"Chiang Mai - Thailand's second most-visited city" Chiang Mai by Willettsworld

Thailand's northern capital, Chiang Mai is Thailand's second most-visited city, yet in terms of size it does not remotely compare to Bangkok. With its smaller size and population, Chiang Mai has a lot in its favour for tourists and travellers alike, with the centre of town packed with glittering wats, excellent restaurants, bars and expansive shopping markets. But most foreign holiday-makers find themselves in Chiang Mai not for the temples nor the food, nor even the entertainment scene, but rather for the hill-tribe trekking. For decades Chiang Mai has formed the trekking base of northern Thailand.

Founded in 1296, Chiang Mai is a culturally and historically interesting city, at one time the capital of the ancient Lanna kingdom. Located among the rolling foothills of the Himalayan Mountains 700km north of Bangkok, it could only be reached by an arduous river journey or an elephant ride until the 1920s. This isolation helped preserve Chiang Mai's distinctive charm that is still intact to this day.

Chiang Mai's historical centre is the walled city (City is chiang in the northern Thai dialect while 'mai' is new, hence Chiang Mai - "New City"). Sections of the wall dating to their restoration a few hundred years ago remain at the gates and corners, but of the rest only the moat remains. Inside Chiang Mai's remaining city walls are more than 30 temples dating back to the founding of the principality, in a combination of Burmese, Sri Lankan and Lanna Thai styles, decorated with beautiful wood carvings, Naga staircases, leonine and angelic guardians, gilded umbrellas and pagodas laced with gold filigree.

I came here from Lampang and really enjoyed visiting the temples and museums and enjoying the good food and nightlife before I headed on to Chiang Rai.