THEGUIDE
chiang mai
FAHTHAI
91
1 _
WHAT WE
RECOMMEND
Head out of the city to visit
the eerie yet magnificent
Wat Umong, a temple
situated in a serene forest
at the end of Suthep Road.
2 _
KNOW THE
NUMBER
300 – the approximate
number of Buddhist
temples in Chiang Mai
3 _
BUA NGERN
This traditional spa with
immaculate treatment
rooms is in a two-storey
wooden villa on a narrow
lane between Moon
Muang and Phra Pokklao
Roads. Well-trained spa
personnel offer a host
of massage treatments
along with body scrubs
and facials. Unlike most of
the other day spas dotting
Chiang Mai, Bua Ngern
gives guests the option
of using rooms with or
without air-conditioning.
(Moon Muan Rd, Soi 2)
COUNTRY
CODE
+66
EXCHANGE
RATE
THB30 = US$1
FREQUENCY
6 flights per day
(from Bangkok),
6 flights per day
(to Bangkok), 1
flight per day to
Koh Samui
NATURE HAVEN
Chiang Mai is
rightly called one
of the prettiest
places in Thailand
T R U E N O R T H
Top 3
insider
travel tips
Rest Your Head
SHEIK ISTANA HOTEL
A complete departure from the
Lanna-inspired designs typical
of Chiang Mai hostelries, Sheik
Istana sports a Moroccan-
Arabian look and is located in a
quiet spot overlooking the Ping
River and historic Wat Chedi
Lium. Just 10 minutes from the
airport, the hotel is home to two
saltwater swimming pools, a
coffee house, fitness centre and
an indoor-outdoor restaurant
that serves delicious Moroccan,
Mediterranean and Thai dishes.
(sheikistanahotel.com)
Top Tables
DASH! RESTAURANT & BAR
Set in a wooden house deep
in a soi off Moon Muang
Rd, this eatery features an
atmospheric pavilion dining area
and serves tasty Thai dishes
that won’t drain your wallet.
Spicy salads are a speciality
and the menu also has a fine
selection of vegetarian dishes.
(dashchiangmai.com)
Bottoms Up
NORTH GATE JAZZ CO-OP
Popular with both Thais and
expats who work and live in
Chiang Mai, this (very) colourful
bar is owned and operated
by a collective of young local
jazz musicians. While there
are live music performances
nightly, the club is best known
for its packed, no-holds-barred
Tuesday night jam session.
Chiang Mai has a robust and
well-established nightlife,
but even in the face of stiff
competition, this joint is one of
the best spots in town. Don’t
miss it!
(facebook.com/northgate.
jazzcoop)
Stop to Shop
COLOUR FACTORY
An offshoot of Elephant Parade,
run in partnership with the
non-profit Asian Elephant
Foundation, this small shop near
Wat Ket specialises in one-of-
a-kind, hand-painted fibreglass
elephants. It also sells handbags
by designer Miguel La Salle.
(colourfac.com)
Chiang Mai
