Accommodations

There are many excellent choices for places to stay in Chiang Mai at every price point.
Please refer to the map for a selection of places that we would recommend. It is getting late in the season and places are filling up.

The Venue – Monfai Lanna Cultural Center

Monfai is a historic Lanna-style home that was converted into a museum in order to preserve northern Thai arts, crafts, architecture, and lifestyle. It serves as a venue for traditional northern-style weddings, traditional food markets, and concerts. It is located in a plush and leafy area just north of the Chiang Mai city center.

Activities and Sites in and around Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is famous for history and local Lanna culture, and is situated in the more mountainous and verdant northern portion of the country. There are lots beautiful and historic temples, architecture, and nature preserves.

We’ve created a map listing sites, temples, scenic overviews, and interesting streets that we recommend you visit while in Chiang Mai and the surrounding area. Click the pins to expand each.

* Click the triple bar button on the top-left of the map to see the list of places.
*Click the box on the top-right to open the map in a new window.

 Lanna and Northern Thailand

Lanna is the name of the historic northern region of Thailand. It used to be an independent kingdom until its incorporation into the Siamese realm in the 18th and 19th century. With the political changes in the 20th century, the old northern royalty was dissolved and the regions that once composed the Lanna kingdom became the northernmost provinces of Thailand.

The spoken language of Lanna is Kham Mueang, a language similar to standard Thai, yet quite difficult for a Thai speaker to understand completely. Kam Mueang, fortunately, is still a vibrant language despite decades of nationalist policy from the central government that sought to homogenize the peripheral regions of the country. Yet everyone in the Lanna region is equally fluent in standard Thai, which is the official language of government, business, and academia.

In addition to language, Northern Thailand is further distinguished by cuisine, culture, and architecture. The food tends to be less sweet than central Thai fare, and sticky rice is a staple of most dishes – in general the food has more “rustic” qualities. Wedding traditions are also significantly different in the North, as is traditional architecture for homes and temples. A key feature you may notice is the “Galae”: ornamentation on rooftops where two edges come to a point.