General Chiang Mai Travel Information
 

Chiang Mai is a city built on the roots of a traditional heritage that
dig deep into the soil of time. It's a city with a beautiful cultural personality of its own. In addition, it's been blessed with much majestic beauty in nature.

The people themselves are an unforgettable part of Chiang Mai. Handicrafts of silk, silver and wood are timeless souvenirs for visitors from all over the globe.

Along with all this, a wide variety of accommodations, restaurants and entertainment all help to make Chiang Mai one of Thailand's prime tourist attractions.

The province itself is large,measuring 130 kms from east to west,and 320 kms from north to south. With a population of 1,547,085 Chiang Mai isone of Thailand's largest provinces. Of the above number, 250,000 are currently living in Chiang Mai's city area with the rest distributed throughout Chiang Mai's 21 districts, 2 sub-districts.

80% of the people in Chiang Mai are locals by birth. The remaining 20% is made up of Thai nationals and foreigners who have moved to Chiang Mai to work, study, or retire.

The people of Chiang Mai have their own lilting dialect, their own customs, their own architectural traditions, a wide range of indigenous handicrafts, their own dances and cuisine.

As countless travelers have discovered, Chiang Mai's manifold attraction enthrall delight, and to visit this northern Shangri-la merely once is to remain forever enchanted.

There are many hilltribe people living in the mountainous districts surrounding Chiang Mai such as Omkoi, Mae Jam, Chiang Dao and Mae Ai.

Statistics reported by the Tribal Research Institute of Chiang Mai stated that in the year 1992 there were 1,049 hilltribe villages in the Chiang Mai province, constituting a total of 174,195 people.

Of this amount, 106,116 were from the Karen tribe, 27,392 from the Lahu (Musur) tribe, 17,198 from the Hmong (Meo) tribe, 10,873 form the Lisu tribe, 8,862 from the Lua tribe, 2,609 from the Akha tribe, 1,145 from the Mien (yao) tribe, and 485 from the Palong tribe.

The hilltribe people are agricultural; planting fields, raising animals, and hunting for a living. Since each tribe has its own culture and language, they blanket the hills of Chiang Mai with an interesting patchwork quilt of diverse variety.

Thailand's principal northern province. It is some 700 kilometres north of Bangkok and covers an area of 20,000 square metres. The city is located in a fertile valley some 300 metres above sea level which accounts for its slightly drierand cooler climate than most other parts of this country.

Climate
Cool Season : (late October to end of February). average temperature 21? C and much cooler at night. The coldest months are December and January.

Hot Season : (early March to end of May) Average temperature
 29 C. The hottest month is April.

Rainy Season : (early June to end of October). Average temperature 25 C. The wettest month is September.