Chiang Mai is a beautiful city situated in northern Thailand. This magical place is sitted between succulent mountains and it is a very modern city as well!Fortunately there’s no cosmopolitan nature as Bangkok. Chiang Mai is an important centre for handcrafted goods, umbrellas, jewelry and woodcarving.

The city itself lies on Ping River and it’s divided into 4 wards: Nakhon Ping, Srivijaya, Mengrai and Kavila. The first three wards are on the west bank, whilst Kavila is situated on the east shore of the river.

A long time ago Chaing Mai was the capital of the Lanna kingdom. So for that reason its temples and other historic sites have a unique look with starker lines and darker woods. It’ll be spiritual to visit Wat Chiang Man, which is the city’s oldest temple built in the late 13 century.

For another wonderful experience stroll along the Ping River, where university students and young professionals gather at a strip of rollicking restaurants that serve modern Thai, Japanese and Western food. Try the geng som, a soup flavored with a sour Thai orange, and the poo phat pong kari, crab stir-fried with yellow curry. Dinner for two people costs about 1,000 baht. If you can get up early it’s worthy to go on a mornin hike on Doi Suthep, which is the 5,498-foot peak that overlooks the city.

Chiang Mai has become a design laboratory, with foreign and Thai designers blending traditional styles with minimalist lines. Thai art students wander the street in packs, occasionally whipping out sketchpads. In recent years, many of Thailand’s best-known artists have moved to Chiang Mai from Bangkok.

As well as with its cooler climate and rugged terrain, Chiang Mai has become the hub for adventure sports, including rafting, trekking and mountain biking.