| Chiang Mai is the second largest city in Thailand | | | | several historic temples. Lamphun is the original |
| and is considered the capital of Northern Thailand. | | | | capital city of the ancient Haripunchai kingdom. |
| Gilded Chedis and ornate temples abound.The | | | | Farther south along highway eleven lies |
| ambience is very pleasing and the pace of life is | | | | Lampang, another town that attracts tourists to |
| slow, to say the least. This cannot be said of the | | | | its important temples. |
| markets however, the pace here is more | | | | None more so than the temple at Kho Ka near |
| frenetic.Northern Thailand Travel Experiences. | | | | Hang Chat. Its claim to fame is that it was the |
| If, it is possible, for you take a local Northern Thai | | | | original home of the Emerald Buddha. The Buddha |
| resident with you when shopping, you will get a | | | | was purloined by the early monarchs and now |
| much more satisfying price. There is without | | | | resides in the Grand Palace in Krung Thep |
| question a two tier price stucture one for the | | | | (Bangkok to you and I). |
| locals and one for the visitors. | | | | Marks from the weapons of the time can visibly |
| All of the goods on display at the Night Bazaar will | | | | be seen in the stonework surrounding the Chedi |
| have been manufactured in the local villages | | | | and great play is made of the battle that took |
| around Chiang Mai. The handicraft villages such as | | | | place. The original wooden temple exists to this |
| BORSANG and BAAN TAWAI represent | | | | day and is visited with great reverence by the |
| excellent value, on their own but, if time is a | | | | faithful. |
| limiting factor then the Night Bazaar showcases all | | | | Another city well deserving of a visit is Chiang Rai. |
| of the craft items available in the area. | | | | You will need to drive north from Chiang Mai and |
| Also to be found in the area of the Night Bazaar | | | | you will eventually come across the distinguished |
| are an abundance of bars and restaurants where | | | | peak of Chiang Dao - another sustantial peak |
| you may quench your thirst and rest your feet. | | | | possessing a fabulous complex of caves |
| All of them are reasonably priced and offer | | | | underneath it. |
| entertainment, making Chiang Mai one of Northern | | | | Further north, you can leave the main route and |
| Thailands most appealing tourist destinations. | | | | travel through mountain passes to Doi Angkhang - |
| Some distance out of the city on the way to Doi | | | | one of the last true wildernesses in Thailand |
| Suthep you will find the Chiang Mai zoo. A | | | | before the hills of Myanmar stretch out before |
| popular day trip from Chiang Mai nestled among | | | | you. |
| forest and spectacular waterfalls. Feeding the | | | | Another popular choice is to continue on to Tha |
| alligators is always a popular spectacle but, | | | | Ton, here you can board an overnight raft trip to |
| throughout the zoo you can see all sorts of | | | | the older Northern Thai city of Chiang Rai. Much |
| species of mammals, reptiles and birds all in | | | | quieter and older than Chiang Mai but, beautifully |
| natural settings. | | | | kept and presented. |
| It is quite exhausting to walk around the zoo, if | | | | By the Southern route you will leave Lampang |
| you want to see everything but, they do have | | | | heading for the hills towards another pretty city |
| mini buses that you can jump on to get from | | | | Phayao, via Ngao, which lies at the foot of the hills |
| point to point at a small cost. | | | | which need to be traversed. I can testify from |
| Chiang Mai offers many hotels, from budget | | | | personal experience that it is very exhilarating to |
| through to the luxurious Sheraton Chiang Mai. | | | | travel this route by coach. The drivers seem not |
| Something worth remembering is that the | | | | to accept that others may use the road. Certainly |
| majority of hotels have a daily room rate and | | | | anyone else on the route stays well out of their |
| also a monthly rate. Should you be staying more | | | | way. |
| than two weeks in the city it is definitely worth | | | | You will know when you are reaching Phayao by |
| ascertaing the daily rate first. Having been offered | | | | virtue of the huge expanse of water on your left. |
| the daily rate, enquire the monthly rate. | | | | There is a temple nestled at the edge of the lake |
| At a hotel with a daily rate of 650baht, this | | | | which must rate as one of the most peaceful |
| represents a monthly rate of 20,000baht. You will | | | | places on this earth. |
| be pleasantly surprised to find that the monthly | | | | Past Phayao the main road swings North and |
| rate will be somewhere around 7-8000baht. | | | | eventually you enter Chiang Rai from the South. |
| This results in a saving of 1000-2000baht against | | | | Further North some 30 kilometres lies Mae Sai |
| the daily rate. Any period longer than two weeks | | | | whose claim to fame is to be the Northern most |
| will mean that any extra days will in essence be | | | | point in Thailand. The so called Freedom Bridge |
| free. | | | | marks the border between Thailand and Myanmar. |
| The only difference in service is that sheets will | | | | I personally don't imagine the locals of Myanmar |
| only be changed once or twice a week and the | | | | consider it as a freedom bridge since the Military |
| same goes for chambermaid cleaning of the | | | | Junta keeps them firmly in Myanmar. |
| room. A small sacrifice I would suggest. | | | | To cross from NorthernThailand into Myanmar |
| South of Chiang Mai is Lamphun, home to the | | | | however, is certainly an experience not to be |
| Northern Thailand Trading Estate which provides | | | | missed. Immiediately across the bridge is a |
| jobs in many Multi-National companies who's | | | | market which is a hotbed of contraband or cheap |
| names would be instantly recognisable to most | | | | goods of all hues. |
| visitors. Lamphun, also has its own moat and | | | | |