Travel

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24 Hours In… Chiang Mai

Founded over 720 years ago as the capital of the ancient Lanna Kingdom, Chiang Mai continues to draw visitors from across Thailand and around the world, thanks to its welcoming community, distinct culture and sought-after cuisine. Centred around a walled Old City, with the Mae Ping River to the east and Doi Suthep mountain to the west, it’s easy to navigate the heart of Chiang Mai on foot, while other attractions are just a short tuk-tuk or shared songthaew ride away. Local blogger Alana Morgan shows us around.

By Alana Morgan

Travel

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24 Hours In… Chiang Mai.

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6:45am, Morning Alms – Every morning, Thailand’s Buddhist monks rise early and leave the temples to collect food alms for the day. To catch a glimpse of this millenia-old ritual, make your way to the Old City’s southern entrance, Chiang Mai Gate, where orange-robed monks will linger to accept donations from the local community. Visitors should be respectful by standing at a distance and refraining from taking photos – it may seem exotic to outsiders, but it’s simply normal people going about their daily lives. [Photo: Kathy/flickr]

Travel

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24 Hours In… Chiang Mai.

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8am, Temple-Hopping In The Old City – Chiang Mai province is home to hundreds of glittering temples, and 29 of them are concentrated within the Old City walls. Wander through the Old City, stopping at whichever temple catches your eye. You can’t miss them: there are multiple temples right next to each other! The largest and most significant temples are Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang, but a number of the smaller sites are also well worth a visit, such as Wat Jed Lin, Wat Chiang Man, Wat Pan Tao and Wat Pan Waen.

Travel

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24 Hours In… Chiang Mai.

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10am, Caffeine Break – You’re never too far from a good cup of joe in Chiang Mai, where many of the town’s trendy cafés roast their own regionally grown beans; Akha Ama La Fattoria is a long-time local favourite. If coffee isn’t your thing, you’re bound to pass a drink cart during your walk, where you can order a Thai iced tea. Made with a special black tea blend, the iconic concoction packs a punch of caffeine and sugar, thanks to loads of sweetened condensed milk. [Photo: Akha Ama/Facebook]

Travel

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24 Hours In… Chiang Mai.

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1pm, Local Khao Soi Lunch – You’re sure to work up an appetite with all that walking. For lunch, sample Chiang Mai’s famous dish of khao soi: egg noodles and stewed chicken legs swimming in a creamy yellow curry, topped with crispy deep-fried noodles, pickled greens, fresh shallots, lime and roasted chilli paste. Grab a bowl at the small Khao Soi Khun Yai shop on the north side of the Old City, near Wat Kuan Kama.

Travel

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24 Hours In… Chiang Mai.

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2pm, Unwind With A Massage – You can’t visit Chiang Mai without indulging in a massage and – with traditional Thai massages starting as low as 120 baht an hour – a treatment won’t even come close to breaking the bank. Drop into any of the small, basic massage shops you find, or plan ahead and book an afternoon appointment at one of Fah Lanna Spa’s two gorgeous locations in the Old City and Nimmanhaemin neighbourhood. [Photo: Fah Lanna Spa]

Travel

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24 Hours In… Chiang Mai.

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11pm, Grab A Nightcap – After the show, walk across the street toward the river to get a nightcap at The Service 1921 Restaurant & Bar at the Anantara resort, housed in a white colonial building that was originally the city’s first British consulate. Want a more high-energy atmosphere? Head across the river to The Riverside Bar & Restaurant, where live cover bands play nightly. (It’s also one of the only venues in town that stays open after midnight!) [Photo: © Anantara]

Travel

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24 Hours In… Chiang Mai.

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Where To Stay – There are three central areas to stay in Chiang Mai: the Old City, the riverside or the Nimmanhaemin neighbourhood. All are walkable, easily accessed by different transportation options, and offer a range of accommodations, from budget hostels to 5-star boutique hotels.

Travel

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24 Hours In… Chiang Mai.

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Calling Chiang Mai home for the past eight years, Alana Morgan has shared her Thai travel secrets through her writing, which has appeared in various outlets such as Lonely Planet, National Geographic, in-flight magazines and her own blog, Paper Planes. When she’s not travelling, Alana works as a copywriter for Thai businesses through her company, Morgan Media. Follow her on Instagram at @paperplanesblog.