| Chang Mai is the largest city in the north of | | | | washboard stomachs and breast implants. |
| Thailand and well worth a trip. In many ways, | | | | |
| Chang Mai is similar to Bangkok, but without | | | | To find the "good stuff" at the night market, |
| the mass of people. | | | | you should head off the street and up into |
| | | | the open air malls. As you move towards the |
| Chang Mai | | | | back of the malls, the quality of the |
| | | | products goes up dramatically. You'll find |
| Chang Mai is perhaps the most serene big city | | | | artist not only hocking their wares, but also |
| I have ever had the privilege of visiting. | | | | creating them before your eyes. There is some |
| Located at the foot of a large mountain, the | | | | serious talent in the back of those malls. |
| city nicely meshes older areas with modern | | | | |
| conveniences. Serene Buddhist temples stand | | | | If silk is your material of choice, Chang Mai |
| only a few blocks from bustling universities. | | | | is a good place to purchase it in bulk. Do |
| Much of the city can be walked, but moped | | | | not buy it at the night market. Instead, ask |
| rentals are cheap and plentiful. Street | | | | your hotel for a recommendation to a shop. |
| markets are common, but the hustle and bustle | | | | Prices are low, but quality is high. |
| of Bangkok is not. | | | | |
| | | | Traveler's Tip |
| The night market is perhaps the most noted | | | | |
| thing about Chang Mai. Located in the eastern | | | | Guidebooks will tell you the best way to get |
| side of the city, the night market runs about | | | | to Chang Mai is to take an overnight train |
| a mile down the length of street dwarfed by | | | | from Bangkok. Liars! Flying domestically in |
| malls, restaurants, stores selling art and | | | | Thailand is very cheap. A one-way flight from |
| spas. The stalls on the side of the road tend | | | | Bangkok to Chang Mai will run you about |
| to sell cheap touristy products, but you | | | | $40US. There is no need to book ahead. Just |
| should check them out anyway to sample some | | | | walk into the airport in Bangkok and buy a |
| of the food items. Thais seem to take great | | | | ticket on the spot. If you prefer to spend |
| humor from cooking anything they can get | | | | the night in a bunk on a train, knock |
| their hands on so long as they can gross out | | | | yourself out. Just keep in mind Thais tend to |
| the tourist. Yep, you can munch on fried | | | | have smaller body masses than Westerners. |
| roaches, spiders, crickets and so on. For a | | | | Much smaller. |
| good laugh, one can hang out around the | | | | |
| stalls and watch tourist try the delicacies. | | | | Of all the cities in Thailand, Chang Mai is |
| It's like the show Fear Factor without the | | | | my favorite. Yes, even more so than Bangkok. |