Chiang Mai

General Chiang mai Information

Experience the merging of the past into the present in Chiang Mai where locals are proud of the city’s 700-year history. Its rich traditional heritage and unique culture is a perfect foundation for the development of the city. Chiang Mai is one of the few places in Thailand where it is possible to find in the heart of the city centuries-old chedis and temples next to modern convenience stores and boutique hotels. The original city layout still exists as a neat square surrounded by a moat with vestiges of the fortified wall and its four main gates offering prime access to the old town.

For years, tourists have mistaken Chiang Mai as the northern junction and the base from which they can explore other provinces. The phrase “a day in Chiang Mai is enough to see things around” was common. Today, tourists are surprised by the fact that there is always something new to discover Chiang Mai. Intriguing diversity among ethnic tribes coupled with breathtaking scenery makes Chiang Mai one of Asia's most attractive tourist destinations. Two weeks in Chiang Mai may not be long enough for serious travelers.

The old city of Chiang Mai with its fascinating indigenous cultural identity such as diverse dialects, cuisine, architecture, traditional values, festivals, handicrafts and classical dances is a prime location in its own right. In addition, the presence of hill tribes and their wealth of unique cultures enhance Chiang Mai’s distinctive diversity.

Chiang Mai is also blessed with pristine natural resources of mountains (dois), waterfalls, and other nature-based tourist attractions. At the same time, Chiang Mai residents are warm, gracious and congenial providing authentic hospitality making visits memorable and meaningful. Moreover, visitors from all walks of life can collect handicrafts of silk, silver and wood produced locally as timeless souvenirs. Chiang Mai is a place where both backpackers and luxury tourists can enjoy themselves to the fullest.


The Past

Chiang Mai literally means new city and has retained the name despite having celebrated its 700th anniversary in 1996. King Meng Rai founded the city as the capital of the Lanna (A Million Rice Fields) Kingdom on Thursday, 12th April 1296 during the same period of time as the establishment of the Sukhothai Kingdom. King Meng Rai the Great conferred with his friends, King Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai and King Ngam Muang of Phayao before choosing the site where the capital of the Lanna Kingdom was to be founded.
From then, Chiang Mai not only became the capital and cultural core of the Lanna Kingdom, it was also the centre of Buddhism in northern Thailand. King Meng Rai himself was very religious and founded many of the city’s temples, which are still important today.
At the height of its power, the Lanna Kingdom extended its territory far into Burma and Laos, and southwards to Kamphaeng Phet – a province above Sukhothai.
The Burmese conquered the Lanna Kingdom in 1556 ending the dynasty founded by King Meng Rai that lasted over 250 years. As Burma had occupied Chiang Mai for nearly 200 years, Burmese architectural influences are visible in many temples. At the end of the 18th century, King Taksin the Great regrouped the Thais in the south and finally drove the Burmese out with the help of King Kawila of Lampang thereby regaining Thai independence from Burma. Chiang Mai was then governed by a succession of princes who ruled the north as a Siamese protectorate under the Chakri dynasty. In the late 19th century, King Rama V appointed a high commissioner in Chiang Mai and it was only in 1939 that Chiang Mai finally came under the direct control of the central government in Bangkok – the same time the country was renamed Thailand.
In the past, Chiang Mai was only accessible by river and elephants. More convenient access was achieved only when the railway line was completed in the late 1920's. Moreover, the first motor vehicle driven directly from Bangkok arrived in Chiang Mai in 1932. Such isolation was more favorable to Chiang Mai as it helped to nurture and preserve the unique Lanna culture.
When we look at Chiang Mai today, it is the economic, cultural and communications hub of northern Thailand complete with excellent infrastructure, good roads, by passes and road tunnels, and reliable communications infrastructure.
The Setting
Chiang Mai, with an altitude of approximately 310 meters above sea level, is situated approximately 700 kilometers from Bangkok on the Mae Ping River basin. Surrounded by high mountain ranges, the city covers an area of approximately 20,107 square kilometers and is the country’s second largest province. Chiang Mai borders Myanmar on the north, Lamphun and Tak Provinces on the south, Chiang Rai, Lampang and Lamphun Provinces on the east and Mae Hong Son Province on the west. The terrain is mainly comprised of jungles and mountains, which are home to the hill tribes. In addition, wildlife and exotic flora may be found in the national parks.
Most of Chiang Mai’s mountains are oriented from north to south. Together they create a multitude of streams and tributaries including Mae Chaem, Mae Ngat and Mae Klang. One of Chiang Mai’s distinctive features is Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s highest peak, which is 2,575 meters above sea level. In addition, the province boasts flat, fertile valleys, which spread along the banks of the largest and most important river in Chiang Mai – Maenam Ping (Ping River) which originates from the Chiang Dao mountain range.



How To Get to Chiang mai

By Car from Bangkok (approximately 8 hours)
Route 1: Drive on Highway No.1 (Phahonyothin) and turn left to Highway No.32 (Asian Highway) which passes Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, and Nakhon Sawan, then take Highway No. 117 to Phitsanulok and Highway No. 11 to Lampang, Lamphun and Chiang Mai. The total distance is 695 kilometers.
Route 2: From Nakhon Sawan, take Highway No. 1 passing Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Lampang, and Chiang Mai. Total distance is 696 kilometers.

By Bus
From Bangkok
There are ordinary, 2nd –class and 1st – class air-conditioned buses leaving for Chiang Mai daily (8.00 a.m. to 09.00 p.m.) from the Bangkok’s Northern Bus Terminal (Mochit 2 Bus Terminal). Call 02 936 3600, 02 936 2852, and 02 937 8055 for a more updated bus timetable. Private buses, which can be conveniently booked in tourist-oriented places in Bangkok, are also available. However, the public buses from the Northern Bus Terminal are generally more reliable. The journey takes approximately 10-12 hours, depending on traffic.
From Chiang Mai
If you travel to any districts in Chiang Mai, use Chang Phuak Bus Terminal located on Chotana Road, tel. 053 211 586. Destinations include those located along the northern route (Highway No. 107) which passes through Mae Rim, Mae Taeng, Chiang Dao, Chaiprakan, Fang and Mae Ai. Some buses continue to Tha Ton, the northernmost province of Chiang Mai.
If you wish to travel outside the province, use Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station. Contact tel: 0 5324 2664 for a more updated bus timetable. Destinations include Golden Triangle, Mae Sai, Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai, Nan, Phayao, Phrae, Lampang, Lamphun, Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Mae Hong Son (both old and new routes), Mae Sot, Mae Sariang, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat), and Udon Thani.

Train
Express and rapid trains operated by the State Railways of Thailand leave for Chiang Mai from Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Station 6 times a day from 8.00 a.m.-10.00 p.m. The trip takes about 11-12 hours for express trains. For more information, contact tel. 1690, or 02 223 7010, 02 223 7020. Chiang Mai Railway Station, tel. (053) 24 2094, 244 795, .247 462 245 363-4

By Air
Domestic airlines including Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Air Asia, Nok Air, Orient Thai Airlines, Air Andaman and Phuket Air operate several flights daily between Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
Thai Airways also operates domestic flights from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai and Phuket. International flights to and from Chitakong, Luang Phrabang, Khunming, Yangon and Japan (Narita) are also provided. Call 02 628 2000 (Bangkok), 053 211 044-7 (Chiang Mai), or visit www.thaiairways.com for more information.
Bangkok Airways also offers several flights daily on the Bangkok - Chiang Mai route, some with a stopover at Sukhothai. International routes to and from Jinghong and Xi’An are also available. Call 02 265 5555, 265 5678 (Bangkok Office) or 053 27 6176 (Chiang Mai Office) or visit www.bangkokair.com for more information.
Phuket Air offers 2 daily shuttle service flights from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai with YS-11 aircraft. The journey takes only 40 minutes and the flight times are at 07.30 a.m. and 6.00 p. m. For more information, call Bangkok Office 66 2679-8999 or Chiang Mai Office 66 5392 2118-9 or visit www.phuketairlines.com

www.nokair.co.th
Foreign Airlines operating flights from Chiang Mai to several destinations are:
Air Mandalay operates flights between Chiang Mai and Yangon on Sundays and Thursdays. Contact 053 818 049 (Chiang Mai office), visit www.myanmars.net/airmandalay or write to cnxrr6t@sita.gmsmail.com for more information.
Mandarin Airlines operates flights between Chiang Mai and Taipei three times a week on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. For more information call, 053 201 268-9 (Chiang Mai office) or visit www.mandarinair.com
Lao Airlines operates flights on the Chiang Mai – Luang Phrabang route three times a week on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. Call 053 223 401 (Chiang Mai office), visit www.laoairlines.com or write to qvcnx@loxinfo.co.th for more information.
Silk Air operates flights between Chiang Mai – Singapore three times a week on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. Call 053 276 459 053 276 495 (Chiang Mai office) or visit www.silkair.com for reservations.
Travelling within Chiang Mai
From Airport, Train and Bus Terminal to town
There is a licensed airport taxi service available at the taxi kiosk outside the baggage-claim area. Purchase a ticket and present it to the drivers waiting by the arrivals exit area. The trip will cost approximately 100 bahts for a sedan car that seats 4-5 people (with luggage).
From the airport, train station and bus terminal, you can easily get a song taew (red mini-bus). To charter a minibus or car, please check the correct fare at the TAT counter first.
Normally, first-class hotels provide complimentary transportation between the airport, railway station or bus terminals and the hotel for guests who have made advance reservations.

Short-distance travel
1. For relative short distances you can take a sam lor or tuk-tuk (a tricycle). Fares must be bargained in advance. Short rides within the city costs between 20 and 30 bahts. Longer rides may cost as much as 50 bahts.
2. Just new in town is the taxi-metre, the same as those running around Bangkok. The minimum (starting) fare is 35 bahts.
3. Song taew (red mini-bus) is the most common means of transportation in town. Passengers can hop in and out as they wish. Simply tell the driver the destination and negotiate the price before boarding. Fares range from 10-20 bahts depending on the distance.
4. Bicycles
Some travelers prefer to ride a bicycle around the city as most of the roads and alleys are accessible by bicycle. Bicycles can be rented from bicycle shops and certain guesthouses.
5. Rental cars
All major car rental companies such as AVIS, Budget, and Hertz, as well as Thai car rental companies are ready to provide suggestions on travel itineraries. The easiest way to locate a car rental company is to ask at the airport or the hotel, as those are the places where most companies are located


Festival

Yi Peng Festival
Yi Peng Festival is held annually on Loi Krathong day. It is a very interesting event of Chiang Mai. The festival features the release of lanterns into the sky to worship the gods. There are also fireworks, lantern contests, and beauty pageants.

Bo Sang Umbrella Festival
Bo Sang Umbrella Festival is held in January in Bo Sang Handicraft Centre. The festival features paper products, paper parasols in particular, cultural shows, a parade showing traditional ways of life, and several contests.

City Pillar Inthakin Festival
City Pillar Inthakin Festival is held to invoke blessings of peace, happiness and prosperity for the city and its residents. Buddha images are paraded around the city. It is held at Wat Chedi Luang for 7 auspicious days and nights in the 7th lunar month.

Doi Suthep Pilgrimage
Doi Suthep Pilgrimage On the night of Visakha Bucha Day, worshippers gather to light candles and make the 7-kilometre pilgrimage up to the temple on Doi Suthep.



Flower Festival
Flower Festival is held in February. The festival includes ornamental garden flower contests, floral floats parade in the morning and beauty pageants. The parade begins at Chiang Mai Railway Station and passes Nawarat Bridge and ends at Nong Buak Hat Park.

Songkran Festival
Songkran Festival is held annually from 13 to 15 April. The 13th of April is the Great Songkran day featuring the revered Phra Phutthasihing Buddha image parade around Chiang Mai town for bathing, sand pagoda making, blessing of elders, and water splashing.


Local product

Furniture/ Woodcarving
Woodcarving is a traditional northern Thai art featured in numerous temples. This tradition has been passed on for generations so it can be preserved in different ways. Furniture carving is considered one way of preservation. Teak, rosewood and rattan are being crafted both in traditional and modern designs. Woodcarving products range from gracing screens, chairs, tables, beds, to carved elephants, figurines and tableware. You can easily find them in shops located in San Kamphaeng and Ban Tawai (apparently Thailand’s woodcarving capital).

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Gold Plated Orchids & Butterflies
Orchids and butterflies are preserved and plated in 24 carat gold to create unusual gift items such as necklace pendants, hairpins and earrings.

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Hill tribe Products
Exotic, traditional and unique, products are sold by hill tribe people dressed in traditional costumes. It is not possible to resist buying one of the hand-made silver ornaments, bracelets, necklaces, pendants, hairpins, pipes, and embroidered items that are available. In addition, there are tunics, jackets, bags, purses, caps and dress lengths, colorful embroidery, hand-woven textiles and other handicrafts made of bamboo and other natural materials to be chosen from.

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Lacquer ware
Products are interestingly made by decorating wooden, bamboo, metal, paper and baked clay items with layers of black lacquer and then finishing with golden designs. The classic texture has made them a perfect gift, souvenir or ornament for visitors. Factories and shops can be found along San Kamphaeng and Chang Khlan Roads.

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Local Food Product

Nam Phrik Ong
Chile paste made from minced pork and tomatoes. Normally it is eaten with soft-boiled vegetables, crispy pork rinds (Khaep Mu) or deep-fried crunchy rice cakes. It can also be served with plain white rice as a meat dish.

Nam Phrik Num
This green chili paste is very common cuisine for the locals. The chili paste is usually accompanied by boiled locally grown vegetables. The best condiment for the dish is Khaep Mu. Sai ua is normally eaten with Nam Phrik Num.

Sai Ua
A local Chiang Mai sausage that is very aromatic and spicy and usually is eaten with steamed glutinous rice.

Kaeng (curry) - A special feature of the northern-style curry is that it is coconut-free.
Kaeng Hang-Le - Northern—style pork curry.
Kaeng Om – spicy curry of entrails.
Kaeng Khae – spicy curry of vegetables.

Khanom Chin Nam Ngiao is a very traditional noodle dish of the North. It is Thai rice vermicelli with spiced chicken curry accompanied with vegetables.
Khao Soi is also a well known, not to be missed local dish. You can choose from chicken/ pork /beef in curry soup with noodles. It is different from other Kaeng dishes in that Khao Soi is a noodle dish mixed with meat and coconut cream and garnished with garlic and crunchy noodles. It has a sweet, but spicy taste.
If you are under time constraints, the Khantok Dinner is one way to sample most of the Northern dishes all at once.

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Pottery/Celadon (Ceramics)
Celadon, the unique Thai ceramic in soft green and blue tones, is produced locally in many forms. They include dinner sets, vases, tea sets, burners, lamp bases and other decorative home items. Recommended places to visit are Hang Dong sub-district where a large number of factories are located. For art lovers, a visit to Nimmanhemin Road is worth it, as there are many interesting art galleries offering intriguing celadon products.

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Sa (Mulberry) Paper Products
Chiang Mai is also famous for its Sa paper products – a handmade, multi-purpose natural fiber. Sa products that come in different, distinctive designs include cards, notebooks, stationery, boxes, bags, photo frames, lanterns, gift wrapping paper, etc.

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Silk, Cotton & Textiles
First-class Chiang Mai silk, cotton and other hand-woven fabrics (hill tribe products) are famous for its uniqueness and classic quality that shines over time. The largest possible selection is available in San Kamphaneg.

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Silverware
Visitors can stroll along Wua Lai Road to discover exquisite silverware made with traditional skills, which have been passed on from generation to generation. A guaranteed content of at least 92.5 % pure silver is a mark of their quality. Recommended items include investiture bowls, receptacles and decorative items.

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Umbrellas/ Parasols
Located on San Kamphaeng Road, Bor Sang is dubbed as the umbrella village. It is the place where villagers have been engaged in umbrella making based on their local wisdom for over 200 years. All materials, including silk, bamboo, sa paper (mulberry paper), are found locally.
Be amazed at hundreds of hand-painted umbrellas in different designs and sizes, from miniature ones to the super big. Apart from the umbrella, fans and other handmade products of Sa paper are also available in both classic and modern designs.
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Attractions

Activities in Chiang Mai
Trekking
A center for treks into the mountainous northern areas, especially home of hill tribes, Chiang Mai offers unique opportunities for the adventures. Lush hills and virgin forests are scenic backdrops that will make your trekking by foot or on elephant back truly memorable. The most popular trails are in Doi Inthanon National Park where over 300 bird species and a wide variety of orchids and other flowers can be seen.
Elephant Safari
See elephants at work and ride them into the forest, where you can enjoy being closer to nature. Maetaman Valley, just 50 kilometers north of Chiang Mai, provides an excellent base for this activity. The whole trekking package may include trekking on foot, bamboo rafting, whitewater rafting or kayaking, an ox- cart ride, and an overnight stay at a hill tribe village.
Bird watching
Endowed with rich natural deposits, Chiang Mai has a lot to offer to bird lovers. Its forests, perfect wildlife sanctuaries, are good observation spots for bird watching activities. Among several popular places are Doi Inthanon and Doi Suthep. Contact your local agents for more information.
Cycling tours/ Mountain biking
Chiang Mai’s mountainous terrain and scenic destinations make the province perfect for both cycling and mountain biking. Many tour companies offer biking tour programs that include guides, food and overnight equipment. There are also an increasing number of travel agents providing full-day cycling tours to several interesting destinations.
The tours usually head north from the Asian Games Stadium through the Mae Sa Valley. Alternatively, it is possible to experience the scenery along Maenam Ping, which flows peacefully through villages, old temples, farms, etc. For those who are serious about cycling, a longer route to Chiang Rai is available which includes visits to small villages of Lahu, Lisu and Akha hilltribes.
Rafting
Chiang Mai also provides good opportunities for rafting using bamboo or rubber rafts, as there are lots of rivers and streams flowing throughout the province. Popular routes include Mae Kok, Mae Chaem, and Mae Teang rivers. All rives flow through lush forests and hill tribe settlements. Contact us for more information.
Boat trip
To see most of Chiang Mai from a different perspective, take a leisurely boat trip from the Nawarat Bridge. The trip operates five times daily, 10 a.m., 12 noon, 2 p.m., and 5.30 p.m.
Go-kart
Enjoy the speedy go-kart at 254 Mu 8, Hang Dong District. There are 4 types of rides available, ranging from beginners to competition models. Call 053 430059 for more information.
Cooking classes
Thai cooking classes are fun and delightful. An increasing number of foreign tourists join Thai cooking classes to learn new skills that can be used at home. offers mostly vegetarian cooking lessons, conducted in an old-Lanna style house.
Holistic healing… for your wellness and well-being
There are plenty of stress relief services such as traditional Thai massage, Swedish, Shiatsu and Aromatherapy massages available in spas in the city and in resorts. A highly recommended place, which offers a renewed sense of wellness, is the Tao Garden located on Doi Saket. The Tao Garden offers appropriate therapy to balance the body and mind, thus enhancing a peaceful inner self. The spa offers five unique therapies including aromatherapy, Chi Nei Tsang massage, Ayurvedic oil, and acupuncture as well as body wrapping. Tai Chi Chuan offers an intensive 10-day course three sessions daily, 7.00 to 9.30 am, 1.00 to 2.00 pm & 4.00 to 6.30 p.m.
Yoga and meditation class
After a long adventurous day, one may choose to be pampered in one of the spas in the area. Alternatively, it is possible to achieve freedom from the routine and mundane life by finding your inner path through either yoga or meditation lessons. Take time to heal the body, mind, soul and spirit and let time stand still. Many tourists and locals have found the practice extremely beneficial and awakening. Contact Mahachulalongkorn Rajavidialai (053 278967) for more information on a 2-day program on meditation for foreign visitors. It is offered at Wat Suan Dok and Wat Phalad. Yoga enthusiasts can call 053 271555, Hatha Yoga Center, www.hathayogachiangmai.com, for more information.
Bungy jumping
For an adrenaline rush, Bungy Jumping in Chiang Mai operates in accordance with New Zealand Standards. It is a fully licensed and insured company, which operates from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Call 053 298442 or 01 885 1912 for more information. The site is located at 229 Mo 1, Mae Rim District. A lakeside bar and restaurant are also available.

Chiang Mai Cultural Centre
The Centre is situated at the beginning of Chiang Mai-Hang Dong road. The center has an exceptional collection of Lanna art, and intriguing displays of traditional northern culture. A spectacular folk dance and tribal shows are performed while the typical northern dinner “Khan Tok” is served. For more information, contact tel. 0-5327-4 540, 0-5327-5097.

Chiang Mai National Museum
Located on the Chiang Mai-Lampang Super Highway near Wat Chet Yot, the museum has been designated by the Fine Arts Department as a regional center for education and preservation of the art and culture of Chiang Mai and upper northern Thailand – the Lanna Kingdom. Their Majesties the King and Queen graciously presided over the opening of the museum on 6 February 1973. The museum was built according to traditional northern architecture, with a Lanna Thai rooftop. Interesting exhibitions include:
Topic 1: The natural and cultural background of the Lan Na Kingdom including the geology, ecology, geography and prehistoric settlement of the north.
Topic 2: The history of the Lan Na Kingdom from the establishment of Chiang Mai city to its peak and decline under Burmese control from 1558 to 1769.
Topic 3: The city of Chiang Mai under the Kingdom of Siam, from the time Chiang Mai regained its freedom from Burma, to the reestablishment of Chiang Mai city in 1782.
Topic 4: Trade and economy of the Lan Na Kingdom from 1782 to 1939.
Topic 5: The modern way of life and social development: agriculture and industry, banking, international relations, education and public health.
Topic 6: The development of the Lan Na Art Style, and the history of art in Thailand from the Dvaravati period to the present day.
Not far away from the Chiang Mai National Museum is the Tribal Museum, which displays information on the history and culture of each hill tribe as well as their traditional handicrafts. The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. (closed on National Holidays) Contact tel. 053 221328 for more information. Admission fee is 30 bahts.

Chiang Mai Zoo
Situated next to Huai Kaew Arboretum at the foot of the mountain where Phra That Doi Suthep is located, the zoo houses a pair of cuddly Pandas on loan from China. Inside the zoo, there are over 200 types of Asian and African mammals and birds for visitors to observe. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., the admission fee for an adult is 100 bahts and a child is 20 bahts. There are excellent facilities for tourists with restaurants and a camping site. Advance booking is required for large groups. Contact: tel. 0-5322-1179, 0-5322-2283.

CMU Art Museum (Chiang Mai University Art Museum)
The Art Museum is situated on Nimmanhemin Road opposite the Chiang Mai University Auditorium. There are a lot of interesting exhibitions on display in the museum art gallery, check the schedule at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Chiang Mai University 239 Huey Kaew Road Chiang Mai 50200. Or Tel/Fax: 66-53-211724, e-mail: pongdej@chiangmai.ac.th

Doi Suthep & Doi Pui National Park
Covering an area of 262 sq. km., this luxuriant park is home to more than 300 bird species and nearly 2,000 species of ferns and flowering plants. Some hiking trails in the park pass Hmong villages while others lead to a few small waterfalls where local people come to picnicking on weekends. Accommodations are available near the park headquarters. To get there, take Highway No. 1004, it’s only 16 kilometers drive northwest of Chiang Mai town. The Park has interesting attractions, which include


Namtok Huai Kaew
This waterfall is located near the Chiang Mai Zoo and is a pleasant place for relaxation and picnics.
Doi Pui Tribal Village
This village is a Hmong village situated on an asphalt road approximately 3 kilometers from Phu Phing Palace and approximately one hour from Chiang Mai. The village presents the typical lifestyle of the Hmong as well as a scenic view of Doi Inthanon.
Phu Phing Palace (Royal Winter Palace)
The palace is located further up the mountain and approximately 6 kilometers from Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. The royal winter palace was built in 1962. Its landscaped gardens are decorated with plenty of colorful, exotic flowers. It is open every day from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. except when the Royal family is in residence which is usually from mid December to early February.

Huai Kaeo Arboretum
Situated next to the famous Chiang Mai University and the Chiang Mai Zoo, Huai Kaeo Arboretum, is a mixed blessing of landscaped gardens with many kinds of tropical trees and exquisite flowers. Locals love to relax and do morning and evening exercise in the compound.

Insect and Natural Wonders Museum
Exhibiting an awesome collection of domestic and foreign insects including animal fossils, the museum is located at 72 Nimmanhemin, Soi 12 (Sirimangkhlalachan Soi 3), Huai Kaew, Muang District. For more information contact tel 053 211891 or email to insects_museum@hotmail.com


Kad Suan Kaeo Art & Cultural Centre
This newly developed centre is located in Kad Suan Kaeo Shopping Mall. It is a centre where traditional arts and cultural performances are performed using state-of-the art stage technology. For more information contact tel 053 224333 ext. Kad Silpa.

Khantoke Dinner
Most of the northern dishes can be sampled at a "Khantoke Dinner" in Chiang Mai. It is a perfect event where you can learn more about traditional northern cuisine while enjoying traditional music and dance. Khantok in the Northern dialect means a wooden tray used for carrying dishes. Round in shape, it is made of wood, varnished or lacquered with 5 or 6 short supporting legs.
Guests are invited to sit on the floor around a Khantok, a circular tray with Northern dishes on it. They can enjoy watching traditional northern dances as well as hilltribe culture shows while their meal is being served.
The main dishes on the Khantok usually are steamed sticky rice, kaeng hang-le (northern-style pork curry), kaeng ho (spicy curry of bean vermicelli), kaeng om (spicy curry of entrails), sai ua (Chiang Mai sausage), lap (minced meat, half cooked and highly seasoned), nam phrik ong (chili paste with minced pork and tomatoes), which usually goes with khaep mu (crispy pork rinds) and khao soi (chicken/ pork /beef curry soup with noodles. Guests are encouraged to eat with their hands, as the locals do. The eating procedure is easy: take a handful of steamed sticky rice from the bamboo basket, roll, and dip it into the curry or chili paste and then taste it.
After the meal, a dessert called khao taen – fried sticky rice covered with caramel – is served. Also served are khiyo cigars and fermented tea, which is chewed to help digestion. The khiyo cigar is made of shredded tobacco and ground tamarind bark (khiyo), which can reduce the strong odor of tobacco.
During the Khantok Dinner, several dances and shows are performed. The most popular Northern dance is fon lep or fingernail dance. This show is impressive as female dancers are dressed in Northern Thai style, and wear long pointed brass fingernails.

Khruba Siwichai Monument
Located at the foot of Doi Suthep, the monument was built in 1935 to honor Khruba Siwichai – a famous Lanna monk who initiated construction of the road leading up to Phra That Doi Suthep. Throughout his life, Khruba Siwichai organized many temple related renovation activities.

Lanna Woodcarving Art Museum
Ban Roi An Phan Yang Museum is the exhibition center of antiques and woodcarving masterpieces located at Chiangmai-Sanpatong Road, Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai 50230.

Night Bazaar
The Night Bazaar is a shopping haven where one can find handmade products and souvenirs from many Chiang Mai villages and hill tribes. Local cloths and fabrics are reasonably priced for purchasing. The shopping street opens around 6:00 p.m.

Sao Inthakil or Sao Lak Muang
The city pillar was built when the founder of Chiang Mai, King Meng Rai, ruled the city in 1296. Located in front of Wat Chedi Luang and enshrined in a small Thai chapel, the pillar is made of log and kept underground. The Khao Inthakil or city pillar celebration is held annually in May.

Sbun-Nga Textile Musuem
Address: 185/20 Wua Lai Road, Muang, Chiang Mai. Tel: 053 200655 or 01 8836713
This is the largest textile museum in Thailand which is situated at Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center. See over a thousand ancient and rare textiles revealing the elaborate weaving skills of both royal and local ancestors in Southeast Asia. Open daily (except Wednesdays) from 10.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m..

Wat Buppharam
The temple is located on Tha Phae Road, Muang District. Interesting attractions include the chedi constructed in the Burmese architectural style, the carved wooden main chapel roof and the small wood chapel constructed in the local style.

Wat Chedi Chet Yot
Located on the Super Highway Road (Chiang Mai-Lampang) only 4 kilometers from the town, the temple is one of the oldest temples in Chiang Mai. One of the main attractions is a seven-spired square chedi, which was inspired by the design of the Phuttakaya stupa in India. More importantly, the stupa contains the ashes of King Tilokkarat, a king of the Meng Rai Dynasty who built this temple.

Wat Chedi Liam or Chedi Ku Kham
The temple, situated in newly developed tourist destination, Wiang Kum Kam, was built in 1288 during the reign of King Meng Rai. Hundreds of years later, the temple was left abandoned until a Burmese tycoon renovated the temple in 1908. As a result, the temple has some Burmese influences in addition to its former Khmer style of which only some parts were rebuilt.

Wat Chedi Luang
This 14th century temple, where the City Pillar Shrine is located, is famous for its enormous chedi, which is measured at 282 feet high and 144 feet wide (at the base). Located right in the middle of the city, it is considered to be the largest chedi in Chiang Mai. Its spire collapsed in 1545 due to an earthquake. A pair of magnificent Naga staircases at the front porch of the chapel is among the most beautiful manmade serpents in the North. Chao Khun Uba Lee Poramacharn (Sirichantathera) and Chao Kaeo Navarat built the front chapel in 1928.

Wat Chiang Man
The oldest temple in Chiang Mai town, Wat Chiang Man was built in 1296 by King Mengrai, the founder of Chiang Mai. The temple is famous for its Lanna-style chedi supported by rows of elephant-shaped buttresses and an ancient and invaluable Buddha image named Phra Kaeo Khao. Wat Chiang Man is situated off of Ratchapakhinai Road in the northeast corner of the old city.

Wat Gate Museum
The temple museum, Wat Gate Museum features an eclectic collection of artifacts discovered from the attics and storerooms of the temple. One of the most interesting art objects is an old Siamese 'White Elephant' flag and a collection of old phonographs going back more than 100 years to the western trading era in Chiang Mai. There are pictures of scenes from daily life in Chiang Mai including old riverboats, markets and even examples of criminal prosecution. It is possible to see what many of the town's temples looked like after the Burmese occupation, when they were mostly abandoned, and before the modern influx of tourists resulted in their restoration. There are also displays of records and record players. The museum opens daily from 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Wat Ku Tao
Formerly known as Wat Veru Vanaram, the temple is located in Sri Phum Sub-district, near the Chiang Mai Stadium. Wat Ku Tao, ku tao being the local term for watermelon, is famous for its unusual watermelon-shaped pagoda. According to the legend, Ku Tao chedi contains the ashes of Prince Saravadee, the son of King Bureng Nong who ruled Chiang Mai from1579 to 1607.

Wat Phan Tao
The temple that was a throne hall for King Mahotara Prateth whose symbol is the peacock is located on Phra Pok Klao Road, next to Wat Chedi Luang. The peacock- shaped doors were thus built to represent the King.

Wat Phra Sing
Built in 1345, the temple is located on Sam Lan Road. It houses the North's most revered Buddha statue, Phra Phuttha Sihing which is enshrined in Vihan Lai Kham, a chapel that features exquisite woodcarvings and northern style murals. Every year on April 13, Songkran Day, the image is paraded through the streets of Chiang Mai for local people to sprinkle scented water on. This area was formerly Wat Li Chiang Market until 1345, when King Pa Yu, the fifth king of the Meng Rai Dynasty commanded the construction of this temple and a 24-feet chedi to contain his father’s ashes

Wat Phratat Doi Suthep
Locals would say, “You haven’t really gone to Chiang Mai unless you’ve been to Wat Phratat Doi Suthep”. Truly, the place is the most important and famous Chiang Mai landmark. Built in 1383, this mountaintop temple has a chedi (pagoda) that houses holy Buddha relics. The gold-plated chedi lies in the middle of a square marble-tiled courtyard. The four corners of the chedi are adorned with parasols which represent royal regalia. The temple’s courtyard is lined by a cloister, which contains images and murals depicting Buddha’s life. There are also two viharns situated in the middle of the east and west sides of the cloister.
This temple is 15 kilometers from town and is 3,520 feet above sea level. It is the perfect place to get a bird’s eye view of the city. The temple can be reached via a steep Naga staircase comprised of 290 steps or railcars. The temple is open daily from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m
To get there, drive along Huay Kaew Road up the mountain. Alternatively, there are song thaew services available at the foot of the mountain. It costs 30 baht/head to go up to Doi Suthep and approximately 50 baht/head to go further to Doi Pui and Phu Phing Palace. Note that these are one-way fares. (This is the added text)

Wat Prasat
Located on Inthawarorot Road, near Wat Phra Sing, is Wat Prasat where a rare Lanna style Buddha image is enshrined. The temple is composed of a traditional Lanna style chapel, with its roof is decorated in colorful glasses and carved wooden lions.

Wat Saen Fang
Located on Tha Phae Road, Wat Saen Fang is an old Burmese-style temple. According to history, King Intavitchayanontha, the seventh king who governed Chiang Mai commanded that the residence of Phra Chao Gavirorossurivongs (Chao Chevit Ao), the sixth ruler of Chiang Mai be destroyed. Later, his former residence was rebuilt in this temple.

Wat Suan Dok
Another temple located on Suthep Road, Wat Suan Dok was built in the 14th century and houses the 500-year old bronze Buddha image which is one of Thailand’s largest metal images. Several of the white chedis around the temple contain ashes of Chiang Mai’s former royal family.

Wat U Mong
Built in 1296 by King Meng Rai, it is situated in a rustic forest setting on Suthep Road and was renovated during the reign of King Keu Na. This famous meditation temple is unique in its large tunnel-like construction.

Wiang Kum Kam
A recently discovered ancient city believed to have been built during the reign of King Meng Rai in 1286, the city was once the capital of the Lanna Kingdom until the Maenam Ping flooded and wiped out the whole city. To visit Wiang Kum Kam today, drive south east of Chiang Mai, between Km. 3-4, on the Chiang Mai-Lamphun route in Saraphi District. Just drive along the road at Nong Hoi Police box to the Ko Klang Pa Kluai intersection and proceed to Chedi Liam Police box. There are more than 20 ancient ruins inside and around Wiang Kum Kam including Wat Chedi Liam, Wat Chang Kham, Wat Noi, Wat Pu Pia, Wat Ku Koa, Wat E Kang, Wat Hua Nong, and Wat Pu Song which are dated from the 21st – 22nd Buddhist centuries.

Phuket

Welcome to Phuket Thailand. this tropical paradise island is renowned for its beautiful beaches and clear waters. It provides easy access to other islands providing great sites for water activities or simply soaking up the magnificent scenery. Phuket also provides plently of quality accommodation and you'll find everything you will need right here.
Phuket, a large island in the Indian Ocean, is 867 kms. from Bangkok. It is the only island having provincial status, and was a regional headquarters as well, with a rich and colorful



History.
Known as the Pearl of the Andaman, it derived much of its former glory and its enormous wealth from tin production, which in Phuket dates back over 500 year. Today, Phuket is the major tourist attraction of Thailand. The surrounding waters contain much varied marine life, and the town is notable for its Sino-Portuguese architecture. It is a very attractive island
for sightseeing, with lovely seashores and forested hillsides. Its population of 1.6 million people ranks sixth among all provinces. Approximately 1.75 million Rai of the area is forest land. The main occupation here is rice farming. The average per capita income is 14,343 baht.

Location and Boundaries
Phuket is an island connected by bridges to southern Thailand's Andaman Sea coast, in the Indian Ocean, lying between 7'45" and 8'15" north latitude, and from 98'15" to 98'40" west longitude on the map. Phuket, Thailand's largest islands, is surrounded by 32 smaller islands that form part of the same administration, with a total area of 570 square kilometers. Measured at its widest point, Phuket is 21.3 kilometers; at its longest, 48.7 kilometers. it is bounded thus :
North Lies The Pak Prah strait, spanned by two bridges running side-by-side,
the older Sarasin Bridge, and the newer Thao Thep Krasatri Bridge.
South Is the Andaman Sea.
East Is Phang-nga Bay (In the jurisdiction mainly of Phang-nga Province).
West Is The Andaman Sea.

Geography
About 70 percent of Phuket is mountainous; a western range runs from north to south from which smaller branches derive. The highest peak is Mai Tha Sip Song, or Twelve Canes, at 529 meters, which lies within the boundaries of Tambon Patong, Kathu District. The remaining 30 percent of the island, mainly in the center and south, is formed by low plains. Streams include the Khlong Bang Yai, Tha Jin, Khlong Tha Rua, and Khlong Bang Rong, none of which is large.

Climate
Phuket's weather conditions are dominated by monsoon winds that blow year round. It is therefore always warm and humid. There are two distinct seasons, rainy and dry. The rainy season begins in May and lasts till October, during which the monsoon blows from the southwest.
The dry season is from November through April, when the monsoon comes from the northeast. Highest average temperatures, at 33.4 degree Celsius, prevail during March. Lowest averages occur in January, when nightly lows dip to 22 degree Celsius.

Economy
Since the early 1980's the tourist business has been Phuket's chief source of income. Hotels, restaurants, tour companies, and souvenir shops are much in evidence on the west coast. However, while once all-importance tin mining has ceased, tourism is by no means the island's only activity. Agriculture remains important to a large number of people, and covers by far the most part of the island. Principal crops are rubber, coconuts, cashews, and pineapples. Prawn farming has largly taken over the east and south coasts. Pearl farming is also important. Phuket's fishing port is at all time filled, and processing of marine products, mainly fish, makes a significant contribution to the economy. With so many healthy industries supplying income, construction has become a major factor in employment. This range from massive public works projects, large office buildings and hotels, and housing estates with hundreds of units, down to single family homes, apartments and additions.

Population
Official population as of December, 1998, was 231,206. This figure numbers those who are registered as living in Phuket. Phuket' s attraction as a center of economic activity has resulted in many living on the island whose registration is elsewhere. The total population of Phuket varies considerably depending on the time of year, through it is never less than the figure given above.

Government
The island is divided into three districts, Thalang in the north, Kathu in the west, and Muang in the south. Thailand's system of government relies upon a strong central authority, thus the Provincial Governor is a civil servant appointed by the Interior Ministry in Bangkok, as are the Nai Amphoe, or District Chief. The cities of Phuket and Patong have their own city governments, with elected city councils, the leading members of which serve as mayor. There are also elected provincial, district, and sub-district, or Tambon councils. The local constabulary is part of the Interior Ministry.

Phuket History
Phuket Island has a long recorderd history, and remains dating back to A.D. 1025 indicate that the island's present day name derives in meaning from the Tamil manikram, or crystal mountain.
For most of history, however, it was known as Junk Ceylon, which, with variations, is the name found on old maps. The name is thought to have its roots in Ptolemy's Geographia, written by the Alexandrian geographer in the Third Century A.D. He mentioned that in making a trip from Souwannapum to the Malay Peninsula it was neccesary to pass the cape of Jang Si Lang
Phuket was a way station on the route between India and China where seafarers stopped to shelter. The island appears to have been part of the Shivite empire (called in Thai the Tam Porn Ling) that established itself on the Malay Peninsula during the first Millenium A.D. Later, as Muang Takua-Talang, it was part of the Srivichai and Siri Tahm empires. Governed as the eleventh in a constellation of twelve cities, Phuket's emblem, by which it was known to others in those largely pre-literate times, was the dog.
During the Sukothai Period Phuket was associated with Takua Pa in what is now Phang-nga Province, another area with vast tin reserves. The Dutch established a trading post during the Ayuthaya Period in the 16th Cent. The island's northern and central regions then were governed by the Thais, and the southern and western parts were given over to the tin trade,aconcession in the hands of foreigners.
After Ayuthaya was sacked by the Burmese in 1767 there was a short interregnum in Thailand, ended by King Taksin, who drove out the Burmese and re-unified the country. The Burmese, however, were anxious to return to the offensive. They outfitted a fleet to raid the southern provinces, and carry off the populations to slavery in Burma.
This led to Phuket's most memorable hitoric event. A passing sea captain, Francis Light, sent word that the Burmese were en route to attack. Forces in Phuket were assembled led by the two heroines, Kunying Jan, wife of Phuket's recently deceased governer, and her sister Mook, After a month's siege the Burmese were forced to depart on 13 March, 1785. Kunying Jan and her sister were credited with the successful defense.
In recognition King Rama I bestowed upon Kunying Jan the honorific Thao Thep Kasatri, a title of nobility usually reserved for royalty, by which she is known today. Her sister became Thao Sri Sunthon.
During the Nineteenth Century Chinese immigrants arrived in such numbers to work for the tin mines that the ethnic character of the island's interior became predominantly Chinese, while the coastal settlements remained populated chiefly by Muslim fishermen.
In Rama V's reign, Phuket became the administrative center of a group of tin mining provinces called Monton Phuket, and in 1933, with the change in government from absolute monarchy to a parliamentary system, the island was established as a province by itself.

Heroines Monument
The Heroines Monument was erected in the middle of the city opposite Thalang National Museum on Highway 402.
After the Burmese sacked Ayutthaya, then the capital of Siam, in 1767, King Taksin drove out the Burmese and re-unified the country. The Burmese were bad losers, and outfitted a fleet to attack the southern provinces and carry off the populations to slavery in Burma. The Monument honors Kunying Jan and her sister Mook who were credited with the organizing the successful defense of Phuket Island against the Burmese invaders. This became Phuket's most unforgettable historic event.
To acknowledge their bravery and leadership, King Rama I conferred on Kunying Jan the honorific apellation Thao Thep Kasatri - a title of nobility usually reserved for royalty, and her sister became Thao Sri Suntorn.

Travel There & Moving Around

By Air
Visitors to Thailand who hold valid passports or travelling documents issued by any country included in an officially issued list of eligible countries, are permitted one-month visa-free visits. If planning a longer stay, a Tourist Visa valid for 60 days must be obtained from a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate abroad. Visa extensions can be applied for at the Immigration Department in Bangkok or in Phuket.
Several carriers now fly directly to Phuket's International Airport from locations abroad, making a stopover in Bangkok unnecessary. Particularly in the high tourist season, flights come directly from all over Asia, Australia and Europe. It is still the trend for many tourists to come through Bangkok however, catching domestic flights via Thai Airways, which run regularly through the day, 7 days a week. Flight schedules can be found on the Thai Airways web page or by Tel: (02) 628 2000 (Bangkok office); or (076) 211 195 (Phuket office).
Bangkok Airways offers a daily 25-minute flight to and from Koh Samui on the other side of the peninsula. This is a popular option for those wanting to take in all of Thailand's beautiful beaches.
If travelling from (or to) Krabi, Air Andaman has recently begun operating daily flights between Phuket and Krabi, with schedules dependent on the season and weather conditions. They also operate a Phuket-Surat Thani flight daily - handy for those who want to take the train from Bangkok and complete the last leg by air (See Train Info below). Call the Air Andaman Phuket Office: 076-351374, 351375; or Krabi Office: 075-691495 for details.
From the airport, travel to locations around the island can be undertaken by taxi or hired minivan, unless your hotel has arranged transfer for you. For a rough guide: a trip to Patong in a shared minivan will cost approximately 100 Baht. If hiring a taxi, expect to pay up to 600Baht. The trip to Patong takes approximately 40 minutes.
If travelling from (or to) Krabi, Air Andaman has recently begun operating daily flights between Phuket and Krabi, with schedules dependent on the season and weather conditions. They also operate a Phuket-Surat Thani flight daily - handy for those who want to take the train from Bangkok and complete the last leg by air (See Train Info below). As of March 25th, 2001, there will also be flights from Bangkok to Phuket via Chumporn and return. Call the Air Andaman Phuket Office: 076-351374, 351375; or Krabi Office: 075-691495 for details.

By Train
Train lovers can travel from Hualomphong Station in Bangkok to Surathani Province, and catch a bus from there to Phuket. Travel to Surathani by train takes approximately 12 hours, with various classes of seating available ranging in price from 187 Baht to 1040 Baht. Train schedules for the State Railway of Thailand can be found by contacting Tel: (02) 220 4334. Advance tickets are available at all principal stations or the Bangkok Advance Booking Office. Tel. (02) 225-0300 ext 5200-3. For bus timetable and information contact the Surathani Bus Terminal on 077-200031-3

Overland by Road
From Bangkok the journey to Phuket can be undertaken by bus - a trip that takes about 14 hours. Daily services leave from the Southern Bus Terminal in Thonburi, and there are many private services available from almost any travel agent and hotel tour desk in the city. For information on bus timetables contact the Southern Bus Terminal on Boromratchchonnani Rd, Bangkok, Tel: (662) 435-1200, 434-7192. Most services will bring you directly to the Phuket Bus Terminal in Phuket Town, from where you can take a local bus to most beaches on the island, or a taxi truck or Tuk Tuk.
If you want to go your own way, drive down to Phuket in a hire car - the road system is good and well sign-posted. Travel on Route 4 from Bangkok to the south, passing through Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi and Prachuap-Khirikan, At Chumphon go right to Ranong where you must head south through Kraburi and Kapoe Districts to Phang-nga Province. In Phang-nga the road passes through Kuraburi, Takuapa, and Thai Muang Districts before reaching the town of Kok Kloy. From here cross the Sarasin Bridge to Phuket Island. Head down the main highway and follow the signs to your destination beach.
There are many car hire firms in Bangkok, including international rental companies such as Hertz, Budget and Avis, which offer full insurance. An international driving license is required.

By Sea
Cruise and cargo ships come to Phuket from abroad. Contact your travel agent for information about the many different ships that stop at Phuket. For private vessels entering Phuket waters, there are regulations that should be observed which include that all vessels must report upon entry to:
Phuket Port Control Center
2nd Floor Phuket Fishing Lodge Hotel
52/2 Moo 9 Tambon (Sub District) Chalong
Amphoe Muang, Phuket,
Latitude 7o 49' 0" N, Longitude 98o 22' 0" E,
Tel. and Fax. 66 76 381614.

Moving Around
Once here, getting around Phuket is case of either doing it the easy way, or doing it the adventurous way. If staying in one of the island's epicenters like Patong or Kata, getting around is a breeze. Most hotels are within close proximity to the beach, entertainment, restaurants, shopping and activity centres, which makes getting round on foot the best option. In less populated spots, or if you want to explore locations around the island, you have the choice of having your hotel arrange transport in the form of a taxi, hirecar or tuk-tuk, or taking the local transportation.

Tuk Tuk
For trips of any duration at any time of day, a tuk tuk or small taxi truck is often the most efficient. State your destination and agree on the price before setting off! A trip within a beach area or town shouldn't cost more than 50 Baht, but for trips further afield, anything up to 400 Baht can be expected - depending on the distance, the weather and your bargaining skills!

Song Taew
If heading off to other beaches and sites during the day, you also have the option of a local songthaew or bus.
The local buses (painted bright blue for easy recognition) will have their destination written in English on the outside of the bus and run regularly between the hours of 7.00 am and 6.00pm. There are no designated bus stops, which means you have to flag them down in the middle of the street.
In most populated areas, your best chance of catching a bus are to go to the main thoroughfare - sooner or later one will come along. In Patong, your best spot for flagging one down is along Phra Baramee Road outside the tourist police box. In Phuket town, head for the fresh markets on Ranong Road (opposite Thai airways office) where you will find Songtaews waiting to go to destinations all around the island. Standard cost for trips to/from Phuket Town to/from locations such as Patong, Surin and Kamala are approximately 15-20 Baht, and you shouldn't take one if you are in a hurry to get where you want to go.

Hire Cars and Motorbikes
Private cars, jeeps and small motorbikes can be hired from most major hotels, and from private dealers off the street. If you really want to explore, having your own vehicle is the best way to go. It's important to check that full insurance coverage is included and that you have the appropriate licenses at hand in case of accident. Note that motorcycle hire is extremely risky as insurance is usually not included - regardless of what you are told. You don't want to find yourself liable for damages and medical bills or worse. A Thai or an international car license is mandatory for the purposes of claiming successfully for insurance in case of accident with a vehicle.
For serious bike enthusiasts, the area around Patong offers lots to enjoy. Cruise out of the town on smooth roads that bank and curve around lush green mountains looking out over the Andaman Sea and visit some of the smaller areas outside the main tourist strip. There are bike shops in Patong that specialise in road cruisers and dirt bikes for those who want something more challenging than the traditional Honda Dream favoured by most tourists and locals alike. Check out the shops along Rat-U-Thit Road at Patong Beach. A word of warning - needless to say those who ride motorcycles should take extreme care when riding the roads in Thailand. Not only is there an extreme disregard for traffic regulations which leads to unexpected and dangerous behaviour on the roads, but during the rainy season, bike riders often come to grief when damp roads become slippery to ride on due to oil spill build-ups. It is therefore recommended that the inexperienced rider elect the safety of a standard vehicle as the means for enjoying touring around Kata, Patong and elsewhere on the island or just making confirmation booking at online booking (by budget)

Motorcycle Taxis
During the day and night, groups of motorcyclists can be seen lurking on street corners or cruising the streets wearing coloured vests and trying to get your attention. These are the motorcycle taxi drivers who will take you anywhere around town for a fee. Again the price can vary depending on the distance you want to travel and your bargaining skills. Not the safest mode of transport but can be convenient.


Beaches

Nai Yang Beach:
Located 30 km from Phuekt Town and reachable in a 5 Minutes car-ride from the Airport, Nai Yang Beach is still known as a quite sandy beach with excellent swimming conditions. Plenty of Casuarinas trees guaranty for a lot of shelter. The bay was declared as National Park, due to turtles digging their eggs during dry-season.

Bangtao Beach:
Located 24 km from Phuket Town or about 30 minutes car-ride from Patong Beach, you can find the oblong shaped and eight kilometers long Bangtao Beach. The Beach is well-known due to the Laguna Phuket Hotels and Resorts, five high class beach resorts. There is a golf course and a horse stable, as well as good shopping opportunities at the Laguna Phuket Complex.
Especially during December, this beach is famous for the best windsurf conditions around the whole island, several international windsurf and catamaran competitions where held at this resort. Excellent relaxation and sun-bathing at the beautiful white sand beach.

Surin Beach & Pansea Beach:
Both beaches are about 24 km distance from Phuket town or 30 minutes by cab from Patong Beach on the west coast of the island. A big car park and a lot of snack and souvenir shops shows you, that the beach is frequently visited by Thai-tourists.
Casuarinas trees giving shelter to those, wanting a change from the Palm-beaches found all over the island - from end of December until and of April excellent swimming conditions during good weather days.
Be aware: During the monsoon season or Thaiphoon storms, rip current may be present creating undertow conditions to the swimmer.

Kamala Beach:
About 26 km from Phuket town or 20 minutes ride from Patong Beach. Kamala Beach is about 2 km in length and consists out of sand. At the southern end of the beach, there is a small Muslim village and at the northern side there are good picnic conditions. Phuket Fantasea, Phuket adventure theme park grant opening was in January 1999. It is worth a visit. Tickets can be booked in any travel agency on the Island. Phuket Fantasea provides Pick up service to make your evening most enjoyable.
The crystal clear waters of Kamala bay invites you for a good and safe swim or snorkeling, at a very colorful coral reef just a few meters away from the shore

Patong Beach:
Patong Beach is located 15 km from Phuket town on the west coast of Phuket Island. About 30 years ago, there wasn't much to do at Patong Beach. The villagers lived from fishing and were working on coconut plantations. The first backpackers came and discovered this remote paradise. Landlords built up, out of natural materials, the first bungalows-not much more than roofs out of palm-tree leaves and hang mocks or simple sleeping compartments. Nowadays Patong is one of Southeast Asia's most developed beach resorts, with enormous entertainment and hotel capacities. There is still the beautiful white sandy beach, where shelter is found under palm trees, but today with plenty of water sport activities and a bit more organized than it used to be in previous times.
Patong beach has a length of 3 kilometers and consists of white powdery sand. Patong is set in a oval bay, surrounded by lush green mountains.
Behind the beach promenade, hundreds of hotels and guesthouses, bars and restaurants, banks, shops and department stores will guarantee the tourist a pleasant stay.
Patong Beach is a public beach and umbrellas and beach chairs might be rented from private vendors for about 200 THB per day for a two persons set.
At the southern end of the beach closed to a small reef, there are Long Tail boats for rent, the captain will show you around the coastline for about 400 THB an hour or you even might hire it out for the whole day. Transfers to the next idyllic and much quieter Freedom Beach are also available here.

Freedom Beach and Emerald Bay:
This two pretty bays south-west of Patong, can be reached by Longtail boat from leaving in the south end of Patong Beach. The people like it for snorkeling and swimming in a more private atmosphere than at the larger beaches. This two bays may also be reached over a precipitous hill road. By feet you just need to cross the property of the Coral Beach Hotel and follow a small path down to the see.

Relax Bay:
is the synonym of the little beach, where the well-known Le Meridien Resort Phuket is located ( 10 minutes by car from Patong Beach). You can reach this beach by Long tail boat or taxi. The guards at the entrance won't let someone's not in the hotel living car in. You got to park and do the remaining way by foot. It is well worth to visit. Very nice sandy, powdery beach, relax under lovely umbrellas or stroll around at the shore of the crystal clear blue waters of the Andaman Sea.

Karon Beach:
karon beach is located 20 km south-west direction from Phuket town at the west-coast of Phuket. The 3 kilometer long, wide sandy Palm beach is scenic not very attractive. In the North the beach features a small very beautiful lagoon and abut on rock-formations.
There is also the beginning of the road leading over the hills to Relax Bay and to Patong Beach. On the other hand the wave surfers really gathering there together to get a ride on the up to 4 meter high waves, breaking over a shallow sand bar in front of the beach. Karon reef is approximately 18 meters deep and about 5 minutes snorkel swim away from the southern part of the beach - good for a afternoon dive. Catamarans and surfboards are there for rent and all year around there is a light breeze, making a ride on a surfboard quite enjoyable. Water-ski, Jet skis and Long tail boats are there for hire, too.
Karon Center is right behind the beach road after Karon Circle. There are a lot of guest houses and Hotels. Restaurants and Bars, Thai Massages and a small night market, makes the visitors stay in Karon most enjoyable. Most of the Hotels and Bungalow resorts are located at the beach road and spread out over this 4 km long beach resort. Karon Beach is a stay worth, for tourists who don't like the crowds of Patong Beach.
Be aware: During the monsoon season there are rip-currents present and special caution has to be taken regarding swimming.

Kata Beach:
approximately 17 kilometers away from Phuket Town, below Karon beach at the west-coast of Phuket Island. Kata beach is a beautiful sandy beach, much more quite than Patong or Karon. The ideal Beach for families, there are plenty of water sport activities, like sailing, swimming, water-skiing. Famous is the beach for its beautiful, snorkel and dive-able reef - the Kata reef. The reef is enclosed in small marker-buoys, so that your diving activity will not be disturbed by any boat traffic. Most of the dive shops are located in Kata beach and offering boat-trips to the major dive sites of Phuket. In Kata center is the night life and the most accommodations are located there. A lot of guesthouses, resorts and a small amount of shops are in Kata Beach. Also you might visit the Dino Park Mini Golf Course, located at Kata Hill, a creative Mini Golf Course in Dino Style, even with a volcano rising above the palm trees.

Kata Noi Beach:
The approximately 1 kilometer long sandy beach, Located immediately south of Kata Beach around a rocky headland and a little cove is Kata Noi Beach. A few Hotels, the well-known Katathani Hotel, some restaurants, shops are there, to offer the client some resort atmosphere. Kata Noi Beach is surrounded by lush, tropical vegetation and ultra-green mountains. A fantastic place to step back from daily routine and city-life's stress.

Rawai Beach:
is located 17 km from Phuket Town on the south-tip of Phuket Island. Especially frequently visited by Thai-Tourist. Rawai Beach offers a lot of small restaurants at the beachfront, shops and souvenir stores. There are Long tail and speed boats for hire, bringing you out to the offshore islands of Phuket like Raya Yai or Coral Island. Just a few Kilometer further up the mountain, you'll find this spectacular sunset - Viewpoint

Nai Harn Beach:
famous because of the annual Phuket King Cup. Fine clean sand and clear water make this one of Phuket's nicest beaches. Several little restaurants on the beach offer delicious Thai food.

Chalong Bay:
Approximately 14 km away from Phuket Town. This bay is the major peer for the daytrip boats like dive-boats, deep-sea fishing, etc. There are no swimming possibilities, but nice and romantic seafood restaurants with excellent money/value relationships.


Thing To See & Do
Phuket's flourishing tourist industry has provided visitors to the island with much more than the enjoyment of some of the most beautiful beaches in Southern Thailand, green tropical jungles, delicious local food and a fascinating local culture to become acquainted with.

Phuket's flourishing tourist industry has provided visitors to the island with much more than the enjoyment of some of the most beautiful beaches in Southern Thailand, green tropical jungles, delicious local food and a fascinating local culture to become acquainted with. Nowadays it offers its visitors an extensive range of things to see and do to suit all ages, no matter your interest, mood or prevailing weather conditions.

Phuket Night Life
Patong Beach is the center of all tourist oriented nightlife on Phuket, Thailand. There, located within a radius of half a kilometer around Soi Bangla, are over 150 bars, pubs, discos and ago go bars. The pubs, bars and ago go bars of Patong Beach are the most popular nighttime destinations on the island. They give the town its unique flavor of a lively, fun place until long after the sun goes down.
Patong Beach features some great discos too. Two of them, the Banana Disco and the Shark Club, are also located at Soi Bangla. Another one, the Safari Pub, is on the hill towards Kata Beach.
Another option are the Thai-style "coffee shops" - nightclubs where ladies in fancy dresses take turns getting up to sing Thai songs while customers eat and drink and, occasionally, entice singers to join them at their tables. Later at night there are sometimes farcical skits on stage and other types of entertainment.
If you want to know more about the nightlife in Patong Beach, read more in the sections marked on the navigation bar to the left of the page.


Bars and Pubs
Lined up next to each other in long rows around Soi Bangla, the bars and pubs of Patong Beach are probably the most popular nighttime destination for most visitors.
Most of the bars are small and simple with stools or benches and some kind of roof. The music can be loud and often very mixed as each bar has its own stereo system. The volume of music can make conversation difficult but a fun time is to be had by all.
The atmosphere is easy and relaxed as it is very easy to take a seat in one of the many bars or pubs and enjoy people-watching as there is always a sea of human beings moving around you. In season Phuket is awash with people from many different countries and Patong Beach in particular becomes a very cosmopolitan place. People who finish a days diving, sunbathing or sightseeing enjoy congregating in these places to meet and party on into the night.
There is a wide variety of bar sports to play with any of your new found friends. Games such as banging a nail into a tree stump with a special hammer are quite popular and can get quite funny after a couple of beers. Connect Four, Backgammon or the Thai version of Ka Plunk are also in vogue. Some of the slightly larger bars have pool tables (for as cheap as THB 10) and dart boards, giving the opportunity do do something more than just drink.
A visit to the bars and pubs of Patong is for many the ritual by which they begin the nightly party.

A Go Go Bars
In Patong Beach, the heart of Phuket Night Life and Entertainment, there are many A Go Go Bars, most of them located around Soi Bangla.
If you are not familiar with A Go Go Bars from TV documentaries or Hollywood movies, here you find a short introduction into what a go gos are all about.
An ago go bar is a place, where you can watch Thai girls dancing to energetic music clothed in nothing more than a string bikini. These girls are not totally nude, as this is officially prohibited by Thai law.
The girls may interact with the customers during the time they are not dancing. They are not owned in any way by the bar and if they want to share their time with the guest, it is their decision to make. If you enjoy the company of a particular lady and would like her to accompany you perhaps to dinner or a disco, it is customary to pay the bar a small fee, since if she accompanies you, she is no longer assisting the bar by providing entertainment.
Anyway, if you have an open mind, visiting an ago go bar will surely give you a unique insight into this aspect of tourist entertainment.

Thai Massage
After having had a fascinating dive in the Andaman Sea or after a night dancing in one of Patong's discos, a relaxing massage done by the soft hands of Thai girls will help to refresh and revive you. Thai traditional massage is one of the most famous recreational activities in Thailand (this should not be confused with Full Body Massage, offered in specialized massage parlors like Christins in Patong Beach).
Practiced for centuries and passed down verbally from one generation to the next, from teacher to student or from parent to child, traditional Thai massage has a long history.
The roots of this way of therapeutically healing and recreation go back to India. Jivaka Komabhacca, a doctor friend and contemporary of Buddha, is believed to be the founder of this practice over 2.500 years ago. The heavy Indian influence on the southeast Asian cultures including Thailand and the Malay peninsula, helped spread the knowledge about massage rapidly throughout the region. Ancient Chinese medical techniques, brought in by a large number of immigrants, had further influence on Thai massage.
At the time that Thai culture came to full flower under the kings of Ayutthaya, a large collection of medical texts about Thai massage and its techniques existed. But with the Burmese invasion of 1776, leading to the destruction of the capital, most of these scriptures were lost forever. What was left was carved in the Wat Poh in Bangkok in 1832 by order of King Rama III, who wanted to preserve this great tradition.
According to these inscriptions, the theoretical basis of Thai massage are energy lines, of which the major ten are called "Sen". Important acupressure points are located on these lines which run through the body and working on them will help to remove blockages of energy flow.
Therapeutic massage for treatment of specific conditions and diseases is also practiced in Thailand, but only by a small number of skilled practitioners. For a good experience of popular Thai massage, a massage girl from one of the many massage parlors all over Phuket or even one of the beach girls offering a massage for a few Baht will suffice.
Simon Cabaret and Transvestite Shows
Going to the cabaret on Phuket has a different meaning than almost anywhere else in the world. The island boasts extravagant cabaret shows with stunning costumes, bright lights, expensive sets and a unique feature, most of the performers are men dressed as women.
Transvestites and transgendered people are much more accepted in Thailand than in Western countries, perhaps because the Buddhist religion practiced in the region does not have texts or doctrines that are judgmental of different lifestyles. Whatever the reason, they can be often be seen on the streets and in everyday jobs where they are employed without persecution.
At the Simon Cabaret, famous well beyond Phuket, an all-male revue with the the utmost extravaganza can be experienced. Performers recreate a traditional Thai dance or lip-synch songs popular in countries around the world.
Besides the Simon Cabaret, the popularity of transvestite and transsexual cabaret performers has spread to most parts of Phuket. Many of Phuket's five star resorts featuring transvestite cabaret performers for special occasions and numerous other venues can be visited. Most well-known are the Andaman Queen Cabaret and shows at the Royal Paradise Complex.

Phuket Shopping
Large department stores are located in Phuket Town and Patong, and a smaller one is in Thalang Town; they have a broad range of what is available in Thailand, both imported and domestic. Tailors' shops are everywhere ; labour costs are inexpensive so a handmade suit is an attractive purchase. Tailors supply the cloth, or you can select your own from one of the many cloth merchants on Thalang Rd., in Phuket Town.

Silk and Silk products
Thai silk, which found its way into world markets after World War II, is hand-reeled, hand-woven and hand-printed and thus has a natural uneven look and coarser texture giving it is uniqueness which has made it well-known all over Thailand. Today colorfast dyes and improved looms have been introduced for higher standards of production, but traditional hand-weaving techniques still preserve the unique luster that makes Thai silk different from any other.
For centuries the northeast has been the traditional home of silk weaving, and craftsmen in provinces like Khorat, Surin, Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen continue to produce some of the finest examples.
Northern Thailand, particularly in the Chiang Mai area, is also an old weaving center. Among the silk products for which it is noted is 'Pha Yok', or brocade, richly patterned with designs in gold or silver thread. Besides being used for men and women's clothing, curtains, and upholstery. Thai silk in both solid colors and prints is employed for a wide range or souvenir items like cushions, jewel-boxes, evening bags and notebook covers.

Gems and Jewelry
Precious stones have been mined in Thailand for centuries. They are in great variety, namely rubies, sapphires, topazes, zircons, jades, etc. Among these are the 'Siamese rubies' which have world reputation for their beauty.
Chanthaburi, Trat and Kanchanaburi provinces are the important homes for coloured stones. As Thai cutters have now become highly skilled and have great reputation for quality workmanship, together with the abundance of locally mined gems, Bangkok is then made one of the world leading gem markets at the present time.

Wood Carving
5Thai woodcarft, especially wood carving, is world famous for its craftsmanship together with is intricate and elaborate designs.
In the Chiang Mai area, hundreds of artisans produce carved figures of all kinds and in all sizes, ornate picture and mirror frames, intricately designed boxes, salad bowls, trays, wall plaques and numerous other creations. Some pieces are gilded and decorated with glass-mosaics to enhance their appeal. Wood carving skills are also used in the making of fine furniture both traditional and contemporary.

Pearl
From the oyster comes the pearl, one of nature's most prized gifts. In the Andaman Sea, thriving oyster beds give birth to a wide variety of these beautiful gems.
Around Naka Noi Island, just off the east coast of Phuket, rare South Sea pearls are cultured.
Visit one of the most famous pearl cultivation farms in the world and find out the secrets of oysters and how they create pearls. Take one of the Pearl Island Tours' day trips by comfortable cruiser, and you may find you go home with a little something extra.

Telecommunications / Internet
Most hotels can provide telephone and fax services. Public phones are not the greatest choice for making long distance or overseas calls - easier to make your calls from one of the many business centres that offer this service or do it from your hotel.
Most overseas mobile phones can be used here by purchasing a local SIM card, which costs less than 900 Baht. Otherwise, check with the service provider in your home country about international roaming before you leave. It's also possible to buy a mobile phone in Phuket for as little as 2,000 Baht and use a pay-as-you-go service such as One-2-Call or DPrompt.
Mobile phone stands - Long distance or overseas calls can also be made for a fixed price per 5 minutes from roadside stands often set up outside convenience stores. Local calls can easily be made from public phones but you will need to check whether it's a card or coin phone. Telephone cards are available from various places such as 7-Eleven, some stationery stores, the Post Office and telephone authority offices.
Internet cafes are located in all the main tourist areas and offer reasonable rates. You can also check your email in the telecommunications office in Phuket town. Many hotels have an Internet service, but it can be expensive. There are a few wi-fi hotspots on the island, including Starbucks in Patong and The Books in Phuket town.

Phuket Postal Services
Post Office locations:
Phuket Town, main Post Office on Montri Road, just north of Phang Nga Rd.
Patong - Rat-U-Thit Road, next to the Patong Palace Hotel at the northern end of Patong. Smaller branches also along the main roads in Karon, Chalong and Kamala.
Opening hours: 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday-Friday. 9am-noon Saturday.

Urgent or important items can be sent by EMS services. Private couriers like DHL are also available. You can send postcards and regular size letters from the reception at most major hotels around the island.


Important Phone Numbers

Police
191
Tourist Police
1699 or 076 214 368
Ambulance
076 254 425 /210 935
Bangkok-Phuket Hospital
076 254 421
Patong/Kathu Hospital
076 340 444, 342 633
Phuket International Hospital
076 249 400
Hyperbaric Services Thailand
076 342 518/9; 09 871 2335
Customs
076 211 105
Harbour Master
076 391 174
Tours & Travel
Reservations Centre
081 737 0860
Immigration Authority
076 212 108