Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai continued
Hi Today will cover Chiang mai itself
Chiang Mai is around 700 Km from Bangkok the city sits in the shadow of some of the highest mountains in Thailand and sited by the Ping river a tributary of the Chao Phraya river.
Chiang mai gets thousands of foreign visitors a year it has a population of around 1.5 milllion,so a lot less hustle and bustle than Bangkok.
A number of activities are available here which include jungle treks to the hill tribes one such story mentioned in previous news story,Elephant nature park,visiting tea and coffee plantations.
outdoor activities: The varied local terrain offers opportunities for mountain biking, Elephant riding, bamboo rafting, and kayaking. The area has several golf courses.
Chiang Mai has a large and famous nightly bazaar for arts, handicrafts, and products of all descriptions, and a number of large, well-appointed modern shopping centers. The night bazaar alone sprawls along several city blocks along sidewalks, inside buildings, and in open squares. In addition a market is held every Sunday evening on Rachadamnoen road.
As in Bangkok Chaing mai has a range of food stalls on the street ranging from 20 baht so if you are traveling on a budget you will have no trouble avoiding the higher priced restaurants.
OK for that price you'll have to eat at a small table sitting on a plastic stool right on the side walk... in the evening you might see the occasional cockroach or rat,but what matters is what's on your plate the food is cooked in front of you, products are fresh at most stalls.
There is one basic rule when it comes to picking the right stall : see where the Thais go,never pick a deserted place. Often a stall is specialized in one dish, among others you can find a variety of dishes the name of the more popular dishes for farang are
Kwai Teaw, a noodle soup with either pork (Moo), chicken (Kai), duck (Pet) or seafood (Ahaan Talay). There are 4 kinds of noodles : the wide ones (Sen Yai), the normal one (Sen Lek), the vermicelli (Sen Mee) and the translucent vermicelli (Woon Sen). Seasoning is for you to do with chilly powder, fish sauce, pepper, sugar, peanuts
Tom Yum, a spicy and very tasty soup with vegetables, herbs and Shrimps (Kung) or seafood, or chicken. Served with rice on the side.
There is plenty of accommodation in Chiang Mai from backpackers to Guest houses to up market hotels a good idea to google Chiang Mai for accommodation as their are deals to be found online.
Thailand is known as a cheap, good value destination and Chiang Mai is one of the cheapest tourist areas in the whole country. No wonder people hang out here for weeks. And when you head north to Pai, it gets even cheaper. Guesthouses and entertainment are certainly good value and there are plenty of activities that are cheaper than on the islands.
It's about 30 per cent cheaper in Chiang Mai than Bangkok and if you plan for a lengthy stay, then you can really make your money go a long way. It all makes the Khao San Road look expensive.
Chaing Mai is a place well worth the visit with trains,buses and Planes leaving Bangkok everyday this is a place our Find Love Asia members could consider as part of their travel itenary.
Tum Ka Kai, a sweet soup with coconut milk and chicken
Kao Soi, a yellow noddles with curry (spicy) sauce and chicken.
Kao Kha Moo, a delicious pork leg served with rice, pickled cabage and a boiled egg. Say 'Mai Aow Nang' if you don't want they serve you the skin.
Suki, a vermicelli soup with egg, vegetables, seafood (or chicken) and a very special (spicy) sauce.
Kao Man Kai, steamed chicken served with rice and a unique sauce (non spicy) made of ginger, garlic and other secret ingredients.
Pad Thai, noodles fried with tofu, eggs, peanuts, onions, soja, dried shrimps.
The Thai generally eat in company and will often select a variety of dishes and every one digs in if you are traveling with a group you can do the same thing and will get the chance to find out what dishes you like in one sitting.