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Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Lin Ping the Panda Cub

Lin Ping, the panda cub Since its birth in May at the Chiang Mai Zoo to proud parents Chuang Chuang and Lin Hui (on loan from China), Lin Ping has been delighting visitors, Thais and foreigners alike. A 580m2 Snow Dome, built specially for the panda family, was opened in July but visitors have to shell out 150 baht (US$4.40) per person and brave chilling -5 degree Celsius temperatures. Lin Ping is usually in the nursery.

Other Chiangmai Treasures:

Chiang Mai Zoo Aquarium A five-minute walk from the Panda Observatory, the 600-million-baht Chiang Mai Zoo Aquarium claims to have the longest aquarium tunnel in the world, at 133m. The 66.5m sea water tunnel and 66.5m freshwater tunnel feature more than 20,000 freshwater and aquatic creatures of more than 250 species. Admission to the facility costs 450 baht per adult.

Sunday Walking Street The 2km stretch of Ratchadameon Road and the inner streets and alleys off the main thoroughfare come to life every Sunday from late afternoon to nearly midnight. Locals set up stalls on the footpaths and streets selling everything from arts and crafts to clothing, paintings and local snacks at unbelievably low prices. School children, teenagers and seniors also take to the streets, showing off their talent in local and western musical performances.

Chiang Mai Night Bazaar Hundreds of stalls, street-side shops and malls line a long section of Chang Khlan Road nightly from late evening until nearly midnight. Popular buys include silks, cloths, handwoven fabrics, hilltribe crafts, silver accessories, woodcarvings and pottery. This is definitely a good place to practise haggling skills.

Bo Sang & San Kamphaeng route San Kamphaeng Road is flanked by shops, showrooms and factories that sell local artworks and handicrafts, ranging from woodcarvings, lacquerware, silverware, leather, ceramics, silk, cotton woven fabrics and antiques.
Bo Sang village is famous for mulberry paper parasols and colourful umbrella souvenirs.

Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center Since opening in 1971, the centre has been serving Khantoke Dinner while staging cultural performances in a traditional Lanna setting.
A tiered tray made of wood or rattan, Khantoke is traditionally used to serve meals in Thailand’s northern provinces. Cultural shows include fingernail and candle dances, Thai boxing and sword-fight exhibitions.

Chiang Mai Night Safari It may be a tad controversial having been built during the former Thaksin Shinawatra administration but the theme park has its merits as it boosted the province’s appeal by creating a nocturnal activity for visitors. The theme park’s Jaguar Trail that weaves around the Swan Lake is also open during the day. Guided tram rides of the Savanna Safari and Predator Prowl only operate at night. Each tram ride ends with a musical fountain and water-screen show.

Ratchaphruek Garden This was the venue for the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek horticultural exposition, from December 2006 to February 2007, to commemorate King Bhumibol Adul-yadej’s 60th anniversary on the throne. Since then, the garden has been open to visitors. Ratchaphruek Garden is located next to the Night Safari, some 30 minutes by car from downtown Chiang Mai.

Doi Inthanon National Park Sprawling 1,005km2 across Mae Chaem and Chom Thong districts, Doi Inthanon is Thailand’s highest mountain at 2,565m above sea level. Park entrance fees are 400 baht per adult and 200 baht per child. The park is open year-round but the attractions are quite seasonal. The best time to view the waterfalls is from May to November. Wild flowers are in full bloom from December to February. And indigenous and migratory birds populate the park from November to March.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Locals believe that tourists cannot claim they have been to Chiang Mai unless they have visited this mountaintop temple perched around 1,000m above sea level. In addition, according to local lore, good things will come to those visitors who take on the challenge of climbing the 290 steps to the temple. If that were not enough, the excellent views are an added incentive for the arduous climb. Located 15km from downtown, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep has been watching over the province for more than a millennium.

Khao Soy Finally, a visit to Chiang Mai is not complete without a taste of khao soy.
This local favourite is a soupy dish of curry-like sauce using coconut milk as a base. Available at all local restaurants, khao soy can be served hot with egg noodles and meat or sprinkled atop deep-fried egg noodles. The flavours can be enhanced with condiments such as pickled cabbage, fresh shallots, lime juice and nam prik pao (chili paste). A word of caution though to the uninitiated – khao soy is on the spicy side.