Chiang Mai Old Town radiates mystique, the relics of an ancient walled city standing beneath the shadow of lush green mountains. The city’s long leafy boulevards are packed with temples and traditional buildings, while its serene atmosphere is a marked change to many other Thai cities. Chiang Mai is known as the cultural heart of Thailand, and the Old Town is its showpiece, the remains of the ancient Lanna Kingdom standing proudly in the foothills of the Himalayas.
An ancient moat and partially reconstructed city wall wraps around Chiang Mai Old Town, clearly demarcating the historic and modern parts of the city. Crumbling fortifications of red terraced brick stand over the moat in the southwestern corner, the final vestiges of the original city walls. The temples are a mixture of styles, handpicking the best of Lanna, Sri Lankan and Burmese design. Of the 30 in Chiang Mai Old Town, Wat Phra Singh is the largest and most ornate, while Wat Chiang Man has a royal pedigree and two ancient Buddha images. The most iconic photo is of Wat Chedi Luang, a majestic chedi that rises 86 metres and stands in a state of semi-preservation, where half of the chedi was toppled off during an earthquake.
The only way into Chiang Mai Old Town is over one of the small bridges that cross the moat. The largest of these allow vehicle access and head under the original city gates, notably Chang Phuak to the north and Tha Phae to the east. While the attractions are spread across Chiang Mai Old Town, the focus for many visitors is Prapokklao Road and Ratchapakinai Road, where the temples are flanked by dozens of cafes, restaurants and tour offices. A traditional night market takes place every Sunday evening along Rachadamnoen Road, with hundreds of local stalls selling everything from souvenir passport covers to deep-fried fish balls.
While Chiang Mai Old Town can be explored on foot, many local agencies rent out bicycles and scooters for getting around the area. Chiang Mai has limited car traffic, other than buses and taxis along Ratchapakinai Road. Three-wheeled auto rickshaws can be found on many street corners as well as outside the popular temples.
The preservation of Chiang Mai Old Town can partly be credited to its isolation. Until the 1920s, the only way to reach Chiang Mai from the south was a long journey by boat or on the back of an elephant.