On a recent 10 day visit to Thailand I was fortunate to spend three days in Chiang Mai, a favorite year-round retreat commonly referred to as the "Rose of the North."

Set amidst hills and forests in a verdant valley 1,000 feet above sea level, it's cool, temperate climate provides a welcome relief from the intense heat and humidity of sweltering Bangkok 400 miles to the south. Thailand's second largest city is also the capital of Chiang Mai province (population of 1.5 million) of which 95% are Buddhists, and it is best known for its concentration of Buddhist wats (temples) and superb ethnic handicrafts.

Chiang Mai was founded in 1296 by King Mengrai as the capital of the Lanna (One Million Rice Fields) Kingdom, and it enjoyed great wealth and power for more than 250 years despite coming under repeated attacks from neighboring Burma and Laos. The Burmese eventually conquered the city in 1556 and it remained under Burmese control until 1775 when it was recaptured by Siamese warriors and restored to its former glory. Centuries of isolation from the rest of the country (Chiang Mai was not connected to Bangkok until a railway linking the two cities was completed in the 1920s) fostered the development of a distinct cultural identity with its own architectural traditions, customs and festivals. The prolonged Burmese influence is especially noticeable in the square tiered towers on many of the temples, and place names also reflect the former Burmese presence.

So Many Wats, So Little Time

Nowadays Chiang Mai is two cities in one, a contemporary metropolis with modern hotels, restaurants, shops and handicraft emporiums and an old city dating from the 13th century. Preservation of the ancient wats (temples) is a top priority in the old city where a moat and remnants of the original walls that once encircled the city are still visible. "Temple- hopping" is a popular tourist pursuit, and among the most visited of the city's 300 wats is Chiang Man Temple, the oldest surviving wat and former home of King Mengrai who lived here in the early 14th century. Inside is an altar holding two sacred Buddhas‹a miniature crystal image known as the White Emerald Buddha and a second carved out of marble. Another notable wat is Wat Chedi Luang which contains an immense pagoda built in 1401 that once stood almost 300 feet high and was reduced to half its original size by earthquake damage in 1545. It once housed the famed two foot tall emerald Buddha that is now enshrined atop a gold altar in Bangkok's Grand Palace.

Situated at 3,200 feet on Doi Suthep mountain approximately 10 miles northwest of Chiang Mai is Wat Pra That, the most prized of all religious sites in northern Thailand which attracts Buddhist pilgrims from around the world. The easy way up to the top is via the funicular railway while those seeking an aerobic workout can make the ascent by climbing a 300 step staircase. I joined many of my fellow tourists and rode up on the funicular and came down via the stairs. The main wat, which was built in 1383, is crowned by a sparkling pagoda covered in gold leaf and a major relic of the Buddha is supposedly buried in the courtyard. From the terrace there is a fantastic panoramic view of the entire Chiang Mai Valley. The wat is also just two miles from Phu Phing Winter Palace‹home of Thailand's royal family‹and the palace gardens are open to the public when the family is not in residence. Over the years Chiang Mai has built up a well deserved reputation as Thailand's major center of quality handicrafts. Markets abound in both the old and modern city offering an assortment of items for which locals and tourists bargain for the best price. Huge crowds flock to the Night Market on Chang Klan Road which offers many fine objects for sale that are produced by the hill tribes who still live according to their ancient customs and maintain a diversity of cultures and languages. Among the best buys are textiles emblazoned with embroidery, wood carvings, pottery, conch shells and silver coins. The market is also a great place for people watching as members of the hill tribes are decked out in their native dress while urban-dwelling Thais sport the latest western garb.

Several nearby villages are home to cottage industries that create many of the items sold in the markets. For example, just eight miles from downtown Chiang Mai in the SanKampaeng district, one can observe traditional crafts being made such as waxed paper parasols, mulberry bark paper and lacquer ware. There are also woodcarving demonstrations and one can observe the production of the willow green ceramic know as celadon. Thai Silk and cotton goods are also made here as residents create fabrics of incomparable quality on traditional wooden looms.

For some last minute shopping check out the assortment of handicrafts for sale at Northern Park Emporium just across from Chiangmai International Airport.

Besides items available nowhere else but in Thailand there are also rare handicrafts from neighboring countries including China, Laos and Myanmar (Burma).

Getting There

The flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai takes just one hour via Thailand's national carrier, Thai Airways, and there are flights every hour throughout the day. Thai Airways offers nonstop service from New York City (JFK) to Bangkok on its brand new Airbus 340-500 aircraft. Introduced this past May, this new service is the longest non-stop flight in Thai Airways history (flying time 16 hours and 45 minutes); there is currently service six days a week (except Monday) out of JFK, and daily JFK-BKK service is slated to begin Nov. 7. Contact www.thaiairways.com

Once There

Mandarin Oriental Dhari Devi: Just 10 minutes from the airport and two miles from the city center, this spectacular new hotel that opened last December is made up of 133 villas and suites spread over 60 acres of landscaped grounds that encompasses rice paddies and resident water buffaloes. Featuring elements of the architectural style of the Lanna period (13th-16th century), facilities include a 3,100 square meter spa and health club, two large swimming pools, four restaurants, a cooking school. Interiors are richly furnished with sumptuous textiles, Persian silk rugs and Asian artifacts and each villa has its own tropical garden. Contact: www.mandarinoriental.com.

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