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Chiang Mai City:
Chiang
Mai is the capital of the Chiang Mai Province in northern Thailand
on the Ping River Basin. The City has an estimated population of
about 300,000 people, and is one of the largest cities in the Country
falling a distant second to Bangkok. The City has over seven centuries
of history and was founded by King Mengrai who decided to build
Chiang Mai as the new city to replace Chiang Rai as the Capital
of the Lannathai Kingdom. The building of the city and its walls
was completed in 1296. Chiang Mai was persistently invaded by the
neighboring Burmese who occupied the land until being eventually
thrown out in 1774 by King Taksin of Thailand who incorporated
Chiang Mai as one of Thailand’s provinces. Since then Chiang
Mai City has made major strides in development to become one of
the most important cultural and economic centers of the Country.
Tourism:
Chiang Mai has a healthy tourism industry with visitors attracted
mainly to the City’s rich culture and history. The City’s
temples are one of the main attractions for tourists to the area.
Chiang Mai is home to about 300 Buddhist temples many of them
centuries old. The most popular include; Wat Chiang Man (the
oldest temple in Chiang Mai), Wat Umong, Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep,
Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Chiang Yuan and Wat Jed Yod.
The outskirts of Chiang Mai are also home to a number of local
tribal villages where you can get a good insight into the culture
and way of life of its people such as the Lisu, Akha and Karen
tribes. These can be visited on foot, by car or on elephant back.
Other attractions are the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Handicraft
Villages, local restaurants and local markets.
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