Wat Doi Suthep
The North is the birthplace of the earliest Thai civilisation and has many sites of archaeological and cultural interest. Northern people are famous for their courtesy and hospitality, and the region is also noted for its variety of cultural traditions. Many tourists from the surrounding provinces converge on Chiang Mai for the annual Songkran Festival, and to Sukhothai for Loi Krathong.
The region has three seasons, hot from March to May, wet from June to November and cool from December to February. High up in the mountains, though, “cool” may often mean extremely cold.
The Thai nation had its origins in the North, in city states that were gradually incorporated into the Lanna kingdom centred on Chiang Mai. Sukhothai became the first capital of Thailand, but the influence of the Lanna states of Laos and Myanmar can be clearly seen in the architecture and cuisine of the North.The nomadic hill people of the region pursued their own course, moving back and forth across frontiers. There are six main tribal groups, Karen, Hmong, Lahu, Mien, Akha and Lisu, each with its own unique customs and clothing. Today, they are settled in villages on the mountainsides, a great attraction for travellers.
Most overseas visitors make for Chiang Mai, the northern capital, as a base for visiting ethnic tribes, soft adventure activities and shopping. Further north still, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son are centres for rafting, trekking and tours of tribal villages. To the south, the Historical Park at Sukhothai is an essential destination for all those wishing to discover more about the history and culture of Thailand.
The 17 provinces that comprise the North are Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Tak, Kamphaeng Phet, Lampang, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son, Nakhon Sawan, Nan, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phichit, Uthai Thani, Phitsanulok, Phrae, Sukhothai, and Uttaradit
Chiang Mai
This mountainous Northern Province with its cooler temperature and morning mist is popular with retirees who wish to get away from it all and enjoy a relaxing, hassle-free life. The province is renowned for its traditional way of life spurring from the Lanna era, soft spoken language, delicious cuisine, Inthanon and Suthep mountains, delightful climate, beautiful flowers and even pretty fair-skinned girls.
The mountains of Chiang Mai are home to a diversity of hill tribes such as the Lahu, Lisaw, Akha and Yao. There are also some Long-necked Karen around the provincial town. For those who would wish to spend some or a considerable amount of time enjoying their traditional ways of life, it is very possible to have a stay arranged.
Most retirees though, end up living in Chiang Mai Town simply out of convenience. It has almost everything which Bangkok has. The provincial town is easy to get around, it can be done so by tuk-tuk, bicycle, songthaew (baht buses) or even on foot.
Chiang Mai Town has a huge assortment of eateries to fit everyone’s taste. There are a multitude of restaurants serving up cuisine from Thailand, China, Japan, India, Korea, Vietnam, France, Italy and Mexico etc. Most are cheaper than Bangkok. For those who enjoy a bit of nightlife, there are pubs, beer bars, discos and live music joints (both Thai and Western music).
Health: Chiang Mai has several decent hospitals, they include:
- Chiang Mai Ram
- Chiang Mai University
- Mc Cormack
Finance: ATMs and banks can be found everywhere in downtown Chiang Mai Town. All banks are more than happy to allow retirees to open a bank account.
Shopping: Chiang Mai Town is great for retirees out shopping for food. There is plenty of imported foreign food and delicious cheese, bread and pickles etc. made locally by other retirees and expatriates. To fill up the your requirements, shopping can be done at:
- Lotus
- Big C
- Carrefour
- Macro
- Kasem
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