Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [250]
Elsewhere
Viangbua Mansion ( Map; 0 5341 1202; www.viangbua.com; 3/1 Soi Viangbua, Th Chang Pheuak; r from 900B; ) North of Pratu Chang Pheuak, this multi-storey hotel doesn’t have the best location for sightseers but it has plenty of amenities for long-term guests. The rooms have contemporary furnishings, wardrobe, fridge, small lounge, cable TV and wi-fi; some also have a kitchen. There’s also a gym, restaurant and coffee shop. Weekly/monthly rates start at 5600/12,000B.
Tri Yaan Na Ros ( Map; 0 5327 3174; www.triyaannaros.com; 156 Th Wualai; r from 3600B; ) A honeymoon candidate of superb qualifications, this pint-size boutique hotel creates a romantically antique world with its artfully restored house, galleried chambers and narrow walkways leading to various sitting areas. The friendly owner is usually on site and her architect son has his offices above the hotel’s restaurant.
Four Seasons Chiang Mai (0 5329 8181; www.fourseasons.com; Th Mae Rim-Samoeng Kao; r from 19,000B; ) Chiang Mai’s first premier destination resort features vaulted pavilion suites and residences spread amid eight hectares of landscaped gardens and rice terraces worked by water buffalo. The resort is north of the city in the forested foothills and includes all the necessary self-contained distractions: cooking school, award-winning spa, swimming pool and tennis courts.
Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi (0 5388 8888; www.mandarinoriental.com; 51/4 Th Chiang Mai-San Kamphaeng; r from 20,000B; ) Almost a kingdom unto itself, the Dhara Dhevi is an amazing resort destination that has recreated a miniature Lanna village with footpaths through walled residence compounds surrounding terraced rice fields. So much architectural history has been reproduced here that the resort fancies itself a cultural attraction, offering guided tours to guests as well as craft demos. The rooms are of course aristocratic and the grounds host many wedding parties. There’s also a slightly cheaper and less imposing colonial wing.
EATING
Chiang Mai’s restaurant scene is surprisingly down to earth and wholesome. Modest family-run establishments and open-air food courts dominate the city’s hot dining spots. Plus there are loads of vegetarian restaurants, ranging from backpacker cafes to religious society outreaches. You can also explore the local markets and small shopfronts for the regional speciality of kôw soy, (sometimes written as khao soi) a curried noodle dish claiming Shan-Yunnanese heritage. It’s usually accompanied with pickled vegetables and a thick red chilli sauce. For more information on northern Thai specialities, Click here.
For fine dining Chiang Mai is still a little provincial. The hotel restaurants dominate the splash-out options but there are a few independent upmarket eateries that attract the expats and expense accounts.
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Old City
THAI
There is a cluster of made-to-order shops (ráhn ah·hhn ahm sàng), along from the police station on Th Ratchadamnoen, which do a brisk lunch business. Residents pick up gàp kôw (pre-made food served with rice) from evening vendors lining the stretch of Th Samlan south of Th Ratchadamnoen.
Tien Sieng Vegetarian Restaurant ( Map; 0 5320 6056; Th Phra Pokklao; dishes 20B; 6.30am-5pm) This Buddhist society–affiliated restaurant serves a variety of pre-made vegetarian dishes over rice. Technically the dishes are jair, meaning they don’t contain meat, garlic or onions, but they’re still tasty and for 20B you get a choice of two dishes.
Mangsawirat Kangreuanjam ( Map; Th Inthawarorot; dishes 20-35B; 8am-2pm) Look for the difficult-to-see English sign that reads ‘Vegetarian Food’. The cooks put out several pots of fresh, 100% Thai vegetarian dishes daily.
Bang Moey Kaafae ( Map; Th Ratwithi; dishes 25-30B; 9am-3pm Mon-Fri) Noodle-heads will find an unusual addition to their lunchtime pastime: ambience. Instead of the tables-and-tiles