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Chiang Mai

Colors of Chiang Mai - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Chiang Mai is the city with amazing culture, an acquaintance with which can turn into an unforgettable adventure. Like many centuries ago, locals revere national traditions and pay a lot of attention to local crafts. Only a few travelers know that paper umbrellas, which are considered a real national symbol of Thailand, are produced here.

Guide to Chiang Mai sightseeing - things to see and to visit

This is one of the largest cities of Thailand, which continues growing actively. The city's name can be read differently, but when translated from Thai it means "new castle". This ancient …

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Bo Sang district is a center of umbrellas, where you can find a huge number of craft workshops and retail shops with a vast selection of goods. Here, travelers can purchase small cocktail umbrellas for decoration, beautiful paper fans and large parasols, which are also made of paper. It is noteworthy that, like many years ago, all of those unique products are made and painted by hand.

The most beautiful and interesting festival is the national holiday of Loi Krathong, which usually starts in the second half of November. It's worth noting that local people use only lunar calendar, so terms of national celebrations may vary year-on-year. Thus, the Loi Krathong festival is held on the full moon of the 12th lunar month. The idea of a colorful festival is very simple - it symbolizes farewell to all negative thoughts and emotions and greeting life full of fun. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Cuisine of Chiang Mai for gourmet with top restaurants and cafe

Even experienced travelers and great connoisseurs of Thai cuisine can get lost in the variety of restaurants in Chiang Mai. You can find attractive places that specialize in local dishes …

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During the festival, local people conduct a lot of interesting rituals; one of the most interesting is related to the launching of small boats resembling lotus flowers. Today, miniature boats are made of dough, whereas many years ago, local residents have made them out of banana leaves. Some coins, sweets and fruits, as well as a small lighted candle are put in the boat; then people gently pull it into the water. It is believed that after this ritual, spirits of water will help to complete all rites of purification and tune in a positive way.

For a few days, local residents enjoy the unique atmosphere of fun and participate in a variety of entertainment events, parades and concerts. The festival ends with other touching ritual, flying of paper lanterns. On the last day of the festival, locals gather on the coast and, at nightfall, fly into the sky thousands of small lanterns with candles inside. It all looks like a fascinating performance.

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City tours, excursions and tickets in Chiang Mai and surroundings

Reference information

Map of all churches

Cathedrals and basilicas near Chiang Mai
♥ Sacred Heart Cathedral, Chiang Mai, 2.8 km from the center. On the map Show on the map

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Detailed Chiang Mai maps

Chiang Mai photo gallery

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Colors of Chiang Mai in photos

Traditions and festivals in cities around Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai Region

The Winter Festival and Red Cross Fair are held at the end of December. The fair traditionally has a lot of local goods directly from factories at low prices. There are also music shows and a beauty contest. If you go to Chiang Mai in January, try to come here during Chinese New year, it is celebrated on January 22-23. You can see stunning bright parades and ... Open »

Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai is often called the city of endless festivals, as a lot of interesting events are held here throughout the year. Its brightest holidays are held in February, April and November. In April, locals celebrate one of the most anticipated and exciting events, Songkran or Thai New Year. The event is accompanied by a number of original traditions; some of them may seem very ... Open »

Bangkok

Do not sit cross-legged in public places or in someone’s house – this pose can be considered a sign of disrespect. Local people are very sensitive when it comes to the royal family, so any careless word about the government may hurt them badly. One more "not recommended" theme for discussion with the citizens and inhabitants of the country is religion. Locals show warm ... Open »

Pattaya

This is a unique trend of drama art featuring stunning dance shows. The main symbol of the theater is bright masks hiding faces of actors during the performance. All the participants of the show are clad in national dresses. The performances of the theater are always accompanied with national music. The youngest visitors of the resort will better like a Thai puppet theater ... Open »

Hua Hin

The local culture is full of interesting features; it can be very enjoyable and informative exercise to study them all. One of the main features of national culture is a special way of greeting named Wai. Greeting each other, local people join hands at chest level and slightly incline their heads showing respect. It is remarkable that such a form of greeting isn’t applied to ... Open »

Hanoi

There are public holidays in Hanoi. They are associated with various significant historical dates and personalities. National holidays are also celebrated here. Their traditions go back centuries. Dates of national holidays are determined by the lunar calendar. State holidays are determined by the Gregorian calendar. Vietnamese New Year or Tết is the most significant ... Open »

Cityguide on traditions, mentality and lifestyle of people in Chiang Mai. Learn the best periods to visit Chiang Mai to discover its soul - authentic festivals, events and celebrations. We will also reveal the interesting habits, attitude towards the world and to tourists in Chiang Mai.

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Colors of Chiang Mai - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

City tours, excursions and tickets in Chiang Mai and surroundings

Colors of Chiang Mai in photos

Search for popular touristic sites on Chiang Mai map

Traditions and festivals in cities around Chiang Mai