of the power in the region, thwarting Mongol invaders in the 13th century and overthrowing the native Mon, inhabitants of the region for some 500 years prior. Lanna’s fortunes grew rapidly, and by the 16th century its boundaries extended as far south as Sukhothai and clear across to the borders of Burma and China. Of course, they were contentious times, and so it was that shortly after reaching its glorious apex Chiang Mai began to suffer crippling losses. Thailand’s greatest historical adversary, Burma, repeatedly attacked the kingdom and its capital, and it was finally forced to succumb. Lanna would become a Burmese vassal for the next 200 years. Ayutthaya in the south tried repeatedly to repulse the Burmese but snapshots

was only intermittently successful, and ultimately fell to the Burmese in 1767. It is not surprising, then, that Thai history books paint this time as a dark period. Yet rescue was just around the corner. Taksin, the King of Bangkok, was able to mount a brilliant military campaign and drive the Burmese away once and for all in 1774. His heroic efforts precipitated the union of the broad stretch of territories thereafter known collectively as Siam, and 150 years afterwards as Thailand. Though centuries of nationbuilding since then have smoothed out many of the differences between Lanna and the rest of Thailand, the north still exhibits a unique, gentle character that sets it apart from the rest of the country. And though modernisation has been swift, the legacy of old times is still seen everywhere. Chiang Mai’s lovely city walls, gates and moat, together with its distinctive architecture and temples serve as everyday reminders of the city’s, and Lanna’s, magnificent and charming 700 year history. www.lanna101.com

Location ■ Next to Wat Chiang Man, the historic birthplace of Chiang Mai ■ Down a quiet, peaceful lane ■ Only a few steps from the famous ‘Sunday Walking Street’, shops, bars and restaurants

Facilities+ style ■ Fully equipped kitchenette ■ Cosy and tastefully decorated ■ Exclusive address that feels more like a private home than luxury serviced residence ■ Finished to high-end Western standards, with experienced Swiss-Thai management team

11/1 Soi 13 Praprok-klao Road, T. Sriphoom, A. Muang, Chiang Mai 50200 Tel: + 66 53 225 000 Fax: + 66 53 215 338 www.chiangmaifrangipani.com

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religion

Did you know?

ost Thais (over 90 per cent) are tales of his former lives, called jataka), so most Thai Buddhist Theravada Buddhists, with the rest of the Thais focus on attaining a better rebirth through monks once population Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and ‘making merit’ – donating to the poor or a dyed their Hindus. Older animist beliefs also remain, practiced temple, or handing out rice to monks during own robes alongside a version of the Buddhism that originated their morning alms-gathering processions. with colour with the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, extracted from Nearly all Thai Buddhist men will turmeric and Buddha, in India around the 6th century BC. become monks during their lives, if only for a the heartwood short time. Women cannot be ordained, but Theravada Buddhism is based on the three concepts of dukkha (suffering), anicca and leaves from some become nuns instead, although their jackfruit trees. (impermanence and transience), and anatta numbers remain low. Contrary to Western Now most (impermanence of the self) – suffering arises perceptions of Buddhism as a religion above robes come through attachment to impermanent conditions. the fray of everyday life, monks and nuns have chemically By working to completely extinguish attachment launched HIV-education and drug prevention dyed. through meditation and proper conduct, Buddhist campaigns, orphanages, and other social practitioners can eventually attain spiritual programmes. More controversially, a number of enlightenment (nirvana), freeing them from monks have been advocating for Buddhism to be enshrined cycles of rebirth. A soul is reborn according to its in the constitution as Thailand’s official state religion. progress (or lack of) towards nirvana, with animals forming lower strata and monks occupying the top. For more information on meditation, visit the website of The Buddha himself took 550 lives to become the World Fellowship of Buddhists at www.wfb-hq.org and enlightened (mural paintings in Thai temples often depict the homepage of Vipassana meditation at www.dhamma.org

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customs Did you know? Every day has a corresponding colour in Thailand, and throngs of locals will don a yellow shirt to show their respects and celebrate the 80th birthday of the King, who was born on the yellow-themed Monday.

oreign visitors to Thailand are not expected to understand all the intricate subtleties of Thai customs (for there are many), but by learning something about them and trying to incorporate them into your behaviour, you will show respect for local people and avoid some potentially embarrassing situations. In Lanna, and Thailand as a whole, two institutions have particular importance: the monarchy and religion. The Monarchy Thai people love their king with deep reverence for the monarchy. By way of proof, portraits of their majesties are displayed in most shops and businesses. Like anybody else, you are expected to be respectful towards members of the royal family. Therefore, stand quietly when the national anthem is played, which happens daily at 8am and 6pm in parks and other public places. Social hierarchy Age, social rank, lineal descent, salary and education are all considerations for social

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conduct. Such hierarchy is demonstrated at every moment of the day, even the way of greeting. Thais don’t usually shake hands but rather wai (a prayer-like gesture with hands clasped in front of the face). This action means ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ but also shows respect and humility. The higher the hands are raised, the more respect is being paid. Losing face Thais are known to be patient and calm. Being jai yen (cool-hearted) is highly admired in Thai culture. Any impulsive reactions that may show annoyance (i.e. raising your voice) are considered unseemly, counterproductive and can make you ‘lose face’. Losing your temper should be avoided; things will work themselves out much better if you remain calm. Practise the words mai pen rai (meaning “never mind”). Body parts The head is considered to be the most sacred part of the body while the feet are the lowest, hence the most impure. For this reason, it is impolite snapshots

to pat or touch somebody on the head (this applies even to children) and it is particularly rude to point your feet at somebody or to place them on a table or a chair. Pointing the finger at other people is also considered impolite – best to gesture with an open hand.

TEMPLE ETIQUETTE Certain rules of respect should be followed when visiting temples: ■ Dress properly (long trousers or dresses, covered shoulders) ■ Remove your shoes at the entrance of temple buildings ■ Don’t step on the threshold ■ Don’t sit pointing your feet towards a Buddha image ■ Avoid touching Buddha images or chedis (funeral monuments) ■ Be considerate when taking photographs of people in prayer ■ Buddhist monks are forbidden to touch or be touched by women. So, if a woman gives something to a monk, she must first put it on a piece of cloth 19

S N A P S H OT S

spirit houses Mike Pearce

isitors to Lanna (and Thailand in general) invariably ask what those ‘little bird-house-like structures’ are found in gardens, outside offices, and in front of shopping malls. Why do Thai people wai a birdhouse, offering miniature elephants, horses and various types of food? Is it all for the birds’ entertainment? Of course, those houses aren’t really for the birds. They are spirit houses, built in the belief that it may not just be the living who call Lanna home. Turns out spirits also require basic comforts, like food, water, entertainment and a place to live. Luckily for inhabitants of the afterlife, spirit houses are common throughout the country. A phram (a person qualified to set up and maintain spirit houses) will tell you that they come in three main variations: sarn phra-phom, sarn phra-phuum, and sarn jao-tee. The well-known Erawan shrine at the Grand Hyatt Erawan in Bangkok is possibly the best-known example of sarn phra-phom. Brahma, the creator god of the material world, is the occupant, and if you want to ask him for a special favour, he is supposed to be particularly fond of offerings of teak elephants. 20

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Sarn phra-phuum are occupied by an angel named Phra Phuum, who is the first son of a mythical giant named Palee, an arrogant megalomaniac who tried, and failed, to outsmart the Buddha. He was consequently demoted and his nine sons were thereafter charged with protecting human beings from sinister spirits. Phra Phuum is there to protect the house and those within it, and if an appropriate dwelling is not erected and Phra Phuum is not invited to live in it, all hell (literally) could break loose with Phi Krasue, Phi Pop and other nasty entities wandering around. The last type is sarn jao-tee, erected for those spirits who previously owned a certain property. The current human landlords respect the right of the ethereal former owners to remain – even if they didn’t know them when they were alive. So, though these shrines may sometimes be visited by friendly (and hungry) birds from time to time, they are in fact home to some very important residents. A final note: mind your manners when close to the family spirit house, especially if you’re married to a Thai person. After all, it may just be home to some ancient in-laws. www.lanna101.com

architecture Joe Cummings

Wat Amararam

Wat Prasingh

Wat Suan Dok

Wat Chedi Luang

orthern Thai temple compounds owe their basic layouts to ancient Sinhalese designs brought to Lanna by monks visiting from Sri Lanka. The typical Lanna wat contains at the very least an uposatha (sim in Northern Thai dialect), a consecrated chapel where monastic ordinations are held; along with a vihara (wihaan in Thai), where important Buddha images are housed and where the lay community convene to hear sermons from the temple abbot. Both structures favour thick, fortress-like walls of plastered brick with substantially smaller window openings compared to the windows of temples farther south. Aside from being more suited to the cooler northern latitudes, the smaller openings allowed such buildings to function as a temporary place of defence in times of attack. These buildings are typically topped with three offset roof tiers in descending height from back to front. Roof eaves often sweep close to the ground, creating a dramatic tented effect. Next to the wihaan stands the compound’s principle stupa (thaat in Northern Thai), a solid cone-shaped monument that pays tribute to the enduring stability

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of Buddhism. Most stupas are said to contain sacred relics – usually pieces of bone or monastic possessions belonging to the historical Buddha or to highly respected monks – as well as other consecrated objects, including jewelled Buddha images and prayer scrolls. The classic Lanna-style stupa features an elaborate octagonal base and a geometric dome with reticulated corners. Other structures typically found in Lanna wat compounds include one or more open-sided shelters (saa-laa) for community meetings and Dhamma lectures; a number of monastic cottages (ku-ti); a Tipitaka library (haw tai) where Buddhist scriptures are stored; and a drum tower (haw kawng). In many Lanna wat you’ll also find a small monastery spirit house (haw phee wat), standing on wooden supports and dedicated to the temple’s reigning earth spirit. Lanna decorative motifs are also unique. Lanna sim and wihaan often prominently feature a mythical serpent-like creature with a dragon’s head (naga in Pali-Sanskrit; naak-kha in Tai dialects). These can be found mounted at the ends of the bargeboards, at the top of roof gables and in stucco reliefs over doors and gateways. snapshots

S N A P S H OT S

people Joe Cummings

orn at the crossroads of Asian trading routes between southwestern China and the Andaman Sea, the area once known as Lanna has flourished for nearly a millennium as an entreat where peoples from China, Laos, Burma and Thailand traded goods and ideas in a fusion of cultures. Even in the 21st century it retains a strong identity. The largest province is Chiang Mai, which has a population of around 1.5 million, while the municipality itself holds an estimated 250,000. Although often cited as Thailand’s second largest city, it actually ranks fifth in that category. Aside from language, there are many cultural differences that set northerners apart from central and southern Thais. While the central Thais cremate their dead in temple crematoriums, northern Thais traditionally use cremation grounds located some distance from the village. This custom probably has its origins in pre-Buddhist Thai tribal societies, in which special areas were set aside. Other groups who speak Thai dialects in the North include the Thai Lu, Shan (also known as Thai Yai or Ngiaw, and Black Thai (Thai Dam), all of whom share many customs. Chinese residents form an active minority in Lanna, particularly in Chiang Mai, where they tend to operate small businesses in the eastern part of the city near Tha Phae and Chang Moi roads. Chinese – or those of mixed Chinese and Thai parentage – also run many of the factories

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outside of town en route to Lamphun. Most can trace their ancestry to Fujian and Guangzhou provinces in China. More numerous are the jeen haw or Hui, Chinese Muslims who emigrated from Yunnan to Thailand in the late 19th century to avoid religious and ethnic persecution during the Qing dynasty. They are joined by ex-Kuomintang soldiers from southwestern China who fled the victorious Chinese Communists in 1949. Northern Thailand’s hill tribes, called chao khao (literally ‘mountain people’) by the Thais, frequently come down from their highland homes to trade in cities of the North, adding another significant element to northern Thai culture. The most commonly encountered hill tribes are Akha, Karen, Hmong and Lisu. Tourists on jungle treks routinely visit and stay with them in their own villages. Although they are spread around the region, most foreigners reside in the Chiang Mai area, either part-time or year-round. Chiang Mai residents often comment that living there has all the cultural advantages of being in Bangkok, but fewer of the disadvantages such as traffic gridlock and air pollution. In recent years, however, traffic has increased and the city’s major thoroughfares have in fact become somewhat noisy and polluted. Still, the narrow winding lanes of the walled city and older neighbourhoods to the east maintain Chiang Mai’s essential character. www.lanna101.com

Snapshots

hill tribes Words & photos Andrew Bond

here would Lanna tourism be without all the colourful hill tribes? Trekking to remote mountain villages to stay among these minority groups is one of the most popular activities in northern Thailand. Because of the often stateless status of many hill-tribe villagers, keeping track of their population numbers proves as challenging as hauling a basket of rice up a mountainous slope. The best official guesses range from 300,000 to 600,000, consisting of eight main groups, most of who have migrated into the area in the past 150 years, originating in Yunnan, northern Burma and even Tibet. Primitive, poor and often marginalised, the hill tribes prefer to live undisturbed in the uplands, noted for their distinctive costumes. Sadly, hill tribes still tend to occupy the lowest rung on Thailand’s deeply ingrained status hierarchy. Since many are long residing refugees originating from Burma without proper papers, their movements and rights are restricted, often leading to exploitation. Whereas drug running, prostitution and working illegally compromises them, receiving money for hosting trekking groups and selling their wares is one of the few legitimate ways of boosting their meagre subsistence income. Visiting a hill tribe village can be an incredibly rewarding experience: seeing how these people live may offer a new perspective on your own lifestyle. Visitors should be aware, however that the reality of hill tribe life does not always chime with the picture postcard image. You may well run into pipe smoking old men with craggy faces, and traditionally-dressed young women grinning to each other as they put the finishing touches to a decorative shawl, but not always. In fact, for most hill tribes located within a leisurely trek of Thai towns, those images have little to do with their actual lives. Unless you venture far into the hills, you are more likely to see teenage boys in Linkin Park T-shirts than elaborate cotton smocks. The reality is that many hill tribe communities struggle to get by, and by letting trekking groups come to view their village and maybe stay the night – what some may refer to as the human zoo syndrome – they are getting a bit of extra money for daily necessities. This is particularly the case at the so-called ‘Long Neck Villages’, where Karen women who traditionally wear brass rings around their necks pose for photographs and sell souvenirs. Whether you consider this kind of thing dignified or not is a personal matter and the onus is on the tourist to be sympathetic to their circumstances. It’s not the best of worlds, but it’s a unique culture nevertheless. There are plenty of reputable trekking companies out there, and it’s usually pretty easy to distinguish those who are respectful of hill tribe communities from more exploitative operations that are just out for a quick buck.

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snapshots

S N A P S H OT S

Akha

Perhaps the most down-trodden of the hill tribes, the Akhaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distinctive eyes hint at their Tibetan origins. Mostly found in Chiang Rai province, like the Karen, many are refugees from Burma. Noted for their oral ancestral history and Swing Festival, they can be found hawking at the night markets and are distinguished by their intricate headdress of coins, beads and shells.

Among the more sophisticated of the tribes, the Karen (the largest group in Chiang Rai) mostly occupy a strip along the Salween River in Mae Hong Son province, with many more in the Karenni State inside Myanmar. They farm lowlands, and are noted for basket weaving. Karen are distinguishable by their unique red or white cotton tunics.

Hmong

The second largest group, most commonly found in Chiang Mai province, the Hmong benefit from integration through cooperatives. Fiercely independent, they helped fight communists in Laos on behalf of the CIA in the 1970s. Distinguished by heavily embroidered costumes (women) and smart baggy trousers (men).

A small and impoverished hill tribe found along the Burmese border in the North, especially in Doi Angkhang. Known as Musor (hunter in Burmese), Lahu villages consist of bamboo huts with stilts on steep hillsides. Distinguished by black and red jackets (women) and bright green baggy pants (men).

Lisu

Lua

Also known as the Yao, the Mien are the shyest of the tribes, confined to villages in Chiang Rai and limited trekking routes. They have deep Chinese influences, with a written language based on Chinese. Fine silversmiths and embroiderers, they practice polygamy and are distinguished by red and black embroidered costumes and the unique red fur boasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; worn around their necks.

The newest hill-tribe in Chiang Mai originates from the Shan State in Burma. They number more than 2000 and live in six villages in the Doi Ang Khang and Chiang Dao areas where they are skilled crop farmers. They are devout Buddhists with a Buddhist temple as well as a shrine for propitiating the spirits found in each village. Only Palaung women wear costume, usually a bright blue long-sleeved jacket and a red skirt with horizontal white stripes. Their large belts made of rattan coils supposedly protect them and help them get to heaven.

Lahu

Considered the prettiest of the hilltribe women, the Lisu roam the markets in Pai and Mae Hong Son. Originating from Tibet, they keep livestock and cultivate vegetables, living above 1000m. Their bright, multi-coloured hats and accessories are commonly sold at markets. Distinguished by bright purple and peach frocks with elaborate headgear.

Of all hill-tribes the Lua have been in Chiang Mai the longest. They are thought to have originated from the Lawa and over the years many have integrated. A group of Lua has maintained a distinct identity, especially in upland villages such as Bo Luang where they prefer to live on the crests of hills to practice wet-rice cultivation. They believe in good and bad spirits and profess a belief in Buddhism. The women may wear costumes that have blue tunics and skirts to below the knees as well as a turban.

Mien

Karen

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Palaung www.lanna101.com

Doi Suthep

Chiang Mai Stu Lloyd

hink of Thailand, and the bustling markets of Bangkok or idyllic island beaches come to mind. Somewhat surprising then that Chiang Mai is usually considered its second city; a surprisingly small and relatively less-developed place nestled inland in the mountains of the far north. The town was captured from the Burmese in 1774, imparting a unique flavour to charming Chiang Mai – meaning ‘new city’ after the sacking of Chiang Rai and the flooding of Wiang Kum Kam – that of the ancient kingdom of Lanna (‘a million rice fields’) dating back over 700 years. The Ping River is the soul of this city which is laid out around 14th century moats, ramparts, 300 wats (temples) and towering chedis (pagodas) which lend a photogenic coffee-table book quality. Downtown, remnants of the city’s reconstructed red brick wall are interspersed with gateways into the Old City. While Thais are known for their happy-go-lucky ways, essentially the further north you go the softer the Lanna people become in their speech and their mannerisms. They love a good party here: bigger, better and longer than www.lanna101.com

elsewhere in Thailand … nowhere is the New Year water festival of Songkran in mid-April celebrated with more goodhumoured gusto (extra points scored for splashing tourists) and Loy Krathong in November is doubly enchanting with hot air lanterns released into the sky. All this adds to the magical allure of Chiang Mai, which many Thais from down south will readily admit is their favourite part of Thailand. The locals say ‘if you do not visit Doi Suthep you did not visit Chiang Mai’ as it is the signature of Chiang Mai. Especially when a stunning sunset silhouettes it while you watch over a river or lake setting. Doi Suthep is the mountain to the northwest, topped with the glittering Wat Phrathat temple dating back to 1383. There is a funicular railway, but try the 300step staircase decorated with naga (serpent) handrails that takes you to the 1000m summit from where visitors enjoy sweeping views over the forest to the city sprawled below. While it is neither the ‘new city’ nor a kingdom of a million rice fields anymore, Chiang Mai is still steeped in Lanna history, culture and feeling. All at your feet to enjoy. snapshots

To The Four Seasons To Sukantara Cascade

Kuang Singh

HW AY

Wat Jet Yot

HI G

Chang Phuak post office

Muand

R PE ay K

kot Rd .

aw ee

Chang Phuak Bus Station

Erawan

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Yesterday the Village

Wat Santitham

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Amari Rincome

Wat Ku Tao

Novotel Chaing Mai

aew

Patan

amphra

man Nim

Chang Phuak Gate

Wat Papao

Arak Rd.

Boonruang Rit Rd.

Suthep Rd.

Sri Phum post office

Suan Dok Gate.

Ratchadamnoen

Wat Phra Sing Rachamankha

Wat Chedi Luang

Wat Muen

Wat

Wat Jet Rin

Samlarn

lao Rd.

Arak Rd.

Rd.

Buak Haad Ngoen Kong Phrajao Mengrai Park

Suan Prung Gate.

Bamrung Buri Rd.

C.M.Gate.

Chang Lor Rd.

Chaloem Phra Kiat Park

i Ya

Ruam Padh

Nant

Wat Sti Suphan

Rd.

lai

ua W

Raj Chiang Saen Rd.

haram

Chinese

Mahid ol Rd.

Suan Prung

Tippanet Rd

Regional Postal Service (Head Quarters)

Kotchasan Rd.

Boonruang Rit Rd.

Ratchamanka Rd.

Phrapokk

Rd.

Wat Pan Tao

Police Station

Phra Singh post office

Tamarind Village

Moonmuang Rd.

Wat Suan Dok

Duang Champa

U Chiang Mai

Rd. wong Suriya

Neurotic Hospital

Inthawarorot Rd.

Maharaj

Wat Chiang Man

Chaiyaphum Rd. Moonmuang Rd.

3 Kings Monument

Suthep Rd

Wiang Kaeo Rd. Wat Dub Phai

Rd.

Chiang Mai-Ram

okklao

Phrap

Chiang Mai University Convention Center

Singharat Rd

Chang Puak

Wat Lok Molee

Maneenoparat Rd. Sriphum Rd.

Wat Dao Dueng

Wat Nantharam

OTOP Product Center

Maternity Health C

Japanese

Chiang Domestic & International Airport

Mahidol

Rd.

E Patana

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Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station

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Wat U-Pakut

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Loi Kroh

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g Rd.

Main post office i Rd.

Chiang Mai Railway Station

The Chedi

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Wat Chaimongkol

The Empress

Police Maternity&Child Station Health Centre

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Wat Dao Dueng

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To Ma ndari San K n Oriental ampha Dhara eng Borsa Dhevi; ng Flight of the Gibbo n

Kong Sa

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Wat Sridonchai Le Meridien Chiang Mai Plaza

Sri Don Chai Rd.

TAT

idge

Rd.

The Imperial Royal Mae Ping Princess

Nawarat Bridge

Wat Bupbharam

Kotchasan Rd.

te. Raj Chiang Saen Rd.

ote

Chaiyaphum Rd. Moonmuang Rd.

n Tao

Mc Cormick

Wat Sri Khong

Wat Ket Karam

Tamarind Village

Rd.

Bumrungrat Rd

U.S.A

Duang Champa

wa Na aew

gH un Th

Wat Papao

at Chiang Man

rat

Wat chetupon

Muang Mai

en aro

Park Market

Central Memorial

Hotel

ang

Police

lan

Embassy

. Rd

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Tourist info

River Ping Palace

Post office Holiday Inn Chiang Mai

RatiLanna

To Wiang Kum Kam

Hospital Landmark

Nong Hoy

Chiang Mai Map

sons scade

SIGHTSEEING

route 101

There’s no better way to explore the de facto capital of Lanna, Chiang Mai, than on foot. Here we present two walks to help you explore this fascinating city Three Kings Monument

THE OLD CITY

Thanon Sanam Kila

and Wat Chedi Luang. Also important is Wat Phra Singh, which lies just ten minutes walk westward. Once a week a significant portion of the Old City becomes a mandatory walking tour when the Sunday Walking Street shuts off all traffic and thousands of vendors and artisans display the fruits of their imagination, or sometimes just fruit. Don’t miss it – it is easily one of the most enjoyable shopping experiences in Asia. Finally, if you’re just looking for a relaxing day in the park, head to the southwest corner of the city, where Buak Hat Park awaits. Load up on snacks from street vendors and enjoy a picnic. Soi 9

ay K

aew

Thanon Mani Nopharat

Soi 6

Pratu Tha Phae

Buak Hat Park

Thanon

Thanon Bunreuangrit

Thanon Ratchadamnoe

Thanon Sa m

lan

kklao Phra Po

Pratu Suan Prung

Soi 8 Soi 7

nai

ngharat

Thanon Ratwithi

rorot Thanon Inthawa

Thanon Ratchamankha

Buak Hat Park

Thanon Ratchaphakhi

Thanon Si

Thanon Wiang Kaew

Pratu Suan Dok

Th Suthep

Pratu Chang Pheuak

Thanon Bamrungburi

Pratu Chiang Mai

Thanon Moon Muang

Thanon Arak

Tha

non

Hut

sadis

awe e

Thanon Chang Pheuak

ne of the great joys of Chiang Mai’s Old City is walking through its maze of narrow medieval lanes, or sois, as they are known. Local colours abound, temples are everywhere, and picturesque glimpses of real life lurk around every corner. Start off at Somphet Market in the north eastern corner, where you can breakfast on pa thong go (soft, golden doughnuts) and hot soy milk, or lunch on spicy Chiang Mai sausage. If you arrive early enough you can watch saffron-clad monks from the nearby temples make their early morning alms round. Continue west a bit until you reach Chiang Mai’s oldest temple, Wat Chiang Man, said to have been built by King Mengrai shortly after founding Chiang Mai. A few small blocks southwards stands the Three Kings Monument, which commemorates Mengrai’s founding of the city way back in 1296 with the help of two other regional kings. Near to that is one of Chiang Mai’s most interesting and informative museums, the Chiang Mai City Arts and Cultural Centre. Also, just around the corner is the Women’s Prison, which has helped rehabilitate inmates by establishing a massage parlour, staffed by convicts. Snack endlessly as you wander around – the Old City is liberally peppered with vendors of excellent street food. Two more interesting temples lie a bit further south, Wat Pan Tao

Thanon Chang Lor

The Old City wall

sightseeing

wong

Thanon Thiphanet

ua W

n Suri

Thanon

a Th

Thano

Om Muan

lai

Kanchanaphisek Park

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Night Bazaar

THE RIVERSIDE

t Kao

ar oe

Sake

Muan

Doi

rat

a aw

Bamrungrat

N aew

Rd.

Soi 3

M ae N am

g Sam ut Rd

Ra he closer one gets to the river, the more worldly Chiang br ma I idg X Mai’s pursuits become – a legacy of the city’s mercantile e past, when trade was mostly plied by waterway. g n Extending eastwards from the old town to the Mae Ping River, both Tha Phae and Loi Kroh Roads feature shops showcasing indigenous artistic wares. Feeling a bit greedy? Then curb your materialism by stopping Wichayanon Rd. at several temples along the way. g Pin Further on, down by the river and slightly on akh ridge N b to the south of Tha Pae Road stands the . P ra Rd e isa ng idg wa ni century-old main market, Talad Warorot, tbr Tai Rd Foo . also known to locals as kad luang. This i Rd. ancient marketplace is said to be the g Mo Chan site of city founder King Mengrai’s death, when he was struck by lightning attracted by the golden amulets around his neck. Rd. Tha Phae Today it’s a wild melee of commercial enterprise where you can find virtually Soi 1 Tha Phae Road anything you’ll ever need, together with some stuff you’ll never want to see again. Soi 6 Loi Kro (Note: the squeamish should steer clear of the meat section). h Rd. For a breezy, relaxing respite from the bustle, one can opt for an early evening riverboat trip down the Mae Soi Anusan Ping, after which it’ll be time to resume shopping at Chiang Mai’s world-famous Night Bazaar, a junk-junkie’s paradise. Rd. Si Donchai Every kind of knock-off product you can imagine is here, but make sure to shop carefully and bargain vigorously – the vendors here can be rather on the unscrupulous side. There are also several interesting dining options here, a fun choice being the Kalare Centre food court, where you can enjoy lively performances of traditional Thai arts while tucking into every kind of quick cuisine imaginable. Otherwise, cross to the other side of the river and relax your bones at one of the riverside restaurants, most of which feature exceptional food, fine cocktails, and phenomenal live music. Lovers of old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll in particular should not miss the axe acrobatics of local guitar legend Khun Took at his venue, The Brasserie. Still got gas in your tank? Then head on over to the dusitD2 hotel for an exotic dusitD2 martini or Samo discotheque for an invigorating dance floor wiggle.

bridge

Charoen

Soi

Night Chang Bazaar Khlan R d.

Soi 4

Soi 1

aro

Pra

Pra c

the

Sam pha nR d. Chang Khlan Rd.

Kamphaeng Din Rd.

Lek bridge

Kotchasan Rd.

Muang R

hun Rd. Chiang Mai-Lamp

Soi 5

Soi 6

Khang M

ehn

ang

Rd.

Chalyaphum Rd.

Rd.

ong haw

Ratc

Nawarat

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sightseeing

SIGHTSEEING

Wat Chedi Luang

temples WAT CHEDI LUANG Temple of the Big Stupa, Phrapoklao Road, Phra Singh, 053-278-328 As you wander in off Phrapoklao Road, this temple doesn’t look like much, but venture into the back courtyard and you’ll happen upon an awesome, ancient stupa whose damaged condition only adds to its mystic allure. The chedi was mostly destroyed in a 16th century earthquake, and only restored with the aid of UNESCO in the 1990s. Furthermore, the world-famous emerald Buddha now housed in Bangkok’s Grand Palace was originally kept here in the 15th century. In 1995, rather belatedly, a replica made from black jade was commissioned and installed in the eastern niche. Today Chedi Luang is the prime location to observe major Buddhist holidays, as well as visit the City Pillar, called Sao Inthakin in Thai. For good luck you can place offerings and prayers in cans attached to pulleys and have them shuttled to the top of the chedi by earnest temple volunteers. The evening is the best time to visit, when the structure is beautifully lit up by amber flood lamps. Make sure to say a friendly hello to the giant tree at the entrance – legend states that the fate of Chiang Mai mirrors the health of the tree. If it falls, so will the city.

วัดเจดียห ลวง ถ.พระปกเกลา

WAT JET YOT Temple of the Seven Peaks, Soi Wat Jet Yot, Chiang Mai-Lampang Superhighway, 053-221-464 It’s no coincidence that this temple’s seven-spired square chedi was patterned after the sacred Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya, India, the place where the Buddha was enlightened. That’s because Wat Jet Yot was built especially for the 8th World Buddhist Council in 1447, a privileged event so rare it took place only every 200 years or so. Though badly damaged by 30

Burmese invaders in 1566, this nontouristy temple is still especially lovely and peaceful, boasting shady grounds and several unique decorative features, including charming bas-reliefs of Lannastyle Buddhist angels.

วัดเจ็ดยอด ซ.วัดเจ็ดยอด

WAT PHRA THAT DOI SUTHEP Temple of the Holy Bone at Suthep Mountain, Sriwichai Road, 053-295-000, www.doisuthep.com The origins of the most well-known temple in Chiang Mai, and perhaps all of Lanna, are shrouded in mystery. According to a much-loved legend, in 1368 the ruler of Lanna, King Nu Naone, placed a magical, glowing piece of the Buddha’s shoulder bone on the back of a white elephant (half, actually – the other half is at Wat Suan Dok). Struck by divine inspiration, the animall promptly charged up the mountain, made it halfway, and fell over dead. The king was advised that this was a portentous omen, so he ordered that a temple be built at the spot, enshrining the holy bone in what is today a huge, gold-covered chedi. Until 1935, the only way up the mountain was on foot by a dirt trail. Luckily, visitors today can make the 12km journey by car (red songthaew trucks below will take you for about B60 round-trip or B40 one-way). Nevertheless, challenges still await – you have to climb the 309 steps from the road to the temple by sightseeing

yourself. That is, unless you opt for the convenient confines of thecable car. On a clear day, the view from the temple lookout is magnificent.

วัดพระธาตุดอยสุเทพ ถ.ศรีวชิ ยั

WAT SUAN DOK Temple of the Flower Garden, Suthep Road, 053-808-411 Built around the same time as Doi Suthep by King Kue-Na, this temple was located on the grounds of the king’s own pleasure garden, and was designated as a place for a highly-revered Sukhothai monk to spend the rainy season. Over the years the temple came to be the final destination of choice for many of the great Lanna kings; the field of small, whitewashed chedis behind the temple’s main hall is home to a collection of royal ashes. Of course, the temple is also said to contain the other half of the Buddha’s supernatural shoulder bone, so the kings are certainly in good company. Aside from being especially photogenic, the Wat Suan Dok grounds have an unusually lively, friendly ambience, due in part to the fact that it hosts some eating establishments, an interesting curio shop, a Thai language school, and the most popular Monk Chat in town (5-7pm, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays). Note that the western gate of the city wall is known as ‘Suan Dok’ due to its proximity to the famous temple.

วัดสวนดอก ถ.สุเทพ

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CHIANG MAI CITY ARTS & CULTURAL CENTRE Phrapoklao Road, Sriphum (behind the Three Kings Monument), 053-217-793. Tue-Sun 8.30am-5pm (closed Mon). B90 adults, B40 children Broad in scope but with an affectionate attention to detail, this museum is Chiang Mai writ small – everything that makes the city charming is on display. Housed in a beautiful colonialstyle building in the centre of the old city, one flits from lovingly decorated room to room filled with cutely hallucinogenic dioramas of Chiang Mai’s history and peoples, narrated by a young American whose hilarious commentary borders on slapstick (one hopes the Chinese and Japanese versions are as much fun). Interactive activities such as traditional kitemaking and a wall in which your TV image is inserted into a crowd of locals are sure to induce additional giggles. Rotating exhibitions take place here as well – and fortunately they tend to be as oddly endearing as the museum itself.

หอศิลปวัฒนธรรมเชียงใหม ใกลอนุสาวรียสามกษัตริย

THE TRIBAL MUSEUM Head north of the city on the Mae Rim Road, (route 107). When you come to Rama IX Lanna Park, look for a sign on your left, 053-210-872. Daily 9am-4pm. Free If you plan to go trekking to some tribal villages, you’d do well to stop here beforehand. Surrounded by a peaceful manmade lake a few kilometres north of the Old City, this circular building offers visitors a cursory overview of the variety of different hill tribes, their beliefs and social structures. Most visitors are likely to go away with little more than a memory of traditional hill tribe haute couture, but it’s worth peering past the colourful clothing to the plight of these rare and tenacious pre-industrial populations struggling to subsist in the modern world.

พิพิธภัณฑชาวเขา ถ.แมริมสาย 107

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The Museum of World Insects & Natural Wonders

THE MUSEUM OF WORLD INSECTS & NATURAL WONDERS 72 Nimmanhaemin Road, Soi 13, 053-211-891. Daily 9am-6pm. B300 adults, B100 children It’s worth paying the B300 entrance fee for this little homespun hall built in praise of pests: those who enter will be richly rewarded with a shining jewel of unforgettable spiritual, environmental, entomological and a wealth of artistic outlandishness. Mr Manop, a former official in charge of malaria eradication in the area, has marshalled his vast knowledge of insects and transmitted it not only through informative displays of his vast collections, but also via an unusual collection of his own curious poetry, spiritual philosophies and vivid paintings. It’s kind-hearted Manop’s contention, for instance, that mosquitoes are unsung homeopathic heroes, helping to encourage us to develop immunity to diseases. Scattered poems which point the finger at mankind for being a far greater scourge than insects are translated into such innocent, imperfect English that you can’t help but smile.

พิพธิ ภัณฑแมลงโลกและสิง่ มหัศจรรย ธรรมชาติ ถ.นิมมานเหมินทร ซ.13 sightseeing

museums

WAT GATE KHARAM MUSEUM Charoenrat Road (runs along the east side of the river), north of Nawarat Bridge, 053-262-605. Daily 8.30am-3.30pm. Free As you may have deduced by now, most of Chiang Mai’s museums stand out less for their world-class collections than for their delightful idiosyncrasies. In this regard, one particular establishment may have them all beat. Over the course of the last century, this wacky museum on the Wat Gate temple grounds has collected an extraordinary array of quizzical bits and bobs, due in no small measure to the fact that it’s close to talad wororot, the city’s much-loved and longrunning central market. Highlights to look out for here include a rare flag from pre-democracy Thailand (then called Siam), a hand drawn white elephant on a stark red background; and various postwar publications mapping out the country’s first mincing steps towards modernisation. Watch your step, there’s so much stuff that you might trip – literally – down memory lane.

พิพิธภัณฑวัดเกตการาม ถ.เจริญราษฎร

SIGHTSEEING

parks & zoos Huay Tung Tao Humans everywhere have a deep affinity for large bodies of water, and Chiang Mai citizens are no exception. A giant man-made reservoir about 10km north of the city centre, Huay Tung Tao is not some boring old faceless pond either – it’s actually ringed by cute little thatched shelters and prettily bordered by Doi Pui mountain. Go for a swim or rent an inner tube for B20 for a float out around the lake, but note that you’ll be expected to order refreshments if you claim one of the rustic shelters. Head north from town on Irrigation Canal Road for about 7km. After you pass the 700Year Stadium, look for a sign and turn left. Another kilometre later you’ll find yourself at water’s edge. Daily 7am-7pm. Waterfalls & National Parks At just B200 (Thais pay B20) entrance fee, visiting the local waterfalls is an attractive proposition. Monthathan Waterfall is found in Doi Suthep National Park and can be reached about 3km up the road to the top of Doi Suthep. However, a more noteworthy experience can be found out on the Mae Rim road (see the Day Trips section), where entrance to the National Park affords you access to the much more impressive Mae Sa falls. Those who don’t want to pay to play can splash around in the Huay Kaew waterfalls for free, just up the road from Chiang Mai Zoo. However, if you’re really nuts about earthbound aqua, head on over to Doi Inthanon National Park, which boasts probably the best set of raging waters in the region. Royal Flora Ratchaphruek Gardens The most ambitious festival ever staged in Chiang Mai was the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek in the winter of 2006. It attracted millions of visitors from around the planet, raised a huge amount of baht, and helped put Chiang Mai firmly on the map. It’s still there, 32

Night Safari

operating, and free to the public. One can still spend a very pleasant few hours strolling around its still-thriving gardens and grounds, and every November an international show is staged. Off Canal Road, near Night Safari, 053-114-110.Tue-Sun 9.30am–6pm. Night Safari This entertaining nocturnal zoo is the biggest and most ambitious of its kind, covering twice the area and hosting double the number of exotic species as its Singaporean counterpart. Attracting some two million visitors a year, the animals appear genuinely well cared for and the fact that they’re observed during the evening (when most animals tend to be awake) means it’s arguably more humane than most daytime zoos. Hop on one of the few English-speaking trams for colourful and often humourous commentary. 33 Moo 12,Tambon Nongkwaii, Hang Dong, 053-999-079; www. chiangmainightsafari.com. Adults B500, children B300. English-speaking tram tours: Predator Prowl 7.30pm & 8.30pm. Savanna Safari 9.30pm & 10.15pm. Daily 11am-11pm. sightseeing

Chiang Mai Zoo With long, uncrowded trails snaking around generous, leafy grounds and a large selection of different animals (roughly 400 different species); this makes a conveniently located and pleasant escape from the burgeoning bustle of Chiang Mai. 100 Huay Kaew Road, 053-221-179; www.chiangmaizoo.com. Daily 8am.– 9pm. Adults B100, children B50

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■ DARAPIROM PALACE MUSEUM Dara Rasamee Military Camp, Mae Rim Road, 053-299-175. Daily 9am-4.30pm (closed Mon). B20 ■ IMAC ATVS Rintr Garden Resort Km 10, Mae Rim-Samoeng Road, 053-844-814, 081-881-4065; www.atvthai.com. Trips: 9am, 12pm & 3pm ■ LANNA GOLF CLUB Chotana Rd, Chang Puek, 053-221911; www.golflannachiangmai.com. Daily 6am-8pm. Weekdays B1,200, weekends B1,400 ■ LANNA SHOOTING CLUB Chotana Road, Mae Sa, Mae Rim, 053-221-911. Daily 5.30am-8pm ■ NONG HO HORSE RACING Off Chiangmai-Fang Rd, Changphueak, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai, 053-221974 ■ MAE SA ELEPHANT CAMP Mae Rim, 053-206-247. Daily 7am3pm. B120 adults, B80 children. ■ MAE SA SNAKE FARM Mae Rim, 053-860-719. Daily 9am5pm. B200 adults, B100 children. ■ MONKEY CENTRE Mae Rim Valley (20 minutes’ drive from Chiang Mai),053-044123; www. monkeycentre.com. Daily 10.30am4.30pm. B200 adults, B100 children ■ PROUD PHU FAH Mae Rim-Samoeng Road (Km 17), 053-879-389; www.proudphufah.com ■ QUEEN SIRIKIT BOTANIC GARDEN Mae Rim, 053-841-234. Daily 8.30am-4.30pm. B100 adults, B50 children. B100 car, B200 bus ■ X-CENTRE Mae Rim-Samoeng Road, 053-297-700; www.chiangmaixcentre.com. Daily 9am-6pm www.lanna101.com

NORTH

erhaps the widest array of activities in the area lies to the north of the old city, where you’ll find a special emphasis on sporty, adventuresome, outdoorsy activities. As you head north on the Mae Rim road, turn left at the first traffic light after the superhighway, then right after exactly 1km, and you’ll find yourself at the Tribal Museum (see Museums). Though the museum is closed on Saturdays, just a little bit further on at the Thai Army Cavalry base you can spend a great day instead at the horse races (Saturdays only, 12pm5pm, minimum bet B20), where it’s all about soaking up local colour, drinking beer in the afternoon and screaming your head off over a few baht. If you haven’t let off enough steam already, next door are the Lanna Shooting Club firing range and the Lanna Golf Club, where 18 holes costs only B1,000 on weekdays. Head further north and look for a turn off on your left indicating Huay Tung Tao Lake. If you don’t end up whiling away the whole day in an inner tube, continue on to the Mae Sa Valley, where all the action is. Just after the Mae Rim municipality, turn left on highway 1096 and you’ll soon find yourself on a gorgeous stretch of road decorated by lovely views of agriculture, mountains, and several outfits promising all sorts of adventure and naturalistic entertainment. The first place to visit is a onestop-shop for adrenaline. The X-Centre is run by a friendly Kiwi and his Thai wife. They offer bungee jumping, gokarting, jungle buggy rides (like dune buggies) through the bush, zorb ball, dirt bike rides and paintball as well. Several outfits down the road offer ATV trail rides, while other adventure activities available include horseback riding, a shooting range, the Mae Sa Elephant Camp, two different monkey shows and the Mae Sa Snake Farm, which features a creepy spectacle. Watching animals jump through hoops may sound a bit off-putting to some, but the shows tend to be as sightseeing

daytrips educational as they are entertaining. Those interested in things a bit more serene might choose instead to visit the pleasant Queen Sirikit Botanic Gardens, where varied eco-terrains are featured. During weekdays the place is terrifically peaceful and largely unvisited. Another relaxed option in Mae Rim is the Darapirom Palace Museum, which explores the life of King Rama V’s Chiang Mai-born concubine. Their relationship was important as it symbolised the union of the Siam and Lanna kingdoms in 1893. However, perhaps the most easygoing and accessible bit of paradise in the Mae Sa Valley area is at the Four Seasons Resort, which enjoys a landscape so magical it hardly seems real. Wander around the grounds, drop into their new Lan Sai Village luxury shopping destination, or just enjoy a meal and cocktail in front of some of the most extraordinary landscaping in the world. If you’ve got your own transport and want to travel one of the most scenic, charming routes in the country, keep heading west down route 1096, past all the adventure outlets, towards Samoeng. The circular Samoeng Loop takes about three hours to complete, is laden with supernaturally seductive scenery, and drops you back in town, just a bit south of Chiang Mai. There are plenty of picturesque resorts and coffee stops along the way, so don’t worry about packing a lunch. If you fancy an especially divine meal along the way, drop in at Proud Phu Fah resort, which offers the most delicious and healthy fare you’ll ever find in the middle of nowhere.

SIGHTSEEING

Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi

EAST

bout 9km from town, one happens upon the little handicraft towns of Borsang (umbrellas), San Kamphaeng (handicrafts) and Ban Ton Pao (paper). There’s nothing here you can’t get in Chiang Mai proper, and don’t fall for the tired old pitch that stuff is cheaper here because you’re buying ‘direct from the factory.’ Nevertheless, there are two excellent reasons to make the trip: 1) Because there’s greater variety of crafts in a more concentrated area, and 2) Because you can see how some of the more famous products are made. Several of the factory showrooms offer interesting museum tours in which the mysteries of making silk, umbrellas, woodcarvings and sa (mulberry bark) paper are unveiled before your eyes. Most stops are also refreshingly free of pushy sales tactics, so you won’t feel obligated to pay for the privilege with a purchase. If you’re here during the third week in January, expect the streets to be filled with a parade of umbrella toting beauties as that’s when the annual Borsang Umbrella Festival (and San Kamphaeng Handicraft Fair) is held. Note: the handicraft shops are along the long San Khampaeng Road, not specifically in the town itself. On the way out to San Kamphaeng, you might as well stop to inspect the inimitable Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi hotel grounds. Few hotels in the world make visiting them feel like an event in itself, but Chiang Mai boasts two places that mingle fantasy and reality so aptly. Strolling around, it’s easy to imagine you’re in a fabled Thai palace of yesteryear, complete with its own rice paddies and cheerful farmer employees. Their cosy little authentically-themed market, Kad Dhara is well worth a visit for a coffee break among its posh little shops, and the occasional live jazz performance. Got your heart set on rice paddies of a less manicured variety? A kilometre or so outside of San Kamphaeng municipality, it might come 34

as a surprise just how quickly Chiang Mai surrenders to Mother Nature. Things get increasingly pretty until you finally turn left onto the main road leading out to the San Kamphaeng Hot Springs. Wide open spaces carpeted with emerald plantations follow you tenaciously on the 20 minute ride all the way there. Despite signs that proclaim it’s free to the public, one must pay to enter the grounds, plus a bit more if you want to bathe in the pools. The real boiling hot basins are reserved for cooking eggs; various spots around the gaily landscaped park will sell you baskets of either regular eggs or the quail variety that you can dunk in the water for a few minutes and enjoy with available condiments. On the way back, make sure to stop at one of Chiang Mai’s most bizarre establishments – the curiously named Log of Paradis, a Wild West themed hotel, restaurant and horsebackriding wonderland of unparalleled improbability. The rooms all look like they were designed for kid cowboys, the steak-oriented restaurant is lavished with animal skins and mounted heads, and the adjacent rice fields are dotted with wigwams. Plus, you can go on horseback rides to the nearby temple, or even aboard an old covered carriage built for two. Sawatdee, partner. sightseeing

■ CHIANG MAI SUDALUCK Chiang Mai- San Kamphaeng Road, 053-338-006; www. chiangmaisudaluck.com. Daily 8am-5pm ■ GEMS GALLERY Chiang Mai- San Kamphaeng Road, 053-339-307. Daily 8.30am-5.30pm ■ MANDARIN ORIENTAL DHARA DHEVI Chiang Mai- San Kamphaeng Road, 053-888-888; www.mandarinoriental.com/chiangmai ■ SAN KHAMPAENG HOT SPRINGS Baansahakorn, Mae On, 053-037-101. Daily 6am-8pm. ■ THAI SILK VILLAGE Sanklang, Chiang Mai-San Kamphaeng Road, Km 3, 053-338-357; www.thaisilkvillage.com. Daily 8.30am-5.30pm ■ THE LOG OF PARADIS 49 Ontai, San Kamphaeng, 089-7568555, www.thelogofparadis.co.th ■ UMBRELLA MAKING CENTRE Borsang Village, San Kamphaeng, 053-338-324. Daily 8am-5pm www.lanna101.com

Chiang Mai Night Safari

SOUTH

ot satisfied with the artefacts to the east of the city? Keen on treasures more monolithic? Then head down to Hang Dong, where you’ll encounter more of the home furnishing variety. The nearby village of Baan Tawai in particular is known for its plethora of lovely lounge craft. Not sure how you’ll get that couch in your carry-on? Don’t fret – there are plenty of reputable shipping services on hand. For a break from all the furniture, drop in on the Chiang Mai Doll Museum, which contains a vast collection of dolls collected over 40 years. If you’d rather see what shopping was like back before furniture, when people sat on the floor, then go onto San Patong, a huge market where locals sell livestock, as well as second-hand motorcycles and other modern goods (Saturday mornings only, until 11am). If you do make it down this way, Lamphun is just 10km southeast – with a moat encircling its centre the pleasant little town resembles a miniature Chiang Mai. Once there, visit Wat Hariphunchai, Wat Kukut and the Hariphunchai National Museum, which shed some light on the original rulers of the area, conquered by the Khmer and then King Mengrai in the 13th

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daytrips

century. Speaking of historical ruins, back closer to Chiang Mai are the best ruins in the region – Wiang Kum Kam, the original site of Mengrai’s capital, which flooded and forced him to move to its present spot, Chiang Mai’s current Old City. The best way to see the site is by motorcycle or via a bicycle tour from town – the multiple sites are picturesque, though the structures have been mostly flattened by age and gravity. Make sure to stop in at Wat Chang Kam, where special-to-the-site lucky medallions are made and sold for cheap. Hugging the river, the road south from here is particularly lovely for a ride, and if you’re interested you might want to stop along the way at McKean Rehabilitation Institute, a leafy former leper colony that now helps disabled people and hosts a handicraft shop, pretty old church, and a fascinating prosthesis-making centre with a collection of old artificial limbs made from rattan, wood and even bamboo. If you’re south of the city as evening falls, definitely take in the Chiang Mai Night Safari, home to hundreds of unusual animals you’ve probably never even heard of, let alone seen. It’s also open during the daytime, though as the trams don’t run the routes are limited to a walking tour. sightseeing

■ CHIANG MAI DOLL MAKING CENTRE & MUSEUM Makham Luang, Sanpatong, 053837-229. Mon-Sat 8am-5pm (closed Sun)Museum opens daily. Free ■ WIANG KUM KAM BICYCLE TOUR BY EXOTISSIMO 053-895-083 www.exotissimo.com ■ MCKEAN REHABILITATION INSTITUTE Ko Klang Rd, 053-124-633 ■ CHIANG MAI NIGHT SAFARI Nhong Kway, Hang Dong, 053-999000; www.chiangmainightsafari.com. B500 adults/B250 children ■ HARIPHUNCHAI NATIONAL MUSEUM Inthayondyod Road, 053-511-186. Wed-Sun 9am-4pm (closed Mon & Tue). B100

SIGHTSEEING

WEST

ess visited by tourists, the west side of town at the foot of Suthep Mountain has in recent years become the epicentre of Chiang Mai chic, due in no small part to the fact that it’s home to Chiang Mai University and its trend-conscious student body. Nimmanhaemin Road,in particular, is ground zero for the aesthetically-inclined. This long thoroughfare is studded with multiple leafy lanes, each harbouring their own semi-secret charms. Start your day at soi (lane) nine, referred to by locals as soi kafe, or coffee lane, due to the fact that it’s almost exclusively composed of coffeehouses. After a few jolts of excellent locally-grown caffeine and a bit of prime people peeping, scoot on over to soi one, which is a boutique browser’s paradise – gallery after gallery of one-of-a-kind creations eagerly await your bag of restless baht. Never fear, though – prices are as low as the standards are high. Eyeballs still not tired? Drop in on the CMU Art Museum at the other end of Nimmanhaemin to see what’s on the cutting edge of Chiang Mai creativity these days. For a different viewpoint altogether, Northern Thailand’s most important wat is just up the adjacent hill: Wat Doi Suthep. Cruise up the mountain by song thaew (pickup taxi) Wat Umong

Wat Doi Suthep

or rented motorbike and enjoy the pinnacle of local temple architecture as you gaze out over the glorious Ping valley below. Keep going and you can enjoy the royal Phu Ping Palace, which features lovely botanical gardens. Just a little further and you’ll reach the city’s nearest hill tribe settlements, an assortment of welcoming villages which will no doubt try to flog you trinkets. Back down at the bottom of the hill, the impossibly verdant Chiang Mai University is surely worth exploring – especially the little lake and nature trails along which young lovers sit and stroll hand in hand, free from the censorious gaze of parents 36

sightseeing

and teachers. The large, lovely zoo next door is also a nature-lover’s treat, featuring some of the happiest looking, best-fed animals in all of Asia. Perhaps Chiang Mai’s quirkiest and most peaceful temple, Wat Umong, lies a couple of kilometres to the south of the university in a sparsely populated natural setting (take a tuk tuk). Later in the evening, seekers of sensual satisfaction should return to Nimmanhaemin and its lanes to dine and drink at one or more of its many lively al fresco restaurants and bars, many of which you’ll find jam-packed with students and hipsters every single night of the week. www.lanna101.com

SIGHTSEEING Pha Tai Caves

LAMPANG Max Crosbie-Jones

n the northern scheme of things, Lampang province’s charms are modest, but there is a sight here that every budding Lanna-ophile should try and see. Dating back to the 15th century, Wat Phra That Lampang Luang (from Lampang take a left at Highway 1’s km586 marker then follow the signs) is one of the most iconic temples in the north, and arguably it’s most beautiful. It’s impressive even from the outside: a staircase guarded by nagas and lions leads up and through a gate into a walled compound dominated by an imposing, open-sided wihaan (hall). Lined with faded Buddhist murals, this is thought to be the oldest wooden structure in the Kingdom and is much revered by the Thais. Also within the large compound is a sumptuous gold chedi said to enshrine a piece of the Budda’s hair, and two smaller wihaans both containing a camera obscura. Enter at certain times of day and you’ll see an inverted image of the chedi being projected through a hole in the wall onto a white sheet (note: the small, raised white wihaan at the rear of the compound is off limits to women). With a history dating back even further, to the 7th century Dvaravati period, the sedate provincial town is studded with some interesting wats (temples), while it also has the unique claim of being the only place in Thailand where

horse-drawn carts still clip clop along the streets. Popular with Thai couples, taking a ride on one is unabashedly touristy but fun if you’re not shy of being smirked at (festooned with fake plastic flowers, they’re just a little bit tacky). Like the town itself, Lampang’s low-key traveler scene is centered on the languid Wang River, with a handful of riverfront questhouses scattered along Thanon Talad Kao (see Where to Stay). There isn’t an awful lot to keep you here for more than one night, but on weekends there is a walking street market, and scattered through the backstreets are some good restaurants, like the bustling Aroy One Baht (corner of Thanon Suandawk and Thanon Thip Chang). Though not as cheap as the name suggests (dishes are in the B15-50, not B1, range), this big old teak house with energetic teenage boy waiters and vintage wooden sewing machines for tables whips up unusual Thai dishes like “nan king” deep fried cauliflower with sweet chilli dip. Recommended. As for around Lampang, the Thailand Elephant Conservation Centre is one of the most ethically-run places in the north to get acquainted with gentle giants (see p?? for more). If, after leaving Lampang, you’re heading up to Chiang Rai via Highway 1, the Pha Tai Caves (19km before the town of Ngao) are also worth a peek. A steep sightseeing

forest path flanked by incongruous signs (“Take Nothing But Pictures, Kill Nothing But Time” etc) leads into the mouth of an eerie cave network with a Buddhist stupa sitting sentinel at the entrance. Deeper in, giant stalagmites rise up toward a sink hole, and bats and snakes stir in the dark, dank corners. A guide with headlamp will lead you into the first 400 metres and back for B100 each. Aroy One Baht

WHERE TO STAY Of the budget riverside digs on Thanon Talad Kao, our (and most people’s) pick is the Riverside Guesthouse (www.theriversidelampang.com). A Jim Thompsonesque old teak house, backed by a bucolic river terrace and with simple rooms, the Spanish lady who runs it is very helpful, even offering guests a free ride to Chiang Mai when she can. Another similarly teaky, leafy but more upscale option out of town is the Lampang River Lodge (www.lampangriverlodge.com). www.lanna101.com

lose encounters with elephants, sacred caves, world-class bird watching and trekking, and some pretty guesthouses nestled at the foot of a green giant – the third tallest mountain in the Kingdom. While the ‘city of stars’ itself is nothing to write home about, the little known region surrounding it is well worth a day or two on the northern flâneur’s itinerary. Best of all, this alternative to the hippydippy Disneyland that is Pai is only an hour’s drive north of Chiang Mai. A few blocks of quaint, old wooden shophouses are all the main road through town has to offer. Turn off it though, towards the mighty Doi Chiang Dao mountain, and you soon hit one of the lushest, most laidback traveler quarters in the north: a series of eco-inflected mini-resorts set amid towering trees teeming with wild birds and chirruping critters. Just admiring the scenery – the hazy mountain views in the morning, the starry sky at night – is an unexpected highlight of the north for many, but there’s a lot to see and do too, not least the famous Chiang Dao Caves. Accessed via the pretty Wat Tham Chiang Dao temple, this sacred netherworld stretching for miles is littered with Buddhist stupas and dripping stalactites in its flood lit upper part, and as dark as Dracula’s cape in its lower ones. If you’d like to head deep into the complex (a popular spot for movie shoots it seems – on our last visit we stumbled across Thai film director Mom Noi shooting his latest Buddhist drama) fork out B100 for a guide with electric lantern. Rather trek up the mountain than inside it? Some gently undulating trails through thrusting deciduous forest encircle this 2,225 metre tall limestone fist. Some are demanding, others leisurely, but all reveal why this region attracts binocular wielding birdspotters in droves. The cast of hundreds includes rare breeds like the Giant Nuthatch and Hume’s Pheasant. As for serious treks, including trips to hilltribe villages, and to the summit of Doi Chiang Dao (a tough

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CHIANG DAO Max Crosbie-Jones

two or three day hike that you can only do from early November to late March, and you’ll need a permit, guide and decent hiking legs for), enquire at your guesthouse. Two next door neighbours – the Chiang Dao Nest and Malee’s (see Where to Stay) – can advise or even arrange it all for you, and get good reports. Back in town, the hilltribe market on Tuesday mornings, when local Lahu, Lisu, Akha and other tribeswomen descend from their villages to sell and buy cheap textiles and other goods, is worth catching. And outside it, on the road back down to Chiang Mai, there are a handful of elephant centers open to visitors, the most famous being the Chiang Dao Elephant Training Center (084-3784008 | www.chiangdaoelephantcamp.com). Situated on the banks of the Mae Ping River, shows are at 9 and 10am each morning and offer a fascinating glimpse into how young, unruly elephants become mature, hard-working ones. sightseeing

WHERE TO STAY The rooms have seen better days, but as a base for exploring the area, Malee’s (www.maleenature. com) is a safe bet. No guesthouse knows the surrounding terrain like they do, and their homemade jam and local coffee offers the best start to the day possible. While the birdwatchers tend to head here, the flashpackers check-in at the hipper Chiang Dao Nest (www. chiangdao.com) next door. Run by Lanna 101 contributor, trained chef and northern food specialist Wicha, and her English husband Stuart, this 20 bungalow eco-resort can arrange treks of all shapes and sizes and serves perhaps the best gourmet European food in the north. 39

SIGHTSEEING

DOI INTHANON & MAE CHAEM

hailand’s highest peak at 2595 metres, Doi Inthanon (often abbreviated to Doi In) is one of Southeast Asia’s top destinations for naturalists and bird-watchers. The mistshrouded upper slopes are home to a huge variety of orchids and lichens, and support nearly 400 bird varieties, more than any other one habitat in Thailand. The largest proliferation of bird species can be found between 1,500m and 2,000m, and the best time of year for birding extends from February through April. The peak is also one of the last natural habitats for the Asiatic black bear, Assamese macaque, Phayre’s Leaf Monkey and a selection of other rare and not-so-rare monkeys and gibbons, along with barking deer and even giant flying squirrels. The entire mountain belongs to the 482sq km Doi Inthanon National Park, and boasts four major waterfalls, all accessible from route 1009. These are Mae Ya Falls, Mae Klang Falls (the largest and easiest to reach), Wachiratan Falls, and Siriphum Falls. At the summit of Doi Inthanon, a noticeable shrine commemorates the famous Chao Inthanon (1870-1897), 40

the Lanna kingdom’s seventh king. The best views from the peak occur during the cool dry season, November to February, when temperatures can get down as low as 5 degrees Celsius at night. Route 1009, the 47km road to the summit, passes beautifully terraced rice fields, scenic valleys and several Hmong and Karen villages. Near the park HQ and visitors centre, bungalows and tents are available for overnight stays. Behind the southern side of the mountain lies Mae Chaem, a charming market garden district shoehorned into a narrow, picturesque valley formed by the Chaem River. Home to a distinct mixture of Northern Thai, Lawa and Sgaw Karen people, Mae Chaem receives only a relative trickle of tourists – most of them scholars interested in what may be one of the most well-preserved districts of Lanna culture left in Thailand. Weaving is still a big industry here. Buddhists in the district follow a unique set of customs no longer seen elsewhere in the north. For instance, during Songkran (Thai lunar new year) they launch bamboo rafts into the Mae Chaem bedecked with flowers, sightseeing

tall reeds and star-like clusters of trimmed banana leaves, as a way of jettisoning the bad luck of the past year. DOI INTHANON Follow Highway 108 from Chiang Mai. At Km. 57 just 1 km before Chom Thong District, turn right to Highway 1009 for 8 km to the fork and turn right to the summit. From Chiang Mai town, you may also take a bus to Chom Thong which leaves regularly from just inside the Chiang Mai Gate at the south moat. From Chom Thong, there are regular songthaeos (mini-buses) to Mae Klang Waterfall, where you can take another songthaeo to Doi Inthanon. Continue up and over the hill on the road to Mae Hong Son (left just after the second park entry gate) and you will soon descend on the small town of Mae Cheam. If you’re driving or riding, you can come back via an alternate longer loop, the 1088 via Hot, which gives you spectacular views of the local market gardens and riverscapes. WHERE TO STAY ■ INTHANON HIGHLAND RESORT 297 Moo 20 Chomthong Doi Inthanon Rd, Doi Inthanon National Park, 0-1882-6409; inthanon-highland.com Large, pleasant family-sized villas located on a lake, right near the entrance to the national park. ■ NAVASOUNG RESORT 65 Moo.9 T.Thapha A. Mae Chaem, 053-828-477; www.navasoungresort.com Small comfortable chalets overlooking beautiful valley, serving a good English breakfast. ■ LITTLE HOME 11/1 Moo10, Banluang, Chomthong, Doi Inthanon National Park, 081-288-0256; Emphasis on the ‘little’, but popular, affordable and comfortable enough. www.lanna101.com

ae Hong Son is to long, aweinspiring walks what Bangkok is to shopping and Chiang Mai is to temples. Thick forests and imperious mountains stretch across to the nearby Burmese border, making the ‘City of Three Mists’ one of the best bases from which to explore Thailand’s natural beauty and visit hill tribes. There are also enough waterfalls, stunning views and national parks to make it clear you’re not going to be spending your time holed up in a hotel room ordering club sandwiches and watching HBO. Well, not during the day, anyway. WHAT TO DO Up above the city, on Dong Ku Mountain, Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu is a temple that wears its Burmese influence on its sleeve. Come here for the views and stop at Wat Phra Non to see the 12m-long reclining Buddha, which dates back to 1875. Meanwhile, located about 60km east of Mae Hong Son, Namtok Mae Surin is one of Thailand’s most impressive national parks. Imposing mountains reach up to 1,700m above sea level, while Mae Surin Waterfall – after which the park was named – plunges almost 100m onto the rocks below. The park affords many spectacular views, especially in the early mornings, when the mists are swirling. If you’re an early riser, there’s a good morning market in town. Head in to explore the stalls, fill up on sugary coffee and observe the many hill tribes who come to trade their wares, such as the distinctive Padaung. Originally from Burma, following severe repression by the military government they have made Northern Thailand their home. The distinctive brass coils the women wear around their necks are extremely heavy and actually push the collarbone into the body, stretching the neck. Nai Soi is probably the most prominent Long Neck Village, although visitors should not expect anything ‘authentic’ or particularly savoury from a visit. If you’re looking for reasons to go, rest assured that you

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MAE HONG SON

will get your exotic holiday photos and that the money (B250 entrance fee, plus all the tourist tat you can buy) does actually go to helping these somewhat downtrodden people. On a lighter note, Mae Hong Son is an ideal destination for flower lovers. Huai Nam Dang National Park sees cherry blossoms burst into life during January, while Bua Tong flowers (which look much like sunflowers) blanket Mae U-Kho Mountain in November. WHERE TO STAY & EAT There are a number of small guesthouses in town, although not much at the higher end of the scale. The Imperial Tara Mae Hong Son (149 Moo 8, Tambon Pang Moo, 053684-444; www.imperialhotels.com), part of a national chain, can be relied upon for a satisfactory stay. Set on the edge of town and surrounded by a teak forest it is actually one of the chain’s more inspiring hotels. Fern Resort (64 Moo 10, Ban Hua Nam, Mae Sa Khut, 053-686-110; www. fernresort.info), on the other hand, bills itself as an ‘Eco-resort for nature lovers’. Stay in Shan-style wooden bungalows and enjoy the nature trails that begin just behind them. If sightseeing

you’re keen, you can even have a go at working on the surrounding rice fields. The Fern Restaurant is also run one of the nicest eateries in town (Khunlumprapas Rd, 053-611-374, daily 10am-10pm) Be sure to try the ook gai (chicken curry with lemongrass). Other budget options include Pana Huts (053-614-331, www.panahuts. com) and Sang Tong Huts (053-620680, wwwsangtonghuts.com) which are rustic yet comfortable. Sunflower Café and Tours (053-620-549, www. sunflowercafetour.com) is centrally located and a good place to plan your tours and treks while enjoying fresh pastries and Western/Thai food in a convivial atmosphere. GETTING THERE SGA Airlines/Nok Air (02-664-6099; www.sga.co.th) and Thai Air operate a limited service from Chiang Mai, with one-way flights costing around B1,300. Buses from Chiang Mai are cheap and plentiful but can take up to eight hours, whereas buses from Pai only take a few hours. The best way to get there, if you don’t want to fly, is by car with plenty of stops along the way. The more adventurous might opt to make the trip from travelless Pai by raft. 41

SIGHTSEEING

or most of its history, Pai was a tiny trading village. After being ‘discovered’ by backpackers in the 1980s it grew slowly, existing primarily as a jumping off point for intrepid trekking tours. Gradually it came to be seen as a destination in its own right, attracting longer-term tourists and expats looking for a peaceful, friendly escape from the modern world. Though higher-quality tourist facilities only started to appear a few years ago, the category is growing impressively. The character of the town has change somewhat as a result, but there’s still a huge surplus of space and charm for everyone. Furthermore, the select higher-end resort developments have taken special pains to integrate into the beauty of the natural surroundings, providing the more discerning travellers with plenty of excellent one-of-a-kind accommodation. CULTURE Though the bustling four-block centre of town features an assortment of fashionably quaint boutiques, bohemian coffeehouses, art galleries and a smattering of internationallyinspired restaurants, it is still peopled mostly by locals going about their colourful everyday business – a vibrant and mutually tolerant mélange of Shan, Muslim, Northern Thai and hilltribes such as the Karen, Lisu, Lahu and Meo. Everyone seems to get along swimmingly, with the tourists merely one tribe among many. In fact, Thai tourists from Bangkok just as compulsively snap pictures of Pai’s farang visitors as they do the ‘long neck’ Karen outside of town. The diverse mix of cultures in such a concentrated area has led some to distinguish the town from the country at large with the T-shirt friendly sobriquet ‘Pailand’. Were Pailand a real country, its principal export would be lower blood pressure. RELAX Given its small size, Pai crams in more stuff to do per square foot than just about anywhere else in Thailand. Yet oddly enough, the favourite pastime 42

PAI

of most visitors is to do nothing at all. Hammocks are everywhere, and merely hanging out for hours at coffeehouses is a great way to meet interesting people from all over the world or scribble on artistic, locally designed postcards and journals. Shuffling listlessly around the late afternoon market also makes for a simple way to mingle with the supremely easygoing locals. Chilled accommodation offerings include the likes of simple boutique bungalows set in the rice fields at Pai Klang Na Resort. It’s not hard to derive utopian inspiration from Pai’s uniquely accommodating beauty and extrapolate it to the world at large. In fact, after a few days of hanging out, sipping excellent coffee in a beautifully restored old Shan house and watching smiling locals shuffle by, it’s easy to get a little ‘Pai in the sky’ about the place. WHAT TO DO The main attraction in Pai is the scenery. Cruising around the outskirts of the Pai valley on a motorcycle or bicycle, the fuzzy philosophical notion that ‘the journey is the destination’ suddenly becomes as inarguable as algebra – there is no need to stop anywhere, unless it’s for a frustrating attempt to capture the endless acres of jaw dropping scenery on your digital camera. For those beholden to sightseeing

actual destinations, however, there are an endless number to choose from. Nature lovers will enjoy an assortment of picturesque waterfalls, the bizarre, serpentine ridges of Pai Canyon, and the Tha Pai hot springs – some pools are hot enough to boil eggs. Those looking for more of an adrenaline rush can choose a 70km two-day white water rafting trip (shorter ones are available), a challenging trek to visit hilltribe villages, or a bareback ride aboard a friendly elephant. Visitors looking for a different sort of cultural immersion might check out ethnic villages closer to town, such as the ‘Chinese village’ of Haw Chinese that fled the Cultural Revolution and sell some of Thailand’s best tea; or sign up for Thai cooking, language or boxing classes; a hilltribe weaving course; or study any number of spiritual disciplines like yoga, meditation, and reiki from local gurus. Oriented more towards the material? Chaisongkram Road features some of the cutest little homespun boutique products in the country, and your corporeal form can be tended to at assorted spas and hot springs just outside of town. The quaint walking street held on weekend evenings features interesting shopping and entertainment opportunities as well. At nighttime, a host of old and new places in town offer hip places to hang out. www.lanna101.com

PAI ■ BELLE VILLA 113 Moo 6, HuayPoo-Vieng Nua, Viengtai, 053-698-226; www.bellevillaresort.com Though the decor can feel a bit hokey (think Thai country kitsch) the atmosphere at this out-of-town resort is honestly magical and the location superb – smack dab on the river with a view over fields that renders the satellite TV utterly obsolete. A night swim in the pool next to the Pai River with the insect orchestra tuning up in the background is simply a must.

แบลวิลลา ถ.หวยภูเวียงเหนือ

■ PAI RIVER CORNER

RESORT & RESTAURANT 94 Moo 3,Viengtai, 053-699-9049; www.pairivercorner.com A small boutique hotel located on the languid banks of the Pai River, and at the bottom of one of the town’s walking market streets – a perfect combo. Relaxed garden atmosphere, with switched on service. If you want something a bit special, request pool villa No 7 with an indoor pool almost at the foot of your bed. River-side bar is a great place for a couple (or more) of cold ambers at sunset.

ปาย รีเวอร คอรเนอร รีสอรท แอนด เรสเตอรองท ต.เวียงโต

■ PAI TREEHOUSE 90 Moo 2, Maeyenpongron Road, 081-911-3640; www.paitreehouse.com Located 7km outside the centre of Pai, close to a host of elephant-riding camps and astride a bend in the river, sits this large and unusual resort of teakwood rooms. Though the earthbound accommodation is lovely, of special note are the two tree house rooms, which afford their tenants an unmatched aerial vista, and the opportunity to pretend they’re 12 years old again.

ปาย ทรีเฮาส อ.แมฮี้

■ THE QUARTER 245 Moo 1, Chaisongkram Road, Viengtai, 053-699-423; www.thequarterhotel.com Pai’s most self-consciously world-class www.lanna101.com

boutique resort, The Quarter manages to make its modest acreage feel like a cosy little Thai village – that is, of course, if the villagers were all fashion photographers. Blending the best of traditional Thai style with quality accoutrements and natural finishes, The Quarter strikes the perfect balance between living amongst nature and actually living in it.

เดอะควอเตอร ถ.ชัยสงคราม

RESTAURANTS, CAFES & BARS ■ BAAN BENJARONG 179 Moo 8,Viengtai, 053-698-010. Daily 11am-2pm, 5pm-9.30pm. $ This unassuming little place may not look like foodie heaven, but after one bite, you’ll see (or taste, rather) the light. Simply extraordinary flavour colours every dish of this authentic old-style ‘palace food’. This author particularly adores the gaeng som (sour curry) with prawns and the banana flower salad, and the battered gourd. Oh, and just about every other single thing on the menu.

บานเบญจรงค ต.เวียงใต

■ THE SANCTUARY 115/1 Moo 4, Viengtai, 053-698-150. Daily 9am-10pm. $ A casually elegant riverside dining venue designed to please the health conscious palate, with menu choices like oversized gourmet salads, vegetarian pastas, spirulina shakes and organic red wine. Space heaters offer respite from the cold during the winter months while daily yoga classes (held in their large riverside sala) help keep you both limber and hungry.

เดอะแซงชัวรี่ ต.เวียงใต

■ ALL ABOUT COFFEE 100 Moo 1, Chaisongkram Road, Viengtai, 053-699-429. Daily 8.30am-5.30pm When advertising execs Prapakorn Vanijyananda and his wife Watcharee moved out of Bangkok and into the Pai countryside, the thing they missed most was really good coffee. Their little café and art gallery has since become sightseeing

popular with travellers seeking double shots of espresso and an equally satisfying dose of expressionism.

ออลอะเบาทคอฟฟ ถ.ชัยสงคราม

■ COFFEE IN LOVE Highway1095 km95, Chiangmai-Pai-Mae Hong Son Visitors heading into town can’t help but notice the extraordinary gingerbread looking house on a hill just before they arrive. While the coffee is fine, the precipitous view over the valley below will get your heart beating faster – it is arguably the money shot, photographically speaking, in Pai.

คอฟฟอินเลิฟ อ.ปาย

■ BE-BOP BAR 188 Moo 8, Viengtai (opposite Tourist Police box), 089-560-8561. Daily 6pm-1am It’s hard to believe, but one of the best places in the country to see live music is at the long-running Be-Bop Bar in Pai. International luminaries and Thailand’s most popular acts shuffle through this hallowed house of blues.

บีบอบบาร ต.เวียงใต

■ LUN LAA BAR Moo 3 Viengtai (opposite Wat Pa Kem). Daily 7pm-11pm. Get here early and grab a couch in the courtyard, and cruise to the blues, funk and reggae stylings of Nong and his smoking band. All-in jams break out some nights in this little arcade bar.

ลั้นลาบาร ถ.รังสิยานนท

■ PHU PAI ART CAFE 22 Moo 4, Rangsiyanon Road, Viengtai, 084-209-8169. Daily 7pm-12am (live band at 10pm) Spearheaded by Noi, the violinist from veteran Thai folk-rock band Caravan, this colourful, art-bedecked place is where to take in quieter, eclectic sorts of tunes. Don’t miss Noi’s fascinating nightly performance of rong-ngeng, a rare type of music which hails from his home in southern Thailand and is in fact influenced by soulful European gypsy traditions.

ภูปายอารทคาเฟ ถ.รังสิยานนท

SIGHTSEEING

MAE SAI

ae Sai, the northernmost city of Thailand, boasts all the best features of a border town (stuff to buy, a mix of ethnicities, unusual food) and very few of the stereotypically bad ones. In fact, gentle Mae Sai and its cross border Burmese neighbour, Tachilek, are heavily dependent on each other for commercial exchange. Hence, during border opening hours (6.30am6.30pm) each side is awash with visitors. Tourists also take the opportunity to cross into Burma to cross another country off their list – for a B500 day pass (actually a 14-day entry permit) one can spend several hours soaking up Burmese culture, cheap Chinese products and some interesting sights. Once you cross into Tachilek you’ll invariably be assailed by touts looking to show you around by taxi. If you’re interested in temples and the like you might consider it, or check out the bustling Tachilek market (again, a bit more assailing, this time from fake cigarette and Viagra vendors) where lots of varied booty is on sale. Obviously you get what you pay for, so proceed with caution. If it’s too cheap to be true, it probably will fall apart by

the morning. Also, some vendors sell animal skins, skulls and other gruesome titbits – but please don’t support this trade which brutalises our furry friends. Past the market, make a right at the central roundabout and meld into real-life Burma. Have a cup of local tea at any of the signature Burmese teashops where you sit at low tables and socialise with the locals while watching goofy Burmese music videos. Or keep on going a few minutes more to see a Buddhist temple on your left. You’ll find the monks here much shyer than those in Thailand – they’re not accustomed to being the centre of attention. Wonder why so many women on the street have their faces painted with yellow powder? It’s called thanaka and is meant to increase the beauty of the skin. Burma is full of distinctive differences that make a day of strolling around a picturesque and rewardingly eye-opening activity. Back on the Mae Sai side, there’s an overflowing market here too, though with significantly less interesting stuff on sale than in Tachilek. Still, its long windy street on the hill west of the main road welcomes browsing and sightseeing

from here you can climb up to Phra That Doi Wao temple for endless views over both Burma and Thailand. Given its location midway between Doi Mae Salong, Doi Tung and the Golden Triangle, it’s not a bad idea to consider using this odd little riverside town as an alternative to Chiang Rai for discovering the area. WHERE TO STAY There’s not much in the way of memorable accommodation, but some reasonably- comfortable options are to be had. A few kilometres outside of town the highstandard Du Doi Suay Resort (053709-800; website under construction) is nestled among the paddy fields yet conveniently close to the highway. Places by the border along the river to the west of of the bridge cater primarily to the backpacker set but there are comfier options – Wang Thong Hotel (053-733-388; www. wangthonghotel.com) is a decent three star place right in the busy town with a swimming pool; ask for a room with a view of Burma. www.lanna101.com

CHIANG RAI Oliver Benjamin & Stu Lloyd

hiang Rai may not get the press its big brother 200 clicks to the south enjoys, but when it comes to stunning scenery, Thailand’s most northerly province more than holds its own. Mountains, waterfalls, rivers, forests, jungles… all the boxes are checked. Indeed, Chiang Rai is something of a trekking paradise, and there are multiple opportunities to break out the mosquito spray and blister cream. Plus, of course, there are people in them thar hills. You are bound to come into contact with hill tribes at some stage of your visit to Thailand’s northernmost province, with many treks even offering the chance to spend a night in an Akha or Lisu village. It’s not all about trekking, though. And if wearing the same wet socks for three days and brushing your teeth in a stream isn’t what you’re after, fear not as there are plenty of less taxing ways to spend your time. Famously, the northern tip of the province, where Thailand meets Laos and Burma, forms part of the Golden Triangle. The opium trade that once lent this area its infamy has long gone, but there’s no denying there remains a certain aura. Not far from the Golden Triangle is the border crossing known as Mae Sai on the Thai side and Tachilek on the Burmese side. Locals pour across from both sides to buy and sell goods at market, and it’s a popular spot for tourists who need to extend their visa (you’ll receive a 15-day extension once you return). But it also provides a good opportunity

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The comparatively sleepy outpost of Chiang Rai sits three hours’ drive north of bustling Chiang Mai. Most visitors to the area use it as a base to explore the Golden Triangle, or organise treks into the surrounding hills and jungles. Less congested, polluted and commercialised than developed Chiang Mai, for many Chiang Rai province is where the true Northern Thailand adventure begins. to wander over into Burma and have a taste of one of the world’s most reclusive countries. To the west of the province, the beautiful mountain village of Mae Salong makes for a fascinating day trip. Settled by Kuomintang Chinese soldiers fleeing the advancing Communists in the late 1940s, Mae Salong is now a hive of tea-making activity, replete with surprisingly charming cafes and guesthouses. Meanwhile, the Royal Gardens at nearby Doi Tung are also well worth an excursion. CHIANG RAI TOWN Chiang Rai is on the cusp of turning from a rural provincial capital (one long-term local describes it as a backwater ‘like Chiang Mai 30 years ago’) into something more sophisticated and edgy. The new Central department store opening in 2011 is a symbol of this bold new face, ushering in brand names and quality retailers. A growing art scene – the city is home to around 100 artists now – and cafe culture are two other indicators. Chiang Rai nonetheless already has its share of diversions. It’s also quite a chilled-out little place to shuffle around and watch the world go by. The town, situated in the Mae Kok (Kok River) basin, sightseeing

SIGHTSEEING

actually served as the first capital of King Mengrai’s Lanna kingdom, a distinction that subsequently, and more famously, fell to Chiang Mai. Aside from having an amusing name, the Kok River serves as a northern border to the town, and actually runs all the way up into the Shan State in Burma. There are several restaurants and bars along the banks of the river – in a spot known locally as Hat Chiang Rai (Chiang Rai Beach) or Pattaya Noi (Little Pattaya) – and it’s a good place to head for an afternoon of dozing, maybe after renting a bicycle for the 5km ride. WHAT TO DO Chiang Rai doesn’t overflow with temples like Chiang Mai does, but there’s one here that is more original than most others in Thailand. Wat Rong Khun (13km south of Chiang Rai, 053-673-579; www.watrongkhun. com), commonly referred to as the White Temple, was built by well-known Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat who wanted to create a lasting tribute to the current Thai king, as well as honour his own hometown. His gaudy and ornate work also adorns the city’s main bridge and the new Clock Tower, too (light-andsound show times 7, 8 and 9pm nightly). Breaking with most of the traditional elements of other temples, this one is striking in its snowy whiteness, meant to symbolise Buddhist purity, inlaid with mirrors to suggest the reflections of enlightenment. Of course, reaching such a state is not meant to be easy, so you’ll have to pass through a pair of giant fangs and a lake of miserable hell-bound figures to get there. It’s surely one of the wildest-looking structures ever conceived by man, and upon completion in another estimated 60 years, the grounds will boast a total of nine structures, completing the artist’s vision of Buddhist heaven. In stark contrast to the White Temple is the Black House (Ban Dam), a surrealistic series of Thai style houses and temple-like structures in the countryside conceived and imagined by artist Thawan Duchanee over the past 36 years, on the main road north 46

about 17km south of Mae Chan. Since one of the major reasons people come to Chiang Rai province is to see hill tribe communities, it stands to reason that the town hosts an excellent Hill Tribe Museum (053-740-088; MonFri 9am-6pm, Sat-Sun 10am-6pm; B50), giving the one in Chiang Mai a run for its money. Another place worth a look is the Oub Kham museum, about 1km out of town near the Den Ha market. A charming little place filled with costumes and ornaments from all over the Lanna region, the Oub Kham is beguilingly chaotic and home to some genuinely impressive artefacts (daily 9am-6pm; B100; 053-713-349). Finally, if you’re in Chiang Rai at night you should check out the Clock Tower light and sound show, and Night Bazaar – far more modest than the one in Chiang Mai, but also blessedly less clogged with sweaty tourists haggling over fake watches. This is also the place to head, during the day, to organise treks and excursions. Saturday’s walking street is also gaining momentum. And if it’s messing about in boats that, um, float your boat, ask about trips along

the Mae Kok – the classic tour takes you to a nearby Karen village and elephant camp then on to the hot springs, but a half day ride to the border town of Thaton is highly recommended. WHERE TO STAY In recent years, the tourism industry in Chiang Rai and the region has really started to take off. Now there are plenty more interesting possibilities than the $10 backpacker havens located near Paholyothin Rd and Jet Yot Rd, south of the clock tower. We’ve picked out a few of the more appealing places to stay.

Wat Rong Khun

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hun

GOLDEN TRIAN GLE

MY A N M A R

LA O S Mae Kong

Chiang Rai

T HA I LA N D

Chiang Mai The Legend (Kohloy Rd, 053-910400; www.thelegend-chiangrai.com) is one of the nicest hotels in town. Situated on the banks of the Mae Kok and with some quite stunning views, The Legend is beautifully landscaped and has a sleek, contemporary Thai feel. Also on the cusp of town, The Mantrini (Robwiang, 053-601-555; www.mantrini.com) offers a funky, boutique vibe and even boasts a Lanna fusion restaurant. The newest kid on the block, Le Meridien (Kwaewai Rd, 053-603-333; www.lemeridien. com), is another riverside option. This plush pad has its own man-made lake and includes in its tranquil grounds a pair of impressive 100-year-old rain trees. It is surrounded by many good eateries and live music venues. And now for something completely different. It’s not five-star, nor does it feature sweeping views of rice paddies, yet what the Red Rose Hotel (Prachasanti Rd, 053-756-888; www. redrosehotel.com) does offer is quite literally out of this world. Originally imagined as a fantasy hotel for romanceminded couples, the Red Rose now markets itself to any mainstream visitor in search of a whimsical good time. The rooms are designed according to various themes – choose from the flight deck of a spaceship, a Thai boxing ring, a split-level rainforest, a Palaeolithic bachelor pad and more. Some rooms feature karaoke machines and Jacuzzi www.lanna101.com

Chiang Mai to The Golden Triangle 280 km (175 miles)

tubs, and everyone is entitled to borrow bikes for a tootle around town. Even if you’re not staying here, you simply must stop by to experience this highly imaginative cartoon-like inn. WHERE TO EAT There are plenty of dining options in Chiang Rai aside from the plastic table shophouse set ups and American fast food outlets near the bus station. The Night Bazaar is a sound option for al fresco beer and grub, and there are a good number of casual, rustic Thai restaurants and European style eateries dotted along the main drag, Paholyothin Rd. Among these, The Old Dutch (053714-282) is a favourite for breakfast blow-outs, while Da Vinci’s (053-752-

535) is a good bet for pizzas and pastas. Otherwise, the wacky and wonderful Cabbages and Condoms (053-719-167) restaurant stands right next to the Hill Tribe Museum. Like its sister venue in Bangkok, C&C is devoted to promoting condom use to help prevent juvenile pregnancy and STDs. Come enjoy fresh Thai cuisine amidst clever condomfringed furnishings and decorations. The Tohngtueng Kitchen (053756403 www.tohngtueng.com) is quite central and puts on enchanting dance shows to accompany its northern style food in a very evocative setting. Popular with big groups. But for atmosphere (and food), few places will beat Moom Mai (053-716-416) a two-storey Lanna house with humorously eclectic garden collections, and live Thai/ Western folk music nightly. There is much to see and do in Chiang Rai province, regarded by many as their favourite in Thailand for its unspoilt nature. So once you’ve recharged your batteries in the main city, head on out to explore the region. Plenty of tour operators have set up shop around the Night Bazaar, and the bus station is easily walkable from anywhere near the centre of town. Those of you who prefer a little more independence might consider hiring a car; and for only a little bit extra you can hire a driver.

Hall of Opium

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SIGHTSEEING

route 101

ut on your best walking shoes, or hire a bicycle, to really experience the street-level charm of inner Chiang Rai. Start right at the beginning of the Lanna story with the bronze statue of King Meng Rai ( corner Highway 1 and Uttarakit Rd). He was the sovereign founder of the Lanna Kingdom in 1262. Interested in the kaleidoscopic people of northern Thailand? Stroll along to the Hilltribe Museum (620/25 Thanalai Rd) to see valuable artifacts and learn the fast-disappearing ways of these fascinating cultures. Next, a temple-hop to soak in Chiang Rai’s spiritual side. Cut across north to Wat Kliang Wiang, and Wat Prasingh. Grab some kwee teow noodles for lunch, only 35-40 baht at Chan Cha Restaurant (447/17 Singhaclai Road, opposite the enchanting Chiang Rai Train Library) on your way to Wat Phra Kaew. The latter dates back to the start of this city and is where the original Emerald Buddha (now at the Grand Palace, Bangkok) was discovered following a mysterious bolt of lightning. 48

CHIANG RAI

Head back to the centre of town via the bustling local produce markets that line the streets around the original old clock tower on Uttarakit Road. Carry on to near the new golden Clock Tower where you’ll want to have a coffee and maybe a home-baked pastry at Ti Amo Café House (1025/39-40 Jed Yod Rd). By now you’ll probably want to escape the heat of the day, so duck into Orn Books nearby (Soi 1, Jed Yod Rd) and spend some time browsing in it’s homely atmosphere. This puts you within easy strike of Jet Yod Road’s many options for happy hour. Thus fortified, you can curve around back onto Phaloyothin Road to the golden mile of eateries that line the street. The Night Bazaar is just across from some of the more popular ones such as Aye’s, Da Vinci’s and The Old Dutch. Depending on whether you’re a shopaholic or not, the Night Bazaar can keep you entertained for twenty minutes or two hours. Make sure you’re able to catch the dazzling automated light and sound sightseeing

show at the Golden Clock Tower (nightly 7, 8, 9pm). Then back to Cat Bar on Jet Yod for cool live rock tunes, cruise the street for other bars that catch your eye, and finish up with a nightcap at Kaffee Hub overlooking the Clock Tower and main road for some late-night people watching.

Mae Fah Luang Botanical Garden

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THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE

ess than 70km northeast of Chiang Rai is one of Thailand’s most infamous destinations. The point where Thailand, Laos and Burma meet, the little village of Sop Ruak, is, more famously known as the Golden Triangle. Exotic as it may sound, it’s actually a bit of a misnomer. The name was coined by the US Central Intelligence Agency to describe the rampant opium production once common to this area in all three countries. With the efforts of government campaigns, however, opium production has been all but wiped out in Thailand. Still, atmosphere oozes from the surrounding hills. And as you gaze across the Mekong River to Burma and Laos (ignoring the roaring speedboats, souvenir vendors and eyesore casinos), it’s hard not to get caught up in the romance of the place. WHAT TO DO Despite the decline of the opium trade, a bit of its heady history has been preserved: two exceptional museums pay homage to the drug in distinctively different ways. www.lanna101.com

The Hall of Opium (daily 10am3:30pm, B300, 053-784-444; www. maefahluang.org) is by far the higher profile of the two, and at over 10 years and $10 million to build, the far more ambitious project. It examines the history of opium and its effects on human psychology and society with multimedia displays, collections of artefacts, dioramas, artwork, and well-written overviews (see Box). Down the road stands the House of Opium (053-784-060; www. houseofopium.com), which makes up for its lack of finances and size with a certain cutesy charm and somewhat more affectionate take on the drug’s history. At only B50 to get in, it’s hard to just say no. Make sure to check out the great gift shop, which sells a variety of opium and hill tribe related handicrafts at good prices. It’s worth a look. After all, how many gift shops in the world sell gaily-painted bamboo bongs? Most of the other things to do in Sop Ruak are the stuff tourist traps are made of. The giant golden Buddha statue surrounded by a mishsightseeing

mash of snapshot-spot signs indicating that you are, in fact, at the Golden Triangle, coupled with crowds of Thai kids dressed in fake hill tribe gear preening for B10 photos, can certainly be a disappointment unless you take it all with a grain of salt. Likewise, the riverboat trips (approx 400 baht per half hour) where you ‘discover’ three countries in the same day is a bit of a joke; you merely pass by a bit of Burma on your way to disembark at the wee island Don Sao, said to be Laotian territory. All that’s there, however, is an unimpressive market. Nevertheless, if you’re a fan of the excellent Beer Lao (and you should be), you might consider stocking up here. If you’re especially keen on setting foot on Burmese soil, you can do so by visiting the Paradise Resort Golden Triangle and its casino on another nearby island (053-652111 www.goldentriangleparadise. com). Similarly the new Chinese-built King Roman casino in Laos. Don’t expect anything terribly authentic from your experience, however. 49

SIGHTSEEING

If you’re staying in the area, the nightlife options took a plunge when Sugar Sugar put their operations on hold (stay tuned, they might yet re-open). Come Pooh Joo (080-8090699) pub and restaurant (diagonally opposite Serene Hotel) is a fun place to drop in for a casual drink, game of pool, or karaoke singalong with the locals till about 1am.There are also a few restaurant/pubs further along the Rimkhong Road which have live music, but you need a lot of whisky to enjoy most of the local acts. The once-mighty town of Chiang Saen, a few kilometres away from Sop Ruak, is today a rather-ordinary midsized Thai town with a museum and some temples worth visiting. Relics of the ancient city’s 13th century wall litter the landscape and the towering Wat Chedi Luang is particularly inspiring. Chiang Saen is best known now as a spot from which to take Mekong river trips to Laos and even China. Versatile Gin’s Guesthouse (Rimkhong Road, 053-650-847 www.ginguesthouse. blogspot.com) can help arrange visas and logistics for superb trips like these. They also rent mountain bikes and motorcycles for scenic viewing of the area. In this part of Thailand, after all, it’s less about the specific attractions and more about the terrific scenery. 50

WHERE TO STAY Budget options abound, but the two choicest places to park yourself in this area are surely The Anantara Golden Triangle and The Four Seasons Tented Camp. Both are located at Sop Ruak, though the Four Seasons can only be visited by private boat and prior arrangement. Each place offers you a rare mix of world-class luxury, astonishing views and the chance to play with friendly elephants (see Box).

the heart of the jungle, elephant training courses, and a gourmet twist on local cuisine. It’s easy to imagine you’re a 19th century aristocrat, recently arrived via steamer to engage in an expedition into the savage unknown. Fortunately, there are no real savages left and you won’t have to hunt your own food (the kitchen is expectedly splendid). Most importantly, the elephant training courses offer unmatched aesthetic backdrops for your fantasies of old world, pith-helmeted glory.

■ THE ANANTARA GOLDEN TRIANGLE 053-784-084; www.goldentriangle.anantara.com This is a full-sized affair, with 58 rooms, 19 suites and gorgeous Lanna architecture peering over both jungle and the Mekong River. Though one can luxuriate in their five-star amenities, pool, Jacuzzi, fantastic spa, cosy bar, gym, and two excellent restaurants, the real star here is their elephant camp. A generous portion of the site is devoted to several tame pachyderms that spend only a few hours at most each day interacting with eager tourists and the rest eating and sleeping. Training courses of varying lengths can be undertaken for about B4,400 a day.

■ SERENE AT CHIANG SAEN

■ THE FOUR SEASONS TENTED CAMP 053-910-200; www.fourseasons.com/ goldentriangle.com A bit more of a sequestered experience, this is easily one of the most extraordinary in the world of tourism. Take 15 tented cabins uniquely appointed in colonial style, provide exhilarating vistas over the jungles of three different countries, add the chance to learn to ride and command local elephants, and even those who think they’ve seen it all will concede that this is truly a oncein-a-lifetime experience. Set on 400 acres of one of the most picturesque spots in the world, this all-inclusive stay features spa treatments deep in

053-784-500, www.sereneatchiangrai.com This property sits right on the river with panoramic views of all three countries. It is a wonderful contemporary Thaifusion-style hotel, which rich accents of bright colour, tons of dark wood, and an overall feeling of taste, especially in their newly-added double-storey top floor suites (they recently hosted a function for one of the royal princesses here). It straddles the gap between backpacker joint and uber-5-star options beautifully. Breakfast at Chill Out Café is included in all the room rates, but even if you don’t stay here, do drop in for a meal or coffee break … enjoy the river breeze from this comfy and airy open space, and the desserts and sweets are mouthwateringly superb.

Serene At Chiang Saen photo credit: Jaffee Yee Yeow-fei

sightseeing

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or years the tourism authorities have been milking the infamous Golden Triangle, where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar all come together, separated only by a wide bend in the Mekong River. These days, the infamous triangle, renowned for drug lords, smuggling, and violence, is more about finding a parking space and getting in line for a photo op. The Golden Triangle’s notorious past however, really is an interesting story, and the 400 million baht Hall of Opium built in 2004 by the Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage is one of the most informative and noteworthy tourist attractions of the northern region, and well worth a visit. The three-story state of the art multi-media museum (not to be confused with the smaller Opium Museum in the center of Sop Ruak, which is more of a small display of various paraphernalia) is well laid out, extremely informative, and provides for an interactive and thought provoking afternoon. The Mae Fah Luang Foundation built the Hall of Opium in order to educate people about the background of the opium trade in the Golden Triangle. It has done so with the idea of “edu-tainment,” hoping that the snazzy exhibit would be family and user friendly as well as fun, and at the same time teach about the pitfalls of drug use and show that they are a global issue as opposed to just an isolated story from the Golden Triangle. Upon entering the museum, one passes through a 150 meter tunnel where synthetic opium aroma traces fill the air and psychedelic music plays as one walks between eerily lit walls which have bas relief images of demons in pain and fear. On the first floor, the history of Opium is discussed with a large section devoted as to how the drug made its way to Asia. It is quite amazing that for a flower that has over 250 different species, only one that is found in the wild is cultivated and has wreaked havoc on entire nations and changed economics and cultures throughout the world. www.lanna101.com

HALL OF OPIUM Words & photos Dave Stamboulis

The first floor has a large section on the British Empire, and how the Industrial Revolution all of the sudden made previously expensive goods very cheap to manufacture, allowing British exports to flourish. The Brits traded around the world, with everyone except the Chinese, whose different culture didn’t need anything that the English were offering. Eventually though, the Chinese turned to opium, which was produced in India and sent via the famed East India Company which the British controlled. The entire Chinese population became dependent and decimated by the drug, leading to the Opium Wars of the 1930’s, where the government attempted to reduce the destruction being wreaked by the British export. Meanwhile, opium made inroads in Siam, brought in by the Chinese merchant class and made legal for the ethnic Chinese for a time. A farm tax of 25% was levied on it by the government, making it a profitable enterprise. The ethnic Hmong migrated to Laos and northern Thailand from China and Vietnam in the 1860’s, and became the major cultivators of opium poppies in the region, setting off a rush by profiteers to get in on the lucrative trade. After the historical halls, there sightseeing

are displays of the paraphernalia associated with opium; pipes boxes, instruments for weights and measures, and full scale depictions of opium dens and their smokers. There are displays on medical and other contemporary uses of opium and its derivatives, and then a set of rooms devoted to discussing the drug trade and drugs in general, with a couple of short films to show the damage caused to individuals and their families due to opium addiction. Even for non-museum goers, the insight and exhibitions offered by the Hall of Opium are eye opening and very well put together, and one can easily spend 3-4 hours combing through all the various rooms and displays. The Hall of Opium is just outside of Sop Ruak Village, site of the Golden Triangle, and 12km from the town of Chiang Saen. Buses go to Sop Ruak from Chiang Saen, and one can also get there via the Green Bus from Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

■ HALL OF OPIUM Golden Triangle Park Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai, Thailand. Tel. 053-784-444 ; www.maefahluang.org 51

SIGHTSEEING

DOI TUNG

ust north of Doi Mae Salong, this peak is utterly different in character. For one thing, it’s generally full of Thai tourists year-round. That’s because the beloved late mother of King Bhumibol set up a centre for agricultural research here and an impressive Mae Fah Luang Botanical Garden for the public (Daily 7am-5pm, B50). Though the layout of the garden may be a little more geared towards

the Thai aesthetic than most foreigners are accustomed to, the taming of the shrubs and Dr. Seuss-like pruning is sure to delight anyone with a childlike sense of wonder. It is arguably the most beautiful of all the flower gardens in northern Thailand, and especially wonderful from November to January. The Hall of Inspiration is a wellcurated telling of the story of the social and agricultural transformation of this area. Thais also enjoy visiting the Queen Mother’s Royal Villa (Daily 6.30am-5pm, B70). Those looking for more animated forms of life can check out the free Doi Tung Zoo nearby, open 8am-6pm. Inquire about all Doi Tung activities at 053- 767-015 or via www.doitung.org. Doi Tung can be reached by bus, car or motorcycle, and most travel outfits in Chiang Rai generally offer it as part of their sightseeing tours. If you want to go it alone, however, just take a bus from the Chiang Rai station to Mae Sai and ask to get off at the road junction to Doi Tung. From the turn-off you can get song thaew trucks up the hill for the 45-minute journey. sightseeing

WHERE TO STAY ■ DOI TUNG LODGE Doi Tung Development Project, Doi Rung Royal Villa, Mae Fah Luang district, Chiang Rai, 053-767-015 www.doitung.org A former villa for visiting royal entourages, but it’s not as fancy as it sounds. Fairly basic but comfortable hotel rooms. www.lanna101.com

SIGHTSEEING

DOI MAE SALONG

hen the 93rd regiment of the Kuomintang rebels needed a place to settle after losing the Chinese Civil War in 1949, they ultimately ended up in the pristine mountains in Chiang Rai’s north. Today the hilltop villages are populated primarily with these folks and their descendants, who still maintain their Yunnan dialect and Chinese customs. Homage is paid to them at the Chinese Martyr’s Memorial Hall at the top of town, a fascinating local museum. Today a thriving tea industry has come to replace what was once prime opium-growing territory, and now charming teahouses and tea fields make up much of the splendid scenery. Also on display are unusual medicinal Chinese herbs, both fresh and generously pickled in rice whisky (after thorough testing, we recommend the latter). Consequently, a trip up here is akin to visiting a completely different country – a gentle, welcoming one at that. It’s also one of the most beautiful areas in the country and if you’re able to pilot a motorcycle (or have a friend who can), it’s borderline mandatory to rent one and make a trip on two wheels. Otherwise you miss out on the full 180 degrees of undulating valleys, emerald tea plantations, coniferous

forests and flower-lined roads. Those fit enough for the often steep approaches might even consider renting bicycles in Chiang Rai and pedalling up. Of the two routes to get there, the older one from Pasang (route 1130, just north of Mae Chan) is by far the more beautiful. If you must do it on four wheels, cars can be hired in Chiang Rai, or take a bus to Pasang (1.5 hours) and then catch a bumpy song thaew truck up the hill from there (1 hour). There are some decent accommodation options up at the top if you choose to stay the night, but make sure to bring warm clothes as it can get chilly (5-10 degrees) once the sun goes down, especially November through January. Trekking opportunities in the area are excellent, though if time (and energy) is tight you can instead visit a friendly local Akha village near town; there’s a road that leads down the hill near to the 7-Eleven store. Several other lovely strolls in the area can be undertaken for which you shouldn’t need a guide. Alternatively, why not explore the area perched on a stallion? The Chinese here are in fact so famous for their equestrian skills that the Thais refer to them as jeen haaw, or “galloping Chinese.” Shin Sane Guest House (053-765-026) arranges sightseeing

inexpensive six-hour horseback excursions into the wild, wild east. Many consider the engaging Sweet Mae Salong cafe (081-855-4000) enough reason to travel to Doi Mae Salong for its hearty breakfasts, gourmet panini and simply wicked desserts. Midway up the road to Mae Salong stands a tiny Hill Tribe Museum but it seems to keep irregular hours. From 28 December to 2 January each year a cherry blossom festival is held here, complete with sound and light shows. WHERE TO STAY Our pick of accommodation is the gorgeous Phu Chaisai Resort (053-918-637; www.phu-chaisai. com) on the way up. This atmospheric bamboo affair is the brainchild of a renowned interior designer, and it shows. The modern all-suite Katiliya Mountain Resort & Spa is equally tasteful (053-603-000, http://katiliya. com). Mid-range, try Khumnaipol Resort (053-765-001), a site with a fascinating history in a tea plantation overlooking the town. At the budget end, we recommend Little Home Guest House (053-765-389; www. maesalonglittlehome.com) for its comfort, friendly Yunnanese owners and great Chinese meals. www.lanna101.com

profile Stu Lloyd

Soldier of Good Fortune

ust about everyone who meets Somboon Iamvitayakun agrees his is about the happiest, most radiant, face they’ve ever seen. But life wasn’t always so good to him. Born beside the Burma border near Doi Tung in 1956, his life of adventure started just 4 months later when his father, a 3-star gunner with the exiled Chinese Kuomintang army, was posted back to the Burma/China border. Somboon witnessed the fighting daily. “We need to move, move, move every day, cannot stay same place. Bombs and big guns. After four-and-a-half years we lose,” he says matter of factly, in his gentle voice. So back to Doi Tung it was.”Doi Tung only have temple before. Poppy and opium is there.” In a political move deemed better for Thailand, the exiled army was repositioned closer to the border which was then right at Mae Salong. “We move in 1963, about 4,000 soldiers but only 16 families.” Among the 16 families was a young Chinese girl, Patcharee, who caught his eye. They would marry many years later. “Hill tribe people put many, many poppy, but KMT did not grow it -- we

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provided security from Shan State to Thailand for many European and Hong Kong people before Khun Sa,” he says of the army’s dubious dealings with drug lords. “We stopped security in 1972 then Khun Sa get bigger, bigger, bigger making heroin. Before, Khun Sa and us were family, but after 1972 we fight against Khun Sa.” That year his father, then a one-star general, died fighting at Pha Thang near Pu Chi Fah. Somboon was already following in his father’s footsteps. “Fighting against Thai communist and Burmese soldier in Phu Chi Fa and sometimes helping Chinese family in Burma get to Mae Salong. Fight communist in jungle, but Burmese in the city.” In 1982 the KMT were given Thai citizenship and land by the King as way of thanks for services rendered. “In my heart now I am Thai,” he says tapping his chest. Nothing much has changed in delightful Mae Salong apart from the road being sealed in 1990, and four hotels – including Somboon’s Little Home Guest House – sprouting in the past 4 years. Tourists are increasingly sightseeing

finding their way into these hills to enjoy the cool air, the tea plantations, and the Chinese frontier town feeling. “I like it here, the people are so warm and friendly. Not so busy, it’s an easy life. No pollution and not so hot. It’s like my hometown now.” Mae Salong Little Home Guest House, 31 Moo1 Maesalongnork, Maefahluang, 053-765-389; www.maesalonglittlehome.com

SIGHTSEEING

elephants

t’s a fanciful old idea in pop psychology that you can tell a lot about a person by what animal they identify with. How much more so, then, with an entire nation? Whereas Ethiopia may idealise the majesty of the lion, Spain the strength of the bull and America the nobility of the horse, Thailand has made a beloved idol of the elephant. Gentle and mighty, talented and highly intelligent, it’s no wonder so many have taken them to heart. Siam has long identified itself with the popular pachyderm – until 1916 the national flag consisted of a white elephant on a red background. Moreover, every March 13th the country celebrates National Elephant Day, when a trunk load of fun, elephantine activities abound. It is Northern Thailand that is their true home, with most of its wild population based in our denser jungles. Consequently, elephantbased activities here tend to be

more authentic and generally do more to benefi t the animals than the camps by the southern beaches. However, the reality behind the loveable icon is drawn in darker shades of grey. After decades of poaching and encroachment of their habitats, the Asian elephant is now endangered, its numbers in Thailand alone having dropped from 100,000 in 1900 to only 4,000 today. Where they were once prized for their heavy-lifting skills, modern technology and anti-logging laws have rendered them almost obsolete. Not long ago, the future looked bleak, but a new role has been found for them, which not only stands to generate funds to take care of them and ensure their survival, but also raise awareness of their plight – as ambassadors for elephant tourism. Elephant-based activities have been growing fast throughout the country, with increasing numbers sightseeing

of visitors coming specifically to learn about, be entertained by, ride, and even train these incredible, emblematic mammals. Accordingly, an elephant ride or elephant show is a ‘must do’ experience in Lanna. ELEPHANT NATURE PARK (MAE TAENG) 209/2 Sridonchai Road, 053-818-754; www.elephantnaturepark.org The founder of the park, Sangduen ‘Lek’ Chailert, won a Time magazine Hero award in 2005 for her efforts to help endangered elephants in Thailand. Despite financial hardships, she has managed to create a world-famous sanctuary for injured elephants and domesticated ones whose owners can no longer care for them. Tourists can expect a real slice of local life here, located in a small village 60km north of Chiang Mai.

สวนชาง อ.แมแตง

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MAE SA ELEPHANT CAMP Mae Rim-Samoeng Road, 053-206-247; www.maesaelephantcamp.com Perhaps the most popular place to watch elephants show off their amazing sporting and artistic talents, as well as to take an elephant-training course. On National Elephant Day (13 March), visitors join in the celebrations, enjoying charming and hilarious elephant activities like elephants playing football, basketball and even gorging on a colossal allyou-can-eat buffet.

ปางชางแมสา อ.แมรมิ

THE THAI ELEPHANT CONSERVATION CENTRE (LAMPANG) Km 28-29, Lampang-Chiang Mai Road, Lampang, 053-247-871; www.changthai.com This centre is the best friend an elephant could have. Located in Lampang, an hour and a half south of Chiang Mai, its activities and programmes have contributed enormously to elephant welfare in Thailand and beyond. Tours run throughout the day and one can even stay on the beautiful122-hectare grounds while taking an mahout course, where you learn how to control, train and gain the trust of a creature 50 times your weight.

ศูนยอนุรกั ษชา งไทย ถ.ลำปาง – เชียงใหม

THOM’S ELEPHANT CAMP Pai, Mae Hong Son, 053-699-286. Daily 9am-5pm. Free According to Thom, the irrepressibly enthusiastic owner of this camp in Pai town, she was not only the first elephant camp in Pai, but the first in Thailand to offer tourists the opportunity to ride them bareback (without a saddle). Although several imitators have sprung up since she started her business decades ago, Thom’s gets top marks for quality of service, most huggable elephants, and relaxing natural hot spring-fed tubs for relaxing after your highwww.lanna101.com

altitude romp along the river. Expect to laugh yourself silly as the elephants use their trunks to spray you with water from their trunks.

ปางชาง ธอมส อ.ปาย

ANANTARA GOLDEN TRIANGLE ELEPHANT CAMP 29 Moo 1, Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai, 053-784-084, www.helpingelephants.org This camp has grown substantially with more and more rescued eles (and their mahouts and families) joining the relocation program which takes them from city streets into the dense jungle of the Golden Triangle. Here, there elephants are leased by the hotel and put to work for travelers to ride on them, or undergo 3-day mahout courses. Visitors can delight in watching the elephants bathe (just after breakfast time). Many other elephants are kept in a separate camp further down and not used for tourist-related work.

ปางชาง อนันตรา อ.เชียงแสน (สามเหลี่ยมทองคำ)

FOUR SEASONS TENTED CAMP Chiang Saen (Golden Triangle), elephant camp is only for hotel guests, 053-910-200; www.fourseasons.com Transport yourself into the romantic colonial atmosphere of yesteryear at this one-of-a-kind, all-inclusive, and elephant-attended experience. From your vantage point in an exquisite safari tent, nestled in jungle hills with dizzying views over nearby Burma, it’s easy to imagine you’re a 19 th century aristocrat, recently arrived via steamer to engage in an expedition into the savage unknown. Fortunately, there are no real savages left and you won’t have to hunt your own food (the kitchen is expectedly splendid). Perhaps most importantly, the Four Seasons’ elephant training courses offer unmatched aesthetic backdrops for all your fantasies of old world, pith-helmeted glory.

ELEPHANT DUNG PAPER Surely one of the most clever (and curious) products conceived to help save the Siamese elephant is paper made from elephant droppings. It may be hard to believe, but elephants’ stomachs are excellent at processing hard fibre into pulp ready for papermaking. Of course, the raw material is processed beyond the point where anyone would suspect its point of origin. And though you probably wouldn’t use the soft but roughly textured sheets for legal documents or wedding invitations, elephant dung paper makes for great notebooks, stationery, souvenirs and unusual gifts that are guaranteed to spark animated conversation. At some of the elephant camps in and around Chiang Mai you may even have the opportunity to see the paper being made. WHERE TO BUY Mae Sa Elephant Camp; The Thai Elephant Conservation Centre; Pooh Eco Trekking, 59 Rachapakhinai Road, near Chiang Mai Gate in the southeast corner of the Old City, 053-208-538

โฟรซซี นั เตนท แคมป อ.เชียงแสน sightseeing

SIGHTSEEING

motorbikes Words & photos Stu Lloyd

hen it comes to motorcycling, the Lanna region really is heaven – or nirvana, if you will – on two wheels. Surprisingly excellent roads (the drivers, well, that’s a separate issue), stunning mountain and valley vistas, cheap petrol with smiling pumpattendants, plentiful accommodation in the B300-B1,000 a night range, tasty food on every corner, and we haven’t even got to the best bit yet … In what other country can you have a hard day in the saddle and then stop in just about any small town and get a great massage for your weary bum that’ll cost you around B150-B200 per hour? It doesn’t matter what two wheels you get around on frankly. 100cc Honda Waves or 1800cc Harleys are all the same to me (although I choose to ride a BMW F650GS) … just a way of getting out there and seeing what too few other visitors to the region are seeing. Away from the well-worn tour

bus circuit. Most rental shops (see right) cater well in the 200cc-650cc rides, bikes that are big enough to deal with the vertiginous challenges of some of the mountainous terrain and give you a comfortable enough ride along the way.

sightseeing

Before you head off, two words: GT Rider (www.gt-rider.com). This website is an amazing resource where keen riders (many of them passionate motorcycling residents of the north) write up ride reports, recommend

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■ GT RIDER www.gt-rider.com

TOURING & RENTAL COMPANIES: CHIANG MAI ■ ASIAN MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURES 080-493-1012, info@asianbiketour.com; www.asianbiketour.com

hotels and eateries to stay or avoid, and generally clue you in to what’s hot and what’s not in Lanna. GT Rider was set up by Aussie David Unkovich who lives in Chiang Mai and has covered possibly one million kilometers on these roads over the last 30 years. He also publishes the best maps outlining classic trips such as the Mae Sa Valley / Samoeng loop, the Mae Hong Son loop, the Golden Triangle, and so on. (GT Rider maps are available from many bookstores in Lanna and on GPS too.) You can string these together to make your own customised itinerary. And, of course, there’s all the bits in between that make it really interesting … it may be a quaint hill-tribe village a few kilometers off the track, it might be a great coffee spot lookout (like 7km south of Mae Hong Son, where the guy has the kettle boiling on the log fire). Well, you get the idea. As for my personal favourites, there’s the 1148 which links Chiang Kham to Nan, an endless windy road, perfectly cambered with gorgeous valleys (keep your eye on the road, though). Chiang Mai to Pai’s 482 curves. Highway 12 from Phitsanulok west to Lom Sak with picture-postcard valley views, flower gardens and coffee shops aplenty. All the arrow-straight highways between Uttaradit and Sukhothai where you can really put your machine through its paces … Which brings us to speed limits. I did see a police car. Once. Somewhere near Lamphun. Entering a town, www.lanna101.com

signs read: ‘City Limit – Reduce Speed.’ It doesn’t say down to what. Mostly it’s up to the rider to ride according to the conditions within his or her own ability. Sometimes a brilliant road will suddenly become a 10m stretch of gravel, with no warning sign (at least not in English). And then there’s the assortment of animals you will routinely encounter on roads along the way: including dogs, chickens, water buffalo, and even an elephant or two. But the biggest hazard is other motorists and, on a serious note, the fatality rates in Thailand are extremely high; unlicensed drivers and riders, drunk driving, buses overtaking cars which are overtaking trucks who are passing a scooter on a blind rise round a sharp mountain corner on a single-laned road. Which is probably why many opt for off-road riding as a better alternative. One of the most endearing things – and this says a lot about amazing northern Thailand and its people – is the amount of times I’ve had my bike fixed for free. Several times I’ve pulled into a bike shop en route up-country to have, say, my chain tightened. They put it up on the blocks, a couple of guys spend 10 or 15 minutes tightening it, then wave you on your way; no charge. ‘No, no, I just help you,’ they say. I insist on tipping them 20 or 40 baht. Another time I had a new brake light put into my BMW. Parts and labour 30 baht. So what are you waiting for? Get out and enjoy Lanna from the best viewpoint possible; sat in the saddle. sightseeing

■ MR MECHANIC (OFF-ROAD TOURS) 4 Soi 5 Moon Muang Road, 053-214-708 http://mr-mechanic1994.com ■ THAI BIKE VOYAGE (BMW’S) 97 Moo 5, San Kamphaeng, 053-115-802; www.thaibikevoyage.com ■ TONY’S BIG BIKES 17 Ratchamanka Road, 085-107-2893; www.chiangmai-motorcycle-rental.com

CHIANG RAI ■ TS MOTOR 527/5-6 Banphaprakan Road, 053713652; st_motorcycle@hotmail.com ■ ENDURO THAILAND (OFF-ROAD TOURS) 535 Moo 16, Soi Den Haa 9 / 1, T. Robwiang; www.endurothailand.com ■ JJ OFFROAD RENTALS 100/1 Chaisongkram Road, 089-560-0613

SIGHTSEEING

community based tourism Peter Richards

oday, travellers to Northern Thailand who would like to meet local Thai people and get close to local life have a new choice. Community members in 37 communities, across six provinces of Northern Thailand are working together to develop Community Based Tourism. ‘CBT’ programmes are designed by local community members to share special aspects of local lifestyle, culture and nature that they feel proud of and choose to share with guests. Local people work as a team to develop a tour programme and welcome travellers with an active interest to learn about the special relationships between people, culture and nature. CBT is tangibly different from a regular village tour. Hosts are proud and enthusiastic to welcome guests and show them around. The journey is led by local families, community guides, artists, craftspeople, formal and informal leaders. You will get the chance to try local dishes, sleep in 60

a local home or community lodge. You could try your hand at natural dying, weaving, cooking a local jungle curry or even teaching English at the local school. You spend long enough in the village to meet people, and practice a little of the local language. For more information, please visit the CBT Network website at www. cbtnetwork.org. For a recommendation for a suitable community or a suggestion for a good tour operator to help organise a visit, please contact Khun Thiratee, Coordinator of the Thailand Community Based Tourism Network Coordination Center (CBT-N): neck_cbtn@yahoo.com CBT IN CHIANG MAI: BAAN MAE KAMPONG ‘Experience warm Northern Thai hospitality in a home stay; trek through pristine forest and help your hosts to pick tea; learn about local crafts; see the local hydro-energy project.’ The picturesque Northern Thai village sightseeing

of Mae Kampong is located only 50km from Chiang Mai. Nestled on a hillside, 1300m above sea level and surrounded by pristine forest, Mae Kampong has a cool and pleasant climate all year round. Why is Mae Kampong community special? Cultivating tea is a traditional occupation for Northern Thai highland people. Mae Kampong village is surrounded by tea plantations which successive generations have woven into the verdant natural landscape. Tea trees grow alongside Arabica coffee, herbal medicines and the natural forest. The community members also produce their own hydro-electricity, and share profits in a local cooperative. Activities for Guests. Guests can accompany local community guides trekking through the forest, passing tea, coffee and herbal gardens. Enjoy strolling through pristine forest and learning how the community manage natural resources and harness hydropower. You can also see traditional Northern Thai dance and musical performances www.lanna101.com

and even get up early to make merit for this and the next life by offering alms to the local saffron-robed monks. Green Corner. More than 30 households are actively involved in CBT in Mae Kampong. Villagers contribute towards the local cooperative, which generates income for all community members as well as funding a range of social and environmental activities. These include tree planting; building a buffer line to deter forest fires; and assisting surveillance to prevent illegal logging and the smuggling of wild orchids from the forest. CBT IN MAE HONG SON: BAAN JA BO LAHU VILLAGE ‘Stay in a traditional Lahu village, explore the nature trail and sacred cave with local guides; get to know the friendly local people, taste traditional Lahu food.’ Ja Bo is a Lahu village sitting on a mountain ridge, accessed by a small mountain road, approximately 10km off the main highway to Mae Hong Son. Behind the village, a limestone cliff soars into the sky, containing many caves, which are recognised as important prehistoric, archaeological sites. These caves contain mysterious, prehistoric coffins, which are considered by local people to be the home of ‘Pee Men’, or powerful village spirits. Why is Ja Bo special? The people of Ja Bo are colourful, flamboyant and welcoming. Village life is invested with a special warmth and energy. Guests who are lucky enough to visit during the Lahu New Year, or other important festival times have the chance to learn traditional dances from community members, in the sacred dancing circle. Ja Bo is also a good place to try traditional Lahu food, made from wild vegetables such as mushrooms, bamboo shoots and young leaves, and cucumber and beans from the villagers’ gardens. Activities for guests. In 2 or 3 hours, guests can explore the village’s important cultural sites. Local guides can escort you to the sacred ‘Ran Ja Kueh’ dancing ground. You have the chance to meet local craftspeople, making clothes and bamboo instruments. www.lanna101.com

You can also trek up the mountain to the mouth of the sacred Pee Man cave, where there are numerous prehistoric coffins, as well as beautiful, glittering stalactites and stalagmites. Green Corner. Baan Ja Bo CommunityBased Tourism Group was formed in 2001 to create better understanding of Lahu people’s livelihoods, traditions, and culture. In particular, Ja Bo community wanted to share their local wisdom of forest management and show that the Lahu people are able to live harmoniously with the forest.. COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM: FAQ ■ WHERE DO GUESTS STAY? Guests may stay with a local family in a homestay, in a communityowned lodge, or even a community campsite. Accommodation will be typical local style. Guests can expect clean, safe, welcoming and comfortable accommodation. However, the community members are not able to offer luxury or hotel standards. ■ WHAT DO GUESTS EAT? Special dishes will be prepared, made from typical, fresh local ingredients. Guests can often join their host families to collect fresh ingredients from their hosts’ garden or orchard, and may also help to cook if they wish. Vegetarian food, mildly spiced dishes, or dishes prepared without chilli are available for guests on request.

■ WHO DO GUESTS MEET? You will meet a variety of welcoming, interesting people during their time in the village. Local people with a role in the CBT program may include home stay families, community tour guides, craftsmen, performers, community leaders, students and teachers, village elders and other interesting characters. ■ HOW IS CBT DIFFERENT FROM

OTHER RURAL TOURISM? Eco, agro, sightseeing…. There are so many different rural experiences available for tourists. Community Based Tourism is a truly unique experience because: Community: Hosts feel very proud of their leading roles in CBT. This leads to a particularly warm welcome. Cultural exchange is more profound than regular village tours. Guests meet a variety of people, an authentic experience of the whole community. Environment: The lives of local people are intimately connected with the natural world. Activities will bring this relationship alive, adding a new depth to guests’ enjoyment and appreciation of nature. Their visit will also contribute towards nature conservation. Benefit: CBT is the result of months of training and effort. Local people benefit through income, new knowledge and skills and funds for social work and conservation projects.

■ HOW DO GUESTS GET AROUND? Local transport is used. This could be a private car for a transfer to the community, or by boat or bicycle for activities taking place in the community. ■ HOW DO GUESTS AND HOSTS COMMUNICATE? Hosts are usually excited to welcome guests, and very keen to try and communicate. To assist interaction, ‘Thai-English language sheets’ are available for guests. These include simple conversations in Thai and English, which can be used to break the ice. sightseeing

SIGHTSEEING

the royal projects

IN THE BEGINNING In 1969, after visiting poor villages near Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s highest peak, 42 year-old King Bhumibol descended to Chiang Mai University and delivered a speech in which he declared it imperative that the country work to help the disenfranchised hill tribe people to prosper. The King’s reasoning was threefold. First, for humanitarian reasons, those living in extreme poverty should be helped to break the cycle through development efforts, education and aid; second, many of them were involved in producing and trafficking in the illegal opium trade, and the consequences were not only bad for Thailand’s international relations but contributed to domestic drug addiction. By introducing cash generating crops to replace opium, the King posited that this bane might not only be overcome, but would help alleviate the third reason for action: slash and burn agriculture. 62

This type of nomadic farming was destructive to the land, resulting in barren soil, denuded forests and catastrophic erosion. Furthermore, the farmers’ roaming lifestyle made it impossible to provide their youth access to state education, ensuring that they would remain stuck in a cycle of poverty through the generations. Soon after this revolutionary speech, the earliest incarnation of The Royal Project was born, and with it, a labour of love that would span decades. Today, some 274 villages (numbering 54,000 inhabitants) are directly involved in this scheme. LOVE AT FIRST SITE – DOI ANGKHANG Since its inception, the King’s right-hand man in the programme has been H.S.H. Prince Bhisadej Rajani. With his help, the King launched the first Royal Project Site at Doi Angkhang in 1970, spearheading research into viable crops with the sightseeing

help of volunteers from Kasetsart University. Today this lush mountainous spot, a three-hour drive from Chiang Mai, is one of the most accessible, attractive and profitable of the 36 different Royal Project Sites scattered throughout Northern Thailand. Where the hills were once bare from burning and erosion, today they are bursting with greenery and exotic crops, providing an almost surreal vista of majestically-cultivated vegetation. Because of this, the site has become something of a secret getaway for the Bangkok elite, the Amari Angkhang Resort next door providing plush lodgings and intimate service. In fact, several times a year the Prince hosts a gourmet tasting tour of Angkhang, bringing in some of Thailand’s top chefs to prepare extraordinary meals which use fresh produce from the Project itself. Angkhang is currently considered the most successful experimental site out of all those in the Royal Project, www.lanna101.com

earning billions of baht in profits annually, primarily from the sale of fine produce such as tea, peaches, persimmons, strawberries, herbs, rare flowers and more. Local hill tribes have been helped and encouraged by the Project in marketing their traditional handicrafts such as weavings and jewellery. All this can be seen firsthand by visitors to the site, not to mention traditional dance and musical performances. In fact, an especially good time to visit is during the Poi Sang Long festival in March/April, when the local Shan tribe dress up their boys in amazing costumes prior to becoming ordained as monks. Moreover, March to August is an especially good time to visit for those interested in escaping the stifling heat of the lowlands. Though Thailand boasts its fair share of eye-popping attractions, a breezy bicycle ride through the variegated fields of Angkhang is enough to remind you that Nature can be the greatest amusement park of all – but blessedly free of tourist crowds and garish commercialism. Getting there can be done by rental car, motorcycle, public bus or by convenient shuttle from the Amari Rincome Hotel in Chiang Mai. Though Angkhang is one of the easiest Royal Project sites to visit, many sites can only be reached by private car, and sometimes even fourwheel drive vehicles are necessary. Accommodation can be generally limited in the vicinity of the sites as well. The following are among the easiest and most rewarding to visit:

ones listed above. The Samoeng Loop is already well known by local motorcycle aficionados as one of the loveliest drives in the country. Happily, you can visit a series of Royal Project Sites along the way: Mae Rim, Hang Dong, and Samoeng itself. DOI KHAM Located minutes south of Chiang Mai on Irrigation Canal Rd, these gardens produce everything from broccoli to avocados to carnations. Major international hotels and restaurants in Chiang Mai source from here. Doi Kham also exports juices and dried flowers.

■ ROYAL PROJECT FOUNDATION OFFICE 65 Moo 1, Suthep Road, 053-277094; www.royalprojectthailand.com ■ ANGKHANG GOURMET TOUR 053-810-765 www.royalprojectthailand.com ■ ROYAL PROJECT TOUR 053-810-765-8 ext 104, 108 www.thairoyalprojecttour.com ■ AMARI ANGKHANG NATURE RESORT 1/1 Moo 5, Baan Koom, Mae Ngon, Fang, Doi Angkhang, 053-450-110; www.amari.com/angkhang. Transport can be arranged to and from the Amari Rincome Hotel in Chiang Mai. ■ THE ROYAL FLORA RATCHAPHRUEK GARDEN 053-114-110. Daily 9am-6pm. Free. Shuttle bus around the garden B20 ■ CHIANG MAI ZOO 100 Huay Kaew Road, 053-221-179; www.chiangmaizoo.com. Daily 8am5pm. B100 adults, B50 children

DOI INTHANON / KHUN WANG Doi Inthanon is Thailand’s highest peak and well-developed for tourism. Near to the Inthanon site is another site called Khun Wang Royal Project Development Centre, which can provide pleasant accommodation and various tourist activities. MAE RIM-SAMOENGHANG DONG There are sites closer to Chiang Mai than the other, more high-profile www.lanna101.com

sightseeing

SIGHTSEEING

the akha swing festival Dave Stamboulis

n August or September each year, the Akha people of Chiang Rai hold their largest celebration, the Swing Festival, which occurs four months after the planting of the first rice crop. The festival celebrates the end of the labour intensive weeding work in the fields, and is used to enjoy good food and friendship, as well as express hope for a successful harvest. The Akha are an ethnic hill tribe presumed to have originated in either Tibet or Mongolia 1,500 years ago. A formerly nomadic people, they are now dispersed between Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Yunnan Province, Laos, and northern Thailand. Once noted for their prowess as opium

cultivators in the notorious Golden Triangle, the Akha have since become involved in the tourism industry. To mark the festival, a giant swing made of bamboo and braided vines is built by a village elder known as Dzoeuh Mah. The same elder is the only person allowed to build the gates that all pass through entering and leaving the village. The Akha believe that they descended down from God via this swing. If the village does not have this elder, they cannot make a swing. For three days there is singing and dancing, as well as ritual offerings. The Swing Festival also marks the transition from youth to adulthood, and during the festivities Akha girls are dressed in headdresses that celebrate their transition. However, these traditions are under threat. Eschewing their own dialect and customs, many young Akha now grow up speaking mainly Thai, migrating to the cities to find work, and adopting modern dress. Additionally, many of the Akha villagers have been converted to Christianity, which has seen traditional swings and other customs removed. Although NGOs such as the Akha Asia Cultural Organization are helping to preserve unique cultural traditions sightseeing

such as the Swing Festival, ironically it may be the influx of foreign tourists that persuades many Akha to hang onto their old way of life.

TRAVEL TIPS The Akha Swing Festival is usually held in late August. For up-to-date information and details on how to get there, contact the Tourism Authority of Thailand (02-2505550; www.tourismthailand.org), the Provincial Tourism Office in Chiang Rai (053-744-674), or volunteer with the Akha Asia Cultural Organization (085-607-9604; www.akhaasia.org).

www.lanna101.com

A rRT ts S

La Luna Gallery

galleries

The only official art museum in Chiang Mai plays host to its biggest and most ambitious exhibitions. If there’s a big name in town, expect to see them here, along with some exceptional works from CMU’s best and brightest.

หอนิทรรศการศิลปวัฒนธรรม ม.เชียงใหม ถ.นิมมานเหมินทร

CHIANG MAI STUDIO NAENNA 138/8 Soi Changkhian, Huay Keow Road, Chang Peuak, Chiang Mai, 053-226-042; www.studio-naenna.com Studio Naenna is a long established purveyor of hand woven silk and cotton fabrics and garments.

สตูดิโอแนนหนา ถ.หวยแกว

THE GALLERY 29 Charoenrat Road, 053-248-601. Doubles as an upmarket restaurant in a 100-year-old riverside teak house with fine objects d’art on display.

เดอะ แกลเลอรี ถ.เจริญรัตน

116 ART GALLERY 94-120 Chareon Muang Rd. Muang, Chiang Mai, 053-302-111; www.116artgallery.com. Daily 10am- 6pm. A friendly and accessible fine art gallery which exhibits established and emerging local artists.

116 อารท แกลเลอรี ถ.เจริญเมือง

TREEHOUSE CHIANG MAI 152 Charoenraj Rd.T.Watgate, 053-245965; www.treehousechiangmai.com Modern Lanna style handicraft art, ceramics and textile gallery in old recycled wooden house setting.

ทรีเฮาส เชียงใหม ถ.เจริญรัตน

JANG MUANG GALLERY 13 Soi 6 Rajamanka Road, 053-814-322; www.jangmuanggallery.com. Daily 8am-6pm. Exhibiting Lanna artists, it stands in front of the Wat Pra Joi Meng Rai, near Anuban Chiangmai School.

แจงเมือง แกลเลอรี ถ.ราชมรรคา

ART SPACE STUDIO 19/6 Sirimongalajahn, Soi 7, 084-041-7982, 084-386-6160; www.artspacechiangmai.com. Accomplished American artists Laura Spector and Chadwick Grey set this space up to sell their own paintings as well as teach.

อารทสเปซ สตูดิโอ ถ.ศิริมังคลาจารย ซ.7

CHIANG MAI ART ON PAPER 368/13 Nimmanhaemin Soi 17, 087-810-8860 This working printmaking studio and gallery was created by printmaker Kitikong Tilokwattanatai.

เชียงใหมอารทออนเปเปอร ถ.นิมมานเหมินทร ซ.17

CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY ART CENTRE 239 Nimmanhaemin Road, 053-218280; www.ﬁnearts.cmu.ac.th. Tue-Sun 9am-5pm (closed Mon) arts

COMPEUNG PO Box 27, Doi Saket, Chiang Mai, 087-694-8483; www.compeung.org This artist-in-residence community founded by a group of CMU art students is worth a visit for the beautiful farmland scenery alone, though the architecture and the art it hosts are just as lovely to look at. Compeung has also teamed up with a neighbouring homestay so that non-artists (or presently lazy ones) can live there, relax and live the artistic life vicariously.

หมูบานแหงการสรางสรรค คำเปง อ.ดอยสะเก็ด

GALERIE PANISA 189 Mahidol Road, 053-202-779; www. panisa.net. Daily 9am-6pm (closed Sun) Located near the airport, this welcoming space showcases a wide variety of modern and classical paintings and hosts classes for both Thai and foreign visitors.

แกลเลอรีปาณิศา ถ.มหิดล

GONGDEE GALLERY 30 Nimmanhaemin Soi 1, 053-225-032; www.gongdeegallery.com. Daily 8am-8pm The behemoth vanguard of the Nimmanhaemin art scene is still one of its finest examples, featuring a wide variety of modern and quasi-traditional canvases.

กองดี แกลเลอรี ถ.นิมมานเหมินทร ซ.1

HQ ART GALLERY 3/31 Samlan Road, 053-814-717; www. hqartgallery.com. Daily 8.30am-5.30pm The gallery of a handmade papermaking company, hosts the work of a field of promising young local artists.

เอชคิ ว อาร ท แกลเลอรี ถ.สามล า น

IDA ART GALLERY 80/4 Rachadamnoen Road, Chiang Mai. www.suvannabhumiartgallery.com Daily 10am-9pm. www.lanna101.com

Myriad artists (some Thai) present realistic to abstract canvasses in everchanging exhibitions here.

ไอดา อารท แกลเลอรี ถ.ราชดำเนิน

LA LUNA GALLERY 190 Charoenrat Road, 053-306-678; www.lalunagallery.com.Tue-Sun 10am-7pm (closed Mon) This lively place is the unofficial ground zero for cutting edge creativity in Chiang Mai, and regularly hosts new shows by local and visiting artists.

ลาลูนา แกลเลอรี ถ.เจริญราษฎร

LAN LA MOON GALLERY 160-162 Charoenrat Road, 053 266 263. Daily 10am-8pm A small gallery set amidst antique shops in the Wat Gate area. Mostly focuses on Impressioniststyle images of Lanna subjects.

ลานลามูน แกลเลอรี ถ.เจริญราษฎร

MATOOM ART SPACE 100/4 Ragang Road, Haiya, 089-9988055; www.matoomartspace.weebly.com. Daily 11am-6pm The exhibition space of artist Chumpol Taksapornchai, who not only paints quaint, dreamy works, but offers his space for others to study and participate.

มะตูมอารทสเปซ ถ. ระแกง

MEO JAI DEE GALLERY Soi 1 Nimmanhaemin Road, 08-56759981; meojaideegallery.blogspot.com. Daily 10.30am-6pm This beautiful home is filled with gorgeous handmade candles and acrylic paintings and many things with a feline theme.

แมวใจดีแกลเลอรี ถ.นิมมานเหมินทร ซ.1

MINIMAL GALLERY 24/2 Nimmanhaemin Soi 13, 081-671-4662; www.minimalgallery.org. Daily 11am-midnight The coolest kid on the block; puts on performance art and showcases unusual art forms like Lomography – keeps the cutting edge of Nimmanhaemin nice and sharp.

มินิมอล แกลเลอรี ถ.นิมมานเหมินทร ซ.13

www.lanna101.com

SUVANNABHUMI ART GALLERY 116-118 Charoenrat Road, 081-0315309; www.suvannabhumiartgallery.com. Daily 8am-8pm A champion of the international Burmese art community, features beautiful and important works both of a political and poetic nature. A very knowledgeable and articulate owner well versed in the art of this region.

สุวรรณภูมิ อารท แกลเลอรี่ ถ.เจริญราษฎร

TITA GALLERY 68 Moo 6, Mae Rim-Samoeng Road, 053-298-373. Daily 8am-6pm Surrounded by the rolling hills of Mae Rim, Tita offers a relaxing and enjoyable afternoon filled with a cup of Wawee coffee, charming architecture, a quiet and peaceful environment. Most importantly, it sells fresh and modern paintings by both Thai and international artists.

ติตา แกลเลอรี ถ.แมริม-สะเมิง

OTHER LANNA 9 ART GALLERY 786/11 Moo 3 Phaholyothin Road,Viang, 053-719-110; www.9artgallery.com. Tuesday-Sunday 10am-8pm. A pleasant and modern showroom space on the main highway showcases the best of local Thai and expat artists with progressive and sometimes provocative themes. While many artists in this city have home studios, 9 Gallery enables them to strut their stuff to audiences and collectors downtown.

ไนน อารท แกลเลอรี ถ.พหลโยธิน

ANGKRIT GALLERY 99 M2 Paholyothin Rd, Nanglae, Chiang Rai, 086-911-5331; www.angkritgallery. com. Daily 7am-3pm Angkrit Gallery aims to provide an innovative forum for contemporary art, presenting work by largely unseen young artists or by international artists whose work has been rarely or never exhibited in a gallery.

อังกฤษ แกลเลอรี ถ.พหลโยธิน

BAAN DAM MUSEUM 414 Moo 13, Nanglae, Chiang Rai, arts

053-705-834, 089-767-4444; http://www.thawan-duchanee.com/ baandam-thawan.htm This can best be described as a living gallery, not of paintings but of things … a village of 30 or more houses, all painted black, housing the grotesque and Gothic. It’s the work-in-progress of established Thawan Duchanee who’s been building these for 36 years. Unbelievable! And free.

พิพิธภัณฑบานดำ

BAN SUAN CERAMIC 390 Moo 2 Tambon Pong Saen Thong, Lampang, 054-336-957; www.baansuanceramic.com. Daily 8am-5pm If you’re in the market for jars, vases, wind-chimes, spa product sets, etc, the intricate ceramics of Baan Suan are likely to be of interest. As a bonus, you can enjoy the atmosphere of their sprawling Lanna-style garden showroom and gallery while you potter.

บานสวน เซรามิค ถ.เชียงใหม หางฉัตร

CHATA MAIWONG HOME STUDIO 231 Moo 6 T. Rimkok, Chiang Rai info@goldentriangleart.com Chata’s focus is on wood paintings, a technique which had been traditionally practiced in Northern Thailand. He finds the natural textures of wood interesting and these become part of the inspiration for his artwork. The underlying theme of his abstract works is usually related to Buddhism.

ต.ริมกก

DOI DIN DAENG 49 Moo 6, Nanglae, Chiang Rai (about 15km south of Mae Chan on the Chiang Rai-Mae Chan Rd), 053-705-291 Ceramist Somluk Pantiboon has established a really charming commercial pottery in a rural setting, with potters hard at work, and a charming shop and café setting. Ask for directions to the new Bamboo Pagoda while you’re there, the only one in Thailand, and another of Somluk’s projects.

ดอยดินแดง ถ.เชียงราย-แมจัน

A rRT ts S

MAE HONG SON ROYAL FOLK ART CENTER Khunlumpraphat Road, Amphoe Mueang, Mae Hong Son. Offers a variety of local hand-made products from woven fabric to basketware. The lively morning market gets crowded from early morning till 9 am, and affords a taste of local flavour and insight into lifestyles of the checkerboard of ethnicities that call Mae Hong Son home, as many of the products are made before your eyes.

bookstores

ศูนยศิลปาชีพจังหวัดแมฮองสอน ถ.ขุนลุมประพาส

NAN RIVERSIDE GALLERY 122 Moo 2 Bor, Nan, 054-798046; www.nanartgallery.com. Daily 9am-5pm (c losed Wednesday) This pretty gallery is more an artistic enclave of chalets set amid blooming bougainvillea, ponds, sculptures and rice fields. River pebble walls and steep roofs give each studio a quaint feeling, with larger exhibition halls to the rear. It is easily found 20km north from Nan city on route 1080.

หอศิลปริมนาน

PITTALEW ART 11/1 Mae Hee, Mae Hong Son, 086191-1369, pittalew-art.com This guest house in Mae Hee is run by artist Sa-ard Nilkong, who hosts monthly free exhibitions to share his modern and often vivid semi-abstract paintings. Live music, Thai dancing and fire shows make it a memorable event even by Pai standards.

ปต ตะ ลิว อารท แกลเลอรี ถ.แมฮี้

CHIANG MAI B2S B2S Standalone Chang Klan branch: 215/2 Chang Klan Road, 053-818-562 Open Mon-Fri 7.30am-8pm, Sat-Sun 9am-8pm With branches in both Central department store at the Kad Suan Kaew shoppinwg mall and the Robinson’s department store at Airport Plaza mall, these are the best places in town to look for recently published books and up-to-date magazines.

บีทูเอส สาขาเซ็นทรัล กาดสวนแกว / สาขาโรบินสัน แอรพอรท พลาซา

Robinson Department Store: 3/F, 2 Mahidol Road, 053-272-860

โรบินสัน เชียงใหม ถ.มหิดล

Central Kad Suan Kaew: 3/F, 21 Huay Kaew Road, 053-895-156

เซ็นทรัลกาดสวนแกว ถ.หวยแกว

DK BOOKS 79/1 Kotchasarn Road, 053-206-995. Daily 9am-8pm A bit disorganised, but has a great little kitschy stationery and knickknack store in the back, and is the best place to pick up language books and dictionaries. Easy parking in front. Gongdee Gallery

ดีเคบุคส ถ.คชสาร

arts

SURIWONG BOOK CENTRE 54, 54/1 Sridonchai Road, 053-281-052, Daily10am-7pm A good option to hunt down travel guides and domesticallypublished scholarly books on regional culture; plus has a modest magazine section to browse through.

สุริวงศบุคเซนเตอร ถ.ศรีดอนชัย

LAO 8/7 Nimanhemin Rd. (next to Kasem Store) Daily 10am-10pm An all-in-one Book store, guesthouse, coffee shop and gallery.

เลา ถ.นิมมานเหมินท

ASIA BOOKS Central Airport Plaza, 2 Mahidol (Highway 1141), Chiang Mai, 053-274-445 Having closed down its Bookazine outlet at Thapae, mega-bookstore Asia Books makes a bold new move into Chiang Mai with this outlet.

ชั้น 2 เลขที่ 2 ต.หายยา อ.เมือง จ.เชียงใหม 50100

GECKO BOOKS 2/6 Chang Moi Kao Road, 053-874-066; www.geckobooks.net. Daily 8am-9pm The 600-pound gorilla of the used book scene in Chiang Mai, with several locations straddling the centre of town, has more stock www.lanna101.com

CHIANG RAI B2S Central, Phaholyotin Road, Amphur Muang Nakhon GECKO BOOKS JUNIOR 2 Ratchamanka Road Prasing A. Muang. Rejoice! Chiang Rai finally gets a new book store when B2S opens in the 053-209-067 new Central mall. Stay tuned for details. เก็คโค บุคส จูเนียร ถ.ชางมอยเกา Expect a good variety of their books, music and stationery all under one BACKSTREET BOOKS 2/8 Chang Moi Kao Road, 053-874-143, roof to stoke your Lanna knowledge and creativity. backstreetbooksiam.com. บีทูเอส สาขาเซ็นทรัลพลาซา Daily 8am-9pm เชียงราย ถ.พหลโยธิน Though perhaps a bit more chaotic than some of its competitors, Backstreet is also pleasantly funky and perhaps a bit more DK BOOKS eclectic. Adjacent to Gecko Books, it Highway 1, Chiang Rai, claims ‘the largest selection in the street’. (no tel.) As with most DK stores, this store is แบคสตรีท บุคส ถ.ชางมอยเกา huge, with a wide selection of Thai and English titles, plus stationery. STAR BOOKS ดีเคบุคส 27/2 Moon Muang Rd, Soi 9. 053-418966, backstreetbooksiam.com The newest outlet from Backstreet, ORN BOOKS located squarely in the backpacker quarter. Behind Wat Jed Yod, Soi 1, Chiang Rai, 086-062-4080. Daily 8am-8pm สตาร บุคส ถ.มูลเมือง By far the best used bookshop in Chiang Rai, run by the rather eccentric SHAMAN BOOKS Peter from out of his home in a 2 Soi 1, Kotchasarn Road, lane behind Wat Jet Yod, soi 1, just 053-275-272. Daily 9am-8pm Shaman stocks plenty of books on a short stroll from the Wiang Inn. philosophy and science, as well as Buy or exchange used books in regional and ethnic culture. Plus, they English and several other languages. อร บุคส หลังวัดเจ็ดยอด have their inventory on a computer database to make searching easier, and can also order books from their sister MAE HONG SON store on Bangkok’s Khao San Road. ASIA BOOKS Khunlum Phraphat Road ชาแมนบุคส ถ.คชสาร ซ.1 (next to Panorama Hotel) English-language novels and magazines THE LOST BOOKSHOP mainly stocked here, but they can 34/3 Rachamankha Road, order in a lot more for you from their 053-206-656. Daily 9.30am-8pm Part of the Backstreet group, the oldest inventory. They do a good line in English used bookshop in town at 23 years old is non-fiction, especially of Thai-based still a great place to find unusual releases. farang authors. than you can shake a bookmark at.

เก็คโค บุคส ถ.ชางมอยเกา

เดอะลอสทบุคชอป ถ.ราชมรรคา

THAPAE GATE BOOKS 2 Chaiyapoom Road T. Chang Moi A. Muang. 053-874-067

ทาแพเกต บุคส ถ.ชัยภูมิ

NIGHT BAZAAR BOOKS 80 Loi Khro Road Chang Klan A. Muang. 053-206-469

ไนทบาซาร บุคส ถ.ลอยเคราะห

www.lanna101.com

carry an assortment of Tarot Decks.

แหมม บุค สโตร

SIAM USED BOOKS 31 Moo 3, Vieng Tai, Pai, 086-2556944. Daily 9.30am-9pm With Pai being such a chilled place, swinging in the hammock and reading books is always near the top of the agenda. As a result, there’s always a wide selection of books and high turnover of eclectic titles to be found here in this cozy second-hand store.

สยาม ยูสด บุคส

เอเชีย บุคส ถ.ขุนลุมประพาส ติดกับโรงแรมพาโนรามา

PAI MAM’S BOOK STORE On the soi right after Aoy Bakery, T.Wiangtai, Pai (or look for Mam’s ﬂyers at the internet shops around town). Buy, sell or trade an eclectic selection of fiction, metaphysical arts, healing arts, spiritual, and non-fiction here. Also arts

A rRT ts S

on location Kong Rithdee & Stu Lloyd

American Gangster

t’s easy to see why tourists come to Lanna: gorgeous temples, lively markets, cloud-scraping mountains, vibrant summer, nippy winter, and the soothing mix of small-town charm and budding, hip neighbourhoods. In sum, it’s romantic. But for Hollywood filmmakers, from Ridley Scott and Barry Levinson to Sylvester Stallone, the pull of the area is not its romanticism but its practicality – the combination of accessible jungle, tame elephants, and the ease in which it can be transformed by movie magic into somewhere resembling, mostly, Vietnam. Levinson arrived here in 1987 with Robin Williams and Forest Whitaker to shoot the comedy Good Morning Vietnam, about a military DJ who injects sparkle into jaded GIs, with Chiang Mai standing in for Saigon circa 1965. The movie also stars the famous Thai actress, Jintara Sukapat (a regular face on Thai TV). Three years later, Mel Gibson landed with Robert Downey Jr, for the filming of Air America, a Vietnam-era military drama about a pilot recruited for a special CIA mission. These two films generated much interest in film circles for using Lanna as a location, even though nobody really knew it was Thailand. More recently,

two big American productions have done a little more justice to the city by at least setting their plots in northern Thailand, as opposed to a stand-in Saigon. In 2007, Ridley Scott came with Denzel Washington to shoot American Gangster, in which the Oscar-winning actor plays a heroine dealer seeking a deal with a drug lord of unidentified nationality in the Golden Triangle. Rambo 4 (2008), meanwhile, has actor and director Sylvester Stallone (John Rambo) living a hermetic existence in the jungle, catching snakes and brooding and swearing, before missionaries hire him to lead a danger-filled expedition into Burma (it was, of course, not shot in Burma). On a much smaller scale, a number of made-for video flicks have been shot in the region, including Sniper 3, starring Tom Berenger as a lone soldier working for the secret service, and Vampires: The Turning, whose title is explanation enough. Perhaps understandably, Thai filmmakers have captured the appeal of Lanna much more vividly than their American counterparts. In the love story The Letter, a dying botanist falls in love with a visiting Bangkok woman, and their poignant romance arts

is played out against the forlorn mountains and lonesome highways of Chiang Mai. Meanwhile, teen romance Puen Sanit (Dear Dakanda) was set in Chiang Mai University and told of the relationship between two art students. Then, in mid-2008, Where the Miracle Happens, starring HRH Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya, was shot mainly in the rice fields outside of Chiang Mai, though the story is actually set in Chiang Rai. In the movie, the princess plays a Bangkok businesswoman who arrives at a rural school to fulfil the altruistic dreams of her dead daughter. ROOMMATE Pop and Note form their own musical band called The Roommate to weave their dreams of becoming artists in this 2009 film. A band become roommates as they believe it’s the way getting to know more about each other. But things in their house are changed when Pop and Note need to add more lead vocal in their band. Soon, Anne, a pretty girl is in. Anne is indeed an old love of Pop, and her reason to join the band is to start over her relationship with him. But it turns to be a love triangle when Note confesses that Anne is the girl that he’s been waiting for. www.lanna101.com

HORMONES (PIT THOEM YAI HUA CHAI WAWUN) A 2008 Thai romantic comedy directed by Songyos Sugmakanan. The literal meaning of the Thai title is ‘restless hearts during school break’ or ‘school break, hearts aflutter’. The film revolves around a group of high school and university students during their school break, and the relationships that develop (or don’t, as the case might be). HAUNTED UNIVERSITIES This 2009 horror movie milks the abundance of urban legends and horror stories about its universities. Perfect for a student town like Chiang Mai with around 50,000 students. The urban legends in this case – such as The Red Elevator, Vanishing Corpse, and the Murdered Girl are experienced by different students, which are related to their fields of study. More than a little creepy. PAI IN LOVE Did for coffee drinking in Pai what Last Tango in Paris did for worldwide butter sales. A group of friends descend on this hippy town looking for ideas to make a movie that best describes Pai, and each head off on their own voyage of research and discovery. Released late 2009, it was directed by Tanit Jitnukul. The coffee shop featured in the movie was the Black Canyon outlet, also known as Pai Now.

Rambo 4

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cinema

There are essentially only two cinemas in town: one in each major shopping complex. They generally feature only bland Hollywood blockbusters or goofy Thai romantic comedies, but can be a nice holiday from the heat, with comfier chairs and bigger theatres than those normally found in the West, not to mention assigned seats. Of the two, the Cineplex at Airport Plaza is of far greater quality. A word of warning: don’t be surprised if local movie going etiquette is different from what you might find at home. Though admonitions to shut off mobile phones are displayed before each film, few take them to heart – what’s worse; many people see nothing wrong with answering their phones and having a full volume conversation while the film is running. However, this is true across much of Asia, and it’s not that Thais are inconsiderate cinemagoers, but more that they’re not listening to what’s going on – with Western films, most are reading the subtitles. Another interesting cultural difference is that a short film of Thailand’s beloved King Bhumibol is shown before every movie, and – just like when the national anthem is played – everyone is expected stand up during it; foreigners included. If you’re willing to put up with lower quality projection (but an interesting atmosphere), there are a couple of homespun alternatives: Film arts

Space shows films in the open air on the roof of the Chiang Mai Art Museum on Saturdays, 6:30-9:30pm, and The Alliance Française, which shows French films on Fridays at 8pm (usually with English subtitles) in a lovely old house near the Night Bazaar. The Lanna region is poorly served in terms of cinemas outside of Chiang Mai. Most probably watch copy-DVDs at home or at a friend’s house. Good news for those in Chiang Rai, a Major Cineplex will be going into the new Central Mall opening in 2011. FILM SPACE 2/F, Chiang Mai Art Museum, Corner Nimminheiman & Suthep Road, 053- 944-846

ฟลมสเปซ ชั้น 2 หอศิลปวัฒนธรรมเชียงใหม

MAJOR CINEPLEX 4/F, Central Airport Plaza, 053-283-939; www.majorcineplex.com

เมเจอรซีนีิเพล็กซ ชั้น 4 แอรพอรตพลาซา

THE ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE 138 Charoen Prathet Road, 053-275277. Fridays, 8pm (except holidays)

สมาคมฝรั่งเศส ถ.เจริญประเทศ

VISTA THEATRE 4/F, Kad Suan Kaew, 053-894-415; www.chiangmaivista.com

โรงหนังวิสตา กาดสวนแกว ชั้น 4

FOOD&DRINK

café culture

Din Dee Tea House

COFFEE KARMA Twelve years ago, ‘fresh coffee’ meant you’d just broken the seal on a new jar of Nescafe. Today, Chiang Mai is epicurean to the core – you can’t walk three steps in some parts of the city without happening on a flash new coffeehouse or even just some roadside vendor with a mobile espresso machine. One lane off of Nimmanhaemin Road (Soi 9) is known as ‘Soi Kafe’ by locals because it’s packed to the gills with coffeehouses both international and domestic. Try Wawee Coffee (named after the Chiang Rai region in which much of its product is grown) – this local hero is a hyper-caffeinated success, spawning outlets all over the country. Incidentally, Thai coffee came of age directly as a result of the efforts of the Royal Projects and the efforts of local entrepreneurs like Hillkoff – incidentally, the best place to purchase anything coffee-related.

How could there be any better place in the world to enjoy tea and coffee cafe culture than Lanna, where a lot of these products are actually growing on the hillsides nearby to many of these uber-chic cafes? Household coffee brands in Thailand like Doi Chang, Doi Tung and Wawee are all named for mountains in the north. With its small lanes, easygoing attitudes and plethora of family-run spots to grab a cup of java, Chiang Mai is the perfect place to sit and people watch people while making new friends, while Chiang Rai and Pai are following similarly, both developing a cafe culture as they come of age with the arrival of boho chic. greens, oolongs, and herbal varieties. It’s worth a visit up Doi Mae Salong to see their colourful, Chinese-influenced way of life, and of course to stock up on rare aged pu-erh and fragrant jasmine teas. The sweeping views of the fields in bloom are pure magic. If you can’t make it up there, you can get the good stuff in Chiang Rai town and Chiang Mai as well. It’s much harder to find good tea in town than coffee, but there are a few interesting spots. To the right of the CMU Art Museum one finds a unique structure called Din Dee that’s actually a hip little teahouse crafted from earth and straw, which serves a wide variety of teas and healthy meals. And on the other side of town, across from the Imperial Mae Ping hotel is an amazing little vegetarian restaurant and teahouse called TianZi Tea House. If you’re looking for tea of a more colonial variety, try The Tea House on Huay Kaew Road near the university – which by the way makes the best apple pie and gelato in town

TEA FORTUNE When part of Chiang Kai Shek’s defeated Chinese army needed a place of refuge, they were allowed to settle in the northern hills of Chiang Rai province. Today they grow the best tea in the country, a wide variety of Chinese 72

and serves some unusual Burmese inspired meals as well. Located in a fine old building, the Tea House Siam Celadon on Tha Pae Road also basks in imperialistic nostalgia. Looking for high tea? Among others, the Chedi Hotel and Le Crystal restaurant both offer fine spreads at a reasonable price. Incidentally, many foreigners may be familiar with milkyorange Thai iced tea from restaurants back home, but cha yen, as it’s known here, is relatively rare, and until recently was regarded as a very plebeian beverage. If you’re craving some, you can often get it from street vendors, at milk bars, and in some food courts. Sadly, most restaurants don’t stock it. SHAKE IT UP, SMOOTHIE One thing you’ll find out very quickly about Thailand is that fruit here is fabulous. There are fruits you never would have imagined in your wildest dreams – dragonfruit, jackfruit, durian, starfruit and other alien (but delicious)

Wawee Coffee

food & drink

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species. Not only that, but fruit is served in a wide variety of ways, though easily the most refreshing is the fruit shake variety. It stands to reason that Thailand imports the largest number of blenders in the world – otherwise why would these wonderful frozen concoctions be available everywhere? Perhaps taking a cue from the West, Lanna has wisely chosen to come up with special terminology for the humble fruit shake. Many places now call it a ‘bliz’ – probably short for ‘blizzard,’ a name introduced by American franchise Dairy Queen, which Wawee Coffee has also popularised. ‘Smoothie’ is also common, and the popular Smoothie Blues cafe on Chiang Mai’s Nimmanhaemin Road probably had something to do with that. Whatever you call it, fruit, ice, sugar and condensed milk make pretty poetry together, especially when the flavours are multiplied upon themselves. We particularly recommend mixing banana with chocolate or mango with pineapple, you won’t regret it.

CHIANG MAI n DIN DEE TEAHOUSE

Nimmanhaemin Road (by CMU Art Museum), 089-755-0192. MonSat 11am-9pm, Sun 11am-7pm n HILLKOFF Chang Phuak Road, 053-213-078. MonFri 8am-5.30pm, Sat-Sun 8am-5pm n SMOOTHIE BLUES CAFÉ Nimmanhaemin Soi 6, 053-227-038. Daily 7.30am-9pm n THE TEA HOUSE SIAM CELADON 158 Tha Phae Road, 053-234-518. Daily 9.30am-6pm n TIANZI TEA HOUSE Kamphaengdin Road, 053-449-539. Mon-Sat 10am-10pm (closed Sun) n WAWEE COFFEE

Nimmanhaemin Soi 9, 053-221- 760 (several other outlets too). Daily 7am-10pm n VIANG JOOM ON

TEAHOUSE 53 Charoenraj Rd. T.Watgate. 053303-113. Daily 10am - 7pm. CHIANG RAI n CONNECT CAFÉ Moo 18, Prasobsuk Road, Tambon Wiang, Chiang Rai, 053-754-181. Weekdays 9am-9pm, weekends 8am-9pm. n GOLDEN TRIANGLE INN 590 Phaholyothin Rd, Golden Triangle Inn, Chiang Rai, 053713-918. Daily 8am-10.30pm n KAFFEE HUB 528/2 Banphraprakan Rd (opposite clock tower), Chiang Rai, 082-5745999. Daily 8am-11pm.

637/5 Singha Khlai Road (opposite Wat Si Bunruang), Chiang Rai, 082574-5888. Daily 8am -11pm.

Tianzi Tea House

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n PARABOLA Highway 1 Chiang Rai-Mae Chan, food & drink

053-772-234. 8.30am-7pm (closed Mondays) n TI AMO CAFÉ HOUSE 1025/39-40 Jed Yod Road (near the clock tower), Chiang Rai, 081-885-9255.Daily 8am-11pm. n WORK @ HOME CAFÉ 545 Ratnaket Road, Chiang Rai, 053-714-619. Daily 8am-6pm.

OTHER LANNA n ALL ABOUT COFFEE CAFÉ 100 Chaisongkram Road, Pai. (no tel.). Daily 9am-5 pm n APPLE RIVER VILLA 565 M 14 (first right after the big bridge heading north), Thaton, Mae Ai, 053373-145. Daily 8am-midnight. n BLACK CANYON COFFEE (PAI NOW) Pai Now Intersection, corner of main road, near the hospital, Pai. 053-699-788. Mon-Thu 7am-8pm, Fri-Sun 8am-10pm. n CHIANG DAO NEST 144/4 M.5 Chiang Dao, 053-456-242. Open 24 hours daily. n DREAM CAFE 86 Singhawat Rd, Sukhothai, 055-612-081. Daily 10am-10pm. n HEAVEN ON EARTH Behind Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Saen, 053-777-587. Daily 7am -5.30pm (closed Wednesdays) n SUNFLOWER CAFÉ Wat Songkhamha Road, Mae Hong Son, 053-620-549, www.sunflowercafetour. com. Daily 7.30am-11pm n SWEET MAE SALONG CAFE 41/3 Moo 1 Maesalongnok, Maefahluang District, 081- 855-4000. Daily 8.30am- 6pm. n NAN SEEING TOUR CAFE 430/1 Sumon Thavarat Rd, Naiwang, Nan, 054-773-063. www.nanseeingtour. com. Daily 7.30am-8pm. 73

FOOD&DRINK

Le Grand Lanna

lanna cuisine Joe Cummings

orthern Thailand, or Lanna, has a food culture that is very distinct from the standard Thai or central Thai cuisine most foreigners are familiar with. To begin with, northern cooking uses a larger variety of vegetables than other regional Thai cuisines. Cooks also favour the use of culinary herbs with a bitter flavour, such as cha-om (bitter acacia leaf) and phak chee farang (sawtooth coriander), and sour tones are enjoyed in most northern soups, including the recommended kaeng phak heuat (soup with tamarind juice) and kaeng ho (soup with pickled bamboo shoots). Chiang Mai in particular is renowned for its variety of tasty sausages, especially sai oua, made by taking a typical Thai curry paste of dried chillies, garlic, shallots, lemongrass and Kaffir lime peel, blending it with ground pork, stuffing it into a pork intestine and then frying it to produce a spicy red sausage. Truly delicious.

There are three chilli pastes quintessentially northern Thai: naam phrik num pounds together young fresh green chillies with roasted eggplant to make a thick green paste into which steamed vegetables and fried pork rinds are dipped; naam phrik ong uses dried red chillies, ground pork, tomatoes, lemongrass and other herbs to make a dip for raw vegetables; and naam phrik naam puu, made by pounding small field crabs into a paste then cooked in water and mixed with shallots, garlic and dried chillies.

Lanna’s ethnic mix of Yunnanese, Shan, Burmese and hill tribes has also produced a variety of noodles unparalleled elsewhere in the kingdom. The most well known noodle specialty is khao soy. This regional favourite consists of flat egg-noodles served in a bowl with chicken or beef curry, with small saucers of lime wedges, shallots, pickled cabbage and red chilli paste. Visitors may find Lanna cuisine more challenging than the more familiar flavours found in central Thailand; but as they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Bang for your baht Throughout this section, our price guide indicates $ under B400 what you can expect to pay per person for a meal, $$ B400 - B1,000 not including drinks. Many restaurants run special $$$ B1,000 - B2,000 deals so don’t be shy when asking about promotions, $$$$ over B2,000 especially at lunchtime when many restaurants offer set-menus at great prices. Lastly, to avoid any nasty surprises be sure to read the menu carefully. When prices are followed by “+ +”, the so-called “plus plus”, this means a service charge (typically 10%) and government tax (typically 7%) will be added to your bill.

Butt Out

Smokers beware. Lighting-up indoors is forbidden at all air-conditioned restaurants and bars nationwide – you risk being fined B2,000 (US$60), and subjecting the restaurant owner to a lashing B20,000 (US$600) penalty. Exempted are outdoor areas, and, in practice, many Japanese and Korean restaurants. 74

food & drink

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MY LANNA COUNTRY KITCHEN Wicha Cavaliero

aving settled with my family in Chiang Mai province in the stunning, mountainous Chiang Dao area, I have learned not only khum meang, (the Lanna dialect), but how to eat in the style of this region, where fresh air, high cliffs and misty mornings combine with fabulous people and a laid-back lifestyle. There’s khao soy, which northerners are famous for – mild, Burmese style egg noodles with coconut curry, pickled cabbage and freshly roasted chilli oil, as well as khanom sen nam ngaw – hand-made rice noodle in northern curry with fresh vegetables. Nam prik ong, or spicy ‘Lanna bolognaise’, as I refer to it, is best consumed with deep fried pork skin and lots of fresh cooked vegetables, including steamed pumpkin and Karen marrow. Kaeng hang lay, which consists of slow cooked spare ribs with ginger spice and peanuts, is another particular favourite. One of the most popular dishes in Lanna is larb – fresh minced meat (pork, beef or buffalo) mixed with lovely spices. Larb shops can be found in all corners of northern Thailand, often under big trees. I am also very fond of kaeng khae khea (mixed vegetables in light curry broth). Lucky for me, most of the vegetables required for this amazing dish grow in the forest opposite my house, and in the wet season the selection bec omes even more diverse. With pumpkin shoots, passion fruit tips, Karen marrow and pak hai (which look like weeds but taste like baby spinach) to choose from, together with a lot of spare time to think about what to make, deciding every day what to put in my wok can be rather difficult. As a trained chef who has travelled extensively and lived for many years elsewhere in Thailand and abroad, my passion for cooking Lanna food extends to the farm, the forest and the river. I have learned that Lanna cuisine is highly seasonal, as evidenced by how excited locals

www.lanna101.com

get about the wet season when new bamboo shoots come up. And the following season sees the arrival of the colourful mushroom that looks wild but tastes wonderful when simply cooked with galangal and chilli dip. Beyond vegetables, there’s also the moving feast. Mangman, for instance, is a little insect that looks similar to a deep fried flying ant. This Lanna delicacy is best enjoyed with a cold beer on a warm afternoon and tastes surprisingly like cheese sticks. The delights continue throughout the year, with each new season bringing exciting new tastes such as dragonfly larva served in soya bean chilli paste and roasted garlic with a selection of fresh leaves from the surrounding pond – a delicious dish you will probably not find in most restaurants around Thailand. Another feature of Lanna cuisine is cooking food in banana leaves, using little banana-leaf baskets to cook highly original omelettes, for example – placing the bright green and yellow creations over a charcoal fire for slow grilling. In this lush green forest, I have been privileged to learn from the Lanna people how to live in harmony with my surroundings, eating what Mother Nature provides. They have taught me to take only what I need and leave what I don’t, ensuring there will be plenty of seasonal fare for years to come. I pick only enough mushrooms for this season and leave some to spore for the next; I throw the small fish back into the river; I let some mangman fly away to make a new nest for the next generation. And I watch expectantly, waiting as each new season brings forth its special gifts.

Wicha Cavaliero is owner of The Chiang Dao Nest Restaurant and Guest House. She opened her first restaurant on Koh Chang, and then moved to the UK with her husband Stuart where she trained to be a chef. Today she watches the weeds grow (and sometimes eats them) with Stuart and her two children, and cooks gourmet cuisine. Chiang Dao Nest, 144/4 m.5 Chiang Dao, Chiang Mai, 053-456-242; www.nest.chiangdao.com food & drink

FOOD&DRINK

spirits Joe Cummings

uch like elsewhere in Thailand, beer reigns supreme in Lanna, as the tables and bar-tops littered with brown and green bottles throughout the region will testify. Advertised with such slogans as pràthêht rao, bia rao (Our Land, Our Beer), the Singha label is considered the quintessential Thai beer by foreigners and locals alike. Pronounced sing (not ‘sing-ha’), it claims around half of the domestic market. Singha’s original recipe was formulated in 1934 by Thai nobleman Phaya Bhirom Bhakdi, the first Thai to earn a brewmaster’s diploma in Germany. The barley for Singha is grown in Thailand, the hops are imported from Germany and the alcohol content is a heady 6 per cent. It comes in brown glass bottles (both 33cl and 66cl). Singha is also sold in cans, and is also available on tap – much tastier than either the bottled or canned brew. Singha’s biggest rival, Beer Chang, matches the hoppy taste of Singha but pumps the alcohol content up to 7 per cent. Beer Chang has managed to gain

a following mainly because it retails at a lower price than Singha and thus easily offers more bang per baht. The brewers of Singha produce their own cheaper brand, Leo, to compete with Beer Chang. Sporting a black and red leopard label, Leo costs only slightly more than Beer Chang but is similarly high in alcohol. Dutch-licensed but Thailand-brewed Heineken comes third after Singha and Chang in local and national sales rankings. Singapore’s well-known Tiger brand – also licensed for brewing in Thailand – is a more recent addition to the beer selection. However, rice whisky is a favourite of the working class since it’s more affordable than beer. Most are mixed with distilled sugarcane spirits and thus have a sharp, sweet taste not unlike rum, with an alcohol content of 35 per cent. The most famous brand, Sang Som, has also become the flagship tipple of many visiting backpackers.

yAA DONG The quintessential Lanna rotgut is lao yaa dong, literally ‘herb-pickled alcohol’. Boasting wild claims to variously improve your liver, cure stomach ulcers and fortify male virility, glass vats of the greenish-brown liquor can be found in raan lao yaa dong (herb-pickled alcohol shops) at the edges of town or on quieter back streets. In Chaing Mai, one of the most famous local spots is on Kaew Nawarat Road near Prince Royal College. To make lao yaa dong, locals start with a fermented sticky rice slurry, from which they distil a very strong, clear alcohol. To this white lightning they add a handful of health-enhancing roots, leaves, and bark, and then let the blend ‘age’ for a few days or weeks. One of the main lures of lao yaa dong bars is their rock-bottom pricing, offering shots of herb-infused moonshine as cheap as B10. Aside from their low production costs, raan lao yaa dong operators don’t need to buy expensive bar licenses, plus they don’t pay the high taxes (as much as 65 per cent) levied on regular production beer and spirits. 76

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Though Lanna today boasts a burgeoning culinary scene, most locals will tell you that this is old news – more than 100 years-old, in fact. That’s because long before most Western chefs ever dreamt about modern gastronomic ideas of sauce reductions, fusion cuisine, molecular constructions or intricate use of herbs, one could have eaten phenomenally complex, healthconscious fare at any number of street side stalls.

street eats

itting at a crossroads of cultures, Lanna menus feature fusion cuisine par excellence – having long incorporated influences as diverse as Burmese, Shan, Chinese, Malay, Portuguese, French and of course, Siamese. The result is astounding; nowhere else in the world can you find such a wide variety of interesting dishes available on a one-block stretch. Moreover, street food here is of such high quality that it’s not the slightest bit odd to see a Mercedes doubleparked, as its driver loads up on bags of food from a B20 neighbourhood stall. As famous Thai cookbook author Vatcharin Bhumichitr once wrote of riders eating on a rice barge drifting past as he lunched at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, “It’s possible the family was enjoying food every bit as delicious as I was. In a land as agriculturally bountiful as Thailand, good food is essentially democratic.”

DISHES TO TRY Kuay tiew (koo-aye tee-ow) – rice noodles with fragrant soup – come with various meats, either sliced or sometimes processed into little balls. You’re provided condiments to spice it up as you wish, normally various chillies, fermented fish sauce, sugar and sometimes crushed peanuts. Most foreigners will find modification unnecessary, however – the soup has plenty of flavour on its own. Khao soy (cow soy) is a signature northern dish. A rich curry soup made with flat yellow noodles and topped with a frizz of crispy noodles. it comes with chicken, beef or pork, though chicken leg is the most common. www.lanna101.com

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Note that since khao soy sounds a lot like khao suay (plain rice) you may find yourself subject to some misunderstanding. In this case, point to the pile of crispy noodles invariably on display to clear up any confusion. If you don’t see crispy noodles on display, they don’t serve khao soy. Add pickled cabbage, shallots and lime to taste. Pad grapow (pahd gra-pow) is fried sweet basil leaf with minced pork, chicken, or squid. As it’s often very spicy, tell the cook ‘mai pet’ (not spicy) if you’re averse to fiery fare. Of course, what a Thai considers not spicy might still make you hyperventilate, in which case try ‘mai sai prik’, or ‘without any chillies.’ 77

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Did you know? Though many most brilliantly effective G a e n g k i a o wa n foreigners really think vehicle is the simplest (gang kee-ow wahn), or they’re ‘going native’ – the stick. Every kind green curry, is one of the by using chopsticks, of food imaginable, it most popular, delectable Thais only employ seems, can be impaled and readily-available them when eating on a thin bamboo dishes around. Taking its soup. You’ll never spike, then deep fried colour from the green see a Thai tucking or barbecued: quail egg chillies used to prepare into a rice dish with wonton-kebabs, pork it, you can tell a curry chopsticks – it’s like satay with peanut sauce, establishment by their eating sushi with a deep-fried processed big steel pots, from which fork. They put the meats, seafood of the pre-simmered stew food in their mouth extraordinary shape and is ladled. Green curry is with a spoon, using hue, chicken wings, necks normally served along the fork only to help and livers, marinated with other varieties like push food onto the squid, sour sausages gaeng ped (red curry), spoon. stuffed with vermicelli, gaeng karee (mild yellow curry, with chicken and potatoes), or barbecued bananas – there isn’t room gaeng masaman (southern Thai Muslim here to list but a fraction. Suffice to say, curry, also mild, with chicken or beef and if you want a quick snack, there’s no flavored with peanuts), to name but a few. more convenient way to deliver it to Food on a stick – Thais are your digestive system than this. masters of alternative food delivery systems: they drink sodas out of plastic CHIANG MAI SPECIALTIES baggies, perform meal packaging tricks LOCAL MARKETS with rubber bands that resemble Any of the major markets will feature circus tricks, and sip fruit juice out of ready-made food and often cook disposable bamboo or clay cups. Yet the to order stalls as well. Try Somphet 78

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Market at night (just south of the north-eastern corner of the old city), Chiang Mai Gate market all day, and Thanin Market (750m north of Chang Phuak Gate). Also, at night-time the area around the main Warorot market calms down dramatically and transforms itself into snack central. CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY Areas of certain streets are festooned with frenzied feeders, often because a school is located nearby. Consequently, the two roads lining Chiang Mai University are overflowing with options. Suthep Road, which runs along the southern perimeter, offers a kilometre of outdoor stalls and carts starting in the late afternoon and lasting through to late dinner time, while Huay Kaew Road on the north side features a bunch of local noodle joints and other cheap restaurants, usually packed with the giggling young uniformed scholars of tomorrow. WALKING STREETS The famous Sunday Walking Street and www.lanna101.com

its lesser-known sister, the Saturday Wualai Walking Street are easily the best places for the uninitiated to experiment. Here the choices are fresh, plentiful and amazingly varied. It’s like picking hors d’oeuvres off myriad trays at the world’s biggest party – except that here you’re expected to pay for them. Also, the Anusarn Market at the southern section of the Night Bazaar street features some great local places with an emphasis on seafood. FOOD COURTS These packed, neon-lit arrays of specialised stalls are normally found at the larger shopping centres. Kad Suan Kaew near the northeast corner of the old city on Huay Kaew Road features not one but two courts virtually next to each other on the ground floor. Pickings are good here, with several healthier-style choices on offer. There’s also a food court on the top floor of the swisher Airport Plaza Shopping Centre, but it’s nothing to write home about – eat here only if you’re in a rush to make a movie showing. Back over at the Night Bazaar, the wide assortment of stalls at the lively Kalare Food Centre look more promising than they taste, but it’s nothing a few Singha beers can’t enhance, and they put on regular live music and dance performances that add value to the sometimes uninspired multi-regional fare. Finally, there are several food courts on the grounds of Chiang Mai University that offer unbelievably inexpensive meals. However, most of them taste cheap, though the Rom Sai Food Market just west of the clock tower sits head and shoulders above the rest. It opens daily from 4pm.

Did you know? Khao suay, one of the ways to refer to plain rice literally translates as ‘beautiful rice.’ That’s because cooked rice is more ‘beautiful’ than when it is uncooked. www.lanna101.com

food & drink

FOOD&DRINK

Dalaabaa

chiang mai THAI DALAABAA 113 Bumrungraj Road,Wat Gate, 053-242-491; www.dalaabaa.com. Daily 6pm-midnight. $$ When this stylish restaurant appeared on the scene, residents were wowed by the chic Balinese decor and rich, red-hued walls. Chiang Mai has come a long way since those innocent days, but Dalaabaa is still a top choice for a memorable night out with friends. The vibrant, flavoursome menu appropriately matches the decoration, and there’s an emphasis on fresh Thai seafood dishes – many of which receive signature twists not seen elsewhere. The best value is Tabtim Fish, steamed with lime sauce. If you’re not averse to raw fish, you must sample the ‘dalaabite’ starter – raw shrimp wrapped in salmon and marinated in a piquant sauce. Though the dessert menu is limited to fried bananas or banana fritters, the latter are especially wonderful – warm and caramel-tasting on the inside, crispy on the outside, and served with local honey. After your meal, feel free to stroll slowly through the Balinese garden, where the huge population of cicadas will croon you a friendly farewell, until you eat again.

ดาลาบา ถ.บำรุงราษฎร HUEN PENH 112 Ratchamankha Road, 053-277-103. Daily 8am-3pm, 5pm-10pm. $ Huen Penh’s hole-in-the-wall exterior is fitting given the antique art gallery and garden feel of this Thai home restaurant established 40 years ago by Khun Penh. Her son continues the tradition with a menu that is reasonably priced, offering tasty Lanna dishes. The khantoke style hors d’ouvre platter feeds two and offers several small dishes for a sampling of northern food including sai ua sausage, and kaeng hang lay (Burmese style ginger pork curry) among others. Meanwhile, vegetarians are bound to rave about 80

the smoky yam makeuah eggplant and chilli dip eaten with sticky rice.

เฮือนเพ็ญ ถ.ราชมรรคา HUAN SOONTAREE 208 Patan Road, 053-872-707; www. saochiangmai.com. Daily 5pm-11pm. $$ This special venue delivers all the things a visitor to Thailand wishes to experience in authenticity and charm. For over 15 years the dinner and music show restaurant, powered by Khun Soontharee’s elegant traditional Lanna folk ballads, has sustained a word-of-mouth-only reputation. Delicious northern cuisine is served in a remarkable modern Thai house, while the Mae Ping river ambles by in the background. Do

as devoted Thais do and catch a superb dinner and show which often includes Soontharee’s daughter, Lanna Commins – a star in her own right.

เฮือนสุนรี ถ.ปาตัน JUST KHAO SOY 108/2 Charoen Prathet Road, Chang Klan, 053-818-641; www.track-of-thetiger.com. Daily 11am-10pm. $ A restaurant serving only one dish? Sounds like madness, you say? Not when the dish in question is the most iconic, beloved and fussed-over item on the Lanna menu. Khao soy is one of those rare creations visitors return home raving about, and Just Khao Soy purveys a perfect rendition of the curry noodles dish. The restaurant itself is a lovely wooden structure that features an artefacts gallery, cosy lighting, and wellmixed martinis and Mai Tais for those in a festive mood. Order some choice northern Thai appetisers you’ll end up with one of the most memorable dining experiences in the city.

จัสท ขาวซอย ถ.เจริญประเทศ

Just Khao Soy

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KHUN CHURN 4 Nimmanhaemin Road, Soi 17, 053-224-124. Daily 8pm-10pm (Lunch buffet 11am-2.30pm) $ This cheerful garden restaurant not only offers a dizzying array of brilliant www.lanna101.com

vegetarian interpretations of traditional Thai dishes, but also serves up a slate of amazing innovations that are all their own. To help you navigate the endless choices, they also feature a daily changing luncheon buffet. Show up a few days in a row and you’re bound to see many of the same loyal folks loading up on the healthy, toothsome, addictive fare. Make sure to sample the lemongrass salad, the deep fried mushrooms and their excellent veggie khao soy.

คุณเชิญ ถ.นิมมานเหมินทร ซ.17 LE GRAND LANNA Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi Hotel, Chiang Mai-San Kamphaeng Road, 053-888-888 ext 8566; www. mandarinoriental.com/chiangmai Daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm. $$$ Though part of The Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Le Grand Lanna actually predates the landmark Chiang Mai hotel by a few years. Its distinguished history as a residence of a distinguished Lanna nobleman still lives on today in the magnificent raised and interconnected teak pavilions which sprawl among ancient flame trees and the huge leafy garden below. As the name implies, there’s an emphasis here on northern Thai cuisine, and the regional dishes served here do as much to help preserve the best of Lanna tradition as does the stunning architecture of the place. Of special note: rich hang lay pork curry is a famous local dish which positively sings here with complex notes of pickled ginger and garlic. Rounding out the old world ambience, excellent traditional dance and music performances take place nightly, featuring talented performers.

เลอ กรองด ลานนา รร.แมนดารินโอเรียนทอล ดาราเทวี PAK RESTAURANT 39/5 Phrapoklao Soi 2, 053-814-733; www.pakchiangmai.com. Daily 7am-8pm. $ For something truly unusual, try Pak – a modestly-sized restaurant in a small hotel which makes you feel as www.lanna101.com

if you’re stopping in for a meal with funky, artistic friends. Chef Noon, a graduate of California’s holistic Bauman College of Culinary Arts, is positively idealistic in her attention to every healthy detail; more evidently, she’s quite the artiste when it comes to food preparation and clever twists on traditional ideas. Everything sparkles with so much originality that the variety of choices seems much greater once you actually tuck in. For instance, a trio of Thai curries – red, yellow and green – are loaded liberally with uncommon vegetable embellishments like young coconut shavings and can be studded with any meats you choose, if you let them know in advance.

รร.พัก เชียงใหม พระปกเกลา ซ.2 PALAAD TAWANRON 100 Huay Kaew Road, Suthep, 053-217073; www.palaadtawanron.com. Daily 11.30am-midnight $$ Nestled in the foothills of Doi Suthep, and featuring gentle live music and a sprawling leafy outdoor terrace, Palaad Tawanron is a great mini-getaway from town. Offering what may be the best view in Chiang Mai, it overlooks not only its own private lake but the entire cityscape below. The menu is geared towards a specific type of northern Thai palate, with an emphasis on tart flavourings and multitudinous herbs – those given towards blander preparations might find their tongues a little puzzled. Nevertheless, like many Thai restaurants of this scale, the menu is gigantic, and there should be something to please all visitors – notably the superb German pork knuckle served with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut, which seems to be on everyone’s table. The piece de resistance is the view – try to get a table overlooking the edge.

ผาลาด ตะวันรอน สุด ถ.สุเทพ RABIANG CHA Veranda Chiang Mai, 192 Moo2 Banpong Hangdong, 053-365-007 www.verandaresortandspa.com. Daily 3pm-10.30pm. $$ This charming hotel restaurant is a modern version of a traditional food & drink

northern rice granary, in an evocative outdoor rice field setting. The menu is a fusion of Lanna Thai cuisine with a classy modern touch. Each private room (in a stilted wooden sala) has air conditioned comfort and glass sky light. Simply magical.

หองอาหาร ระเบียงชา รร.วีรนั ดาเชียงใหมเดอะไฮทรสี อรท

SALA MAE RIM Four Seasons Chiang Mai hotel, Mae Rim-Samoeng Old Road, 053-298-181; www.fourseasons.com/chiangmai. Daily 7am-11am, 6pm-11pm. $$$ In the back of The Four Seasons’ spacious lobby pavilion, Sala Mae Rim serves as the resort’s main culinary showcase. Diners may choose to be seated either in a glass-walled indoor seating area with vaulted ceilings and teak beams or al fresco on the verandah overlooking the resort’s legendary working rice terraces. The focus is on central and northern Thai cuisines, with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal produce, harvested at royal agricultural projects or local farms in Mae Rim and Mae Sa. Among Lanna dishes on the menu, we found the chef’s narm prig ong (northern-style chilli paste), served with vegetables and pork crackling, among the best we’ve ever had. A highlight of the meal was ped ob kafe, duck roasted and deep-fried with coffee. While tea-roasted duck is common in Asia, this was the first coffee version we’d tasted, and it was excellent – succulent and smoky, juicy and crispy.

ศาลาแมรมิ รร.โฟรซซี น่ั เชียงใหม ถ.แมรมิ -สะเมิงเกา THE WHOLE EARTH 88 Sridonchai Road, 053-282-463; www.wholeearthcm.com. Daily 11am-10pm. $$ For nearly 40 years The Whole Earth Restaurant has emphasised clean, wholesome Thai and Indian food with a variety of side-by-side meat (chicken and seafood only) and vegetarian dishes unrivalled in the city. Tom yum gung is prepared as foreigners like it – without too many shells and bits of 81

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funny things to get in the way of eating. Vegetarian fare never plays second fiddle – spring rolls (paw piah tawt) or fried vegetable cakes (tawt man jeh) and accompanying dipping sauces are good starters for any palate. And while Thai whole fish with chilli-lime sauce sounds delicious, savoury Indian chickpea curry with garlic nan may steer you towards the subcontinent. Going that route, be sure to grab a mango lassi to take the edge off.

ดิ โฮลเอิรธ ถ.ศรีดอนชัย AMERICAN CHIANG MAI SALOON 80/1 Loi Kroh Road, 080-675-2169; chiangmaisaloon.com. Daily 10am-1am. $ This welcoming restaurant’s fun, American-style approach to dining will please those looking to enjoy huge portions of good, hearty grub, especially if they’re keen to augment their dinner with a tangy margarita or two. Prices are low, quality is high, and the service is enthusiastic. As one might expect from a Western-inspired restaurant, there’s an emphasis on grilled meats – the saloon is famous citywide for its pork chops with all the trimmings and generously-sized cheeseburgers. One of the best things about the place is that aside from great meals, it’s got everything you need for a lively night out – including a friendly bar and American pool.

เชียงใหม ซาลูน สาขา ถ.ลอยเคราะห และสาขา ถ.ราชเทวี THE DUKE’S Chiang Mai-Lumphun Road, near TAT ofﬁce, 053-249-231. Daily 11am-10.30pm. $$ Sometimes when travelling you want to dine on exotic dishes with unpronounceable names. But other times you want to wolf down huge platters of luscious, familiar grub until you can no longer move. If the latter (and the batter) is what you’re after, The Duke’s is the place to be. Everything’s full-sized, rich in flavour Attracting a steady stream of expats, The Duke’s is a much-loved 82

local temple to unabashed calorieladen glee. Steaks, pizzas, sandwiches, salads and desserts are all eminently satisfying and well-prepared– after all, man can’t live on nam prik alone.

เดอะ ดุคส ถ.เชียงใหม-ลำพูน BRAZILIAN RIO RESTAURANT & BAR @ RATI LANNA RIVERSIDE SPA RESORT 33 Chang Klan, Muang, 053-999333; www.ratilannachiangmai.com. 6pm-midnight (except Sunday). $$$ At Rio, once you’re done helping yourself to the bar of delicious starters (generally intensely-flavoured salads, saucy appetisers and other healthful gourmet fare), the staff shuttle around and generously slice various barbecued meats and seafood from rotisserie spits onto your plate. This is known in Brazil as churrasceria, and it’s a protein-lover’s paradise. Conveniently, you don’t worry about having to flag down waiters as clever blinking signals are available at every table, alerting them as soon as you require another layer of juicy, grilled goodness. Try to pace yourself, however, as the richly marinated meats can take their toll on the injudicious – and you’ll want to get to sample them all. Whatever you do, don’t miss the lamb.

ริโอ ร.ร.รติ ลานนา ริเวอรไซด สปา รีสอรท เชียงใหม ต.ชางคลาน CHINESE FUJIAN @ THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL DHARA DHEVI Chiang Mai-San Kamphaeng Road, Tasala, 053-888-888 ext 8548; www. mandarinoriental.com/chiangmai. Daily 11.30am - 2.30pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm. $$$ Paying homage to his Fujian roots, the owner of The Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi has produced a disarmingly sentimental restaurant. Crafted with charming antique fixtures up to 200 years old and a certain retro-Chinese vibe, Fujian could rest on its artistic merits and get away with it. Luckily, the Cantonese cuisine here stands triumphantly on its own as well. The food & drink

deep fried bean curd rolls with crab mousse starter is a delight, as is braised eggplant with minced shrimp and Yunnan-style gherkin pickle. One of Fujian’s welcome features is its many set menus, which pair complementary dishes with one another.

ฟูเจียน รร. แมนดาริน ดาราเทวี ถ.เชียงใหม-สันกำแพง FRENCH FRANCO THAI PLACE Maneenoparat Road, Soi 3, behind ICON Plaza, 089-855-6697. Daily 10.30am10.30pm (closed Monday). $ Set deep in a dark soi behind this old plaza, it’s rather tricky to find, but well worth it when you do. Hearty, wholesome food in massive portions guaranteed to fill you up. Wide selection of provincial favourites including fish, duck, chicken. The chicken breast in mushroom sauce and pork steak with black pepper sauce are this writer’s favourites. Wine available by the glass too. Pleasant service from the proprietor’s tiny young daughter who speaks Thai and French, and excellent value every time.

ฟรังโก ไทย เพลส ถ.มณีนพรัตน (หลัง ไอคอน พลาซา) LE COQ D’OR 11 Soi 2 Koh Klang Road, Nong Hoi, 053-141-555; www.lecoqdorchiangmai.com. Daily 12am-2pm, 6pm-10pm. $$$$ Set in a cosy old house which was the residence of the British consul some 100 years ago, the restaurant features a wide variety of rooms in which to dine, some more private than others. A sweet bunch of older guys on piano and double bass provide the cinematic soundtrack as the gentle and ever-present staff begin to minister to your whims with practiced care. Don’t miss your Caesar salad made tableside, or the mammoth tiger prawn salad starter. Furthermore, fans of U.S. Angus beef will find themselves in steak heaven. In all, Le Coq d’Or is the classiest of class acts – one of Chiang Mai’s most exceptional and long-running restaurants (since 1973), www.lanna101.com

and one which surely won’t change much over its next four decades either.

เลอ คอก ดอร ถ.เกาะกลาง LE CRYSTAL 74/2 Paton Road, Muang, 053-872890; www.lecrystalrestaurant.com. Daily 6pm-10.30pm. $$$ A somewhat Thai take on French dining, with an emphasis on intense flavours – call it Lanna-style swish sophistication. Those looking for a more easygoing atmosphere should reserve a table on the terrace, where the lovely garden sits astride the babbling Ping River and the fresh air enhances the flavour of the food. Portions are perfectly crafted but on the small side – Westerners ordering from the monthly prix fixe menu may find themselves in need of an additional appetiser. Regardless of what you choose for your entrées, however, make sure to start with the fabulous seared foie gras with raspberry and peach sauce and finish with the outstandingly aromatic crepes suzette.

เลอ คริสตัล ถ. ปาตัน INDIAN HINLAY CURRY HOUSE Wat Gate Road, next to CM Flora Condominium, 053-242-621. Daily 10am-9pm (except Sunday). $ Set in a grand old house once owned by Louis Leonowens (the son of Anna

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from The King and I), this small cafe specialises in one thing – curry. The house’s current owner splits his time between chairing a huge ceramics company and indulging his passion for the richly-spiced delicacy. The choices are comprehensive – choose from Burmese Hinlay pork curry, Thai beef massaman, Indian pork vindaloo, rogan josh with New Zealand lamb, Madras chicken, chicken korma, shrimp masala, dahl curry, vegetarian curry, pumpkin curry, or potato curry. Prices are great – varying from B60 up to a few hundred, depending on item and size. Linger in the capacious garden afterwards and try to work up an appetite for another dish.

ฮินเลย เคอรี่ เฮาส หนาวัดเกตุ INTERNATIONAL THE GOOD VIEW BAR & RESTAURANT CHIANG MAI 13 Charoenrat Road, 053-241-866; www.goodview.co.th. Daily 10am-1am. $$ A long-standing Chiang Mai favourite, Good View is a cracking riverside bar and restaurant serving up Thai, Japanese and Western food. Decent live bands pump out covers through the evening while the iconic Ping River murmurs along quietly in the background. This is the kind of place locals take visitors because there’s enough variety on the menu to keep everybody happy

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and there’s always a pretty good atmosphere. This place is huge so get there early to grab a seat by the river.

กูดวิว เชียงใหม ถ.เจริญราษฎร MOXIE AT THE DUSITD2 HOTEL dusitD2 Chiang Mai hotel, Chang Klan Road, 053-999-999; www.dusit.com. Daily 6.30am-10pm. $$ dusitD2, a concept property from The Dusit Group, has positioned itself as perhaps the most avant-garde of Chiang Mai’s hotels, with a signature restaurant, Moxie, that lives up to the reputation. A Caesar salad, for instance, is served as if it were a vase of flowers, with a crispy parmesan lattice acting as the vase. Even traditional Lanna ingredients are given new life, as when sai oua, a local sausage, is perfectly employed in a spicy spaghetti dish.

ม็อกซี่ รร.ดุสิตดีทู ถ.ชางคลาน THE HOUSE 199 Moonmuang Road, 053-419-011; www.thehousethailand.com. The House 6pm-11pm, Ginger Kafé 10am-11pm. $$$ For years this fantastic old colonial style mansion stood near Somphet Market unoccupied and mysterious, until Danish entrepreneur Hans B. Christensen had the good sense to take it over and turn it into one

FOOD&DRINK adventurous spirit should make sure to try one of the superb set menus, which offer a variety of delicacies from each of the three cultures. Of course, no review of The Rachamankha would be incomplete without special mention of the architecture: inspired by Phra That Luang temple in Lampang, the meditative, monastic appeal of this small property calms the heart as much as the cuisine excites the senses.

เดอะ เรสเทอรองท รร.ราชมรรคา ต.พระสิงห

The House

of Chiang Mai’s most celebrated dining establishments. Though Hans made sure to maintain the antique charm of the house itself, he added a smart Moroccan-themed tapas-andhookah bar outside, providing not only variety but a touch of pizzazz. And the food? Even without fine fare, the magical, cosy ambience would attract folks in droves, but luckily for everyone concerned, Christensen and his partners are foodies of the highest calibre. The House resolutely maintains an impeccable balance between each of its marvellously-imagined flavour combinations. this is one of Thailand’s most outstanding restaurants.

เดอะ เฮาส ถ.มูลเมือง THE RESTAURANT AT THE CHEDI The Chedi hotel, Charoen Prathet Road, 053-253-333; www.ghmhotels.com. Daily 7am-11pm. $$$ While this multiregional menu offers a raft of Thai and European offerings, often exceptional and prepared with inspired twists, the best reason to visit The Restaurant is for the Indian fare. Make it a point to try the Thai pomelo salad, enhanced wonderfully with the unusual addition of tempura soft-shell crab and water-chestnuts. Perhaps The Restaurant’s most winning aspect, however, is the atmosphere – the quiet and sparsely-lit riverside garden ambience is so dreamy you could easily 84

think you had been transported in time, back to when the building was still the British consulate and Chiang Mai was an unknown corner of the world.

เดอะ เรสเทอรองท รร.เดอะ เชดี ถ.เจริญประเทศ

THE RESTAURANT AT THE RACHAMANKHA Rachamankha Hotel, 6 Rachamankha 9, Phra Singh, 053-904-111; pmwww.rachamankha.com. Daily 6.30am-10pm. $$$ By now just about everyone is familiar with the basics of Thai cuisine. Yet though it has been greatly inspired by adjacent cultures, neighbouring traditions are often overlooked. Not so at The Rachamankha’s restaurant, where not only central and northern Thai dishes are on offer, but so are closelyrelated Burmese and Shan (an ethnolinguistic relative of the Thai) recipes. Anyone with the slightest twinge of

ITALIAN GIORGIO 2/6 Prachasamphan Road, 053-818-236. $$ It’s no secret that when it comes to farang food, the category Thais like best is Italian, which is probably why there are so many Italian restaurants in Chiang Mai. Perhaps it’s the noodles and rich sauces which help bridge the culinary gap. Whatever the case may be, however, Giorgio is one of the more popular. Located near the popular Night Bazaar area, the restaurant is so well-visited that it’s one of the few in town where you should really make reservations, though that’s also a result of its intimate size. Given that it’s frequented mostly by Thais one wonders if the recipes make concessions to their palate, but in fact the fare here is by most accounts the most authentic in town. Certainly, when it comes to pizzas, few in town even come close to Giorgio.

จิออรจิโอส ถ.ประชาสัมพันธ ใกลกับไนทบารซาร

Rachamankha

food & drink

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TERRACES Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, Mae Rim-Samoeng Old Road, 053298 -181; w w w.four seasons .com / chiangmai. Daily 11am-10pm. $$$ Peering out over a manicured natural wonderland (from a terrace, naturally), one feels as if one is dining on some sort of fantasy planet at Terraces. But once you’re done gawking and return to the plate, you’ll be well pleased too. As befits the lush setting of the place, fresh vegetables come from Royal Project sites around Thailand’s northern region. Specially imported items like the irresistible Tasmanian cod are impressively fresh, with an impressive selection of wines available. Make sure to try the fresh homemade pasta and leave some room for mango carpaccio plus deliciously spiked Spanish coffee. With its attentive service, a view to swoon for, and oodles of Italian charm, Terraces is one of the most romantic places in the area.

เทอเรสเซส รร.โฟรซีซั่น เชียงใหม ถ.แมริม-สะเมิง (สายเกา)

MEDITERRANEAN MI CASA 28 Nimmanhaemin Soi 11, 08-9356-4540; www.micasachiangmai.com. 11am-10pm (except Sunday) . $ $ Run by Spanish chef Kike and his bubbly Hong Kong-born wife Annie,

Mi Casa

Mi Casa offers a wide and frequently changing selection of bold, colourful Mediterranean meat and seafood dishes that rely heavily on spectacular sauces and liberal amounts of fancifully strewn vegetable garnishes. Though the mains are uniformly fabulous, it’s the appetisers and tapas that tend to stick meltingly in one’s memory. Smoked salmon rolls stuffed with crab meat and deep fried oysters, an astonishing savoury pumpkin cheese

tart, and the traditional Spanish tortilla (potato omelette) are only a few of the intensely satisfying dishes you are emphatically advised to sample. Upstairs chef’s table and rooftop private dining options are currently being rolled out.

มิ คาซา ถ.นิมมานเหมินทร ซ.11 MEXICAN SALSA KITCHEN Huay Kaew Road, near Kad Suan Kaew shopping centre, opposite the Shell petrol station. 053-216-605; www. thesalsakitchen.com. Daily 11am-11pm. $ One of the few places in Lanna that serves up impressive Mexican fare, the Salsa Kitchen serves up unexpected Mexican delights, ranging from saucily spiced enchiladas to Jamaican jerk chicken and massive taco salads. Aside from also boasting great value pitchers of fresh margaritas, it’s considered by many locals to have the finest fall-off-the-bone BBQ ribs in town. Try it for yourself.

ซัลซา คิทเชน ถ.หวยแกว MIDDLE EASTERN JERUSALEM FALAFEL 35/3 Moonmuang Road, 053-270208. 9am-2pm, 5pm-10.30pm. $ This is a real standout – not only for

The Chedi

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food & drink

FOOD&DRINK

Terraces

its lovingly prepared dishes, but for the cosy, family-run feel of the place. Jerusalem Falafel has slowly evolved over the last decade from a modest backpacker haunt to a bona fide bastion of authentic and exotic dining. Its menu selections have grown impressively as well, featuring a broad array of both Middle Eastern and Mediterranean delicacies: Greek moussaka, Lebanesestyle chicken shawarma, Italian focaccia sandwiches, Turkish kofta, Israeli falafel, and North African couscous all complement each other marvellously, paying testament to the shared history of the region’s long culinary heritage.

เยรูซาเล็ม ฟาลาเฟล ถ.มูลเมือง VEGETARIAN TIANZI TEA HOUSE Kamphaengdin Road, opposite The Imper ial Mae Ping Hotel’s beer garden, 053-449-539; www. natureproducts.net. Daily 10am-10pm. $ TianZi tea house is one of the most unique, wholesome offerings in a city that is often overly keen to dazzle the palate with sugar and spice and everything with-white-rice. Featuring an organic only menu that 86

manages to make the most drysounding concoctions into soul-stirring satisfactions, one wonders if a little mysticism isn’t at work behind the scenes. A more sensible answer is that truly wholesome food prepared with an artistic temperament can beguile the senses with subtlety just as readily as others do with a sledgehammer. Try the brown rice salad, pumpkin soup, and the specially fermented tofu which is surprisingly evocative of gorgonzola. Of course, a pot of one of their rare Chinese teas is a must. Note: despite TianZi’s emphasis on traditional, totally natural products and ingredients, the welcome addition of free Wi-Fi service adds a high-tech touch.

others). It sources its live greens and all fruit and vegetables from the abundant market garden farmers in the area. Mixand-match your own salad ingredients if you prefer for a customized, yummy, and healthy meal. Have a shot of homegrown wheatgrass, detox or herbal anti-cancer drink on the side. Modern and funky décor, with choice of dining indoors or out.

เดอะ สลัด คอนเซ็ปต ถ.นิมมานเหมินทร 13

เทียนฉื่อ ทีเฮาส ถ.กำแพงดิน ตรงขามลานเบียรโรงแรมอิมพีเรียลแมปง THE SALAD CONCEPT 49/9-10 (Soi 13)Nimminheiman Road, 053-894-455, 11am-1-pm (closed 2nd Wed of the month). $ This healthy eatery was an instant hit from the day it opened, offering hydroponically grown salads (and not just vegetarian ones at that – chicken, beef and smoked salmon among food & drink

Tianzi Tea House

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khantoke

One of the most popular – and unapologetically touristy – things to do in Chiang Mai is to attend a Khantoke dinner show. Though at first the masses of tour groups and painted-on smiles of the staff might make you think you have chosen unwisely, once you settle in and surrender to the spectacle, it’s actually quite the treat.

he term comes from toke, the small round table upon which your food is placed, and khan, the bowls of varied dishes placed upon the toke. In olden times, this was the way special dinners would be held and the finest Lanna recipes accompanied the event. Today every Khantoke place offers virtually the same menu. Invariably you’ll be treated to a delicious sour pork curry (gaeng hang lay), a tomato-pork paste (nam prik ong), fried chicken or spare ribs, sautéed vegetables, crispy pork skin (kaeb moo) a bowl of sticky rice, and some fried bananas to finish it off. Despite the large-scale operation, the food is often truly excellent, and most places provide as much as you can delicately shovel in. The entertainment part of the event consists of a series of traditional dances, both Lanna and often hill tribe, which are backed up by live music. Some venues’ performances are more www.lanna101.com

spectacular than others, but all are good fun to watch and if the announcer speaks clearly enough you’ll even learn a bit about the background behind each one. The dances range from supple and sweet (e.g. the Candle Dance and the Fingernail Dance) to acrobatic and alarming (e.g. The Sword Dance and the Drum Dance). At the end of it all you’re bound to have a full belly and a smile on your face. All are excellent value, ranging from B260 to B390 per person.

entertainment, with the many moods of Lanna recreated in its large hall. KHUM KHANTOKE 139 Nhong Pa Khrung 053-304-121; khantoke.com. B390 The nicest and most elegant venue in town, with what most regard to be the most impressive show, although the food is a bit variable.

THE OLD CHIANG MAI CULTURAL CENTRE 185/3 Wua Lai Road, Hai Ya 053 202 KANTOKE PALACE 995; www.oldchiangmai.com. B420, 288/19 Chang Klan Road, Chiang Mai includes transportation. 053 204 790; www.kantokepalace.com. The show here is less spectacular B350, transportation B50. overall, but it’s more varied with 15 This smart (though somewhat performances – it’s worth going just for gaudy) venue claims the most the display of traditional costumes. The authentic Lanna Thai dining and food is consistently the best.

Khum Khantoke

food & drink

FOOD&DRINK

hold the rice

The cuisine scene in Lanna is widely-varied, wild and wonderful, but even the most earnest gourmand often just craves a little bit of familiar fare. If you’ve got a hankering for Western comfort cooking, then tuck into the following suggestions.

World Class Hamburger

BURGERS When it comes to soothing the savage beast, nothing is more calming than the burger. Luckily there’s plenty to choose from in Lanna. Up in Chiang Rai, World Class Hamburger (162/2 Moo13 (near Air Force Golf Course), T. Wiang, Chiang Rai, 053-712-712) is the place to head to for a traditional American-style hamburger (they also do a mean line in Philly cheese steaks) and Don’s Cafe (134 Baan Doi Hang (Nok), Moo 3 Amphur Muang, Chiang Rai, 053-170-633) serves up some of the best beef burgers and steaks in the north. Down south in Chiang Mai, try Woody’s (56 Chaiyaphum Road (next to the 7-Eleven), 085-722-9708) or just around the corner at Texas Barbecue (on Chang Moi Road), which offers a sensational roast beef-topped hamburger. Chiang Mai Saloon and The Duke’s are good options, too. In Nan, the owners of Just Jazz (124/1 Ananta Woraritthi Det Road, Nan, 083-578-5729. Daily 10am-10pm (closed Tuesday) reckon they serve the best burgers in northern Thailand. So who do you believe? Try them all! MEXICAN The guy who opened Texas Barbecue a l s o c r e a t e d M i g u e l ’s ( 1 0 6 / 1 88

Chaiyaphum Road, 053-874-148), one of the most authentic places in northern Thailand for real Californiastyle Mexican food. Miguel’s has now branched out around Chiang Mai, including Miguel’s Cafe and Bar, and Miguel’s Express in Nimmanheiman Road, where a duo serenades nightly in an al fresco setting. The Salsa Kitchen (26/4 Huay Kaew Road (opposite Shell station near Central), 053-216605; www.thesalsakitchen.com) also dishes up whopping serves and caters well for vegetarians and the glutenfree set in family-friendly atmosphere. PIZZA While there are tons of restaurants that offer Italian-style pizza, those in search of the thicker, heartier variety should consider Chiang Mai favourite Mad Dog (19/1 Moonmuang Road, 053-273-002; mad-dog-chiangmai. com) or The Duke’s. Lesser-known but exceptional standouts can be found at The Guitarman (68/5-6 Loi Kroh Road, Chang Klan, 053-818-110), a live-music bar with pies named after notable rock ‘n’ rollers. Those in search of US-style slices of pizza should visit Paradise Pizza (7/2 Ratwithi Road (opposite UN Irish Pub), 053-418-409; www.paradisepizzathailand.com), also food & drink

a good spot for meatball subs, while World Class Hamburger serves a mean slice up north in Chiang Rai. In Nan, Pizza Da-Dario (262/3 Mahayod Rd, Naiwuang District, Nan, 083-6259641. Daily 10am-10pm (closed 15th and 30th of every month).) has been a fixture there for nearly 25 years and, even with Dario himself having moved on, is still popular with the ravenous expat motorcycle crowd and locals. The biggest and best surprise though might be Amido’s Pizza Garden (9 Moo 4, Viangtai, Pai, 081-179-7283. Daily 3pm-10pm) in Pai, owned by an Algerian, who serves up what Lonely Planet have called ‘the best in Thailand’. Yes, really! SANDWICHES & PUB GRUB ‘A shady island in a sea of rice’ is the telling slogan of the ever popular Chiang Rai Amazing Sandwich (20/2 Huey Kaew Road, Chiang Mai, 053 404 174; www.amazingsandwich.com), featuring design-it-yourself baguette sandwiches. Authentic English-style fish and chip lovers should stop in at Charlie’s Fish & Chips (Kamphaengdin Soi 1 (take road behind Wat Loi Kroh on Loi Kroh Road), 086-916-2418) for a nicely-battered munch. And well prepared pub grub of all types (pies, bangers and mash) can be enjoyed at ever popular The UN Irish Pub or The Pub (Huay Kaew Road). ICE CREAM & COFFEE A major winner in this segment is the coconut ice-cream place in Chiang Rai, located out on the road to the hot springs. Khun Noi serves from a small cart, and they only make one flavour, coconut, to which you then add your choice of jelly, nuts, raisins and so on to customize it. Served in a cup or cone just B15. Meanwhile, for a coffee and excellent meal in a scenic setting, there’s no place quite like Heaven On Earth (635 inside Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Rai, 053-777-587). www.lanna101.com

Heaven On Earth

635 inside of Wat Chedi Luang. (Wat Phra That Chedi Luang) Wiang Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai, 57150 053-777-587, 081-943-6013

Open 7am to 5pm Tuesday - Sunday, closed Mondays

Khum Khantoke

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food & drink

NIGHTLIFE

chiang mai

Monkey Club

hen it comes to nightlife, Chiang Mai is in many ways the anti-Bangkok. And we hope it stays that way. There’s enough raucous glitz in the capital and down on the islands; Chiang Mai, in contrast, serves up an entirely different social scene – mainly consisting of intimate, personal and pleasantly quirky evening forays. When it comes to going out, Chiang Mai feels very much like the midsized university town it is, full of welcoming watering holes of every stripe, cosy places to watch energetic live bands, and exuberant hotspots packed with friendly young folks eating, drinking, dancing and giving each other (and you?) the eye. Down by the mighty Ping River a string of generously sized, attractively decorated and hugely popular places serve as the focal point for many a festive evening. As is the case with many of the town’s venues, they often manage to cram in restaurants, bars, dance-floors and live bands under the same roof, yet all of them have their own unique feel. The oldest and best-loved of the bunch is surely The Riverside, which hosts several excellent bands a night and offers fast service despite being always full. The Good View is also popular and a bit more upscale. Nearby The Brasserie is home to local guitar legend Took and a string of excellent roots-rock performers. Those looking for something mellower should check out the fine Gallery 90

nightlife

restaurant and the swinging Tha Chang Jazz Pub. On the other side of town, near Chiang Mai University, Nimmanhaemin Road and its many lanes are liberally peppered with thriving meeting places of varying styles and moods. From energetic and funloving par ty places like Warm Up or Monkey Club to more relaxing bars like The Glass Onion, The Drunken Flower and The Box, there’s something in this funky par t of town to suit almost anyone’s taste. The 1km square Old City hosts an amazing variety of options as well. There’s hip, musicallyinclined spots on the nor thern moat road like The Northgate and Rasta Art Cafe. The eastern side of the square features bohemian hangouts for both bohemians of means (The Tapas Bar at The House) and the more funky variety (the Little Jamaica area). Several great Western-run pubs also dot the landscape in the Old City, from the U.N. Irish Pub to The Queen Victoria and The Writer’s Club. Adding to the mix, high-end hotels add liberal doses of class to the night-time mix. Among them are dusit D2’s Mix Bar, and The Horn Bar at the Mandarin Oriental. A little fur ther afield, the Four Seasons’ Elephant Bar offers a relaxing spot to watch the sun set over paddy fields. Though more upscale, they all maintain the personal warmth that makes Lanna such an easy place to be – day or night. www.lanna101.com

live music Joe Cummings

Riverside Bar & Restaurant

ans of good cover bands will enjoy the Riverside Bar & Restaurant (9-11 Charoenrat Road, 053-243-239), a rambling wooden place on the east bank of the Ping River and one of the longest-running live music venues in Chiang Mai. Le Brasserie (37 Charoenrat Road, 053-241665), a couple of blocks north of the Riverside and also on the river, packs in a crowd of avid classic rock fans to hear the late set by local Thai guitar legend Took. For something more intimate, try the Guitarman (68/5-6 Loi Kroh Road, 081180-6546), which alternatively offers live rock, folk and blues in a small bistro-like setting from local and international acts. Clustered around a parking lot off Ratwithi Road in the Old City are a half dozen or more outdoor bars catering to backpackers and expats (see Little Jamaica box). The oldest and largest, Babylon (Moon Muang Soi 6) hosts ska and reggae bands, as does the smaller Roots Rock Reggae (Moon Muang Soi 6, 053-418-424).

At Heaven Beach (Moon Muang Soi 6), local band Nyok plays credible versions of Radiohead and other grunge, alternative and indie songs till 2am. on most nights. A creative group of young Thai jazz artists own and operate the laidback North Gate Jazz Co-op (95/1-2, Sri Phum Road, 083-574-6466), next to Chang Phuak Gate inside the Old City. A variety of jazz groups play Wednesday through Monday, while on Tuesdays an impressive lineup of local and visiting musicians turn on a hot jam session which spills out into the street. Tha Chang Gallery Jazz Pub (3135 Charoenrat Road, 053-248-601), next to the Gallery Restaurant, also hosts live jazz and blues most nights. For the genre of modern Thai folk music known as phleng pheua cheewit (‘songs for life’, see box), the best choice is the all-wood Sudsanan (30/1 Huay Kaew Road, 53-210-614), a popular hangout for local Lanna poets, writers, intellectuals and folk musicians.

Songs For Life The ‘Songs for Life’ (phleng pheua cheewit in Thai) movement can trace its roots to a book published in 1957, Art for Life, Art for the People, written by Thai Marxist Chit Phumisak (19301966). Much like the Mexican muralist school of art proposed around the same era, Phumisak and his followers mandated that all art and literature should serve ‘the people.’ The movement surged in popularity in the early 1970s, when activist musician Surachai Jantimatorn, an admirer of American folk singers Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger, formed Caravan, a musical group that attempted to apply the Art for Life concept to popular music. Their songs addressed political and environmental topics rather than the usual love themes, and during the authoritarian dictatorships of the 70s many of Caravan’s songs were officially banned. Following Thailand’s bloody 1976 coup, the members of Caravan – along with many www.lanna101.com

other Bangkok artists and musicians – fled to the jungles to join the Communist insurgency. A 1982 general amnesty brought them back to the cities, by which a time a similarly named band, Carabao, were composing and performing less political variations on the famous Caravan sound. Carabao continues to be Thailand’s most popular Songs for Life band, fusing luuk thung, rock and metal, and spawning a whole generation of imitators. Surachai Jantimatorn, meanwhile, still tours with a few original members of Caravan, and is considered by many to better represent the true spirit of the original movement. Chiang Mai’s undisputed h.q. for phleng pheua cheewit is Sudsanan, a rustic wood-plank club off Huay Kaew Road that features live local music nightly. However, when superstars Caravan or Carabao come to town a much bigger place is in order, such as Tawan Daeng on Canal Road. nightlife

NIGHTLIFE

bars & pubs Colin Hinshelwood & Stu Lloyd

LE BARFLY 204/2 Ratchapakhinai Road, 089-4327578. Daily 5pm-midnight Located between the Three Kings’ monument and Wat Lamchang, Le Barﬂy is a cute little hole-in-the-wall bar popular with French tourists and Francophiles. It’s a small, unassuming spot with not much more than a bar and barstools, but it does have a French language library and French liqueurs such as Armagnac and Pastis. French wines also available, naturellement.

เลอ บารฟลาย ถ.ราชภัคคินัย

QUEEN VICTORIA INN 252/13-14 Phrapoklao Road, 053-418-266. Daily 8am-midnight Situated 300m inside the northern gate (Chang Phuak) on Praproklao Road, this ‘olde worlde’ British pub is one of those authentic home away from home watering holes that certain expats are drawn to like dizzy ﬂies. The Queen Vic boasts excellent pub grub and a highly-recommended Sunday carvery. There’s a pool table upstairs and large screen TV tht screens international football at weekends.

ควีน วิคทอเรีย อินน ถ.พระปกเกลา

SUGAR SHACK BAR & RESTAURANT 48 Charoen Prathet Road, Soi 6, opposite Diamond Hotel, 089-557-0679. Daily 12pm-midnight Located between the Night Bazaar and the Ping River is this small cosy joint surrounded by plenty of bamboo. The Sugar Shack is an ideal spot for cocktails. Friendly staff always ready for a chat, and a genial open-air ambiance makes this bar a pleasant pit-stop on any night out.

ซูการ แชค ถ.เจริญประเทศ

O’MALLEY’S Anusarn Market, 149/14-15 Chang Klan Road, 053-271-921. Daily 9am-2am If you find yourself tuckered out at the Night Bazaar and craving refreshments, pop into Anusarn Market and track down O’Malley’s, a Bostonian-Irish boozer with great pub fare, comfortable seats and a selection of drafts, including Kilkenny’s, Erdinger and Guinness. This pub attracts a mix of expats, families and shoppers, and it’s easily one of the most authentic and professional pubs in town.

โอ มัลเลยส ถ.ชางคลาน

Queen Victoria

nightlife

www.lanna101.com

THE DRUNKEN FLOWER 28/3 Soi 17 Nimmanhaemin Road, 053-894-210. 5pm-midnight (except Sunday) One of Chiang Mai’s favourite watering holes, owner Pi Dai has what many locals rate as probably the best CD collection in town: a moving blend of blues, R&B and soul. Join the nightly barﬂies – mainly Chiang Mai University professors, students and a smattering of expats – in this chatty haven of loyal lounge-a-bouts.

เดอะ ดรังเคน ฟลาวเวอร (เมาดอกไม) ถ.นิมมานเหมินทร ซ.17

THE RED LION 123 Loi Kroh Road, Night Bazaar, 053-818-847. Daily 10am-1am Situated in the midst of the shopping jungle stands this oasis of libation. Located on the short-cut road straight from Loi Kroh through the Night Bazaar, this is a lively little pub that serves a great range of cider and German beers, including the irresistible Erdinger Dunkel. With its convenient location and imported drinks, The Red Lion is a tourist-friendly pub that always offers patrons a lively atmosphere.

THE PUB 189 Huay Kaew Road, 053-211-550. www.thepubchiangmai.com Daily 8am-midnight Head away from the city centre on Huay Kaew Road, pass the Amari Rincome-Superhighway Junction and you come to a pub simply named ‘The Pub.’ You may feel like you have been transported back to Somerset or Limerick, such is its homely decor and expat ambiance. A favourite den of long term residents since 1969, The Pub offers Sunday roasts, sports on TV and a selection of pub grub and a few draft beers.

THE U.N. IRISH PUB 24/24-1 Ratwithi Road, 053-214-554. Daily 9am-1am On Ratwithi Road, choices abound. However, the unusually named U.N. Irish Pub is the longest-running favourite, where there’s usually some interesting activities going on – from live music, Wednesday open mic night, to pub quizzes to live sports. Certainly if you’re a sports fan, this is the best place in town to soak up suds in a partisan atmosphere. Attracting the requisite male British Aussie crowd, there’s good pub grub and a fine bakery onsite too.

เดอะ ผับ ถ.หวยแกว

เดอะ เรดไลออน ถ.ลอยเคราะห

เดอะ ยูเอ็น ไอริช ผับ ถ.ราชวิถี

THE OLDE BELL Loi Kroh Road, 300m east from the moat. oldebell.wordpress.com 08-7811-9468 Not that olde actually, this pub is perfect for a pint and a pie if you’re off to the Night Bazaar, Thai boxing ring, or other local nocturnal pursuits. They have a well stocked bar and a wide range of British, Italian, Indian, Chinese and Thai dishes – as well as claiming the finest selection of cheeses in Northern Thailand.

ดิ โอลด เบลล ถ.ลอยเคราะห

THE WRITERS CLUB & WINE BAR 141/3 Ratchadamnoen Road, Phra Singh, 081-928-2066. Daily 12pm-midnight As base camp for the city’s foreign novelists, correspondents, photographers, assorted wordsmiths, and outright hacks, The Writers Club lives up to its name. English host Robert Tilley was himself a roving reporter for the Daily Telegraph before retiring to Thailand. He and his wife, Tong, form as personable a partnership as visitors could wish for. This haven is situated right in the heart of the city’s Sunday Walking Street.

เดอะไรเทอรสคลับแอนดไวนบาร ถ.ราชดำเนิน

LiTTLe JAMAiCA Back in 2001, a bunch of local lads set up a little makeshift bar around a tree in an unused parking lot inside the northeast corner of Ratwithi and Ratchaphakhinai Roads, about 100 metres west of the U.N. Irish pub. With fairy lights and Caribbean decor, it was almost possible to imagine you were on the beach on an island somewhere, and so it quickly became one of landlocked Chiang Mai’s best loved watering holes. Nothing cool in Thailand ever stays singular, however, and it wasn’t long before there were plenty of Rastafarian themed bars pumping out reggae music, selling cloying cocktails, and offering to knot your hair into irreversible dreadlocks or install Lion of Zion tattoos on your ﬂesh. Over the years, places have changed hands multiple times and new places have popped up, but the atmosphere remains decidedly bohemian. Though still www.lanna101.com

populated mostly by hippified youngsters from Thailand and elsewhere, people of all types regularly turn up and are warmly welcomed. However, if you’ve had your fill of Bob Marley, you might want to steer clear – CD jockeys here never seem to get sick of that same old greatest hits album (no woman no cry, indeed). The original Rasta Cafe has upgraded and moved to the northern moat road (Sriphum), but its replacement, Babylon, is still going strong. Heaven Beach is a cut above the others – despite the sign requesting ‘no boomboom upstairs’ -- because of its sand floor and rocking live bands, completing the illusion that you could be on Koh Phangan. Roots Rock Reggae has moved into a bigger area but forgone its rustic outdoorsy feel in the process, but some of the best cocktails in town can be found at Zoe in Yellow, a bar that straddles the soi.

nightlife

NIGHTLIFE

clubs Aron Aspana & Stu Lloyd

hiang Mai is the little big town with a little bit of everything to satisfy different folks’ cravings for a fun night out. With its steady growth in recent years, trendy new places have been regularly popping up while a few old standbys manage to endure. Indeed, several tried and true venues remain veritable rites-of-passage for locals-in-theknow, while the new openings offer something shiny and different for a hipper, and sometimes younger crowd. Either way, each venue has a charm of its own: depending where you go, you can get your groove on at a trendy place where the university kids hang out, go upscale and party hard to loud live music and, ahem, laser shows, or opt for a more mellow sophisticated time socialising over food, drinks, and maybe a shisha pipe bubbling beside live jazz.

Discovery

MONKEY CLUB Nimmanhaemin Road, Soi 9, 053-2269978. Daily 6pm-1.30am You find a good mix of university students, ‘hi-so’ (slang for ‘high society’) Thais and a few Westerners at Monkey Club on Nimmanhaemin Road. Usually packed with gleeful youth dancing head banger-style to intense live Thai rock tunes, those not predisposed to rocking out generally choose to simply enjoy a civilised drink at a patio table outside.

มังกี้ คลับ นิมมานเหมินทร ซ.9

SAMO PUB 480/1-3 Chang Klan Road, 053-204-799. Daily 6.30pm-2am Hip Thais, local expats, and a smattering of tourists find their way to this combined sports bar, nightclub, and restaurant located on Chang Klan Road. Enjoy the tasty delights that pepper the Thai menu along with high profile sporting matches on the big screens outside. Afterwards, grab a standing room only table to dance at as live bands and DJs entertain the younger crowd inside.

สโม คลับ ถ.ชางคลาน

CLUB FASHION PARIS Lotus Hotel Pang Suan Kaew, Huay Kaew Road, 053-227-244. Daily 9pm-3am For bottom dwellers that thrive on going deep into local culture and soaking up a smoky club vibe, this is the place to head to. Literally ‘underground’, they’re located in the basement beneath the Pang Suan Kaew Hotel behind Kad Suan Kaew. The mix draws plenty of curious internationals from the hotel above, plus many younger locals. Like most others, they feature hip hop and rock, alternating with live DJs and live bands. Despite the poshsounding name, Club Fashion Paris is the closest thing to a proud dive club we’ve seen in this town.

คลับ แฟชัน ปารีส ถ.หวยแกว

Monkey Club

nightlife

www.lanna101.com

Warm Up

DISCOVERY 12 Huay Kaew Road, Chang Phuak, 053-404-708. Daily 9pm-2am Discovery is a straight-up disco where the youth of Chiang Mai mix well with a minority of farang locals, mainly of the English teacher persuasion. Located conveniently across from Kad Suan Kaew shopping mall and up the big set of stairs, it’s easy to fi nd. Great for people watching, it’s often jam-packed with par tiers dancing to Thai rock and techno. Some thoughtful folks take to tables and railings so that they can provide a little extra enter tainment.

ดิสคัฟเวอรี่ ถ.หวยแกว

LA PAZ CAFÉ Canal Road, 053-218-402. At La Paz, you can dine and drink amidst garden foliage while enjoying live jazz music wafting across the pool, then relax with a puff of ﬂavoured tobacco while unwinding with a few more drinks. Though brought to you by the same group of creative gurus that developed Warm Up, La Paz Cafe offers drinkers a more adult and sophisticated feel; definitely a quieter place to hang out and muse.

ลาพาสคาเฟ ถ.คลองชลประทาน

www.lanna101.com

MANDALAY BAR 5/3 Moonmuang Road, 053-208-395. Daily 9pm-2am There just isn’t a bigger entertainment complex in Chiang Mai offering quite the same array of quality live bands, DJs, and intense sound and laser light systems. Dance en masse to live tunes with up to 1,000 other mostly-Thai folks in the main club, enjoy Hua Hin Restaurant with live music and DJs, or shake it up at other smaller venues upstairs, notably the funky hip-hop stalwart Scratch.

SPICY COFFEE HOUSE & BAR Chaiyapoom Road, no tel. Spicy Bar has become local short-hand code for a very long and seedy night out. It doesn’t get started till midnight in reality, and goes on unofficially until the sun comes up. Farang tourists and expats aplenty, mixing with the amiable mix of local ladies, many of whom are just there to party to the throbbing dance music, and others who are there for more commercial purposes. Unpretentious fun.

SIM BAR 2/3 Canal Road, 053-226-998. Daily 9pm-3am This popular Monkey Club spinoff is a sophisticated music and drinking venue that attracts a mature mixed crowd in a modern architectural setting. Located on the Canal Road just south of the Phucome Hotel, the property that now houses Sim Bar has changed hands repeatedly in the past, but seems here to stay this time with a tastefully-decorated, spacious interior. They’ve got two ﬂoors with plenty of cosy nooks for small groups, each with a view of the stage. There’s also a demure, spacious outside seating area.

WARM UP 40 Nimmanhaemin Road, 053-400-676. www.warmupcafe1999. com. Daily 6pm-1am Located in the centre of Chiang Mai life, Warm Up is a perennial all-around perennial people pleaser with its dance club, restaurant, bar, and lounge atmosphere. It’s got broad appeal to local farang and Thais, with the average age skewed more towards the university 20-something crowd, but welcoming all ages and social strata. Dress up, enjoy a light Thai dinner outside, have a couple of drinks, then later hit the dance ﬂoor.

แมนดาเลย บาร ถ.มูลเมือง

ซิมบาร ถ.คลองชลประทาน nightlife

สไปซี่ คอฟฟ เฮาส แอนด บาร ถ.ชัยภูมิ

วอรม อัพ ถ.นิมมานเหมินทร

NIGHTLIFE

Horn Bar

cocktail bars Pim Kemasingki

PLUNGE Le Méridien Chiang Mai, 108 Chang Klan Road, Tambol Chang Klan, Amphur Muang, 053-253-666 Plunge presents a pool-terrace retreat in which to relax with a bite of health-inspired cuisine and a refreshing drink or tropical cocktail creation while absorbing the views of Chiang Mai and Doi Suthep until the sun sets. Fare includes light, healthy dishes and refreshments.

พลันจ รร.เลอ เมอริเดียน เชียงใหม ถ.ชางคลาน

RATREE BAR AND LOUNGE Four Seasons Resort, Mae Rim, 053-298-181 Named after a variety of jasmine, Ratree Bar and Lounge has a sophisticated Thai-style ambience complete with fine wines, creative cocktails and a delicious selection of Thai and international snacks. Guests at Ratree can relax with a book or a game of billiards during the day, and gather in the evening to watch the sunset from the 12-metre carved wood infinity swing.

ราตรี บาร แอนด เลานจ รร. โฟรซีซั่นส รีสอรท เชียงใหม ถ.แมริม-สะเมิงสายเกา HORN BAR Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiang Mai-San Kamphaeng Road, 053-888-888 ext 8623; www.mandarinoriental.com. Daily 6pm-midnight For rubbing shoulders with visiting DJs from Ibiza and the odd Hollywood star, Horn Bar is without doubt the ultimate stylish venue in town, and the one favoured by the city’s glitterati. Antique Burmese sculptured heads adorned with intimidating antler horns peer down from moodily lit walls, while guests lounge on plush burgundy leather sofas surrounding the dimly lit bar. There, mixologists concoct a bewildering array of cocktails, and bubbling champagne mixes.

ฮอรน บาร รร.โอเรียนทอล ดารา เทวี แมนดาริน 96

MIX BAR dusitD2 hotel, Chang Klan Road, Chang Klan. 053-999-999; www.dusit.com Daily 11am-1am The funky, playful and orange coloured dusitD2 hotel is hard to ignore. Their equally-exciting Mix Bar is decorated with interesting pieces of furniture which dovetails nicely with its super modern interior design. A wall to ceiling wine cellar is the backdrop of the bar where a mixologist ﬂamboyantly pours his delightful creations. Hosting weekly parties where visiting DJs spin their stuff and the city’s yuppies strut theirs, a visit here makes for a unique experience indeed.

มิกซ บาร รร.ดุสิตดีทู ถ.ชางคลาน nightlife

SILAPA THAI LOUNGE & BAR Shangri-La Hotel Chiang Mai, 89/8 Chang Klan Road, Muang, 053-253-888 Offers an impressively extensive cocktail menu served by entertaining and interactive bartenders as well as DJ entertainment. Add to that a large selection of innovatively presented ‘Thaipas’, and this lounge is not to be missed.

หองอาหารศิลปะไทย เลานจ & บาร รร. แชงกรี-ลา เชียงใหม ถ.ชางคลาน

ST. GERMAIN DES PRES BAR BRASSERIE 4/1 Ratwithi Road, Chiang Mai (just off Moonmuang Road, along from Tha Phae Gate), 053-289-556 This French bistro serves delightful home cooked fare at inexpensive prices. For a cocktail or two, head www.lanna101.com

THE RACHAMANKHA Rachamankha Soi 9, Phra Singh, 053-904-111. Daily 6.30pm-10pm Designed in Lanna style, The Rachamankha looks as old as time. The liberal amount of one-of-a-kind antiques spread around the property – from China, Laos, Thailand, and Burma – and all add to the sense of history. By contrast, the small bar adjoining the quiet courtyard is simple and almost incidental to the overall design. However, the cocktails are superb. Sit back and admire the Ming dynasty collection of ceramics or carved Chinese wooden doors while sipping on an ice-cold martini.

The Rachamankha

upstairs to the rooftop bar where soft lighting, chilled music and comfortable lounge beds allow you to undo a few buttons and relax in style.

เซนท เจอรแมง เด เพร ถ.ราชวิถี

TERRACE BAR The Chedi Chiang Mai, Charoen Prathet Road, 053-253-333. Daily 5pm-1am Slip off the slippers at Terrace Bar and lie back on the daybeds as the Ping River meanders by; or enjoy a drink after work in the brass and leather bar. Offers a fine range of new and old world wines as well as one of the best chocolate martinis in Chiang Mai, and other drinks.

THE GYMKHANA CLUB Old Lamphun Road, 053-241-035. Daily 7.30am-9.30pm The grand dame of Chiang Mai resides in a breathtaking setting. A giant rain tree, which dates back at least 200 years, spreads her boughs and canopy over the front of the clubhouse. The Club’s bar is rather old, it’s staff tired and its offerings limited, but the setting is so special a visit is a must. A sundowner drink on the veranda (where teak wallahs nursed their gins and tonics a century ago) makes this a splendid venue to start out an evening of revelry.

เดอะ ยิมคานา คลับ ถ.ลำพูนเกา

เดอะ ราชมรรคา ถ.ราชมรรคา ซ.9

THE COCKTAIL CARAVAN Chaiyapoom Road, near Spicy Bar. Nightly 9pm till about 5am. One of the quirkier cocktail bars you’ll find in the world, the Cocktail Caravan is a converted VW Combi van which pulls up into an empty car park in front of Top Charoen shop later in the evening. It opens up to reveal a respectable line-up of spirits and liqueurs (such as Bombay Sapphire, Stoli and Smirnoff) which are duly served as patrons pull up a seat nearby, watching the passing parade along the moat.

เดอะ ค็อกเทล คาราวาน ถ.ชัยภูมิ

เทอรเรส บาร รร.เดอะเจดีย ถ.เจริญประเทศ

THE GLASS ONION Rooms, The Boutique Mall, Nimmanhaemin Soi 17, 053-218-479 This sexy little lounge bar features interesting art-deco swivel chairs, a grand piano, fun lights, a faux waterfall and other little odds and ends that contribute to its suave funkiness. It’s not overly crowded, so you will be able to pick a nice sofa area to command for yourself while sipping on a chilled concoction of your choice.

เดอะ กลาส โอเนียน เดอะ บูติค มอล ถ.นิมมานเหมินทร

www.lanna101.com

Mix Bar

nightlife

NIGHTLIFE

lanna at night

owhere in northern Thailand can possibly live up to the lively sizzle of its southern counterparts such as Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket or even Samui. The Lanna culture is more demure, and perhaps there’s something about not being near a beach ... Yet there is plenty of fun to be had once the sun goes down and the twinkling lights are turned on for the night.

Chiang Mai has one infamous road, Loi Kroh, which runs from Chaiyapoom Rd, near Tha Pae Gate, all the way down to (indeed past) the Night Bazaar. Here bars and pubs offer a heady mix of music, pool, live bands, or just a quiet drink (see opposite page for more details). Chiang Mai can muster only three go-go bars, though, namely Spotlight (on Chaiyapoom Rd near Tha Pae Rd), Fox Lady (behind D2 on Night Bazaar), and Star Sixx (near the Loi Kroh boxing ring). Driving into Chiang Rai from the south, you’ll pass establishments with names such as Sperm, Hot Bed, and Hardcore Café, which will give you a completely wrong impression. The younger student and backpacker set often head for Sohub, a watering hole on the corner of Sanambin and Banphraphakan Roads. To take it up a notch, head across to Ratanaket Road, home to many a disco-style club. Here you’ll find Sperm, Uterus (really, I am not making these up!), and the very spaceagey daddy of them all, Par Club. Live local bands can be seen belting it out at full volume in the funky Face bar (Saenphu Hotel) till late each night, or Leelavadee Pub and Restaurant in a stretch of eatingand-drinking places along the river near Le Meridien. But for a more pub-style atmosphere, many local residents consider the feline-themed 98

Cat Bar to be the most happening of all the many, many joints in Jet Yod Road. Hear the owner’s husband Sam bang out some 70s rock tunes each night (10:30pm – 1am), and jump in for a jam with Sam if you know the chords to any of the classic rock stuff. Joe’s is probably the next favourite. Walking down Jet Yod Road away from the Clock Tower is a dog’s-leg alley of girlie bars on the left, near the appropriately moniquered Wang Come Hotel. Most are dimly lit and of the sit-with-you-for-a-drink variety, as opposed to go-go bars. Along Sanambin Road, right next to Old airport runway, local karaoke joints hold sway. Opposite the Red Rose Hotel is a drinking and dancing establishment that is reportedly and unofficially open till 6am! Pai is a cool town that thrives on its own beat, which is often reggae (they started their own Reggae Festival after all). But many people come away singing the blues … at the cozy Bebop Bar, that is. The Bebop (Moo 8 Vieng Tai, opposite the Tourist Police box) has been chooglin’ away since 1996 with spontaneous outbreaks of dancing, much to the ire of local police who once charged the owner with allowing dancing in a place of business not registered as a disco. Really! Those wanting to dance or chill also head out to Café Del Doi (9 Amphur Pai) outside town where ‘the party zone’ kicks in with DJ Vodka Red Bull. With cool mountain nightlife

breezes, you are totally chilling here, just keep your ears open for the party. In Soppong, the only real choice is The Border Bar (on the highway in town, can’t miss it) where cold drinks and hot Thai food make an agreeable mix as you look over the river and jungle scenery out the back. Thursday night is live music night. There’s not much happening after dark in Mae Hong Son. Maybe everyone’s totally exhausted after hectic days off jungle trekking and hillclimbing? But those with a thirst for a cold beer, a square meal, and some rock tunes from the 60s-90s head down to the Jungle Bar (3 Singhanat Bamrung Rd) run by a couple of amiable Aussies. Loei is a fairly quiet provincial town, big on student population and earlyrising farmers. Still there’s a surprisingly lively street of western-style bars and clubs, Rhuamphattana Road. Here, the cavernous and modern Robot is the centerpiece, with coyote dancers strutting their stuff nightly, and music pounding till 2am. A disproportionate number of massage parlours also abound in the streets surrounding the roundabout near the Loei Orchid (Sathon Chiangkhan Rd), which seem to be a favourite haunt for locals. Sukhothai is light on for night life by Thai standards, but the most popular watering hole for travellers is the rather rustic Chopper Bar (96/1 Prawet Nakhon Road, 055-611-190) where you can enjoy live music on the front terrace or in the back garden. www.lanna101.com

www.lanna101.com

nightlife

SHOPPING

Sunday Walking Street

markets

asily some of the Lanna region’s biggest assets are its delightful open-air market promenades. The north’s unhurried atmosphere, abundance of temples and friendly folks help make shopping a joy. CHIANG MAI Night Bazaar Chang Klan Road. Nightly 5pm-10pm Chiang Mai’s oldest and most famous walking street, this stretch of Chang Klan Road was historically a hotspot for traders from faraway lands, who travelled here via the Southeast Asian river system. Nowadays, it’s more overrun than ever by haggling foreigners, who mostly arrive by plane instead. Crowded, kitschy, and at times numbingly repetitive, the Night Market is hardly the shining star of Chiang Mai shopping, yet it remains a must-see and goes on every night, rain or shine. Bargaining is expected of course, but it’s no walk in the park – the sellers here are hardened, practiced and certainly not hurting for customers. Despite this, loads of fun can be had and there are several special great spots just off the street where you can get away from it all. The comfortable Galare Centre is a sensational market all of its own, with higher-class wares, a varied food court and free cultural performances. Down the road, the Anusarn Market is the place to go for fresh seafood and more of an authentic local feel. Sunday Walking Street Tha Phae Gate, Ratchadamnoen Road & Prakoplao Road, Old City. Every Sunday, approx. 4pm-10pm. One of Asia’s biggest, best, and most boisterous community markets, the Sunday Walking Street is equal parts social gathering, exuberant multifaceted event, and opportunity 100

to stretch one’s legs and lungs. Today the only strike against the Walking Street might be the fact that it’s becoming a bit too popular for its own good. Arrive early (around 4pm) and you’ll have a leisurely good time. But later in the evening the streets can get so jam packed that one risks suffering a case of outdoor claustrophobia. Despite the crowds, what makes the Walking Street so special is that it’s blessedly free of typical massproduced crap. Virtually everything on display is locally made by artisans, often by art students from Chiang Mai University looking to earn some extra shopping money. Consequently, you’ll find things here unavailable anywhere else. And if those things are lousy, they won’t last long, freeing up a spot for others more talented to try their hand. This is truly creative capitalism at its best. Likewise, the food is often homemade, out-of-the-ordinary and downright delicious – snacking as you walk proves virtually impossible to avoid. Street performers are also out in full force, so be happily entertained as you shop and leisurely shamble through the heart of the old town. Wualai Walking Street Wualai Road, directly south of the Old City. Every Saturday 5pm-10pm. The little sister to the Sunday Walking Street is coming of age. In fact, by many accounts, this Saturday market on the ‘Silversmith’s Road’ is far shopping

more charming and enjoyable than its larger sibling. After dark, normally nondescript Wualai Road takes on a magical, colour-strewn ambience that is brilliantly enhanced by the plentiful shimmering jewellery on display. Yet silver merchants make up only a small minority of the stalls; in fact much of the same wares found at the Sunday market can be procured here, only with smaller crowds to navigate. Traditional LANNA Markets For a taste (and aroma) of living Thai culture, a visit to one of Chiang Mai’s many traditional markets can be a feast for the senses. Warorot Market (also called Kad Luang by locals) is the biggest and most impressive of all with a colourful history extending over 100 years. This ancient market is purported to be the site of city founder King Mengrai’s death, when a lightning bolt struck one of his many lucky amulets. Today just about everything you can imagine is on sale here. Other markets to visit include Prathu Chiang Mai, Ton Payom, San Pakoy and Thanin, though most of them only sell comestibles, household goods and assorted items of clothing. Still, there’s no better place to soak up some local colour (and snap great photos) than a real market. Additionally, fans of horticulture will enjoy the Flower Market (Ton Lamyai, around the corner from Warorot) and the charming Gardeners’ Market (Khamtieng, near JJ Market, just south of the Superhighway). www.lanna101.com

Night Bazaar

CHIANG RAI Night Bazaar A much smaller offering than Chiang Mai’s, the market differs subtly and suitably with a tilt to its more northerly location. Hilltribe handicrafts – especially those of the Akha and the Karen – abound. Fabrics, needlework, silver, and beads are everywhere at low, low prices. This doesn’t mean you can’t, and shouldn’t, bargain further, of course. A food court offering many tasty and traditional Northern dishes also reminds you where in the world you are. A large stage area also features song and dance acts of various styles and variable quality. You’ll find the night bazaar down Phaholyothin Road, near the Wiang Inn and the (no sniggering please) Wang Come Hotel. But don’t leave your run too late … it’s all done by about 10pm. Walking Street Chiang Rai now has its own walking street each Saturday night at which the locals and local expats form a lively human flow which pushes you along at its own pace. Thanalai street -- quite close to the main night bazaar -- throngs with folks and folk art from around late afternoon and goes through till about 10:30 or 11-ish (hey, this is Chiang Rai, no www.lanna101.com

one’s keeping exact count!) Pick up everything from foods to handicrafts, crockery, apparel, fruit and vegetables. It’s not overly touristy yet so is very much a local showcase, and priced accordingly. And make sure you check out the area around Cabbages and Condoms restaurant for some very entertaining audienceparticipation dancing of all styles. PAI Walking Street The whole cruisy town of Pai is like one giant walking street anyway, but after sundown on Runsiyanon Street a pedestrians-only zone is enforced and out come the vendors and their willing victims. Hilltribe gear is high in visibility (both in quantity as well as in day-glo colour), Just about everything you find here such as souvenirs, handicrafts, lacquer ware and handmade clothes, are hauled directly down from highland villages to you. Oh, maybe apart from the cutesy T-shirts emblazoned with Pai-related puns. Plenty of cafes, restaurants and stalls en route ensure you won’t go hungry. And try a wood massage … no, it’s not what it sounds like, gentlemen. Rather, it’s massage done by what looks like a wooden hammer and chisel but is more pleasant than it sounds. shopping

MAE HONG SON Night Market Every evening around dusk in Mae Hong Son, things get very busy near Nong Chong Kham Lake as their walking street market gets set for another night of trading. Fresh produce is big here (the area is rich in flowers and apples, depending on the season) plus a wide variety of both food and fashion. THOED THAI Morning Market Thoed Thai (about 45 minutes from Doi Mae Salong) near the north-western border with Burma) has a fascinating history as part of the trading route between ancient Chiang Mai and Laos. Cows, yes cows, used to trundle this mountainous route laden with goodies. The cows are no longer in evidence, replaced by the ubiquitous pick-up trucks which deliver fresh meat, citrus fruit, cakes and breads, and vegetables, vegetables and more vegetables. Oh, and ‘hairy tofu’. The locals don their woolen caps and brave the cold to sell or buy from around 6am. By 8:30 or 9am, everything’s sold and packed away, like the market never existed. The Thoed Thai morning market is the real deal, regarded as one of the more authentic in Thailand. 101

SHOPPING

malls

orthern Thailand’s selection of shopping centres may be modest compared with those in Bangkok, but what they lack in grandiosity they make up in good cheer, variety, and overall nuttiness.

Chiang Mai Central Airport Plaza Highway 1141, just east of Chiang Mai International Airport, 053-999-199; www.centralplaza.co.th Aside from the requisite depar tment store, movie theatres, electronics shops, fashion outlets and franchise restaurants, Central Airpor t Plaza features a superb ‘mall-within-a-mall’ that features various levels of Lanna-inspired stuff. The ground floor of this lively area features Kad Luang Airpor t, which is a cutely cleaned-up version of a traditional Lanna marketplace and boasts a surfeit of snacks, condiments and local food products to be tucked into and stocked up on. Go up one level and you’ll find yourself at Nor thern Village, one of the best places in town to purchase local ar twork, handicrafts and all sor ts of traditional wonderworks – at prices below what you’d haggle for at the touristy Night Bazaar. Finally, escalate on upwards again and you’ll reach the pinnacle of good taste at Nor thern Village Contemporary Thai Style, where more fashionable goods are on offer. In sum, it all adds up to a tripledecker treat for fans of nor thern Thai products, and a great place to shop before you take off from the nearby airpor t. Kad Suan Kaew Huay Kaew Road, just west of the northwest corner of the old city, 053224-444; www.kadsuankaew.co.th Chiang Mai’s most popular mall is a motley arrangement of commerce, 102

Central Airport Plaza

entertainment and cheerful young folks just hanging around. Just about everything you’d find anywhere else in town is available here, often stuffed in some back corner of the multilevel, hexagonal maze of shops, restaurants and what-haveyou, though most people seem more interested in strolling around with packs of their friends gawking at the windows, wares, and of course, each other. If you’re in search of anything in particular don’t expect much more than a smile from the information desk on the first floor unless you speak decent Thai. Not to worry, though, as unexpected pleasures await those ambulating aimlessly. Unusual highlights include the quaint warren of fashion boutiques on the third floor, a bowling centre that ‘glows in the dark’, a movie theatre, several karaoke places for those soinclined, and one of Chiang Mai’s most happening nightclubs (called Fashion House, of course). shopping

Pan Tip Plaza Chang Khlan Mueang Chiang Mai, 053-288-383; www.pantipplaza.com Located at the end of the popular Night Market, this multi-storey bastion of electronic is the place to go in Chiang Mai for things that go ‘bleep’ in the night. Cameras, computers, software and so on can be had here at the best prices in town. Shabushi on the ground floor offers a great value Japanese buffet if all that technology shopping has drained your batteries. CHIANG RAI CENTRAL CHIANG RAI Highway 1 opposite Big C, www.central.co.th Shopping in Chiang Rai takes a leap into the 21st century with the opening of the eagerly awaited Central Department Store in midyear 2011, dragging in its wake quality retailers, bookstores, etc, the likes of which locals have not had easy access to up north before. www.lanna101.com

Arts, Fashion & Collectables With its high concentration of universities, proximity to exotic hill tribe culture, and general bohemian leanings, Chiang Mai has long been a haven of creative, eclectic tastes. And while for many years that meant rough-around-the edges items, today one can find anything in this Lanna city – from retro hippie chic to cutting edge elegance. Nimmanhaemin Road A few years ago, pretty much the only thing you could buy on Nimmanhaemin Road was noodles. Today it’s the epicentre of artistic, fashionable commerce and cultivated cool. By most accounts, credit for its coming of age goes to the Gong Dee Gallery, an eclectic haven of modern arts that set up shop on Soi 1, and gradually attracted other similarly-minded artists to set up their own boutiques and galleries. Today the lane is made up entirely of shops selling creative products; from artistic candles to sculptures of cartoony monks to imaginative paper ware. Make sure to visit Meo Jaidee for imaginative candles and the psychedelic Suriyan Chandra Gallery for amazing, funny, and festive creations in multiple media. If you’re in town at the beginning of December, check out the Nimmanhaemin Art & Design Promenade (NAP), a huge art and music festival (see www. nimmansoi1.com for details). Of course, given the modest size of the lane it was only a matter of time before the cool fever spread outwards. Just across from the mouth of Soi 1 are several smart shops, notably fashion-and-accessories vanguard Ginger (which also has an outlet next to the chic House restaurant). Other interesting stores of note are SbunNga, where custom Lanna outfits can be made, Gerard Collection which does wondrous things with bamboo, and Sipsongpanna for impressive jewellery and silverwork. www.lanna101.com

A little further south down the main road one finds another centre of lovely distraction – The Nimman Promenade. Among the hotspots in this charming little complex, Chabaa showcases lively and colourful accoutrements, Chakh Riya offers meditatively lovely home decor, and King’s Kid makes handmade educational toys. Things are happening so fast on this road that it’s hard to keep up, but with seemingly more coffee and teahouses per square metre than anywhere else on earth (check out Soi 9 especially), you can easily continue to shop and not ever drop.

chiang mai

■ CHABAA 14/32 Nimmin Promenade, Nimmanhaemin, 081-886-8689; www.atchabaa.com. Daily 8.30am-5.30pm. ■ CHAKH RIYA 14/7, Soi 4, Nimmanhaemin, 053-218-924. Daily 11am-7pm ■ GERARD COLLECTION 6/23-24 Nimmanhaemin, 053-220604; www.gerardcollection.com. Daily 9am-6pm

Wualai Walking Street

■ GINGER 6/21 Nimmanhaemin, 053-215-635. Daily 9am-9pm. ■ GONGDEE GALLERY Soi 1 Nimmanhaemin, 053-225-032; www.gongdeegallery.com. Daily 8am-8pm ■ KING’S KID 14/10, Soi 4, Nimmanhaemin, 053217-340; www.kingskid.biz.com. Daily 10am-7pm ■ MEO JAIDEE STUDIO Soi 1 Nimmanhaemin, 08-5675-9981. Daily 10.30am-6pm ■ SBUN-NGA 6/15-16 Nimmanhaemin, 053-215-026; www.sbun-nga.com. Daily 8am-6pm shopping

Suriyan Chandra Gallery

■ SIPSONGPANNA 95/19 Nimmanhaemin, 053-216-096; www.sipsongpanna.com. Daily 9.30am-5.30pm ■ SURIYAN

CHANDRA GALLERY Soi 1 Nimmanhaemin, 053-227-480; www.suriyanchandra.com. Daily 10am-7pm 103

SHOPPING Wat Gate Area Long famous for its plethora of riverside restaurants and bars – for years it was the main place in town to enjoy a night out – Charoenrat Road now performs double duty as host to the best collectible shops and artefact galleries in town as well. Starting at the north end, the most celebrated gallery in town, La Luna Gallery gives you a dose of contemporary fusion canvases and sculpture. If you’re looking for decorative-type collectibles, one can’t do better than the Treehouse Gallery – a multi-roomed feast of Lanna loveliness. Moving onwards you’ll find other Lannaphile locales like Nussara and Sop Moei, both of whom primarily specialise in naturally-crafted textiles. Those looking to decorate their houses in Northern style should head to Oriental Style, SGallery and Vila Cini, while galleries such as Lanna Moon and Suvannabhumi provide the needed canvases for your walls. If you’re in need of a break between shops, there are plenty of cosy cafes by the river in which to take a rest, including Vieng Joom On Teahouse, Miss Chocolate, and the impossibly quaint Regina’s Cafe, which hosts a delightful collection of knickknacks.

■ LA LUNA GALLERY 190 Charoenrat Road, 053-306-678; www.lalunagalley.com. Tue-Sun 10am7.30pm (closed Mon) ■ LANNA MOON GALLERY 160-162 Charoenrat Road, 053-266-263. Daily 10am-8pm ■ MISS CHOCOLATE 89 Charoenrat Road, 053-262-448. Daily 9.30am-8pm ■ NUSSARA 66 Charoenrat Road, Wat Gate, 053-302-072. Daily 10am-8pm ■ ORIENTAL STYLE 36 Charoenrat Road, 053-245-724; www. orientalstyle.co.th. Daily 8.30am-10.30pm ■ REGINA RESTAURANT & GUESTHOUSE 69, 71, 73 Charoenrat Road, 053-262882. Daily 10.30am-10.30pm ■ SOP MOEI ARTS 150/10 Charoenrat Road, 053-306123; www.sopmoeiarts.com. Daily 10am-6pm (closed Saturday). ■ SUVANNABHUMI 116-118 Charoenrat Road, 081-0315309. Daily 10am-8pm. ■ TREEHOUSE CHIANG MAI 152 Charoenrat Road, 053-245-965; www.treehousechiangmai.com. MonSat 9.30am-6pm, Sun 9.30am-5pm ■ VIENG JOOM ON 53 Charoenrat Road, 053-303-113; www.vjoteahouse.com. Daily 10am-7pm ■ VILA CINI 34 Charoenrat Road, 053-246-246; www. vilacini.com. Daily 8.30am-10.30pm

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Tha Phae Road Arguably the most tourist-oriented street in town outside of the Night Bazaar, this central stretch is also a great place to shop for reasonably priced souvenirs. Make sure to stop shopping

in at The Lost Heavens for spiritually oriented artworks, or perhaps a bamboo saxophone or three. For interesting modern jewellery visit the Nova Collection, which also runs a nearby jewellery school where you can learn to make pieces yourself. Drop in for a cuppa at the lovely Tea House Siam Celadon and walk away with a collection of lovely celadon ceramic cups from their signature store. Classes on making your own celadon pottery are available here as well. ■ TEA HOUSE SIAM CELADON Tha Pae Road, 053-234-518. Daily 9am-6pm ■ THE LOST HEAVENS 234 Tha Phae Road (opposite Wat Bupparam), 053-251-557. Mon-Sat 10am-6pm (closed Sun) ■ NOVA COLLECTION 201 Tha Phae Road, 053-273-058; www.novacollection.com.da. Mon-Sat 9am-8pm, Sun 12pm-8pm Kad Dhara at the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi In keeping with their self-contained village atmosphere, this inimitable hotel has provided their guests with their very own marketplace. However, outside guests are also more than welcome to stroll around the prettily enclosed area and shop for all sorts of high-end goods. The jewellery, antiques and textiles on sale here are generally of museum quality, so don’t expect too many bargains; but if you’re looking for top notch take-home purchases, this is the place for you. JJ Market Sharing a name with Bangkok’s famed market, this sprawling complex of boutique style shops on both sides of Assadathorn Road (just south of the Superhighway) features the requisite array of couture, furniture, houseware and artsy thingies you www.lanna101.com

just can’t live without. Furthermore, it’s sandwiched between a Tesco Lotus superstore and the Khamtieng gardener’s market, so between the three of them you’re bound to find just about every single thing you’ll ever need – ever. HANDICRAFT VILLAGES The centre of the city isn’t always where the best shopping is – venture a few kilometres south or east of the Old Town and you’ll happen upon traditional centres of manufacture that draw a steady stream of bargain-hunting shoppers. Hang Dong & Ban Tawai As one ventures south of the city, it’s hard not to notice the large number of massive stores with handmade furniture spilling out into the street. Passing through Hang Dong district and Ban Tawai village feels like you’ve arrived in a country whose GDP is entirely dependent on wooden furniture, carvings and antiques. Though their more famous outlets are at the Night Bazaar and Kad Dhara, Chilli Antiques & Arts has its biggest and best supply here. Crossroads Asia hosts a superb collection of Yao ceremonial arts from Vietnam. DNK International boasts an interesting mix of contemporary designs and ancient artefacts. And The Golden Triangle is pure nostalgia heaven. One could spend days here and still only take in a portion of what’s on offer. In fact, many do – filling entire shipping containers to kit out their brand new homes. ■ CHILLI ANTIQUES & ARTS 125 Moo 4, Ban Tawai Road, 053433-281; www.chilliantiques.com. Daily 8am-5pm ■ CROSSROADS ASIA 214/7 Ban Tawai Road, 053-434-650. Daily 9am-5pm ■ DNK INTERNATIONAL 106 Moo 4, Ban Tawai Road, 053-441357. Mon-Sat 9am-5pm (closed Sun) www.lanna101.com

Borsang

■ THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE 85 Moo 2, Hang Dong, 053-434-700; www.goldentriangle.co.th. Daily 8am-5pm San Kamphaeng & Borsang More famous than Hang Dong and Ban Tawai, San Kamphaeng Road and the adjacent village of Borsang are on nearly every Chiang Mai tourist’s itinerary. Armies of tuk-tuks shuttle eager shoppers in search of hidden treasures; shame that the San Kamphaeng road is so well-trod that parts of it can feel more like Disneyland than The Lost World – yet, to be honest, that’s really part of the fun. While it may be fun to buy a handmade umbrella, for instance, it’s far more delightful to see how they’re made, step-by-step at the Umbrella Making Centre. Then when you stock up on them for the folks at home you can replay every fascinating detail and let them know they’re not getting some cheap mass-produced knock off designed to look ‘handcrafted’. The same goes for silk – visit Thai Silk Village and you’ll get the chance to see this fine thread being made by silkworms in various stages, then spun by a primitive-looking process shopping

and finally woven on huge, amazing looms by a roomful of smartly dressed ladies in shiny silk. The same thing goes for woodcarving and other handicrafts as well such as Thailand’s signature celadon, at Baan Celadon. Aside from the big factories, smaller artisanal shops can be found here too. So flag down a tuk-tuk and catch a ride on the handicraft superhighway. ■ BAAN CELADON 7 Moo 3, Chiangmai-Sankamphaeng Rd., Sanklang, Sankamphaeng, 053338-288. Daily 8.30am-5.30pm. ■ BORSANG UMBRELLA

MAKING CENTRE

Borsang Village, Borsang-Doi Saket Road, San Kamphaeng, 053-338-324. Daily 8am-5pm ■ CHIANG MAI SUDALUCK Chiang Mai-San Kamphaeng Road, 053-338-006; www.chiangmaisudaluck.com. Daily 8am-5.30pm ■ THAI SILK VILLAGE San Klang, Chiang Mai-San Kamphaeng Road, Km 3, 053-338357; www.thaisilkvillage.com. Daily 8.30am-5pm 105

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walk. But the creature comforts are from the present day, with satellite TV and DVD and broadband in every room. A decidedly fresh take on luxury accommodation in Chiang Mai.

ฟรานจิพานี เซอรวิสเรสซิเดนส พระปกเกลา ซอย 13

Hotels: Chiang Mai CHIANG MAI Around the turn of the millennium, those searching for world-class accommodation in Chiang Mai would likely find themselves at a loss: at that time the town was dominated almost exclusively by two-dollar backpacker dives and one to three star slabs somewhat devoid of soul. What a difference a decade makes. Today the main centres of Lanna are mostly replete with fancy, fashionable, and resolutely charming havens, with a wide variety of styles, locations and prices. From serene suburban resorts with their own working paddy fields, to smart hotels that pay homage to traditional temple architecture, to smaller boutique hotels crafted from renovated old colonial-style wooden buildings, most of northern Thailand’s newer accommodation has proved exuberantly one-of-a-kind.

the day here … think teak parquet floors, indoor plants, and large windows bringing the outside in. Locally produced ceramic tiles, posted beds, antique writing bureaux and quality rugs produce a cosy “home-fromhome” atmosphere, whether you are a short-term guest or long-term resident. The charm of Lanna’s history is literally right on your doorstep, with balconies overlooking the golden pagoda of Chiang Mai’s oldest temple and the moat, and some cool restaurants and even a hot jazz bar within an easy

■ LE MERIDIEN 108 Chang Klan Road, Chang Klan, 053-253-666; www.lemeridien.com/chiangmai The 384-room Le Meridien makes a dramatic statement right in the very centre of the Night Market; you could not possibly stay in style any closer. The luxurious lemon-hued hotel put its velveteen stamp of approval on Chiang Mai’s coming-ofage, mixing its European roots with local Lanna style. The Le Meridien experience includes amenities such as hidden TVs, broadband internet, peerless bedding, sensational restaurants (check out Favola), a fitness centre and spa treatments. And you always know you’re in Chiang Mai, as the iconic Doi Suthep mountain is visible from most rooms.

รร. เลอ เมอริเดียน ถ.ชางคลาน

■ MANDARIN ORIENTAL, DHARA DHEVI 51/4 Chiang Mai-San Kamphaeng Road, 053-888-888; www.mandarinoriental. com/chiangmai The Mandarin Oriental resembles a massive, self-sufficient and fullyfunctioning Thai village – only far Frangipani Serviced Residences

LUXURY HOTELS ■ FRANGIPANI SERVICED RESIDENCES 11/1 Prapokklao Soi 13, Sriphoom, 053225-000; www.chiangmaifrangipani.com Contemporary Lanna is the order of 106

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more stately and tidy. There are daily Buddhist rituals, a ‘handicraft village’ where guests can learn to make their own traditional Thai products, a vegetable field where produce is grown for use in the kitchens of their several stellar restaurants, and a dizzying variety of timeless, authentic architecture. It’s the best of many worlds, really – residents enjoy the extreme luxury of the colonial suites, free standing villas or opulent residences, but also have the opportunity to learn how to plant rice in the paddy fields, or just stroll around the ancient-looking, tree-lined lanes. Having grown since its inception from 20 to 60 acres, it practically could be considered its own district of Chiang Mai.

รร. แมนดาริน โอเรียนเต็ล ดาราเทวี ถ.เชียงใหม-สันกำแพง

■ SHANGRI-LA 89/8 Chang Klan Road, 053-253-888; www.shangri-la.com Grand and gracious, this hotel looms

over central Chang Klan Road. Though it’s big, it’s also personal. Plenty of excellent extras are in evidence, such as Logica desk chairs, locally-made celadon tea sets, and a Shangri-La staple – a copy of James Hilton’s The Lost Horizon: the novel in which the name Shangri-la first appeared. A particularly memorable touch is the pillow menu, which offers feather, anti-snore, buckwheat, foam, and bolster-type options. The property also features a tennis court, a putting green, and plenty of wide open space to relax, both inside and outside the building itself. Its signature Chi Spa is made up of nine independent villas, a yoga pavilion, and a special structure called The Sanctum, which features Chinese and Himalayan therapies inspired by the Shangri La legend. As far as cuisine goes, the Kad Café serves up a wonderfully affordable buffet, the Lobby Lounge offers light dining and afternoon tea and Silapa Thai serves up artistic Lanna fare.

รร. แชงกรี-ลา ถ.ชางคลาน

■ THE RIM RESORT CHIANG MAI 51/2 Arrak Rd., T. Phrasingh, A. Muang, 053-903-999; www.therimchiangmai.com The Rim is the latest entrant into the local luxury market. And, like a good mystery novel, it all hinges on The Butler. In this case, the butler’s a onestop know-it-all in the nicest sense of the word, able to point you in any direction you need for entertainment, adventure and activities. Chiang Mai’s history comes swirling in through the elaborate porticos of The Rim, with the enchanting moat and ramparts outside, and an original colonial-style Lanna house kept as the centerpiece of the estate. The modernity shines through in the design, with light and colourful Thai fabrics accenting the deeper woodwork, and flat-screen, WIFI and high-speed internet all seamlessly fused in to this modern architectural masterpiece.

รร. เดอะริม รีสอรท เชียงใหม ถ.อารักษ

Resort Chiangmai The Rim is situated in The Old City along the ĨĂƐĐŝŶĂƟŶŐ ĐĂŶĂů ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŚŝĂŶŐ DĂŝ ŚŝƐƚŽƌŝĐĂů ƌĂŵƉĂƌƚƐ ĂŶĚ ŵŽĂƚƐ͘ ĞŶƚƌĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĞƐƚĂƚĞ ŝƐ an old Colonial Lanna house as the guest ǁĞůĐŽŵĞ ůŽƵŶŐĞ ƐƵƌƌŽƵŶĚĞĚ ďǇ ƐǁŝŵŵŝŶŐ ƉŽŽů͕ ƌĞƐƚĂƵƌĂŶƚ͕ ďĂƌƐ͕ ƚƌŽƉŝĐĂů ŐĂƌĚĞŶ ĂŶĚ ϯϲ ůƵǆƵƌŝŽƵƐ ŐƵĞƐƚ ƌŽŽŵƐ͘ dŚĞ ƌĞƐŽƌƚ ŝƐ ĐŽŶĐĞƉƚƵĂůŝǌĞĚ ƚŽ Ă ŽůŽŶŝĂů >ĂŶŶĂ ĚĞƐŝŐŶ ĞŵƉŚĂƐŝǌĞƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ŶŽƌƚŚĞƌŶ dŚĂŝ ůĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞ͕ ůŽĐĂů ĂƌƚƐ ĂŶĚ ŚĂŶĚŝĐƌĂŌƐ͘

Personalized + Lifestyle &ƌĞĞ ƐŚƵƩůĞ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞ ƚŽ ^ĂƚƵƌĚĂǇ͕ ^ƵŶĚĂǇ tĂůŬŝŶŐ ^ƚƌĞĞƚ

ϱϭͬϮ ƌƌĂŬ ZĚ͕͘ d͘ WŚƌĂƐŝŶŐŚ͕ ͘ DƵĂŶŐ Chiangmai Thailand 50200 d͘ ϲϲ ϱϯϵϬϯϵϵϵ &͘ ϲϲ ϱϯ ϵϬϯϵϵϴ ďƵƚůĞƌΛƚŚĞƌŝŵĐŚŝĂŶŐŵĂŝ͘ĐŽŵ ǁǁǁ͘ƚŚĞƌŝŵĐŚŝĂŶŐŵĂŝ͘ĐŽŵ

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Dusit D2

Aside from their lovely spa kittedout in a hill tribe theme, a great fitness centre and some excellent restaurants, the feature that perhaps most impresses the visitor is the fact that they’ve got private access to a long stretch of the river. This allows them to provide tours by scorpiontailed boat to nearby Wiang Kum Kam and Wat Chedi Reahm.

รติลานนา ริเวอรไซด สปา รีสอรท ถ.ชางคลาน

■ DUSIT D2 100 Chang Klan Road, Chang Klan, 053-999-999; www.dusit.com The first thing you notice upon entering dusitD2 is that the entire place is embellished in lively shades of orange. Instead of taking on a traditional wood-and whitewash Lanna look, everything here is bright and funky. In fact, everything is refreshingly unique to the place, including specially-designed room details like cups, hangers and umbrellas. Other delightful touches can’t help but keep a grin permanently on your face – such as daily gifts in your room, a hilarious welcome drink, and the special ‘desire’ button on the phone which connects you to the concierge. Meanwhile, the Moxie restaurant serves up an ingenious fusion menu, and there are regular DJ parties at the downstairs Mix Bar.

unprecedented amount of rich, ancient teak has been utilised in the making of the hotel – but this is no surprise, as the principal owner is exmayor Boonlert Buranupakorn, who also heads Chiang Mai Sudaluck, one of the city’s biggest wood smiths. The 56 deluxe rooms are suitably woodsy, fragrant and well-appointed, and the 17 double-large deluxe suites are doubly so, adding Jacuzzi tubs and other welcome perks. All rooms feature cosy daybeds on large verandas overlooking the river and provide multiple interactive LCD TVs.

■ THE CHEDI 123 Charoen Prathet Road, Chang Klan, 053-253-333; www.ghmhotels.com The Chedi is a contemporary hotel with a soothing sense of retro transcendentalism. That is to say, its linear design brings to mind Frank Lloyd Wright, Japanese Zen and the warm colours of Lanna. Set on the grounds of the old British consulate, there are also a few welcome nods to high colonialism – such as wicker lounges, high tea, ceiling fans and a cigar bar. Rooms themselves are outfitted with superb modern amenities and plush comforts. Facilities are equally stylish. The Chedi’s restaurant features a variety of international items, though the Indian fare deserves special mention. The Spa is fabulous – make sure to opt for the four hands massage, with two masseuses. A variety of drinking areas complete the picture, providing a classy backdrop for a relaxing unwind.

เดอะ เชดี ถ.เจริญประเทศ

The Chedi

ดุสิตดีทู ถ.ชางคลาน

■ RATI LANNA RIVERSIDE SPA RESORT 33 Chang Klan Road, 053-999-333; www.ratilannachiangmai.com Perched on a gorgeous, peaceful and private stretch of the Ping River, one can’t help but notice that an 108

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The Four Seasons

■ THE FOUR SEASONS CHIANG MAI Mae Rim-Samoeng Old Road, Mae Rim, 053-298-181; www.fourseasons.com/chiangmai Though built on a huge plot of land,

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one is immediately struck by how cosy and familiar everything feels at The Four Seasons Chiang Mai. Part of this is certainly due to the fact that the rooms feature their own sala-type verandas, and are built around a wide open area that is in fact a real working paddy field with water buffaloes and oxcarts. Aside from 60 luxurious 70sqm Pavilion rooms, the resort also features 16 lavish Residences that come with a personal housekeeper. Aside from two excellent restaurants, the resort’s spa has won Condé Nast Traveller’s World’s Best Spa award, and there’s also an enchanting cooking school where you can learn to prepare Thai food like a master chef. Finally, those with enough time might consider breaking up their holiday here with a day or two at their incredible sister resort at the Golden Triangle: The Four Seasons Tented Camp, where guests can learn how to be an elephant mahout.

รร. เดอะ โฟรซีซันส ถ.แมริม-สะเมิงเกา

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BOUTIQUE HOTELS ■ ADVENTURE HOTEL Nong Hoi Intersection, Mahidol Road, 053-802-444; www. theadventurehotel.com Easily the wackiest place to stay in town, rooms here each boast a different theme, from spaceship to casino to Jurassic. If you can forgive the lack of any view (there are no windows) or anything suggesting you’re even in Chiang Mai, this might be the place. Though great for naughty getaways, it’s friendly, cutesy and cartoony enough for families, friends and corporate teambuilding exercises your employees will never forget. Don’t miss the kookily-designed mind-blower of a restaurant.

แอดเวนเจอร โฮเทล ถ.เชียงใหม-ลำพูน

■ RIVER PING PALACE 385/2 Charoen Prathet Road, Chang Klan, 053-274-932; www.riverpingpalace.tripod.com This lovely 130-year old structure

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AC C O M M O DAT I O N right on the river offers one of the few waterside stays available in town. Its lovingly-decorated premises and friendly staff make it feel more like a finer take on guesthouse-style accommodation – a real slice of old Lanna but with convenient modern amenities. Repeat visitors rave about the charming décor and the sumptuous food. A bit away from the centre of things, but ideal for privacy.

รร. ริเวอรปง พาเลซ ถ.เจริญประเทศ

■ TAMARIND VILLAGE 50/1 Ratchadamnoen Road, Sriphum, 053-418-896; www.tamarindvillage.com Arguably the first truly unique small hotel in town, Tamarind Village was the result of an epiphany by well known architect Ongard Satrabhandu. The ‘Lanna Revival’ that followed has been largely credited to him and his creations. Set in an enclosed garden area with whitewashed, wood accented rooms, one feels worlds away from the city outside. If boutique class hotels are all about offering one-of-a-kind accommodation in an intimate, attentive atmosphere, this is the definitive example. What’s more, it enjoys a perfect location.

แทมมารินด วิลเลจ ถ.ราชดำเนิน

■ TEA VANA Chiang Mai-Lamphun Road, Wat Gate, 053-302-805; www.tea-vana.com On a gallery-lined road by the Ping River, this unique spot with clean, elegant rooms plays fast and free with the motif of tea. Opt for the florally decorated Tea Flowers room, the Chinese-inspired White Tea room, or the elegant Deluxe High Tea room. When it opened there were lots of alluring tea-themed extras touted – a spa, restaurant and, of course, high tea – but none seem to have come to fruition. Still, the rates are low if you call ahead, it’s only 10 minutes walk from the nightmarket.

ทีวานา ถ.เชียงใหม-ลำพูน

■ THE HERITAGE HOUSE AND GARDEN 120 Moo 11, T. Nam Plae, Hang Dong, 053-317-515; www.theheritagehg.com A little slice of Tuscany right in the foothills of Suthep, The Heritage is a bed-and-breakfast style establishment replete with lush English-French style garden, with rural views up the back of Chiang Mai’s signature mountain. Each room is carefully curated and artfully decorated in the Arts and Crafts style. This property is a labour of love of the American-Thai owners, where

you can while away your time blissfully in their large lounge, cozy library or enjoying a wine or meal at the grand table in the restaurant/bar.

รร. เดอะ เฮอริเทจ เฮาส แอนด การเดน ถ.ทางแยกสะเมิง-คลองชลประทาน

■ THE RACHAMANKHA 6 Rachamankha 9, Phra Singh, 053-904-111; www.rachamankha.com Satrabhandu’s follow-up effort to Tamarind Village is even more ambitious and has been widely hailed as the finest modestly-sized place in town. Modelled after Phra That Lampang Luang temple in Lampang, it’s difficult to believe the place is not actually a painstakingly restored old temple. Several valuable antique artefacts from various Thai and Chinese sources contribute an air of authenticity to the impossibly beautiful establishment. The restaurant here offers traditional cuisine not only from northern Thailand, but also from Burmese and Shan influences too. The mix of traditions and magnificent architecture creates a positively otherworldly ambience.

เดอะราชมรรคา ถ.ราชมรรคา

■ U CHIANG MAI 70 Ratchadamnoen Road, 053-327-000; www.uhotelsresorts.com An excellent option if you’re looking to stay in the Old City, U Chiang Mai is located in the middle of the Sunday Walking Street. This stylish 41-room hotel is highly convenient and, as the name implies, focused on you. The room is yours for 24 hours from checkin and there’s no need to hurry to grab breakfast as you can take it whenever you want. Although not huge, the rooms are comfortable and come with iPods and LCD TVs. The bar makes a great vantage point on market day.

ยู เชียงใหม ถ.ราชดำเน นิ

Tamarind Village

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■ VERANDA CHIANG MAI 192 Moo2 Banpong, Hangdong, 053-365-007; www.verandaresortandspa.com There is a certain Zen-ness to the Veranda. The overall concept of the www.lanna101.com

hotel is to re-create the old city of Chiang Mai – which comes across in the red brick ramparts, faithfully reproduced – juxtaposed with the new in the modern slightly austere lines of the main villa buildings partly obscured in the fields and teak trees beyond. The feeling is that you have been transported to a remote rice farm in northern Thailand. Except there are iPod docks and JBL speakers and pool bars on tap.

รร. วีรันดา เชียงใหม ถ.หางดง-สะเม งิ

■ YESTERDAY THE VILLAGE 24 Nimmanhaemin Road, 053-213-809; www.yesterday.co.th Located in the heart of Nimmanhaemin Road, Chiang Mai’s epicentre of hip, this sweetly smartened-up old mansion features an elegant retro style and an emphasis on homely comforts. Four-poster beds, retro artefacts, and antique furniture bring you back to days of yore. Being hidden from the street keeps it quiet and quaint, and a welcome respite from Chiang Mai’s

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prefer to stroll around the denselyinhabited area. Smack-dab in the middle of the popular Sunday market, staying here makes it easier to drag all that great stuff back to your room.

ว ลิ ลาดวงจำปา ถ.ราชดำเน นิ

Yesterday The Village

bustle. A variety of living spaces are available, including a villa that can host entire families looking to live large in old Lanna style.

เยสเทอรเดยเดอะว ลิ เลจ ถ.นิมมานเหมินทร

■ 9 DUANG CHAMPA 82 Ratchadamnoen Road, 053-324198; www.duangchampa.com Another charmingly fixed-up old place, here all of the fancifully designed rooms are uniquely decorated, except for two identical and adjoining villastyle rooms located behind the main building. Situated in the heart of the Old City walls, this is a great spot if you’d

accommodation

CHIANG RAI ■ THE IMPERIAL RIVERHOUSE RESORT 482 Moo 4, Mae Kok Road, T. Rim Kok, Chiang Rai, 053-750-830; http://imperialriverhouse.com If the Imperial were any closer to the Kok River it would be a floating hotel. And here, each room affords views of the languid flow, amidst neatly landscaped hedges and tropical gardens. The resort is built around its inviting swimming pool and boasts only 36 rooms (including suites) and three cozy separate cottages. Many find it a romantic getaway, enjoying cocktails at the riverside Tara restaurant, and pampering at the in-house spa.

ดิ อิมพีเรียล ริเวอร เฮาส รีสอรท ถ.แมกก

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AC C O M M O DAT I O N

Mohn Mye Horm Resort & Spa

Golden Triangle, and from the balconies of the Serene you have a grandstand view of the three countries merging a few hundred metres away. The Serene is a fresh and modern offering, breathing contemporary flair into the town with its Lanna design touches, dark woods, and floor-toceiling windows. Sit on your balcony, lose yourself in the romance of the locale, and watch the long-tailed boats wiz by, or enjoy its premium Mekong River location for breakfast, lunch or dinner at the Chill Out Café.

รร.ซีรีน แอท เชียงราย ถ.เชียงแสน-แมสาย

■ LE MERIDIEN CHIANG RAI 221 / 2 Moo 20 Kwaewai Road, Robwieng, Chiang Rai, 053-603-333; www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien The sparkling diamond among Chiang Rai’s hotels, Le Meridien is a base of creature comforts from which to explore the wildnerness of Chiang Rai. The rooms feel more like luxury apartments in Sydney, London, or New York, with a nouveau and chic design appeal complemented by the latest in technology, such as the Global Adapter which allows you to charge MP3 players, your mobile phone, PDA, travel speakers, etc. While you can cocoon yourself in its luxury water-bound seclusion, including its top-rated Parvati spa and fine F&B offerings, it’s also in the same street as the lively Leelavadee Bar and a number of local eateries if you want to reach out and immerse yourself into the local life.

รร. เลอ เมอริเดียน เชียงราย ถ.แควหวาย

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■ MOHN MYE HORM RESORT & SPA 125 Moo 22 Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai Road, Mae Suay, 053-950-089; www.mohn-mye-horm.com In a pristine setting 60km from Chiang Rai city, Mohn Mye Horm puts you within easy reach of trekking in beautiful coffee country such as Doi Chaang and Doi Wawee. And if the stresses of that wear you out, give yourself over to the pleasant ministrations of their Thai medical massage staff, whose assortment of herbal and steam treatments will get those aching calf muscles back in shape for the next day’s outing. It’s all about the unwinding here.

รร.มอนไมหอม รีสอรท แอนด สปา ถ.เชียงใหม-เชียงราย

■ SERENE AT CHIANG RAI HOTEL

569 Moo 1, Tambol Wiang, Chiang Saen, 053-784-500; http://sereneatchiangrai.com Sop Ruak is the town right on the accommodation

■ THE LEGEND CHIANG RAI 124/15 Kohloy Rd, Robviang, Chiang Rai, 053-910-400; www.thelegend-chiangrai.com The Legend is a wonderful touch of Lanna magic right on the oftenmisty banks of the Kok River, adding a touch of adventure and mystery to your northern adventures. Its style is comfortably local, affording you excellent service but without the stuffiness that some bigger international hotels include. The top villas offer spa pools set in the privacy of their own lush garden, and bathrooms large enough to wash a herd of water buffalo in. Fountains and plenty of local wood make you feel comfortably at home in Lanna, but if you need to take things down a further notch, try their spa by the river with its soothing sounds of nature.

รร.เดอะ เลเจนด เช ยี งราย ถ.เกาะลอย

IN THE REGION ■ AGALIN HOLIDAY VILLAS 133 Baan Tub Sangaw, Pak Chom Sri Chiang Mai Road, Huay Pichai, Pak Chom, Loei, 081-926-5724, www.agalin.com Agalin was originally the private winter retreat of a successful Thai architect, and you can feel the classy touches in the villages, cottages and the central hall here. Sumptuously furnished in its choice of fabrics, they are the sort of rooms which make you want to stay in bed. A very European touch to the décor, complemented by the gardens www.lanna101.com

which are something straight out of England or France, with their tulips, hedges and fountains. The illusion is heightened when the mist rolls in.

Le Meridien Chiang Rai

รร.อกาลิน ฮอลิเดย วิลลา ถ.ปากชมศรีเชียงใหม

■ ANANDA MUSEUM GALLERY HOTEL 10 Moo 4 Bantum, Sukhothai, 055-622-428; www.ananda-hotel.com The Ananda digs deep into the ancient Sukhothai culture to present a modern interpretation of that era of Thailand, right in the city centre. The colour schemes are traditionally rich yet contemporary. Part of its charm is its smallish size, keeping it warm and personal. The Celadon Restaurant dishes up authentic Sukhothai cuisine (fish and chicken usually), while right next door is the fascinating Sukhothai Sanghalok Museum with its priceless collections of ancient ceramic antiquities from the area.

รร.อนันดา มิวเซียม แกเลอรี่ สุโขทัย ถ.สายบายพาส12

■ KAO MAI LANNA, BAN TAWAI 1 Moo 6, Chiang Mai-Hod Rd, Ban Klang, Sun Pa Tong 053-834-470; www.kaomailanna.com If you’re wanting to steep yourself in the craft village of Ban Tawai, Kao Mai Lanna is the place to do it. Set on 20-acres of lush land, this hotel was formerly a bunch of tobaccocuring barns. Now ingeniously renovated into bijoux rooms, the

exterior walls are clad with ivy-like pepperleaf vines, imparting an olde English feel. The owner has a thing for wood, so expect heavy use of wood throughout, as well as tons of ox-carts and the like littering the premises. The centerpiece is a massive rain tree near the pool and yoga sala, under which a love swing awaits.

เกาไม ลานนา รีสอรท ถ.เชียงใหม-ฮอด

125 MOO 22 Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai Road, Tambon Takok, Amphur Mae Sauy, Chiang Rai 57180, Thailand Tel: +66-53-950-089 Fax: +66-53-950-089 E-mail: mohnmyehorm@yahoo.co.th Visit us at: www.mohn-mye-horm.com www.lanna101.com

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AC C O M M O DAT I O N real secret hideway feel for those who want to escape to something quieter. Local materials were used in construction of the villas, so it’s full of teak, timber shingles and earthen tiles. Cycling the traditional villages of the local area gives you an appreciation for Lampang’s arts and history.

รร.ลำปาง ริเวอร ลอดจ ถ.ซุปปเปอรไฮเวย

Serene At Chiang Rai Hotel

■ KATILIYA MOUNTAIN

RESORT & SPA 388/1 Moo 4, Tambol Pha Sang, Mae Chan, 053-603-000; www.katiliya.com Katiliya brings contemporary luxury to a land steeped in lore, with guests enjoying vistas of forested mountains, lakes and valleys. This all-suite resort is half way between Chiang Rai and Mae Sai, and also half way between Chiang Rai and Doi Mae Salong, with the gardens of Doi Tung within easy reach as a bonus. The view from the high perch of Katiliya has featured in many a coffee-table book as the quintessential northern Thailand view of mist-shrouded valleys and twin mountain lakes.

คาทิลยิ า เมานเทน รีสอรท แอนด สปา ถ.แมจนั -แมสลอง

■ KHUM NAI PHOL

58 Moo 1, Doi Mae Salong, Mae Fah Luang, Chiang Rai, 053-765001-2; www.khumnaipholresort.com Although established just 10 years, this quaint hillside hotel has a history 114

going back half a century. That its name translates as Nai Phol’s Camp is a clue, Nai Phol being a general in the exiled Kuo Min Tang army which settled this area in the late 1940s and was involved in security for Khun Sa, the big drug lord. It’s not fancy, but it’s friendly here with Khun Yuie and her staff, with homely bamboo cabins set in a hillside tea plantation atmosphere with good views over the town which hugs the ridgeline across the valley. Gives you a good sense of place.

คุมนายพลรีสอรท ถ.ทางหลวง 108

■ LAMPANG RIVER LODGE 330 Moo 11 Chompoo, Lampang, 054336-640; www.lampangriverlodge.com Think green here. The lush 25 rai of land was formerly heavy-wooded farmland and, since redevelopment, even more trees have been planted. They also care for nature with energysaving lightbulbs and careful water treatment so as not so spoil the adjacent Wang River. 60 bungalows dot the grounds here, creating a accommodation

■ LOEI PALACE HOTEL 167/4 Charoenrat Road, Kudpong, Loei, 042-815-668;www.oamhotels.com If you are going to Loei and want to be right smack-dab in the middle of the bustling provincial town, the Loei Palace is well situated. A large property with an even larger range of room options – all comfortably smart but straightforward – you’ll have everything you need here as a base to strike out to the national parks, mountain treks, vineyards, or Mekong River visits. Also has a beer terrace, and restaurant serving Thai and Chinese cuisine.

รร.เลยพาเลซ ถ.เจริญรัตน

■ PHU CHAI SAI MOUNTAIN RESORT & SPA 388 Moo 4, Ban Mae Salong Nai, Mae Chan, 053-910-500; www.phu-chaisai.com If you ever needed a reminder of how much bamboo is a part of life in Lanna, you’ll be reminded here. The resort itself is largely built from bamboo, integrating wonderfully into the surrounding eco-sphere below Doi Mae Salong. With the owner regarded as being one of Thailand’s leading interior designers, it’s no wonder that the little touches and appointments set the rooms apart and create a true family boutique feel for this resort. In sum, this is a great place to restore harmony in your life.

ภูใจใส รีสอรท แอนด สปา ถ.ทางขึ้นดอยแมสลอง

■ SOPPONG RIVER INN 358 Moo 1 Soppong, Pang Ma Pha, Mae Hong Son, 053-617-107; http://soppong.com www.lanna101.com

Contrary to the name, this hotel actually sits on the Lang River, in the small town of Soppong. Make that the very small town. It’s 75km east of Mae Hong Son and 40km west of Pai. Burmese border viewpoints, gorgeous rice fields and Lisu villages are the main attraction here, along with the beautiful burbling river which has a wonderfully soothing effect, especially at night. The breezy accommodation is interesting with an almost Ubud/ Balinese feel to it, and a choice of bamboo cottages, twostorey cottages, and even a cozy rice hut. The hotel itself is set down a long driveway, with winding paths leading down to the river.

รร.สบปอง ริเวอร อินน ถ.ทางหลวง1095

■ THARABURI RESORT 321/3 Muangkao-Napoh Road Moo3, Old City, Sukhothai, 055-697-132; www.tharaburiresort.com Tharaburi is beautifully located within a couple of minutes’ cycling from

the Sukhothai Historical Park. A chic boutique resort, it is done out in a very eclectic style, with touches of Thai (purple and umbrellas), Chinese (red, and circular windows), even Moroccan (lush cushions, rich colours) in its various rooms. But with its use of teak and its shingled roof it is unmistakably Thai. The lotus pond setting and frangipani infestation make for a very relaxing tropical setting, and there’s even a pool to enjoy once you’ve finished cruising the ruins nearby. Cool and comfortable.

ธาราบุรี รีสอรท สุโขทัย ถ.เมืองเกา-นาโพธิ์

■ THE QUARTER 245 Moo 1 Chaisongkram Rd, Tambol Viengtai, Pai, 053-699-423; www.thequarterhotel.com The Quarter goes all the way in providing urban sophistication and luxurious touches within what some people call the ‘Valley of Diversity’. A cut above the usual tie-dyed backpacker joints of the area, The

Quarter has quickly become a standout property, especially when coupled with its Column restaurant, which specializes in tantalizing Thai fusion food. The Rain Spa’s treatments complete the wicked indulgence factor, and facilities like a library, internet and gallery round out the offering.

รร.เดอะ ควอเตอร ถ.ชัยสงคราม

■ NAN BOUTIQUE HOTEL 1/11 Kha-luang Rd, Naiwang, Nan, 054-775-532; www.nanboutiquehotel.com You just simply wouldn’t expect to find a hotel of this calibre in far-flung provincial Nan, stylishly designed in a comfortable contemporary fashion. It is situated in the heart of the traditional town, a 300 metre walk to main streets, temples, etc, with an excellent beer garden adjacent. Breakfast is served in a pleasant rooftop setting, amid pretty gardens. Rooms are spacious and comfortable with large bathrooms.

รร.นาน บ ตู กิ ถ.ขาหลวง

569 Moo 1 Tambol Wiang Amphoe Chiang saen Chiangrai 57150 Thailand Tel. + 66 53 784 500-4 Fax. + 66 53 784 499 http://www.sereneatchiangrai.com www.lanna101.com

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WELLNESS

spas & springs

CHIANG MAI THE SPA, LE MÉRIDIEN CHIANG MAI 108 Chang Klan Road, Chiang Mai, 053-253-666; www.starwoodhotels. com/lemeridien A luxurious contemporary Thai setting for a traditional Lanna-style treatment. The Spa offers Thai or Swedish massages, multi-sensory fullbody treatments and bath rituals as well as luxurious facial and skincare services but their signature treatment, Chakra Ritual, focuses on the benefi ts and healing gained through the art of modified crystal therapy.

เดอะ สปา, รร. เลอ เมอริเดียน เชียงใหม ถ.ชางคลาน

Rarinjinda Wellness Spa Resort

“Thailand is the home of spa,” enthuses Greg Morling, an Australian spa consultant. “And Chiang Mai is where it’s at because it delivers that ephemeral experience, the ambience, it’s naturally in the Lanna people.” The misty mountains where lemongrass, prai and turmeric grow. Soaring spiritual temples. Cooler climate. And the softer, gentler Lanna culture that has pervaded this region since the 13th century. The Lanna Kingdom left a rich heritage in ancient health secrets, and secrets for healing and rejuvenation. The Lanna Exotic Massage style combines centuriesold Thai massage techniques (known as Tok Sen) with oils extracted from local herbs, and Lanna music therapy. So throughout the Lanna region you will find ways to treat your body, to restore your body, rebalance your mind, and align your chakras. And don’t forget that Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are noted for their mineral hot springs, too. Often these are rich in sodium and sulphur, said to be beneficial for circulation, arthritis and rheumatism. Look out for the tell-tale gushes of steam rising from the earth (and opportunistic vendors selling eggs which you can boil in the boiling water). 116

THE DHEVA SPA, MANDARIN ORIENTAL DHARA DHEVI 51/4 Chiang Mai - Sankampaeng Road, Chiang Mai, 053-888- 929; www.mandarinoriental.com/ chiangmai/spa/ A 3,000 square metre wonderland of tranquility, The Dheva Spa at the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi Spa is modelled on the ancient golden teak wood Royal Palace of Mandalay. Their wish is for you to embark on the seven-step journey to nirvana here, and attain physical and spiritual perfection. They offer an extensive range of holistic therapy treatments, prescribed residential retreats, and spa programmes in this renowned Ayurvedic centre.

เดอะ เทวา สปา, รร. แมนดาริน โอเรียนเต็ล ดาราเทวี ถ.เชียงใหม-สันกำแพง

CHI THE SPA AT SHANGRI-LA 89/8 Chang Klan Road, 053-253-888; www.shangri-la.com Chi draws inspiration from the origins of the Shangri-La legend, a place of personal peace, enchantment and wellbeing. Sumptuously set within the lush landscaping of the inner-city hotel, Chi offers seclusion with nine separated salas and a yoga pavilion. Lanna-style treatments make use of herbal and floral wellness

ingredients, while perennial favourites include the healing hot stone treatment and Chi Balance.

ชิ เดอะ สปา แอท แชงกรี-ลา ถ.ชางคลาน

CHIANG MAI OASIS & LANNA OASIS SPAS 102 Sirimuangkarajan Road & 4 Samlan T.Prasing, 053-920-111; www.chiangmaioasis.com Treatments at Oasis Spas combine ancient secrets with advanced discoveries in beauty and wellness. Their lush and luxurious spas are designed with a distinctly Thai atmospherel Hot compresses and herbal aromatherapy come to the fore in their signature King and Queen of Oasis treatments, but they are perhaps best known for their FourHand (double masseuse) sessions.

เชียงใหม โอเอซิส แอนด ลานนา โอเอซิส สปา ถ.ศิริมังคลาจารย

TAMARIND VILLAGE 50/1 Rajdamnoen Road, 053-418-896; www.tamarindvillage.com Tamarind bills itself as a hedonistic hideaway, a village-like setting nestled deeply in the old city. From Lanna Thai heritage, they borrow herbal preparations to heal modern-day stresses and strains, restoring balance, harmony, plus a wonderful sense of vitality. Their 90-minute signature is considered by many as among the best in all of Thailand.

รร. แทมมารีน วิลเลจ ถ.ราชดำเนิน

RARINJINDA WELLNESS SPA RESORT 1/14 Chareonraj Road, Wat Kate, 053-247-000; www.rarinjinda.com Big on Ayurvedics, Rarinjinda goes all out with an extensive a la carte menu to remedyeverypossiblepartofthebodyand soul. Their Golden Memories signature runs a full 5 hours including shirodhara and chromotheraphy treatments. Other creative treatment options have you lying on a massage bed of beach sand, having your aura read, and so on.

ระรินจินดา เวลลเนส สปา รีสอรท ถ.เจริญราษฎร

www.lanna101.com

CHIANG RAI MOHN MYE HORM RESORT & SPA 125 Moo 22 Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai Rd, Mae Suay, 053-950-089; www.mohnmye-horm.com Thai herb and traditional Thai medical practitioners are on hand at this casual and comfortable resort to point you in the right direction according to your body’s needs. Many of the Thai medical massage treatments revolve around special Thai herbs, grown organically at the resort, while others will see you prescribed a special tailor-made course of steam-room therapies.

มอนไมหอม รีสอรท แอนด สปา ถ.เชียงใหม-เชียงราย

THE CHIANG SAEN SPA, THE LEGEND CHIANG RAI 132 M.2 Makjampae, Muang, Maehongson, 053-282-579 Ancient remedies are given a contemporary make-over in this airy riverside setting. The holistic approach here reaches back to centuries-old to fresh Thai herbal and aromatic oils ensuring your wellbeing in today’s hectic world. Choose an outdoor sala adjacent the Kok River, with the breeze billowing, or the air-conditioned comfort of an indoor treatment room.

เดอะ เชียงแสน สปา, เดอะ เลเจนด เชียงราย ถ.เกาะลอย

PEAK SPA AND BEAUTY SALON 69/21-22, Thanon Phaholyothin, T Wiang, 053-717-814; www.chiangrai-spa.com The idea in this brand new outlet (sister of their Chiang Mai branch) is a luxury Lanna-style day spa that takes care of all your wellbeing and beauty needs in one go. Whether it’s shirodhara, ayurvedic, hot stone or head and body massage you’re after, Peak can find a suitable and affordable treatment, starting from 500 baht. The treatment rooms are in a clear and uncluttered modern Lanna style, with an Indian themed room, too.

พีค สปา แอนด บิวตี้ ซาลอน ถ.ชางคลาน

www.lanna101.com

SUMALEE HEALTH & SPA CENTER 681/7 Srigird Road, 053 -719-544 Rejuvenating spa packages here include body massages, Hydradermie facial cleansing treatments, aromatic steam baths, body wraps, chocolate & honey scrubs, fi tness, sauna and even a barber and beauty salon. And the unwinding starts with them collecting you from your downtown hotel, you don’t even need to find your way to their centre.

สุมาลี เฮลท แอนด สปา เซ็นเตอร ถ.ศรีเกิด

PARVATI SPA, LE MERIDIEN CHIANG RAI 221 / 2 Moo 20 Kwaewai Road, Tambon Robwieng, 053-603-333; Back to nature is the theme here, in modern Thai style rooms on the stunning Mae Kok river. Spa treatments are said to have originated in the mountains and forests of the surrounding countryside, and natural spa products are applied to clean, nourish and moisturize. Blended eastern and western massage techniques restore vitality and inner peace. Full range of holistic treatments, plus Jacuzzi, steam and sauna rooms.

ภาวตี สปา เลอ เมอริเดียน เชียงราย ถ.แควหวาย

HOT SPRINGS & MUD POOLS Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son provinces are well endowed by nature with steamy and bubbly eruptions from the bowels of the earth. Not strictly spa, but definitely a plus for your wellness and peace of mind. FANG HOT SPRING, CHIANG RAI PROVINCE 8km off the Fang bypass road, at Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park; www.dnp.go.th A beautiful setting, replete with lush lawns, volcanic rocks and blooming flowers. A huge geyser spurts into the air for a few minutes every half wellness

hour or so. Individual cabins, set on ponds, have hot-tubs that seat around 4 people and make for a fun, 20-minute private session.

บอน้ำพุรอนฝาง จังหวัดเชียงราย อุทยานแหงชาติดอยฟาหมปก

SAN KAMPHENG HOT SPRING, CHIANG MAI San Kamphaeng Hot Spring Co-operative Village, Chiang Mai, 053-037-101-2 The water reaches 100-degrees Celsius in this 40-acre park, just 3km past the umbrella-making village of Bo Sang. Well set up for travelers, you can enjoy a picnic in the grounds, camp, swim, dine as well as enjoy the individual bathing salas.

บอนาพุรอนสันกำแพง จังหวัดเชียงใหม อ.สันกำแพง

PHU KLON COUNTRY CLUB, MAE HONG SON 132 M.2 Makjampae, Muang, Maehongson, 053-282-579 This place is more a soggy mud bath than some refined English-style gentlemen’s club. In any case you can soak in the mineral-rich mud here, and splash about and throw it at your friends, while knowing that your skin and blood circulation is the better for it. Makes for some very muddy but memorable photos.

ภูโคลนคันทรีคลับ จังหวัด แมฮองสอน อ.เมือง

THA PAI HOT SPRINGS, PAI Huai Nam Dang National Park; www.dnp.go.th Located about 10km south of Pai town, you’ll find these relaxed hot water springs in the teak-studded jungle make for a great day out. Especially if you choose to ride there and back on your bicycle. Wallow in the warm waters where they flow from the earth’s core, or hop into one of the many bathtubs built on the riverbanks nearby.

บอน้ำพุรอนทาปาย อ.ปาย จังหวัดแมฮองสอน อุทยานแหงชาติหวยน้ำดัง

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S P O RT S

The Peak Adventure Tours

activities

BOWLING Chiang Mai has two good bowling alleys, both near to each other at the north-western corner of the Old City. Lanna Bowl is inside the moat, and Bully Bowl is on the fourth floor of Kad Suan Kaew shopping complex. Lanna Bowl is a bit more sterile, but is less crowded compared to Bully Bowl, which has decent food, a bar and special glow-in-the-dark bowling alley. Chiang Rai bowl builds on that with the addition of karaoke. ■ BULLY BOWL

4th floor, Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Plaza, Huay Keaw Rd, Chiang Mai, 053-224-444. Daily 10am-1am.

บูลลี่โบวล อุทยานการคากาดสวนแกว ถ.หวยแกว ■ LANNA BOWL AND

SNOOKER 205 Sriphum Road, Chiang Mai, 053416-217. Daily 12pm-midnight.

ลานนา โบวล แอนด สนุกเกอร ถ.ศรีภูมิ

■ CHIANG RAI BOWL 145/1 Moo 13 Sunsai, Muang Chiang Rai, 053-773-728. Daily 12am-1am.

เชียงราย โบวล อ.สันทราย

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CYCLING ■ CHIANG MAI SUNDAY BICYCLING CLUB 087-302-9358; www.cmcycling.org The Chiang Mai Sunday Bicycling Club gets together for a ride every Sunday morning at 7am. Between 40 and 200 folks pedal their way to various places around town.

เครือขายชมรมจักรยานเชียงใหม

■ CHIANG RAI BICYCLE TOUR

053-774-506; www. chiangraibicycletour.com Whether you want to tootle around for half a day with some small hills, or go the full grunt of a fi ve-day two-wheeled mountain marathon tour of the Golden Triangle, this is the place to sign up.

เชียงรายไบซิเคิล ทัวร

■ CROUCHING TIGER

CYCLING TOURS 053-202-501; www.crouchingtigertours.com This international crowd of enthusiasts can show you the best of Lanna, the Golden Triangle, or the highlands of Chiang Mai, depending on what itinerary suits you best.

เคราชชิ่ง ไทเกอร ไซคลิง ทัวรส sport

■ SUKHOTHAI HISTORICAL PARK

One of the most peaceful ways to explore the ancient ruins of this historical Siamese city is by bicycle. Old rattlers are available near the ticket office for around 30 baht per day, no deposit required.

อุทยานประวัติศาสตรสุโขทัย

GYMNASIUMS Want to stay buff on the road? Many of the bigger hotels around Lanna will have a fi tness centre that allow guests to use it for a fee. Independent centres can also be found in Chiang Mai such as Fitness Thailand (053224-260; www.fi tnessthailand.co.th), 700 Year Stadium (185/1 Moo 5, Sea Game Rd, Maerim, 053-112-301) and Powerhouse Gym (053-400-521), www.powerhousethailand.com). HORSERACING For plenty of local colour (and more people drinking, betting and screaming), one of the best afternoons in the city can be spent out at the horse races. Don’t get all dressed up for a day at the track, however – this is probably the cheapest, most down-to-earth racing you’ve ever seen. Minimum bets are B20, and www.lanna101.com

refreshments consist principally of cans of beer and pork satay. The crowd is always spirited, however, and you’re bound to end up joining them in screaming your lungs raw. ■ RACETRACK Chotana-Mae Rim Road (near Tribal Museum), 1.5km from Superhighway intersection, 053-247-478. Every Sat, 2pm-5pm

The Peak Adventure Tours

เรซแทรค ถ.โชตนา-แมริม

KAYAKING Odd that this hasn’t really caught on as a tourist activity, but there’s no better way to enjoy the atmosphere of the Ping River than from the vantage point of a trusty kayak. The main place that rents kayaks is at Wat Faham (on the east side of the river, north of Nakorn Ping Bridge). For just B100 a day, you can paddle around and explore the quaint (though slightly polluted) riverbanks at your own pace. ■ CHIANG RAI KAYAK CLUB

053-652084; www.chiangraikayak.tk While the Mekong River usually scores all the attention, the 130km Kok River that runs through from Burma through Chiang Rai affords a great opportunity to enjoy a leisurely paddle and see elephants, hill-tribe villages, and more. If you’re up to it, you can also shoot the rapids further upstream toward Thathon.

เชียงรายคายัคคลับ

■ CAVE LODGE KAYAKING

053-617-203; www.cavelodge.com Want to go screaming down whitewater rapids, or through blackwater caves? A morning gently downstream, or many days duking it out with nature? All the options are here, even with a choice of rivers, including the Kong and the Pai.

เคฟ ลอดจ คายัคกิ้ง

SWIMMING There are several public pools around Chiang Mai city but many of them suffer from too many shrieking www.lanna101.com

kids and parents who seem inured to the noise. For B200 (120 for kids), the pool at the Amari Rincome (053894-884, daily 7.30am-7pm) is open to outsiders and is comfy, if a little small. For the same price, a better option is the fancifully-named Centre of the Universe (081-473-0746; www.therealcentreoftheuniverse. com, daily 7am- 7pm), which is marketed as a pool primarily, resort second. It’s fi ve minutes from Nimminheiman Road, but makes for a nice, quiet escape. Want more of a lapathon? Then head to the Olympic-sized pool at the 700 Year Stadium located 10km north of the city (185/1 Moo 5, Sea Game Rd, Maerim, 053-112-301). In Chiang Rai, probably the best pool to do laps would be at Dusit Island Resort (053-607-999) TENNIS There are a few facilities in Chiang Mai for avid net-chargers but most are a little way outside of town. The 700 Year Stadium (053-112-301) has the largest collection of courts, 11 apart from its centre court. Cost just 60 baht per hour, floodlights available at extra charge for later games. The Anantasiri (053-222210) tennis courts across from the National Museum, those at The Gymkhana Club (053-241-035) and the Lanna Sports Club (053-221911) courts are among the best. Note that the Gymkhana Club also boasts a golf course, driving range, squash courts and cricket pitch. In Chiang Rai, these two hotels have tennis courts which should be available for hire for those wishing to have a hit up. Anantara Golden Triangle Resort (053-784-084) and Dusit Island Resort (053-607-999) THAI BOXING Often referred to as the most violent national sport in the world, Thai boxing, or muay Thai as it’s locally known, is also heaps of fun to watch – and not just for the fights. Crowds of screaming Thais yelling “oooh! ” sport

every time a fighter gets hit on the head and openly betting on matches, coupled with a bizarre oboe and drum soundtrack and liberal amounts of cheap alcohol help to make the experience an unforgettable one. It’s rough, it’s tough, and it’s sweaty – but it’s also friendly and festive. While fights take place at arenas across Lanna, big and small, the best supported action takes place in the region’s largest city, Chiang Mai. Here, the two main stadiums regularly put on real fights (not exhibition matches), but they take very different approaches. Firstly, Kawila Stadium is the official Thai Boxing venue in town, and has been so for decades. With a professional grade ring, bright Vegas-style ring lights, bleachers all around, food available only from carts outside, and the best fighters, this is the ‘real deal.’ If you’d rather enjoy pizza and cocktail service while taking in all the kicking and punching, you’d be better off attending the alternative Loi Kroh Boxing Stadium, which is ringed by cocktail bars and geared exclusively towards tourists. Fights at both places generally start around 8.30pm and last until midnight. Younger more inexperienced fighters start things off and the competitors get progressively older, bigger and more proficient as the night wears on. ■ KAWILA BOXING STADIUM Gongzai Road (off Charoen Muang Road, east of the Ping River, opposite San Pakoy Market), 089-852-6947. Every Fri at 9pm. B400.

สนามมวยกาวิละ ถ.กองทราย

■ LANNA BOXING CAMP Lanna Kiat Busaba Muay Thai Camp, 161 Soi Chang Kian, Huay Kaew Road, 053-892-102; www.lannamuaythai.com

คายมวยเกียรติบุษบา ซ.ชางเคี่ยน

■ LOI KROH BOXING STADIUM 28 Loi Kroh Road, 089-852-6947. Every Wed at 9pm. B400

สนามมวยลอยเคราะห ถ.ลอยเคราะห 119

S P O RT S Siam River Adventures

adventure HORSEBACK RIDING While Lanna may not afford you the same horse riding opportunities as the prairies of the American West, or even the Pampas of South American, there are many fun rides that can still be enjoyed, either challenging gallops or mellow clop-a-longs. ■ J&T HAPPY RIDING 817 Moo 1, Mae Rim-Samoeng Road, Rimtai, 081-959-7113

เจแอนดที แฮปปไรดิ้ง ถ.แมริม-สะเมิง

■ LANNA SPORT CLUB CENTER Chotana Road, Chang Phueak, Muang Chiang Mai,053-221-911

ลานนา สปอรต คลับ เซ็นเตอร ถ.โชตนา

■ THE TRAVEL SHOPPE 2/2 Chaiyaphum Road, Tha Phae Gate, Chiang Mai, 053-874-091; www.horseriding.chiangmaiinfo.com

เดอะทราเวล ชอพ ถ.ชัยภูมิ

■ SHIN SANE GUEST HOUSE 119 Moo 1, Maesalongnok, Doi Mae Salong, 053-765-026; www. maesalong-shinsane.blogspot.com

ชินเซน เกสต เฮาส ต.แมสลองนอก

■ THAI HORSE FARM 20/4 Moo 4 Pa Tum (Ban Ton Kok), Phrao, 053-474-399; www.thaihorsefarm.com

บานมาไทย ต. ปาตุม

JUNGLE CANOPY ADVENTURES Soar from tree to tree, high above the jungle fl oor via harness, pulley and steel wires, through a course of picturesque platforms. This sor t of thing has been popular for a long time in Costa Rica and more recently in Laos, but Flight of the Gibbon was the fi rst of its kind in Thailand. If you’d like to extend 120

your stay in this quiet, peaceful area and visit the jungle again from a more terrestrial angle there’s even decent guest house accommodation available too. Newcomer Jungle Flight is rated ‘scarier’ (in a good way) by some users (with taller platforms and longer sections), and Zipwire takes you over riverscapes and is talking of putting in an 800 metre zip section. Awesome! ■ FLIGHT OF THE GIBBON Mae Kompong Village, 089-970-5511; www.treetopasia.com

ไฟลทออฟเดอะกิบบอน หมูบานแมกำปอง

■ JUNGLE FLIGHT Doi Saket, 053-208-666; www.jungle-flight.com

จังเกิ้ลไฟลท บานน้ำโคง อ.ดอยสะเก็ต

■ ZIPLINE Baan Mae Taman, Mae Taeng, 085-720-0619; www.ziplinechiangmai.com

ซิฟไลน บานแมตะมาน

MOUNTAIN BIKING Another way to explore the hilly nor thern terrain is by sturdy mountain bike. And one needn’t travel far, either – the area around Doi Suthep and adjacent Doi Pui, just minutes to the west of Chiang Mai town, is riddled with sport

fabulous trails of varying degrees of diffi culty. A few outfi ts in town provide tours, complete with your own quality bike, protective gear, a guide, lunch, water and in some cases health insurance. Experienced riders can also rent a bike, hop on a songthaew up the mountain and do it themselves, but this is of course more risky as trails are generally unmarked and there might be no one around for miles. Note that even the easiest trail (one that takes you 25 kilometres from the top of Doi Suthep all the way to Huay Tung Taew reservoir) can still be quite challenging. Fur ther afi eld, the hilly surrounds of Pai offer mountain biking oppor tunities with several rental shops in the town. ■ MOUNTAIN BIKING CHIANG MAI 1 Samlan Road, (50m south of Wat Phra Singh), 081-024-7046; www. mountainbikingchiangmai.com

เมาทเทน ไบคกิ้ง เชียงใหม ถ.สามลาน

ROCK CLIMBING Thailand’s most famous rock climbing is down in the Krabi area, but Siamese spider-men give high ratings to Crazy Horse Buttress, about 40km east of Chiang Mai and also Phu Chi Fa, further east still. Sam Kampaeng and Lampang also offer good challenges. www.lanna101.com

Excellent trips are arranged by The Peak, and Chiang Mai Rock Climbing Adventures, who have their own, smaller climbing wall. CHIANG MAI ROCK CLIMBING ADVENTURES 55/3 Ratchapakhinai Road, Phra Singh, 053-207-102; www.thailandclimbing.com

■

เชียงใหม รอคไคลมมิ่ง แอดเวนเจอร ถ.ราชภาคินัย

THE PEAK ADVENTURE TOURS 302/4 Chiang Mai-Lamphun Road, Wat Gate, Chiang Mai, 053-800-567; www.thepeakadventure.com

■

เดอะ พีค แอดเวนเจอร ทัวร ถ.เชียงใหม-ลำพูน

SHOOTING RANGES Feeling lucky, punk? Go ahead; make your day by firing off real bullets at menacing two dimensional targets. There are several ranges that can help you lock and load. ■ MAE RIM SHOOTING RANGE 817 Moo 1, Mae Rim-Samoeng Road, Rimtai, 081-595-7113; www.maerimshootingrange.com

แมริม ชืทติ้ง เรนจ ถ.แมริม-สะเมิง

3RD DEVELOPMENT BATTALION Chiang Mai-Mae Rim Road, 053-112095; www.chiangmai-shootingclub.com ■

ชมรมยิงปนกองพันพัฒนาที่ 3 ถ.เชียงใหม-แมริม

TREKKING One of the most popular ways to enjoy Lanna is on a trekking tour. Trekking can be arranged from just about every tourist spot in Lanna – Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pai, Mae Hong Son, Mae Sai, or any number of locales. Wherever you are, there’s bound to be a trek you can embark upon no more than an hour away. Spanning several days, these guided treks usually involve staying overnight in local hill tribe villages. Often traversing tough, undulating terrain, www.lanna101.com

they’re not an activity for the lazy or out-of-shape, yet for those with the requisite vigour, it can be one of the most scenic, memorable and fortifying experiences to be had in all of Thailand. For those who don’t have the energy or the time to go on a two or three (or more) day trek, an enjoyable alternative are the half- or full-day treks on offer, often mixed in with a bit of elephant riding and bamboo rafting. Trek prices normally already include meals, transport and basic hill tribe accommodation. ■ CONTACT TRAVEL 54/5 Moo 2, Soi 14, Tambol Tasala, Chiangmai, 053 -850-160; www.activethailand.com

คอนแทค ทราเวล ต.ทาศาลา

■ EAGLE HOUSE 26 Soi 2, Ratwithi Road, Chiang Mai, 053-210-620; www.eaglehouse.com

อีเกิล เฮาส ถ.ราชวิถี

■ SUNFLOWER CAFE & TOURS 2 Khunlumprapas Rd, Mae Hong Son, 089-950-1798; www.sunflowercafetour.com

ซันฟลาวเวอรคาเฟทัวร ถ.ขุนลุมประพาส

■ TREKKING THAILAND Mae Hong Song, mrprecha@yahoo. com; www.trekkingthailand.com

เทรคกิ้ง ไทยแลนด จ.แมฮองสอน

■ WAYFARERS TRAVEL 20 Soi 4, Tha Phae Road, Chiang Mai, www.wayfarersthailand.com

เวยแฟรเรอร ทราเวล ถ.ทาแพ

WAKEBOARDING Chiang Rai seems obsessed by compensating for its landlocked status with people flocking to ‘the beach’ on the Kok River, and at the Huay Sak Reservoir (about 13kms out of town) you can enjoy Planete Wakeboard. Here you can enjoy a raft of watersports including skiing, wake and surf riding, winch park, plus the lakeside resort and restaurant. Instruction in all these is available. sport

■ PLANETE WAKEBOARD Huay Sak Reservoir (take 1020 south out of town, then right at the 1306 intersection lights), 089-999-1783; www.planetewakeboard.com

แพลนเนตเวคบอรด อางเก็บน้ำหวยสัก

X FACTOR Run by a Kiwi and his Thai wife, the remarkable X-Centre is a onestop shop for all your thrill-seeking, adventure sport needs. Bungy jumping, paintball, go-karting, zorb balling, and even ‘jungle buggy’ tours through the wilds in a modified dune buggy all await adventurers. ■ X CENTRE 263 Moo 1, Mae Rim-Samoeng Road, 053-297-700; www.chiangmaixcentre.com

เอ็กซ เซ็นเตอร ถ.แมริม-สะเมิง

WHITE-WATER RAFTING Two principal Lanna locations serve as starting-off points for white-water rapid adventures – Mae Taeng and Pai. Easily reachable by road from Chiang Mai, Mae Taeng consists of medium-grade white-water (3-4 on a scale of 6) and an unspoiled interaction with untouched nature. Jason Younkin, a Colorado native has been running trips here for years and clearly knows his stuff. For more full-on trips, consider taking off from Pai, where at least one outfit offers multi-day trips that involve camping and a full outdoors experience. The often recommended Thai Adventure Rafting, run by a friendly Frenchman named Guy Gorias is regarded as the safest, most conscientious, and highquality outfit in that particular town. ■ SIAM RIVER ADVENTURES 17 Ratwithi Road, Phra Singh, 089-5151917; www.siamrivers.com

สยามริเวอรแอดเวนเจอร ถ.ราชวิถี

■ THAI ADVENTURE RAFTING 16 Moo 4, Rungsiyanon Road, Pai, 053-699-111; www.thairafting.com

ไทยแอดเวนเจอร ถ.รังสิยานนท

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S P O RT S

flying & driving

balloon trip. Perhaps it’s the incredible quiet that surrounds you, or the oldfashioned feeling you get from such a quaint form of travel. More likely, it’s the fact that you’re floating high above the earth in a cute wicker basket with a freakishly huge balloon attached to it. The same airfield in Doi Saket from where the microlights take off, also hosts hot air balloon rides. An hour long trip will set you back B8,800 each, group discounts are available. ■ BALLOON ADVENTURE THAILAND Sun-Oom, Doi Saket (near Chiang Mai Sky Adventure), 084-611-4128; www.balloonadventurethailand.com

GLIDING & FLYING CLUB Located approximately 20km southeast of Chiang Mai, the Nok Flying Club provides a fascinating flying experience. After being tugged off the ground by another plane and then let go, one can soar for hours on the power of natural thermal updrafts alone. If conditions are favourable, you can even break through the cloud barrier up around 7,000m. Gliding here is superb value – B1,500 for the launch and first 15 minutes, with each additional minute costing a mere B10. extra If gliding’s not your thing, the Nok Flying Club also allows visitors to take to the skies in their two- and four-seater passenger planes. All you have to do is pay temporary membership of B1,000 or club dues and you’ll be allowed to make full use of their fleet of small aircraft at surprisingly low prices. Take an aerial tour of the city, or if you’re really keen (and have the time), you can sign up for their 40-hour pilot training course. Given the great local weather, uncrowded skies, low prices, and the friendly folks who run the company, it’s a seductive opportunity indeed. ■ NOK FLYING CLUB 126 Moo 16, Baan Thi, 086-670-2449; www.nokaviation.com

สมาคมนักบินนก อ.บานธิ

HOT AIR BALLOON There’s something magic about a hot air 122

บอลลูนแอดเวนเจอรไทยแลนด อ.สันอุม ดอยสะเก็ด

planes to fly you and a group to other locations across Thailand. ■ SGA AIRLINES/ NOK MINI 053-280-444; www.sga.co.th

สายการบิน SGA / นกมินิ

ATV All-terrain vehicles are more stable than a motorbike, which means that – as long as you still drive safely – you can be far more careless about what you drive over. Generally found in the Mae Rim area out on the Mae Sa Road, several outfits offer similar 45km, three hour tours through the numerous jungle trails in the area. Green Earth Adventure put together multi-day itineraries which get you out into more remote hill-tribe areas.

MICROLIGHT What do you get when you mix a hang glider with a giant propeller attached to a small car engine? A microlight, that’s what. Essentially a motorcycle in the sky, the lightweight fibreglass frame seats two people and allows you unprecedented mobility above the sprawling rice paddies (and housing developments) of Doi Saket, some 20km northeast of Chiang Mai. Soar over the nearby dam, buzz over historic temples, and wave to folks on the ground as they gaze up at you in wonder and confusion. Flights normally run 15mins (B1,900) or 30mins (B2,900).

■ ATV ONTOUR.COM 77 Moo 10 Mae Rim-Samoeng Road, 081-590-2277; www.atvontour.com

■ CHIANG MAI SKY ADVENTURE 143 Moo 6, Cherng Doi, Doi Saket, 053-255-500; www.skyadventures.info

GO-KARTING Other than the X-Centre’s drift karts, another option that gets high ratings from speed-obsessed locals is the Chiang Mai Speedway. Taking their karting seriously, here they stock many different karts – from cute little zippers to competition-quality rocket sleds.

เชียงใหม สกาย แอดเวนเจอร ต.เชิงดอย

SGA / NOK MINI TOUR Another interesting (if pricey) alternative is a personalised aerial tour of the Chiang Mai area in a 12seater Cessna from SGA Airlines, who fly regular flights from Chiang Mai to Pai and Mae Hong Son. You’ll have to charter the whole airplane, which will set you back around B27,000 for a 30-minute flight or B36,000 for a 60minute trip. You can also charter the sport

เอทีวี ออนทัวร ถ.แมริม-สะเมิง

■ ATV-CHIANGMAI TOURS 77/5-6 Moo 1, Mae Ram, Mae Rim, 053-290-153; www.atvchiangmai-tours.com

เอทีวี-เชียงใหม ทัวร อ.แมริม

■ GREEN EARTH ADVENTURE 88/8 Sridonchai Rd, Chang Klan Maung, Chiang Mai, 081-992-8761; www.greenearthadventure.in.th

กรีน เอิรธ แอดแวนเจอร ถ.ศรีดอนชัย

■ CHIANG MAI SPEEDWAY 254 Moo 11, Chiang Mai-Hang Dong Road, 053-430-059

เชียงใหมสปดเวย ถ.เชียงใหม-หางดง

MOTORCYCLE TOURING See Sightseeing feature. www.lanna101.com

muay thai

Lanna Boxing Camp

CHIANG MAI ■ CHAI YAI GYM 30/17 Moo Baan Sunpaliang T. Nonghoi, 08-9079-0953; www.chayyaigym.com Whether you’re just a tourist who wants to spend a day at a Muay Thai camp, or a seasoned professional, Chai Yai has a program for you, with two rings, and live-in accommodation.

คายมวยชายใหญยิม หมูบานสันปาเลียง

LANNA BOXING CAMP Lanna Kiat Busaba Muay Thai Camp, 161 Soi Chang Kian, Huay Kaew Road, 053-892-102; www.lannamuaythai.com Considered one of the most professional outfits in northern Thailand, if not all of the country, Lanna Boxing Camp has turned out keen competitors at the highest levels of this sport. ■

คายมวยลานนาเกียรติบุษบา ซ.ชางเคี่ยน

www.lanna101.com

■ MUAY THAI SANGHA Call to visit location, 080-769-4521; www.muaysangha.com This secretive camp, which teaches the ancient art of muay Boran, can only be visited if you are granted an interview. Fees include ‘nine white lotus flowers, nine sticks of incense, five jasmine garlands, one small yellow candle, one small white candle and an envelope containing your first months payment.’

มวยไทยสงฆ

SANTHAI MUAY THAI GYM (FORMERLY SIAM NO. 1) 79 Moo 9 San Kampaeng, 082-5286059; muay-thai-santai.com Santhai’s head trainers boast excellent track records fighting at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium, so they’re sure to knock you into shape here, literally. Just 13km from city centre, you’ll enjoy a more rural, less distracting atmosphere. Accommodation available on site. ■

คายมวยสันไท อ.สันกำแพง sport

OTHER LANNA TRUEBEE GYM Nillapaya Resort, 125m.1 Mae Hee, Pai, www.true-bee.com The ownership of this popular Muay Thai training gym has just been transferred, so the gym – in a pleasant countryside setting -- is closed at time of writing. But check their website to see when it’ll re-open. ■

ทรู บี ยิม อ.ปาย

■ LANNA DOI MODT HILL CAMP MAE KACHAN Ban Doi Modt, Mae Kachan, 053892102; www.muaythai-hillcamp.com Head for the hills for an intense and isolated immersion developing your skills. Overlooking a panoramic valley about 2 hours north of Chiang Mai, you’ll have nothing more to do than focus, focus, focus. This new camp is the sister facility of the renowned Lanna Boxing Camp in Chiang Mai.

คายลานนาดอยมด บานดอยมด

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COMMUNITY ■ ■ ■

courses

ne of the joys of travelling to exotic locales is the treasure that you bring home with you. But all too often, after the knickknacks are handed out to friends, the unusual clothing stuffed in the closet, and the hundreds of photos filed away on the hard drive, that magical connection you felt with the place begins to fade away just like your tan. On the other hand, knowledge is a souvenir that lasts forever. and by studying local arts, including cooking, massage, meditation and dance, you’re sure to leave Lanna with a profound insight into the local culture. On top of that, it will help you forge truer friendships with the people you meet on your travels.T ITM

COOKING Host delicious Thai dinners back home once you learn this little secret: the recipes are surprisingly easy to prepare. In just one day you can learn to make a wide selection of delicious dishes. Better still, you get to chow down the mountain of food you create during class – after which you probably won’t be able to eat again for the rest of the day, which makes the experience exceptionally good value.

288-5989; www.thaifarmcooking.net

ไทยฟารม สอนทำอาหารไทย ถ.ราชดำเนิน ซ.5

■ SUWANNEE’S COOKING SCHOOL 301 Moo 1Soi 6, Denha-Dongmada Road, Chiang Rai, 084-740-7119; www.chiangraicookingclass.com

โรงเรียนสอนทำอาหาร สุวรรณนี จ.เชียงราย

■ ANANTARA GOLDEN ■ CHIANG MAI THAI COOKERY SCHOOL 11/29 Moo 1, Chiang Mai Floraville, Doi Saket, 053-399-036; www.thaicookeryschool.com

TRIANGLE RESORT & SPA 229 Moo 1, Chiang Saen Chiang Rai 57150. 053-784-084; goldentriangle.anantara.com

■ GAP’S THAI CULINARY ART 3 Ratchadamnoen Road, Soi 4, 053278-140; www.gaps-house.com

DANCE

เชียงใหมไทยคุกเคอรรส่ี คูล ดอยสะเก็ด

แกบ เฮาส ถ.ราชดำเนิน ซ.4

■ THAI FARM COOKING SCHOOL 2/2 Ratchadamnoen Road, Soi 5, 081124

โรงแรม อนันตรา สามเหลีย่ มทองคำ เชียงราย

They say a picture paints a thousand words, but in Thai dance, so can a few well-placed hand gestures. It may not seem apparent to the foreign viewer, but Thai traditional dancers are actually telling epic tales with their hands, much as others would with mime or sign language. community

Learn how to perform this exquisite regional art form and hypnotise the masses at home with your new-found skill of subliminal storytelling. ■ THAI DANCE INSTITUTE 53 Koh Khlong Road, Nong Hoi, 053-801-375; www.thaidanceinstitute.com

สถาบันสอนรำไทย ต.หนองหอย

LANGUAGE Anyone who plans to spend quality time in the Kingdom should consider studying the language, and Lanna has some of the best (and cheapest) options available. Don’t expect to pick it up overnight, though. While grammar is relatively easy, tackling the pronunciation can twist even the most adept of foreign tongues. CHIANG MAI THAI COURSES ■ AUA 73 Ratchadamnoen Road, Phra Singh, 053-278-407; www.auathailand.org

สถาบันสอนภาษาเอย เู อ ถ.ราชดำเน นิ www.lanna101.com

■ PAYAP UNIVERSITY Foreign Language Centre, Payap University, Chiang Mai-Lampang Highway, 053-241-255 ext 7220; www.payap.ac.th

■ ITM INTERNATIONAL TRAINING MASSAGE SCHOOL 17/6-7 Marakot Road, Hah Yaek Santitham, 053-218-632; www.itmthaimassage.com

■ YMCA 11 Mengrairatsami, Soemsuk Road, Chang Phuak, 053-221-819; www.ymcachiangmai.org

■ THAI MASSAGE SCHOOL SHIVAGAKOMARAPAL 238/8 Wualai Road, (opposite Old Chiang Mai Cultural Centre), 053-201663; www.thaimassageschool.ac.th

ม.พายัพ

สมาคมวาย.เอ็ม.ซี.เอ เชียงใหม

CHIANG RAI THAI COURSES ■ AUA 584 Langruancham Rd, Vieng, Chiang Rai, 053-715-818; www.auathailand.org/chiangrai

สถาบันภาษา เอ ยู เอ เชียงราย

LAMPANG THAI COURSES ■ AUA English building, Bunyawat Wittalayai School, Lampang

สถาบันภาษา เอ ยู เอ ร.ร. บุญวาทยวิทยาลัย ลำปาง

PHITSANULOKE THAI COURSES ■ AUA Pibulsongkram Rajapat University, Wangchan Campus, Building #6, 3rd floor. 055-282-736; www.auathailand.org/phitsanuloke

มหาวิทยาลัยราชภัฏพิบูลสงคราม ศูนยวังจันทน ตึก 6

MASSAGE Traditional Thai massage, or nuat phaen boran, originated in India and was brought to Thailand by the revered Dr Shivago (no relation to the cinematic morose Russian), a contemporary of Buddha. The patient is stretched and pulled into positions that often resemble yoga, only without any effort. Styles vary, with some studios favouring acupressure, some stretching, and some practicing what appear to be bona fide acrobatics. Nevertheless, it’s a fine way to spend a few days (or a couple of weeks) and is guaranteed to win you a crowd of new friends back home. www.lanna101.com

รร. ไอทีเอ็มนวดแผนโบราณ ถ.มรกต

รร. แพทยแผนไทย ชีวกโกมารภัจจ

■ LOI KROH TRADITIONAL

THAI MASSAGE AND YOGA 1/3 Loikroh Rd. Soi 3, Changklan, (no tel.); www.loikrohmassage.com

ลอยเคราะห นวดแผนไทย

■ SUNSHINE NETWORK

Lahu Village, Chiang Rai province, 053-206-614, www.thaiyogamassage.infothai.com

ซันไชน เนทเวิรค หมูบานลหุ

MEDITATION There’s a common perception that Thais are calmer and more spiritual at heart than their European brethren. Many attribute this attitude to the pacifying influence of Buddhist philosophy. For foreigners looking to calm their horses, the most accessible aspect of this tradition is the practice of meditation, in which you stop and watch your mind until it stops running around in circles. A typical retreat at a monastery will run at least ten days, involve many challenging practices, and

feature spartan conditions. On the plus side, they’re normally inexpensive and may make a lasting impact on your life. ■ WAT DOI SUTHEP Sriwichai Road, Suthep, 053-295-012; www.sirimangalo.org/yuttadhammo

วัดดอยสุเทพ

■ WAT RAM POENG SUTHEP Sriwichai Tambon Suthep, Amper Muang, Chiang Mai 550000, 053-278-620

วัดร่ำเปง ต.สุเทพ

■ WAT TAM DOI TONE 128 Moo 5, Baan Mae Sapok, Mae Win, Mae Wang, 053-268-511; www.vimuttidhamma.org

วัดถ้ำดอยโตน บานแมสะปอก

■ WAT UMONG Tambon Suthep, Amper Muang, Chiang Mai 55000, 053-277-248 www.dhammathai.org

วัดอุโมงค ต.สุเทพ

■ WAT THATON VIPASSANA MEDITATION CENTER Tambon Thaton, Amphur Mae Ai, Chiangmai, (053) 459-468 ; www.wat-thaton.org

วัดทาตอน ต.ทาตอน

■ SOMA CENTER 207/4 Ban Muang Kam Soi 7, Tambon Nanglae, Ampur Muang, Chiang Rai, 086-923 1500; www.nadayogacenter.com

โซมา เซ็นเตอร เชียงราย

Lanna Boxing Camp

community

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survival thai Numbers 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 20 21 22 30 40 100 101 110 200 1,000 1,100 5,000 10,000 15,000 50,000 100,000 1,000,000

˘ soon nèung ˘ song ˘ saam sèe hâa hòk jèt pàet kâo sìp sìp èt ˘ sìp song yêe sìp yêe sìp èt ˘ yêe sìp song ˘ saam sìp sèe sìp (nèung) rói (nèung) rói èt (nèung) rói sìp ˘ rói song (nèung) phan (nèung) phan nèung rói hâa phan (nèung) meùun nèung meùun hâa phan hâa meùun ˘ (nèung) saen (nèung) láan

Basics yes no I you

châi / khráp / khâ mâi châi ˘ / (di)chán phom khun

Communication I don’t understand I can’t speak Thai never mind possible / impossible

mâi khâo jai phôot thai mâi dâi mâi pen rai dâi / mâi dâi

lthough it is not really necessary to learn Thai for a short stay in Thailand, as most Thais who deal with tourists speak at least some English, you will have an undoubtedly more enjoyable experience if you make the effort to remember a few simple words. Basic Thai grammar is considerably simpler than the grammar in Western languages. Sentences are reduced to the basic subject-verb-object format (no tenses, plurals, genders or subject-verb agreement). The main difficulty comes from the fact that Thai is a tonal language, meaning that words can have different meanings depending on how they are pronounced. Five tones are used: low tone ( ` ), middle tone (unmarked), high tone ( ´ ), falling tone ( ˆ ) and rising tone ( ˇ ).

Did you know? Most Northern Thais, including many Chiang Mai natives, speak a Northern Thai dialect known as kam meuang (speech of the principality). Here are some Northern Thai words and expressions you may hear frequently in the streets and markets. English Northern Thai Northern Thai (people) khon meuang Chiang Mai jiang mai Thank you. yin dee What’s your name? jeu nyang My name is (men) … phom jeu … My name is (women) … kha-jao jeu How much? tao tai very much nak kha-naat I don’t know. baw hoo speak oo (I) speak Northern Thai. oo kam meuang (I) can’t speakNorthern Thai. oo kam meuang baw jaang Is that right? maen kaw No (it isn’t right). baw maen Very beautiful ngaam tae Very delicious lam tae tae

Greetings and civilities

Adjectives and adverbs

hello / hi / goodbye how are you? I’m fine and you? pardon? sorry / excuse me thank you (very much)

beautiful big / small expensive good here/there hot / cold a little a lot / much / very

126

sa-wàt dee sa-bai dee réu sa-bai dee láew khun lâ arai ná kho˘ thôt khòp khun (mâak)

reference

˘ suay yài / lék paeng dee têe nêe/ têe nân rón / yen nîtnòi mâak

Transportation canal street, lane pier road temple

khlong soi thâa ˘ (th) thanon wát

to... please pai... mái > the ... hotel > rong raem ... ˘ > the airport > sa-naam bin ˘ > the train station > sa-taa-nee rót fai > the bus station > bo ko˘ so˘ ˘ ˘ > the police station > sa- taa-nee tumruat > this address > têe yòo née ˘ ... > the ... restaurant > ráan aahaan use the meter turn left / right go straight on stop here please

chái mée-têr ˘ lée-ow sáay/ khwaa trong pai jòt têe nêe

Shopping how much is it? an-née thâo rài that’s (a bit) too expensive paeng pai

Food rice fried rice water tea coffee spicy is it very spicy? not spicy without chilli delicious

khâo khâo pàd náam plào chaa kafae phèt phèt mâak mái mâi phèt mâi sài prik arròy

Questions where? when? what? which? (thing) where is / are...? how much / many?

˘ têe nai mêua-rài ˘ arai ˘ an-nai ... yòo têe nai thâo rài

www.lanna101.com

Airlines (Chiang Mai) Air Andaman: 053-278-556 Air Asia: 025-159-999 Air Mandalay: 053-818-049 Bangkok Airways: 053-281-519 Korean airlines: 02-635-0465 Lao Aviation: 053-223-401 Mandarin Airlines: 053-818-049 Nok Air: 1318 Orient Thai: 1126 Phuket Air: 053-922-118 Silk Air: 053-276-549 Thai Airways: 053-920-920 Tiger Airways: 029-755-334 Airlines (Chiang Rai) Orient Thai: 1126 Air Asia: 025-159-999 Thai Airways: 053-920-920 Consulates (Chiang Mai) Austria: 053-400-231 Australia: 053-492-480 Canada: 053-850-147 China: 053-200-424 Finland: 053-234-777 France: 053-281-466 Germany: 053-838-735 India: 053-243-066 Japan: 053-203-367 Sweden: 053-220-844 United Kingdom: 053-263-015 USA: 053-252-629 Post Offices Operating hours Monday-Friday 8.30am-3.30pm, Saturday 9am-12pm Chiang Mai: Charoenmuang Road, 053-248-719 Chiang Rai: Uttarakit Road, 053-711-421 Lampang: Thanon Tipchang, Hua Wiang, 054-323-497 Loei: Charoenrat Road, Kut Pong, 042-811-713 Mae Hong Son: Khun Sum Pra Path, Tambon Jongkam, 053-611-223Â Mae Sai: PhaholyothinÂ road, Wiang Pang Kam, 053-731-402 Pai: Wiang Tai, 053-699-208 Sukhothai: Nikornkasem Road, Thani, 055-611-645

www.lanna101.com

Telephone Services Domestic long distance: 101 International long distance: 100 Local directory: 13 Overseas subscribers: 001 Transport (Chiang Mai) Arcade Bus Station: 053-242-664 Chiang Mai International Airport: 053-270-222 Chiang Mai Railway Station: 053-247-462 Metered taxis: 053-279-291 Avis Rent A Car: 053-281-033 North Wheels : 053-874-478 Transport (Chiang Rai) Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai International Airport: 053-798-000 Bus Station Khon Song: 053-711-224 Metered taxis: 053-279-291 North Wheels: 053-740-585 Useful Numbers (Chiang Mai) Emergency help: 191 Fire Brigade: 199 Highway Police: 1193 Immigration: 053-851-356 Rescue Foundation: 053-218-888 Tourist Service Centre: 1672 Tourist Police: 1155/ 053-247-318 Useful Numbers (Chiang Rai) Emergency Hotline: 1155 Fire Brigade: 199 Hospital: 1669 Tourist Police: 053-740-249 Tourist Service Centre: 1672 Website Links www.1stopchiangmai.com www.chiangmaicitylife.com www.chiangmaiexpatsclub.com www.chiangmai-guideline.com www.chiangmaiinfo.com www.chiangmai-mail.com www.chiangmaichimes.com www.muantae.com www.chiangrai.biz www.chiangraitourist.com www.mae-hong-son.info www.thaivisa.com

reference

contacts Dental Chiang Mai Dental Hospital 1/42 Moo 3, Chiang Mai-Lampang Road, 053-411-150; www. chiangmaidentalcenter.com Big Smile Dental Clinic 81/9 Arak Road, Chiang Mai, 053815-179; www.bigsmilecm.com Medical (Chiang Mai) Chiang Mai Central Memorial Hospital 186/2 Chang Khlan Road, 053-277090; www.centralcmhospital.com Chiang Mai Ram Hospital 8 Boonruangrit Road, 053-224-851; www.chiangmairam.com Medical (Chiang Rai) Chiang Rai Prachanukrua Hospital: Rob Wiang, Chiang Rai, 053-711009; www.crhospital.org Overbrook Hospital: Singhaklai Road, 053-711-366; www.obh-hospital.com Medical (Other Lanna) Lampun Hospital: 177 Moo 11 Cham Thewi Road, Tonthong, 053-569-100; www.lpnh.go.th Loei Hospital: 32/1 Maliwan Rad, Kut Pong, Loei, 042-862-122; www.loeih.com Pai Hospital: 111 Wiang Tai, Pai, 053-699-582; www.paihospital.net Srisangworn Sukhothai Hospital, Khong Tan, Si Samrong, Sukhothai , 055-682-042; www.srisangworn.go.th Sukhothai Hospital, 2/1 Moo 12 Baan Kluay Muang Sukhothai, 055-611-701; www.skth.go.th

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transport

ne of the often-heard reasons why people love living in Lanna’s major cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are their size when compared with the Thai capital, Bangkok. Not too big, not too small, they’re big enough to support an interesting, eclectic community, plenty of restaurants, shopping and events, but small enough that you can easily get around town with minimum aggravation. Convenient transport ensures visitors and residents alike can easily get where they’re going

Bicycle Bicycles are also widely available for hire, normally for about B50, though mountain bikes for attacking the back roads of Doi Suthep usually cost double that. Be aware, however, that there is a strict hierarchy of vehicles that follows this simple rule: size gets right-of-way. Consequently, bicycles are at the very bottom of the totem pole. That’s not to say riding a bicycle here can’t be a fun and rewarding experience; it’s only to say that you should not expect much courtesy or respect from other drivers on the road. Be defensive and try to stick to smaller side streets. Car Cars can be rented for around B1,000 a day. The most popular model for foreigners seems to be the Suzuki Samurai 4X4, although sedans and 128

even SUVs are available for those who would like a little more comfort. Don’t bother renting a car just to drive around a city – just dealing with parking will probably wear you out. Renting is best for getting out of town. A good alternative, however, is renting a car and a driver, which is often surprisingly cheap – not much more than renting a car alone. For car rental contact Avis (053-281-033) or Northwheels (053-874-478). For a car with a driver, contact Mr Mike (087-180-2455), Mr Lee (081-724-6093) or Khun Chairit (089-701-0291). Motorcycle Aside from the obvious dangers, getting around on a motorcycle is the best way to enjoy northern Thailand (see feature page 26). Plus, renting one is cheap and easy. For B100 or less a day you can have your very own little 125cc scooter and all the freedom and fun that comes with it. Bigger bikes are often available as well, and cost B400-1500 a day. Of course, drive with care and be aware that Thai driving habits are often rather presumptuous – other drivers will cut in front of each other or routinely run red lights and no one seems to find this objectionable. In Chiang Mai, good motorbike rental places can be found along Moon Muang Road (inside the eastern moat), a block north of Tha Phae Gate. All other towns in Lanna will have at least one place renting scooters. You’ll need to leave your passport as deposit. Public Bus Chiang Mai must be one of the largest cities in the world with no public buses running set routes. Song teaws are its public buses. Rickshaw Time was when rickshaws were the only source of transport in town. Today a few hardy stragglers – more so in Chiang Rai than Chiang Mai -- still eke out a living and despite their advanced years have calves of steel. Some travellers might feel reference

awkward being hauled around by these thin guys, but they’re eager to do so and are generally more honest and pleasant than tuk-tuk drivers. To assuage any sense of guilt, feel free to tip them generously. Song Thaew Meaning ‘two rows’ in Thai, due to the two benches, these open-backed red pickup trucks can take you anywhere in town for around B20. Don’t ask them “how much” or they’re likely to squeeze you for more. Just tell them where you want to go and if they agree, jump in the back of the truck. If they want more than B20 they’ll tell you right away. Don’t expect to be taken directly to your destination, however. There are no fixed routes: they go where the other folks in the vehicle want to go as well. If you hail an empty song taew and want the driver to take you somewhere directly, tell him ‘khon deaw’ (one person alone) and expect to pay at least B50. Tuk Tuk These iconic, adorable little smoke belching, three-wheeled rattletraps are easy to notice and fun to ride in. Beware, however, as their drivers are often unscrupulous when it comes to ripping off outsiders and foreigners alike. Agree on a price beforehand, and always try to bargain a little. Also, once you’re on the road, don’t put your feet up on the partition behind the driver’s head – this is considered very impolite. By the way, locals don’t actually call them tuk-tuks, but rather sam lor, or ‘three wheels.’ Walking Many of the Lanna’s best sights can actually be seen on foot, especially in the cities. Don’t underestimate the power of taking it slow – you’re bound to notice small details and enjoy more of the local colour. If it’s memorable photographs you’re after, Chiang Mai’s Old City makes for a particularly interesting walk and exploration. Similarly, Chiang Rai’s centre is very walkable as is the whole of Pai. www.lanna101.com