Chiang Mai (เชียงใหม่) is the hub of Northern Thailand and the Capital City of the Province of this name. With a population of over 170,000 in the city proper (but more than 1 million in the metropolitan area), it is Thailand’s fifth-largest city. Located on a plain at an elevation of 316 m, surrounded by mountains and lush countryside, it is much greener and quieter than the capital, and has a cosmopolitan air and a significant expat population, factors which have led many from Bangkok to settle permanently in this “Rose of the North”.

Misty mountain scapes. A cup of hot hill tribe coffee in hand. Cool youngsters with perfectly combed hair and big doll-eyes, carrying bubble tea to class. Markets coming to life brining spices, colour and sounds to the city scape. Carries it into the night. Bikers, lovers and families hanging out at the river edge. Chiang Mai is the urban gateway to the slow green North. A charming doorway to a world you want to enter.