Trip Report: Appreciating The Rose of The North

For those who are a little tired of the hustle and bustle in Bangkok, Chiang Mai is a good break from the City of Angel. Known as the "Rose of The North", Chiang Mai means "New Town" in Thai. Its surroundings are of mist- shrouded mountains and fertile valleys. It is also a religious city with nearly 1100 Buddhist temples. Compared to the locals in Bangkok, the Thais here are more mild mannered and hospitable. Life here definitely takes a slower pace than life in Bangkok. The weather is also much cooler here and it is an inexpensive city to visit (more so than Bangkok).

There are many attractions in Chiang Mai. There are the historical Buddhist temples, handicraft shops, tribal villages, gardens and elephant camps. The Maesa elephant camp was my personal favorite. The elephants at this camp were smart and put on a great show including playing soccer, painting artwork and playing the harmonica while swinging their trunks to the tune (the sight was really hilarious)! I also enjoyed riding the elephants at the Pong Yang elephant camp. Here they offer you a one-hour or two-hour ride. I opted for the one-hour ride with my mom (US$15 per person) and the scenery during the ride was amazing. The elephant took us to the valleys and waterfalls. Even though Pong Yang elephant camp charges a higher fee for elephant rides compared to the Maesa elephant camp, it is much less crowded than the latter.

No visit to Chiang Mai would be complete if you did not visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep located on Mount Doi Suthep. Built in the 16th century, this famous temple enshrines a relic of the Buddha. Another temple to check out is Wat Chiang Man, the oldest temple in Chiang Mai. It was built around 1296 A.D.. The night bizarre is also an attraction not to be missed when you visit Chiang Mai. At this outdoor market you will find vendors selling things like handicrafts, t-shirts, jewelry and local street food. Of course you need to bargain when you shop here. The golden rule of bargaining is always to take 60-70% off the asking price and walk away if the vendor refuses to accept your proposal. Never compromise!

Among the many restaurants in Chiang Mai offering Thai food, my personal favorite was Tha Nam. It is a traditional Thai mansion located by the river and it serves delicious and authentic northern and central Thai dishes. The address of Tha Nam is 43/3 Moo 2 T. Phardad, A Mueng and the phone number is (66 53) 275-125. The restaurant/guesthouse also has a website (www.kamponglodges.com/thanam).

Besides restaurants, you can also go to any outdoor night market to taste the tasty local Thai food at a fraction of the prices charged at any restaurant in the city. Chiang Mai delicacies include sai-ua (Chiang Mai sausage), mu-yo (Pork sausage) and naem (pork sausage with lime and chili). They definitely love sausages here. You can also get great Pad-Thai at these night markets.

One thing that came in very handy for me when I dined out in Thailand was the handkerchief. Bigger guys like me tend to sweat profusely when eating spicy food, so I would make sure I have one with me when I ate spicy food which was pretty much everything I ate when I was there. Once I made the mistake of not bringing a handkerchief with me and by my third course the server had brought out the pre-moistened towelette and a fan for his super sweaty customer.

In my opinion, Chiang Mai was not as beautiful as I had expected. It is however a relaxing and serene place to spend a few days indulging oneself in the scrumptious food and fun attractions that the city has to offer. So when you go to Bangkok next time and want to breathe some fresh air, you should consider adding a side trip to The Rose of The North. It is only a one- hour flight from Bangkok and there are a few budget carriers that fly to this destination at a very low price, such as Thai Air Asia, Nok Air, Bangkok Airways and Orient Air. The Thai national flag carrier, Thai Airways, also flies here.