With Qatar Airways to Chiang Mai: Five Highlights
It is one of the latest destinations to be added to the Qatar Airways schedule. Talking about Chiang Mai, also known as "The Rose of the North". The nickname is apt, because Chiang Mai is a wonderful destination, as our author Friederike Hintze discovered on her trip to Northern Ireland with Qatar Airways. We've got five highlights that you definitely shouldn't miss in Chiang Mai.
Chiang Mai Highlights #1: Wat Phra Sing
One of the most significant sights in Chiang Mai is Wat Phra Singh, the Temple of the Lion on Sam Lan Road (see starting image). It houses a copy of the holy Phra Buddha Sihing (also Phra Phutthasihing) statue. The original is in the National Museum in Bangkok. According to legend, the Phra Sihing Buddha in 360 n. Chr. have been brought from Ceylon to Siam. Wat Phra Singh was built in 1345 by King Pha Yu in the Lanna architectural style. The Buddha statue can be seen at Wiharn Lai Kham.
Tip from the editors: Chiang Mai has over 200 temples. Especially in the old town, the various temples are sometimes not five minutes walk from each other. In this respect, it is worthwhile to plan an extensive temple tour through the northern Thai city.
Chiang Mai Highlights #2: The Night Bazaar
Right on Chang Klang Road in Chiang Mai is the famous Night Bazaar: a very popular shopping market with locals and tourists alike. The night bazaar in Chiang Mai is located in a district with many stores and stalls. It offers enchanting woodwork, precious antiques, fine local produce and a wide variety of Thai food and beverages to suit all budgets. The night bazaar begins in the late afternoon and is always open until the early morning hours and invites you to an extensive shopping tour.
© Photo by Jesse Schoff on Unsplash
Chiang Mai Highlights #3: Mae Sa Elephant Camp
The Mae Sa Elephant Camp in Chiang Mai has been in existence for over 30 years. Here visitors experience interesting insights into the life of elephants. The care and breeding station serves above all for the preservation of the Asian elephant in Thailand. On the grounds of the elephant camp there are some interesting attractions for tourists, such as elephant rides, elephant shows and an art gallery consisting of self-painted pictures of elephants, which are also for sale. If you want to get really close to the elephants, you should buy some bananas, which are offered everywhere in the camp for 20 baht, to feed the elephants.
© Photo by Dominik Vanyi on Unsplash
Chiang Mai Hightlights #4: Orchid and Butterfly Farm
Also for nature lovers, the surroundings of Chiang Mai offer various attractions. So the orchid farm Bai Orchid a few kilometers outside the city. Hundreds of orchids grow in a large greenhouse here, blooming in the most beautiful colors. The farm also includes a small butterfly garden and a restaurant that serves buffet lunches. At the entrance, bottles with seedlings are sold as well as orchid brooches.
Chiang Mai Highlight #5: Take a trekking tour
Chiang Mai is surrounded by incredibly beautiful and diverse scenery. Many visitors therefore often come to the northern Thai city to go trekking in the jungle. Many go into the jungle for one or more days and do hiking or trekking tours. There are countless different operators with whom you can take such a tour and do many other things besides, such as whitewater rafting, swimming in a waterfall, and visiting a Karen (long-necked) village, which you often only find in lower mountain areas.
Hotel tip: The Four Seasons Chiang Mai
Fabulous and truly unique, the Four Seasons in Chiang Mai is located just outside the city and blends beautifully into the surrounding verdant nature. Architecturally, the hotel pays tribute to Chiang Mai's cultural and artistic heritage with its individual wooden villas, large terraces, and pretty winding pathways. Nestled among rice paddies and green-covered hills, the Four Seasons Chiang Mai offers two outstanding restaurants, an open Thai cooking school, bar and lounge, library, kids' club, spa, and a 20-meter infinity swimming pool. Another infinity pool, located below this one, is reserved for adults. The spacious, semi-open spa area is also impressive. Here, guests are pampered with treatments inspired by traditional Thai rituals and ingredients.
Travel with Qatar Airways
Since the 12th century. December, Qatar Airways flies regularly from Berlin, Frankfurt or Munich via Doha to Chiang Mai.
Flight schedule: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday Doha (DOH) to Chiang Mai (CNX) QR822: Departure 20:05, Arrival 06:00 (+1) (Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun) Chiang Mai (CNX) to Doha (DOH) QR823: Departure 07:10, Arrival 10:55 (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun)