Monthly Archives: March 2012

03/20/12

Wat Phra Singh

Find your way to Wat Phra Singh with this map (you can double-click or right double-click on the map to zoom in or out). The old city of Chiang mai is a 1.6 x 1.6 kilometer square surrounded by a moat. Wat Phra Singh is located inside the old city, between the center and the west side moat. Rachadamnoen road, which runs from Wat Phra Singh eastwards, is the location of the weekly “walking street” market where you can spend Sunday evenings shopping for souvenirs.


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Wat Phra Singh can be considered the center point of Chiang Mai. Of the important temples of Chiang Mai, this temple is located right in the center of the old city.

03/20/12

Wat Umong

This map is to help you find your way to Wat Umong (double-click or right double-click the map to zoom in or out). Wat Umong is located at the foot of the hills on the west side of the city. From the moat (which surrounds the old city), follow the Suthep road for about 1.8 kilometer. At the irrigation canal turn left. After about 900 meter turn right and follow some small roads to reach the temple area. You will probably have to ask for some help because the Wat Umong is not so easy to find as it is not on a main road.


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This jungle temple at the foothills of Doi Suthep mountain is really a special place with a unique atmosphere. A visit to Wat Umong offers plenty of photo opportunities, not only of the chedi but also the area surrounding it. As it is located at the West side of the old city, a visit to Wat Umong could be combined with visits to Wat Suan Dok and/or the Chiang Mai Faculty of Arts Museum, which both are located at Suthep road.

03/20/12

Wat Doisaket

Here is a map for finding your way to Wat Doisaket (double-click or right double-click on the map to zoom in or out). If you are traveling in the area east of Chiang Mai you could include a visit to this temple. It is located on a small hill near Highway 118 (the road to Chiangrai) at about 15 kilometers north-east of the city.


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03/20/12

Wat Chiang Man

This map is to help you find your way to Wat Chiang Man (double-click or right double-click on the map to zoom in or out). The old city of Chiang mai is surrounded by a moat forming a square of roughly 1.6 by 1.6 kilometers. Wat Chiang Man is located inside the old city near the North East corner.


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03/20/12

Wat Bup Pha Ram

Here is a map to help you find the location of Wat Bup Pha Ram (double-click or right double-click on the map to zoom in or out). The old city of Chiang Mai is a square area surrounded by a moat. Wat Buppharam is located on the east side of the old city on Tha Pae road, at about 400 meter east of the moat and 700 meter west of the Ping river.


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03/20/12

Wat Jed Yod

This map will help you find your way to Wat Jed Yod (double-click or right double-click on the map to zoom in or out). The old city of Chiang mai is surrounded by a moat. Wat Jed Yod is located north west of the old city on the Super Highway. From the North West corner of the moat follow Huay Kaew road about 1.25 kilometer and turn right to road 11 (the Super highway). After about 1 km you find Wat Jed Yod on the left.


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A visit to Wat Jed Yod can be easily combined with a visit to the nearby Chiang Mai National Museum, which is just 400 meters away (follow the superhighway to the north-east).

03/13/12

Chiang Mai Zoo

This map is to help you find your way to Chiang Mai Zoo (double-click or right double-click the map to zoom in or out). The old city of Chiang Mai is surrounded by a moat covering a square area of about 1.6 by 1.6 kilometers. From the north-west corner of the moat take Huay Kaew road and follow this road for about 3.6 kilometers to reach the zoo. Chiang Mai Zoo is near the Chiang Mai University.


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There are a few good reasons why you want to visit the Chiang Mai zoo. One reason is the Giant Panda, which is an animal so rare that you have probably not seen it yet. And another reason is the new aquarium, which is famous for having the world’s longest tunnel aquarium. Apart from these highlights there are about 400 different animal species to be seen, including koalas, giraffes, lions, elephants and zebras.

03/13/12

Night Safari

This map is to help you find your way to Night Safari (double-click or right double-click the map to zoom in or out). The old city of Chiang Mai is surrounded by a moat covering an area of about 1.6 by 1.6 kilometers. From the west side of this moat take Suthep road and drive until you reach the irrigation canal. Turn left and follow the irrigation canal for about 7 kilometers. Then turn right, crossing the canal, to reach the Night Safari. Next to the Night Safari is the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek.


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03/13/12

Royal Flora Ratchaphruek

This map is to help you find your way to Royal Flora Ratchaphruek (double-click or right double-click the map to zoom in or out). The old city of Chiang Mai is surrounded by a moat covering an area of about 1.6 by 1.6 kilometers. From the west side of this moat take Suthep road and drive until you reach the irrigation canal. Turn left and follow the irrigation canal for about 7 kilometers. Then turn right, crossing the canal, to reach the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek. Next to the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek is the Chiang Mai Night Safari.


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03/13/12

Mae Sa Valley

This map is to help you find your way to Mae Sa Valley (double-click or right double-click the map to zoom in or out). Maesa valley is in the hills north of Chiang Mai.

The old city of Chiang Mai is surrounded by a moat covering an area of about 1.6 by 1.6 kilometers. From the north side of the moat take the Changphuak road to the north. Cross the superhighway (from moat to super highway is about 2 km) and then continue north on highway number 107 for about 13 kilometers. At about 1 kilometer past Mae Rim town turn left and take road number 1096.

This is the road that will lead you into Mae Sa valley. After about 5 kilometer you pass the entrance to Mae Sa waterfall. Continue for another 4 kilometers to reach the Maesa elephant camp. If you continue further on this road you will reach the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden at about 2 kilometer past the Maesa elephant camp.


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Mae Sa valley is a beautiful place if you like to spend a day outside the city of Chiang Mai in a more natural environment. The best way to visit is by renting a car or motorbike as it allows you to stop or continue wherever you are.

When reaching Mae Sa Valley, one of the first stops would be at the Mae Sa Waterfall. The entrance to the waterfall (on the left side of the road) is clearly indicated. If it's a hot day, this is the ideal spot to cool down.

Take a shower under the waterfall to cool down

Take a shower under the waterfall to cool down

Next is a stop at the elephant camp. See elephants in action together with their mahouts. Walk around and visit the elephant nursery. You can buy some bananas and feed them to the elephants, and best of all you can make an elephant ride through the forest near the camp.

Some of the male elephants have beautiful tusks.

Some of the male elephants have beautiful tusks.

If you are courageous enough you can feed the elephants.

If you are courageous enough you can feed the elephants.

Maesa elephant camp washing baby elephant

Are they washing this baby elephant or is he being trained for the Songkran festival?

Highlight of the day is a ride on one of the elephants

Highlight of the day is a ride on one of the elephants

Another place worthwhile visiting is the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden. Walk the trails in the forests or visit the greenhouses to enjoy thousands of beautiful and rare plants.

The Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden is a wonderful place to explore

The Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden is a wonderful place to explore

Inside a greenhouse in the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden

Many rare and exotic plants in Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden offer plenty of photo opportunities.