The Chaing Mai Night Bazaar would have to be the best night market in SE Asia. Chaing Mai sits on an ancient trade route from India to Burma. For centuries it has been the place to buy exotic trinkets, handcrafts & just about anything now. Hill tribes sell their unique handmade products. Major brand names & faux brands are all there. Stunningly beautiful Thai dancers provide cultural entertainment for diners. It's the city's major night time attraction for families, backpackers & locals as well.
And there is not enough stomach space for all the food that l wanted to sample & consume. Everywhere, hot woks are feverishly knocking up aromatic snacks & feasts. Chaing Mai possesses restaurants of all cuisines , all of extremely high standard, with all the flair and presentation that the Thais do so well. Also great coffee cafés & charming niche style organic restaurants. Chaing Mai is not the place to consider starting a restrictive diet of any kind.
Though there are some fabulous retreats & day spas not far out of town. And quite a bit of healthy competition has created some very reasonable prices. The Thais know how to pamper. They make you feel like royalty & indulgence is your birth right. My budget takes me for a 250 bht ($8) facial at the local massage parlour. Even there l am treated like a very special guest and l soak up the all the attention & 7 different treatments. My face has been scrubbed, steamed, vacuumed, massaged and l float out feeling like a superstar.
And the best part of town for me is in & around the old city. The cheaper accomodation & the liveliest bars are all in this area. The major gates & part of the ancient wall that surrounded the old city, still exists. This main square is framed by the moat, making Chaing Mai distinctive & distinguished.
Trekking in the area is excellent, combined with the cultural experience of meeting & home-staying with the hill tribes. There are many tribes such as the Karen (longnecks), Hmong, Akha, Lahu, and all are uniquely different. Some of the hill tribes are shy & quiet, where others can be all over you selling their traditional wares. They speak their own language & celebrate their own animistic festivals. They add a richness to the colour of Northern Thailand.
Chaing Mai abounds with activities, particularly focused on elephants. The elephant camps offer rides, mahout courses from 3-10 days and also there are some camps that are conservation & rescue camps that discourage the riding of elephants. I'm in two minds about the morality of it. I love riding them. They are so powerful & so gentle.
A 3 day trek costs about 1500 bht ($50). Accomodation in backpackers hostels costs about 250-300 bht ($10). I stayed at So Hostel & happy to reccommend it.
No comments:
Post a Comment