Chiang Mai: Shangri-La in the Thai North

Thailand's second city is 900 miles from Bangkok with a setting amongst steamy mountainous jungle.

It is a mix of Thai, hilltribe and even Burmese/Chinese cultures and is absolutely unique. Along with the Khao San Road, Katchanaburi and moon parties on the islands - Chiang Mai is a mandatory stop on the backpacker route.

Agencies, hotels, and bazaar's have sprung up to cater for this trade, but it is not just a destination for the young. Beautiful scenery, breathtaking temples, delicious foods, night markets and Thai cookery courses all bring in travellers from every age and wallet. The old city, despite increased traffic (though nothing like Bangkok), is still enclosed in a moat and ruined walls. As you wander along you can see tropical gardens, buzzing tuk-tuks, and monks dressed in saffron robes. Chiang Mai is still one of the most friendly and charming places in Thailand.

Quick Tips:

Chiang Mai must be the most user-friendly of Thai cities. Surrounded by towering jungle covered mountains, it still remains easy to cover by foot. The old city is only one square mile and is full of temples, gardens and palaces. The eastern side of the Old City is the Thae Pae Gate where most of the guesthouses and tourists are located and between this and the railway station is where the famous night bazaar is held

But for all the tourists there is still an element of spicy danger to Chiang Mai. Over 250,000 hill tribe members live in the mountains between here and the Lao border. Each retains a distinct identity with seperate language and dress. Most are subsistence farmers who live on a slash'n burn policy in the surrounding forests. But also they were famous for the poppy trade and for generations this was known as the 'Golden Triangle' - centre of the world's heroin trade. Hill tribe villages now host trekkers rather then opium lords, but the trade still goes on...

Best Way To Get Around:

One of the great railway journey's of the world has to be the night-train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. You will wake up and see towering mountains covered in jungle out of the window. Taking nine hours from Bangkok most travellers arrive at the station which is 2 miles outside of town along the Chareon Muang Road. Transport in Chiang Mai usually consists of your own two feet or a tuk tuk. Tuk-tuk's a fabulous little vehicles and are basically a battery attached to three wheels. The fare from the station to Old City should not be more then 30 bahts.

But many travellers head to the north of Thailand to partake in trekking. This is far more gruelling then it looks and to hike for six hours through mountainous jungle in 40 degree humidity is no joke - but can be a fabulous experience. There are over a hundred trekking agencies in Chiang Mai and it is best to shop around to find the one which suits you. Or better still 'word-of-mouth'. But Chiang Mai is a fabulous place to settle back and relax. Many people visit for a few days and find they never want to leave...

If you roll off the train or bus in Chiang Mai without a reservations - do not worry. Waiting for you at the bus and train stations will be hotel touts. Normally, you would ignore these people but in Chiang Mai competition is so cut-throat that prices are low and quality are very high. It was simply picking a name that I liked from a Thai tout holding a hotel sign that I had the good fortune to discover the Libra guesthouse.

If you are staying on a budget in Thailand beg, grovel or plead to get into the Libra guesthouse. It is situated just into the Old City along a soi off Moon Muang Road within easy walking distance of the Thae Pae Gate and Night bazaar. The guesthouse is a family run affair and the front desk is manned by two sisters. Tables for guests are out on the verandah, the kitchen is viewable from these tables and you can smell the chefs cooking lemongrass and chicken.

The rooms are very clean and cheap (100 baht when I was there, £1.50) and are on the upper storey or along a soi (lane) and grouped around a tropical garden (see photo)and the lane gives a view into the surrounding houses whose smiling families seem to live their lives outside. But the Libra guesthouse is primarily a trekking guesthouse and has an excellent reputation. Guides hang around the guesthouse and the family will arrange a 5/4/3 day trek for you for a reasonable price (500 baht a day). There are no worries about leaving your valuebles behind as they seal them in envelopes and lock them in a safe. The professionalism of these sisters gives the place an excellent reputation.

Along with hot showers, free-roaming dogs, tropical plants and affable owners - does life get any better then the Libra guesthouse.

The problem in Chiang Mai is not what to eat - but when to stop eating. The food here is so good and cheap that you will find yourself gravitating towards the restaurants at every opportunity. If you are not careful whenever you cannot think of something to do you will end up eating - and who could blame you..

There are fantastic restaurants all around the city so it is difficult to recomend just one. The best are clustered around the Thae Pae Gate, especially the road leading to the night bazaar - Thae Pae Road (also be careful around the Thae Pae Gate at night, there are alot of prostitutes). One's that we returned to again and again are the Daret Guesthouse and Thanom Restaurant. Each with outdoor seating, views of woks sizzling in the kitchen and hordes of travellers.

The menu will probably offer western and Thai dishes. Thais have smaller apetite's then westerners so the portions are much smaller. This is carried over to the western dishes and I found the one time I tried steak and chips the portions needed to be magnified they were so small. So my advice is to stick with the Thai dishes - after all what is the point in being in Thailand otherwise.

So what are you going to have? The standard accompaniment is sticky rice with comes in a scoop with every meal. Khao Soi is a speciality in the north and consists of crispy egg noodles with beef in a cocunut soup. Be careful of the chillies - the green ones are hotter then the red, and the small ones deadlier then the large. Also if your mouth burns don't drink water it only exacerbates the situation but take a mouthful of rice. This method of cooling down was shown to me when I accidently ate the wrong chillies and was hopping around with a burning mouth. The waiters and cooks found this very funny - I wonder why?

You will hear about the famous night bazaar before you hit Chiang Mai. It is the number one thing to do at night in this northern town which does not quite delight in the nightlife of Bangkok or Patong Beach. But tourists arrive in their hundreds to the narrow streets east of Thae Pae Gate where stalls are bumper to bumper. Everything is lit up with lanterns and laid on for the tourist. And you must be made of stone not to come away with a mohoghany elephant or length of beads. Bartering and haggling is what the night bazaar is all about.

Not all of the bazaar is outdoors. On Loi Kroa road there are specialised multi-storey buildings which specialise in fabrics and handicrafts. You can buy off the roll here and the material is generally less costly then Bangkok, probably about 350 baht a metre. Ready made clothes are generally inexpensive. We watched one German man try on a tailor-made suit he had ordered three days before.

In the main bazaar area are stalls galore. Replicated Calvein Klein watches are on sale ass were T-shirts, spices, fresh food, sandals, tailored shirts and huge framed jungle insects. After a while you try not to look at anything as the stallholder will pick up on this and start bartering. I have a weakness for 'over-the-top' statues and carved mohoghany Shiva's and Ganeshs' caught my eye and I beat the man down to 300 bahts for such a statue. It was probably made for 100 bahts in a factory in Laos - but what the hell?

In one of the bazaar buildings is a postal service where you can ship your purhases home. But to the north of the bazaar is a restaurant cafe area where you can relax over a cold beer. We took time out to watch hilltribe dancing and weaver birds flutter over us. But as with every Thai city there are other bars that you must watch out for. South of the night bazaar we were told are some Sex industry hostess bars. These are full of middle-aged European men and the women in them are often less then sixteen. There are different kinds of tourist trade in Thailand and some of it is worth avoiding.

It's difficult to comprehend for outsiders how important Buddhism is to the Thai's. It governs every facet of their lives and each town or city has a number or temple's or Wat's. These Wat's are absolutley spectacular and you will not find a more colourful, imaginative houses of worship in the world. And every visitor to Thailand should visit at least one to try and get the measure of how Buddhism is so integral to Thai life. Chiang Mai has some stunners - Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang go back hundreds of years to when the city was capital of the kingdom of Lanna. With smiling saffron robed monks, palm tree's, gaudy viharns and glittering golden tiles - Wat Phra Singh could well be your favourite experience in Chiang Mai.

The Wat is in the western side of the Old City not far from the Sunthop Road and the SuanDork Gate. But most visitors approach along the Ratchdameon Road from Thae Pae Gate. The Old City is an absolute pleasure and escapes the high-rises and congestion of most Asian cities. It is narrow lanes surrounded by walled gardens, palm trees, shop fronts and low-key traffic. One thing I must stress as you explore Chiang Mai is take plenty of water. The heat, (though less then Bangkok), can wear you down and if you are out all day can lead to serious dehydration. Bottled water is very cheap (30 bahts) and even the Thai's find the mid-day sun hard going. Many of them carry parasol's.

Wat Phra Singh is housed in a large compound at the end of Ratchdameon Road. It's main temple of worship is the great viharn (temple)and stretched around it are gardens and lesser shrines and temples. Wat's are not just temples but also monasteries and places of teaching. You may see the shaven-headed, barefooted, yellow-robed monks as you move around. To enter the viharn you must remove your boots and step across the threshold barefooted. Inside is a long assembly hall where the faithful worship a 10ft golden buddha. Electric fans cool worshippers in this red teak room and monks burn incense in front of their gold idol.

I think the gardens outside are the most rewarding part. Carved golden naga's (dragons) flank stairs leading up to the rear of the viharn, and golden stupa's, palms and ponds dot the compound. The atmosphere of serenity is completed by a group of monks playing chess on a table. As you pass by they give you a hearty hello - and once again you are astonished at the sheer friendliness of the people in Thailand.

There is so much gold in Thailand. Most of it decorates temples or statues of the Buddha and seems to glitter in the tropical sun. Whenever I think back to Thailand I think of the brightly coloured temples and great statues of the Buddha covered in a king's ransome of gilt and mother-of-pearl. To see this for yourself you must come to the most historic of Chiang Mai's Wat's- Wat Chedi Luang. Here monks swish past a gigantic ziggurat-like chedi embossed with elephant and dragon statues. There can be no more exotic sight in Thailand....

This is in easy walking distance of Wat Phra Singh and the Thae Pae Gate or any tuk tuk driver in Chiang Mai. It is situated inside a walled compound and was built in 1545 and consists of a massive brownstone ziggurat with steps leading up to a temple (see photo). A set of stairs is on each of the four sides flanked by monstrous white marble naga's (dragons). A platform circumnavigates the top of the temple housing stone elephants each with limbs or trunks missing. At the top of the ziggurat is a temple with an alcove housing the Buddha whose bright gilt could be seen from below. At the back of the temple is an open-air viharn containing about five Buddha's. These were some of the most accessible and impressive I have seen - seated, reclining, cloaked in gold and jewels - with enigmatic arched eyebrows and tight hair (see photo)

I combined the Wat with a visit to the Thai massage school. I had recently returned from a 2 day trek to see the hilltribes and my toes and knee were aching. Others at my guesthouse had suggested the Beer Massage school on the Thae Pae Gate. This was my first experience of massage and for 200 bahts worth a try. Upstairs twenty mats were laid out under a whirring fan. A young smiling Thai girl takes off your shoes and gently massages your feet with aromatic oil. After half an hour all aches and pains leave your feet and I felt it was money well spent. And if you think that they are laughing at you during this. They probably are - they find foreigners very funny.

The hilltribes of northern Thailand have been called fourth world people, due to the fact that they are migrants who continue to migrate and pay no regard for national boundaries. They are spread over Thailand, Laos, China and Burma. Around Chiang Mai these people have villages in the mountainous jungle which can be visited on treks. You must choose carefully if you wish to do this as it is not a human zoo but a real life village. But if you do, and decide to stay overnight, the experience, despite the hardship, can be unforgettable.

Each hilltribe has different customs, costumes and language.The most popular, the Karen, originally migrated from China and occupy the mountains west of Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son. But others such as the Hmong were forced out from Laos after they sided with the Americans in the Vietnam war. And the Lahu have escaped Burma were their relatives are still persecuted by the repressive regimes there. Each has found the 'slash 'n burn' policy hard and in the past has fallen back on heroin production. The authorities have tried to wean them off this by introducing tourism aka trekking. But there are still poppy fields in jungle clearings watched over by armed guards.

The only way to visit them is with a trek. Choose the trek which suits your budget and fitness level. If you don't want to do any ardous walking then there are treks in which you are taken by car to villages near Chiang Mai. But for the big treks you will be taken twenty miles west into the mountains and made to walk from there. There is alot of 'Lonely Planet' snobbery about undiscovered villages but you will bump into other trekking parties on the trails - it's a fact - as trekking is big business and the trails nearest to Chiang Mai are used by alot of groups.

Shop around for your trek. Also chose wisely abou the length of trek. The 5-7 day treks can be agonisingly exhausting and we saw one come back to the Daret Guesthouse where the trekkers looked half-dead. You must also remember that this is not a luxury expedition it is likely that you will not shower or sleep in a bed for the nights you want to be away. A good trekkng company will charge 500-600 baht a day which should include rafting and elephant riding. You guide should be knowledgeable and make sure he has a good grasp of english as he is in your trust for a number of days. He is responsible for your welfare and should cook for you. Take as little as possible - you will probably only need - insect repellant, spare shorts, shirt, cold water, toiletries and sturdy boots. Be prepared for the adventure of a lifetime.

The elephants stopped half way across the river with water rushing around their ankles. A motorbike rider had stripped and was washing himself in the river. Deep noises came from their throats and they eyed the machine with suspicion. It was not mean't to be there. The mahout used his stick to tap them on, and with one more bellow they resumed their rolling gait, climbed the muddy bank and went back into the jungle.

The trek I went on was two days including elephant riding and bamboo rafting. They collected us very early in the morning in a bemo and sped us west to the mountains surrounding Chiang Mai. I was grouped with a bunch of four Scottish lads, a Dutchman and an Israeli girl. Each of us had paid 1500 bahts (£16/$20.00) to trek in the jungles and stay with the hill tribes. Our guide was the ebullient Soppong, a short-haired chubby Thai whose English was excellent. He stopped off at a market where he loaded up with supplies and cold drinking water. And after an hours drive the bemo pulled up along a shallow river. A rickety bamboo swaying bridge led across and we crossed in a chattering state of excitement as we had seen what was on the other side - elephants!

These were magnificent brutes. About four adults and youngsters were tethered in the shade or reaching for nearby greenery. We had to climb steps to be seated on the howdah which was about 12ft from the ground. The elephants would then plod for two hours through the jungle. The great leathery head of the elephant was in front of us and you had to keep your shins away from her flapping ears. We watched butterflies and flying insects flit around in the heat and as the jungle closed in on us the humidity got worse. We stopped every thirty seconds as the elephant in front of us halted and reached for its trunk for fresh vegetation. It would only move on when the mahout shouted at him or he had fresh grass to chew.

After sloshing through a river we returned to camp and went back to the bemo. And after an hours more ride stopped at a roadside restaurant and looked around. We were surrounded by towering mountains with jungle vegetation right up to their summits. The hilltribe village was eight miles up this mountain. We met with our Karen guide - a shirt wiry fellow who set an incredible pace. He led us through emerald green paddy fields ringed by jungle. When we entered the jungle the humidity nearly bowled you over and for miles we ascended a track following a stream. The incline was very severe and the track was crossed by roots and stones and was very hard on the feet. Soon all you cared about was putting one foot after another - the humidity made our T-shirts and shorts wet rags.

The last two miles of the trek were at a very severe incline and everyone was wheezing in the heat especially Soppong who was carrying our supplies. The last part was clambering over the stones near a waterfall - everyone was so hot they just stripped off and stood under the rushing water. But soon we began to see buffalo pastures and women in traditional costumes. Then we were there! A palmroofed longhouse stood on the edge of a paddyfield. From its verandah were views over the jungle and mountains. We were staying with a Karen family with father, baby, and mother working on her loom. With their dogs,hens, cockerels and tethered pig's - I thought I was in the middle of a BBC2 anthropology documentary.

The wooden longhouse was built on stilts and we would be sleeping on mats upstairs which was only reachable via wooden ladder. Soppong cooked us a delicious meal of curried potatoes and green beans and there was nothing else to do there but talk and watch the sun set over the jungle. Night falls about 6.00pm up here and the sound of cicada's was deafening. Most of us went to bed about 11.00pm with a mixture of Coca-cola and hilltribe moonshine to aid our sleep. One of the Scots asked for something stronger but the guide refused - saying the police regularly raid to make sure they are not providing opium to trekkers. So we let the sounds of the jungle send us to sleep.

After being woken up by a cockerel in a hilltribe village I will never curse when my alarm clock goes off ever again. The noise came from beneath us, from under the supports of the longhouse. It regulates the life of the Karen tribesmen who rise with the sun and there is nothing quite like descending from a hilltribe longhouse to be greeted by the view of the vertiginous jungle stretching away to the horizon.

One of the Scots lads was seriously ill when we woke up and despite insect repellant we had all been biten by mosquitoes. The lad was probably suffering from simple heat exhaustion but was very weak and couldn't eat. Toilet amenities are very basic in a hilltribe village. You have to brush your teeth with bottled water and the toilets are of the slop variety. Toilets in Asia take a little getting used to with the one in the hilltribe village being just a hole in the ground flushed by a bucket of water nearby. But to watch village life go on around you is fascinating. Every so often you would hear the sound of cowbells coming down to the village and buffalo would be driven along the trail to pasture. A villager was spurring them on with a catapult and grinning and giggling when scoring a direct hit.

After saying goodbye to the family and giving them parting gifts, we hitched up our packs and were gone from the village by 10.00am. Due to one of our group being very weak we were going to do the easier descent along the spine of some mountains. The pace was gruelling but we were rewarded with some beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. You can't really enjoy them as you are concentrating on keeping up and dodging stones and roots on the trail. Soon the jungle closed over us and we were dripping with sweat, the descent was steep and soon we were running down the mountain with the back of our calves taking the pressure. This went on for four hours and eventually we reached level ground and crossed numerous streams on slippery rocks. A further walk through paddy fields and we were at the road. I had never been so glad to see the bemo in all my life.

For the next part, after an eagerly devoured lunch of garlic beef and rice, we were driven to a wide river flanked by jungle where bamboo rafts were drawn up on the shore. Each raft consists of 15 bamboo tubes lashed together and with a Thai man propels the front of the craft while one of us has the rear. The current takes you downstreams past jungle, rocks and rapids and it was very relaxing trailing your fingers in the water in the bright sunshine.

At one point I took the rear of the raft and concentrated on keeping us away from the rocks with the pole. It was very enjoyable with cool water rushing over your bare feet, trying to keep your balance on a tiny raft, and the guide telling you which side to pole. The exhileration of the raft rushing tiny rapids is terrific. The only problem is when are not quick enough with the pole and the raft hits the rocks with a jolt. This can knock you off your feet (as happened to one of the Scots)or the raft can get lodged and you have to rock it from side to side to get it free.

As we approached the finish we got a round of applause from Thai picnickers who were nearby. And it was a very wet and exhausted group who climbed back aboard the bemo. When you think of it we are quite mad - most of the year we do no exercise unless it is running for the last tube. But because we are in Thailand we think we can climb jungles in high humidity, ride elephants and negotiate rapids - and we do! Very proud of ourselves we laid down and relaxed returning to Chiang Mai. It was seriously agreed that what was needed now was a beach....