Captivating Chiang Mai Holidays

Chiang Mai, the cultural epi centre of Thailand, a city of sacred places, with gilded temples on every corner, and bejewelled Buddhas. Head out of the city into the beautiful hills and mountains which are verdantly green, cool and welcoming, and teaming with wildlife; the air is so fresh. There is a peace and serenity here that isn’t found in other cities across Thailand. I cannot put my finger on what it is  it but Chiang Mai has a really special feeling about it.

This is the biggest city in the North of Thailand but you wouldn’t guess it was. Sitting beside a river this ancient walled city places meditation, massages and complementary medicine high on the agenda. The pace of life is pretty slow here for such a big city. Taking time out to have a coffee, read a book and breathe is pretty important. You can even pop in to a coffee shop and have a one to one chat with a monk.

There are more than 300 temples here, it seems every corner you turn brings you to one. Expect to take lots of stunning pictures. Shopping tends to be focused around the night markets and smaller local shops but there is a touch of new cool on the Nimmanhaemin Road where a few designer boutiques and trendy bars and coffee shops have popped up.

The food in this area of Thailand is exceptional, dishes are fragrant and subtle. The local speciality is Khao Soi a coconut and curry soup often served with noodles and the Thai barbecue chicken is spectacular. Its worth trying these dishes whilst you are here though, away from Northern Thailand they are rarely cooked.

There are some beautiful and luxurious hotels with Chiang Mai many just within or close to the city walls. It is difficult to tell you are in a city; with charming buildings, beautiful gardens and lotus filled ponds yet steps away from this captivating city. Choose a city hotel that is committed to providing tourists with the opportunity to get involved in local life with links to many of the activities available. Alternatively choose a 5 star luxury resort with free flowing pools, and a serene spa to relax in.

What to do on your holiday to Chaing Mai

• Embrace the Buddhist way of life and take a meditation course with monks whilst in Chiang Mai. You will learn about mindfulness and breath work, an experience that will transcend into life at home.
• Leave the city and visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a temple built on the top of a hill. From there, you can enjoy a 360° view of Chiang Mai and its surroundings.
• Visit an elephant sanctuary for the day and get up close with this gentle giants. This is an experience that will stay with you forever, it certainly has me! Spend time with the animals feeding time, playing with them and enjoy a mud bath and wash down during the visit.
• Take a cookery course and learn how to cook delicious Thai food that is typical for this part of the country. The course includes a trip to the market to buy the freshest of ingredients and of course at the end eating the spoils.
• Visit the vibrant night market, haggle for handmade items and enjoy delicious cocktails under the lit colourful paper lanterns and umbrellas.
• Wander around the city, taking your time to see all of the beautiful buildings and temples and to enjoy the city in a peaceful way. Be sure to stop for coffee to recharge.

Ready to start planning your Chiang Mai Holiday? Get in touch today.

We know how important it is that your escape to the Thailand is perfect, and we are here to help. With so many different islands, resorts and hotels to choose from we will need to ask you some questions to find out what is important to you. Finding out how you like to spend your holiday helps us match you to the holiday of your dreams.

We can talk to you about all of these questions and more and of course help you with your choice. As Thailand Experts and previous visitors to Chiang Mai we can share our first-hand experiences of holidaying here and help you plan the holiday of dreams.

Twin Centre Escape

Many people who choose Thailand for their holidays will stay in a number of different places over their time in the country. Internal flights are fantastic and amazingly priced making it easy to get around and see several places within this beautiful place. I would highly recommend a stay in Chiang Mai as a contrast to time in a southern beach resort of Thailand. It is a great way to experience an authentic part of Thailand without the pace of Bangkok. Team a stay here with time in Koh Samui or Krabi, or add in a further city and choose Bangkok.

As  bespoke travel designers we can build a holiday to suit you. I travelled to Chiang Mai directly from Hanoi in Vietnam. This or other destinations can be combined for you.  We can help you make the most out of your time away

Get in touch today. We are looking forward to planning your dream holiday.