About Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai, often called the ‘Rose of the North’, is situated on the Mae Ping River basin in an altitude of approximately 310 meters above sea level, approximately 700 kilometers from Bangkok. Surrounded by high mountain ranges and lush tropical forests, Chiang Mai offers a wealth of natural parks, waterfalls, elephant parks and other nature-based tourist attractions that are ideally suited for all kinds of outdoor activities.

The old city of Chiang Mai shows evidence of the deep cultural roots of the former capital of the Lanna Kingdom, with its more than 30 temples dating back many centuries to the founding of the city. Chiang Mai’s indigenous cultural identity, as reflected in its cuisine, architecture, festivals, classical dances and handcrafts, makes the city a prime destination in itself.

Most important to the city’s charm, though, are its residents who offer their warm and authentic hospitality to visitors from all over the world, thus making Chiang Mai a place where both backpackers and luxury tourists can enjoy themselves to the fullest.

History

Chiang Mai - literally meaning ‘new city’ - was founded by King Meng Rai as the capital of the Lanna (‘a million rice fields’) Kingdom in 1296 with great support from King Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai and King Ngam Muang of Phayao (‘The Three Kings’). The city soon became an important cultural and religious centre, with many temples being built (the first of which was Wat Chiang Man) and the Eight World Buddhist council being held here in 1477.

Chiang Mai was captured by Burma in 1556 and remained under Burmese rule for over 200 years. It was not until 1775 that the city was re-captured by the Thais under King Thaksin (Rama I), who appointed Chao Kawila as viceroy of Northern Thailand. Kavila built the monumental brick walls (‘Moat’) around the inner city in 1800, and it was under his reign that Chiang Mai turned into an important regional trade center, both for goods from China and Burma, as well as for locally produced handcrafts.

Chiang Mai officially became a province of Thailand in 1933. In the past few decades tourism has become increasingly important for Chiang Mai and has now turned into the main source of revenues for the city.

More Information

A wealth of information about Chiang Mai, cultural and natural attractions, accommodation and more is available at 1Stopchiangmai.com, or Wikitravel.org.