Attraction Muang
District, Chiang Mai Thailand
 Chiang
Mai National Museum 
Located on the Chiang Mai-Lampang Super Highway near Wat Chet Yot,
the museum has been designated by the Fine Arts Department as a
regional center for education and preservation of the art and culture
of Chiang Mai and upper northern Thailand the Lanna Kingdom. Their
Majesties the King and Queen graciously presided over the opening
of the museum on 6 February 1973. The museum was built according
to traditional northern architecture, with a Lanna Thai rooftop.
Interesting exhibitions include:
Topic 1: The natural and cultural background of the Lan Na Kingdom
including the geology, ecology, geography and prehistoric settlement
of the north.
Topic 2: The history of the Lan Na Kingdom from the establishment
of Chiang Mai city to its peak and decline under Burmese control
from 1558 to 1769.
Topic 3: The city of Chiang Mai under the Kingdom of Siam, from
the time Chiang Mai regained its freedom from Burma, to the reestablishment
of Chiang Mai city in 1782.
Topic 4: Trade and economy of the Lan Na Kingdom from 1782 to 1939.
Topic 5: The modern way of life and social development: agriculture
and industry, banking, international relations, education and public
health.
Topic 6: The development of the Lan Na Art Style, and the history
of art in Thailand from the Dvaravati period to the present day.
Not far away from the Chiang Mai National Museum is the Tribal
Museum, which displays information on the history and culture of
each hill tribe as well as their traditional handicrafts. The museum
is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. (closed
on National Holidays) Contact tel. 053 221328 for more information.
Admission fee is 30 baht.
Chiang Mai Zoo
Situated next to Huai Kaew Arboretum at the foot of the mountain
where Phra That Doi Suthep is located, the zoo houses a pair of
cuddly Pandas on loan from China. Inside the zoo, there are over
200 types of Asian and African mammals and birds for visitors to
observe. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., the admission fee for
an adult is 100 baht and a child is 20 baht. There are excellent
facilities for tourists with restaurants and a camping site. Advance
booking is required for large groups. Contact: tel. 0-5322-1179,
0-5322-2283.
CMU
Art Museum (Chiang Mai University Art Museum)
The Art Museum is situated on Nimmanhemin Road opposite the Chiang
Mai University Auditorium. There are a lot of interesting exhibitions
on display in the museum art gallery, check the schedule at the
Faculty of Fine Arts, Chiang Mai University 239 Huey Kaew Road Chiang
Mai 50200. Or Tel/Fax: 66-53-211724, e-mail: pongdej@chiangmai.ac.th
Doi
Suthep-Doi Pui National Park 
Doi Suthep & Doi Pui National Park
Covering an area of 262 sq. km., this luxuriant park is home to
more than 300 bird species and nearly 2,000 species of ferns and
flowering plants. Some hiking trails in the park pass Hmong villages
while others lead to a few small waterfalls where local people come
to picnicking on weekends. Accommodations are available near the
park headquarters. To get there, take Highway No. 1004, its only
16 kilometers drive northwest of Chiang Mai town. The Park has interesting
attractions, which include:
Namtok
Huai Kaew
This waterfall is located near the Chiang Mai Zoo and is a pleasant
place for relaxation and picnics.
Doi
Pui Tribal Village
This village is a Hmong village situated on an asphalt road approximately
3 kilometers from Phu Phing Palace and approximately one hour from
Chiang Mai. The village presents the typical lifestyle of the Hmong
as well as a scenic view of Doi Inthanon.
Phu
Phing Palace (Royal Winter Palace)
The palace is located further up the mountain and approximately
6 kilometers from Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. The royal winter palace
was built in 1962. Its landscaped gardens are decorated with plenty
of colorful, exotic flowers. It is open every day from 8.30 a.m.
to 4.30 p.m. except when the Royal family is in residence which
is usually from mid December to early February.
Huai
Kaeo Arboretum
Situated next to the famous Chiang Mai University and the Chiang
Mai Zoo, Huai Kaeo Arboretum, is a mixed blessing of landscaped
gardens with many kinds of tropical trees and exquisite flowers.
Locals love to relax and do morning and evening exercise in the
compound.
Insect
and Natural Wonders Museum
Exhibiting an awesome collection of domestic and foreign insects
including animal fossils, the museum is located at 72 Nimmanhemin,
Soi 12 (Sirimangkhlalachan Soi 3), Huai Kaew, Muang District. For
more information contact tel 053 211891 or email to insects_museum@hotmail.com
Kad
Suan Kaeo Art & Cultural Centre
This newly developed centre is located in Kad Suan Kaeo Shopping
Mall. It is a centre where traditional arts and cultural performances
are performed using state-of-the art stage technology. For more
information contact tel 053 224333 ext. Kad Silpa.
Khruba
Siwichai Monument
Located at the foot of Doi Suthep, the monument was built in 1935
to honor Khruba Siwichai a famous Lanna monk who initiated construction
of the road leading up to Phra That Doi Suthep. Throughout his life,
Khruba Siwichai organized many temple related renovation activities.
Lanna
Woodcarving Art Museum
Ban Roi An Phan Yang Museum is the exhibition center of antiques
and woodcarving masterpieces located at Chiang Mai-Sanpatong Road,
Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai 50230.
Night
Bazaar 
The Night Bazaar is a shopping haven where one can find handmade
products and souvenirs from many Chiang Mai villages and hill tribes.
Local cloths and fabrics are reasonably priced for purchasing. The
shopping street opens around 6:00 p.m.
Sao
Inthakil or Sao Lak Muang
The city pillar was built when the founder of Chiang Mai, King Meng
Rai, ruled the city in 1296. Located in front of Wat Chedi Luang
and enshrined in a small Thai chapel, the pillar is made of log
and kept underground. The Khao Inthakil or city pillar celebration
is held annually in May.
Sbun-Nga
Textile Musuem
Address: 185/20 Wua Lai Road, Muang, Chiang Mai. Tel: 053 200655
or 01 8836713
This is the largest textile museum in Thailand which is situated
at Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center. See over a thousand ancient and
rare textiles revealing the elaborate weaving skills of both royal
and local ancestors in Southeast Asia. Open daily (except Wednesdays)
from 10.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m..
Wat Buppharam
The temple is located on Tha Phae Road, Muang District. Interesting
attractions include the chedi constructed in the Burmese architectural
style, the carved wooden main chapel roof and the small wood chapel
constructed in the local style.
Wat
Chedi Chet Yot
Located on the Super Highway Road (Chiang Mai-Lampang) only 4 kilometers
from the town, the temple is one of the oldest temples in Chiang
Mai. One of the main attractions is a seven-spired square chedi,
which was inspired by the design of the Phuttakaya stupa in India.
More importantly, the stupa contains the ashes of King Tilokkarat,
a king of the Meng Rai Dynasty who built this temple.
Wat
Chedi Liam or Chedi Ku Kham
The temple, situated in newly developed tourist destination, Wiang
Kum Kam, was built in 1288 during the reign of King Meng Rai. Hundreds
of years later, the temple was left abandoned until a Burmese tycoon
renovated the temple in 1908. As a result, the temple has some Burmese
influences in addition to its former Khmer style of which only some
parts were rebuilt.
Wat
Chedi Luang 
This 14th century temple, where the City Pillar Shrine is located,
is famous for its enormous chedi, which is measured at 282 feet
high and 144 feet wide (at the base). Located right in the middle
of the city, it is considered to be the largest chedi in Chiang
Mai. Its spire collapsed in 1545 due to an earthquake. A pair of
magnificent Naga staircases at the front porch of the chapel is
among the most beautiful manmade serpents in the North. Chao Khun
Uba Lee Poramacharn (Sirichantathera) and Chao Kaeo Navarat built
the front chapel in 1928.
Wat
Chiang Man
The oldest temple in Chiang Mai town, Wat Chiang Man was built in
1296 by King Mengrai, the founder of Chiang Mai. The temple is famous
for its Lanna-style chedi supported by rows of elephant-shaped buttresses
and an ancient and invaluable Buddha image named Phra Kaeo Khao.
Wat Chiang Man is situated off of Ratchapakhinai Road in the northeast
corner of the old city.
Wat Gate Museum
The temple museum, Wat Gate Museum features an eclectic collection
of artifacts discovered from the attics and storerooms of the temple.
One of the most interesting art objects is an old Siamese 'White
Elephant' flag and a collection of old phonographs going back more
than 100 years to the western trading era in Chiang Mai. There are
pictures of scenes from daily life in Chiang Mai including old riverboats,
markets and even examples of criminal prosecution. It is possible
to see what many of the town's temples looked like after the Burmese
occupation, when they were mostly abandoned, and before the modern
influx of tourists resulted in their restoration. There are also
displays of records and record players. The museum opens daily from
8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Wat
Ku Tao
Formerly known as Wat Veru Vanaram, the temple is located in Sri
Phum Sub-district, near the Chiang Mai Stadium. Wat Ku Tao, ku tao
being the local term for watermelon, is famous for its unusual watermelon-shaped
pagoda. According to the legend, Ku Tao chedi contains the ashes
of Prince Saravadee, the son of King Bureng Nong who ruled Chiang
Mai from1579 to 1607.
Wat
Phan Tao
The temple that was a throne hall for King Mahotara Prateth whose
symbol is the peacock is located on Phra Pok Klao Road, next to
Wat Chedi Luang. The peacock- shaped doors were thus built to represent
the King.
Wat Phra Sing
Built in 1345, the temple is located on Sam Lan Road. It houses
the North's most revered Buddha statue, Phra Phuttha Sihing which
is enshrined in Vihan Lai Kham, a chapel that features exquisite
woodcarvings and northern style murals. Every year on April 13,
Songkran Day, the image is paraded through the streets of Chiang
Mai for local people to sprinkle scented water on. This area was
formerly Wat Li Chiang Market until 1345, when King Pa Yu, the fifth
king of the Meng Rai Dynasty commanded the construction of this
temple and a 24-feet chedi to contain his father's ashes.
Wat
Phra That Doi Suthep ( Wat Phratat Doi Suthep)
Locals would say, You havent really gone to Chiang Mai unless
youve been to Wat Phratat Doi Suthep. Truly, the place is the most
important and famous Chiang Mai landmark. Built in 1383, this mountaintop
temple has a chedi (pagoda) that houses holy Buddha relics. The
gold-plated chedi lies in the middle of a square marble-tiled courtyard.
The four corners of the chedi are adorned with parasols which represent
royal regalia. The temples courtyard is lined by a cloister, which
contains images and murals depicting Buddhas life. There are also
two viharns situated in the middle of the east and west sides of
the cloister.
This temple is 15 kilometers from town and is 3,520 feet above sea
level. It is the perfect place to get a birds eye view of the city.
The temple can be reached via a steep Naga staircase comprised of
290 steps or railcars. The temple is open daily from 6 a.m. to 7
p.m.To get there, drive along Huay Kaew Road up the mountain. Alternatively,
there are song thaew services available at the foot of the mountain.
It costs 30 baht/head to go up to Doi Suthep and approximately 50
baht/head to go further to Doi Pui and Phu Phing Palace. Note that
these are one-way fares. (This is the added text)
Wat
Prasat
Located on Inthawarorot Road, near Wat Phra Sing, is Wat Prasat
where a rare Lanna style Buddha image is enshrined. The temple is
composed of a traditional Lanna style chapel, with its roof is decorated
in colorful glasses and carved wooden lions.
Wat Saen Fang
Located on Tha Phae Road, Wat Saen Fang is an old Burmese-style
temple. According to history, King Intavitchayanontha, the seventh
king who governed Chiang Mai commanded that the residence of Phra
Chao Gavirorossurivongs (Chao Chevit Ao), the sixth ruler of Chiang
Mai be destroyed. Later, his former residence was rebuilt in this
temple.
Wat
Suan Dok 
Another temple located on Suthep Road, Wat Suan Dok was built in
the 14th century and houses the 500-year old bronze Buddha image
which is one of Thailands largest metal images. Several of the white
chedis around the temple contain ashes of Chiang Mai's former royal
family.
Wat
U Mong
Built in 1296 by King Meng Rai, it is situated in a rustic forest
setting on Suthep Road and was renovated during the reign of King
Keu Na. This famous meditation temple is unique in its large tunnel-like
construction.
Wiang
Kum Kam
A recently discovered ancient city believed to have been built during
the reign of King Meng Rai in 1286, the city was once the capital
of the Lanna Kingdom until the Maenam Ping flooded and wiped out
the whole city. To visit Wiang Kum Kam today, drive south east of
Chiang Mai, between Km. 3-4, on the Chiang Mai-Lamphun route in
Saraphi District. Just drive along the road at Nong Hoi Police box
to the Ko Klang Pa Kluai intersection and proceed to Chedi Liam
Police box. There are more than 20 ancient ruins inside and around
Wiang Kum Kam including Wat Chedi Liam, Wat Chang Kham, Wat Noi,
Wat Pu Pia, Wat Ku Koa, Wat E Kang, Wat Hua Nong, and Wat Pu Song
which are dated from the 21st 22nd Buddhist centuries.
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