Chiang Mai is one of the most popular cities in Thailand for Thais and tourists alike. Chiang Mai is in northern Thailand, around 700 kilometers from Bangkok and is popular for long weekends, long holidays, hiking, trekking, elephant riding, visiting Hill Tribe villages and more. There is so much to do in the Chiang Mai area, that sometimes it's difficult to narrow it down. But, as a westerner who lives in Thailand and has visited Chiang Mai many times, there are certain things I would recommend everybody to do.
Visit Doi Suthep - One of the most popular things to do in Chiang Mai is to visit Wat Prathat Doi Suthep. Wat Prathat Doi Suthep is a temple high up on Suthep Mountain and is the place where everyone visits at least once when they go to Chiang Mai. To get to Doi Suthep you can take a tour bus, hire a taxi or go in a songtaew (the red pick up trucks that pick up passengers all over Chiang Mai). From downtown Chiang Mai, it will take around 30 to 45 minutes to get up to Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, depending on how bad the traffic is and which day you go (Saturdays and Sundays are very busy, so during the week is usually a better time to go). Doi Suthep is a beautiful temple with a golden chedi, lots of bells you can ring to send your prayers to heaven and, on a clear day, the most beautiful view all over Chiang Mai. When you get to Doi Suthep and walk past all the hawkers, you have two choices to get up to the actual temple. Walk up the steps, which comprises of more than 300 of them, or take the easy way up by riding the funicular - an old-fashioned rail carriage that chugs up the hill to the temple.
Go to the Umbrella Factory and the Silk Factories - Chiang Mai is famous for its Thai handicrafts, especially handmade paper umbrellas and Thai silk. There is a large umbrella factory that you can visit, buy umbrellas and have them, bags, t shirts, jackets etc. hand-painted by artists who only charge $1 per hand-painted item. There are also three or four silk factories and silk showrooms that showcase the most beautiful Thai silk clothing. As Thai silk is the best silk in the world, here you will get beautiful quality items at an extremely fair price.
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