It is hard to give an overview of the Chiang Mai a la Carte blogs. There is a very wide range of subjects. Many of the blogs are about Chiang Mai history but there are also many about Buddhist temples. Frans Betgem has written all the blogs for this website. Some of the blogs are very special to him such as the ones about the temples Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh in Chiang Mai. He keeps on adding content to these blogs.
Some Chiang Mai a la Carte Blogs are continuously under construction. Wat Pha Lat, the temple on the trail, has become more popular and has been under construction itself for a long time. This wonderful temple has been neglected for many years but has now become a very popular tourist attraction on Doi Suthep. The abbot is very active so the temple attracts many donations for Thai Buddhists.
Frans has written a number of Chiang Mai a la Carte blogs about the history of the teak industry in North Thailand. These cover subjects such as the Louis T.Leonowens House in Lampang and the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation. Other interesting blogs are about the East Asiatic Company and the Burmese teak trader Luang Yonakarn Phichit. More blogs are to follow! We are not done yet. Frans wants to publish at least one blog per month.
San Patong Buffalo Market The San Patong Buffalo Market is an open-air market that takes place every Saturday morning just south of San Patong town. San Patong (sometimes spelled San Pa Tong) is about 20km south of Chiang Mai. To reach the large area where this market takes place, you have to drive through the […]
Lampang: the Louis Leonowens House Table of Contents The Louis Leonowens House in Lampang The Louis Leonowens House is the former residence of Louis T. Leonowens and the office of the Louis T.Leonowens company. “Baan Louis”, as it is known locally, is in the “forestry neighborhood’ of Lampang. The location is not far from the […]
The Chiang Mai Songkran Festival Table of Contents The Chiang Mai Songkran Festival The Chiang Mai Songkran festival in Thailand is the traditional Buddhist New Year. April 13 is the official New Years Day. It is the biggest festival in the country. The word “Songkran” comes from the Sanskrit word saṃkrānti, which means transformation or change. Songkran is celebrated nationwide although […]
The Lamphun Lamyai Festival A feast of delicious fruit The Lamphun Lamyai Festival is an annual event that takes place in the town Lamphun, the capital of the province of the same name. This festival is also known as the Longan Fair or festival Lamyai is the Thai name for longan. Lamphun is the center of […]
A mysterious wooden house on stilts A Muslim trader called Ch’un Chowng-lin, aka Zheng Chong Ling, built the Wongluekiat House around 1909. This wooden house on stilts is opposite the Ban Ho Mosque on Charoenprathat Road Soi 1. This is the location of the popular Friday morning Yunnan market. Most Chiang Mai residents have seen […]
The Warorot Market is also known as Kad Luang. It is the most famous market in Chiang Mai. Next to the Warorot Market is the Ton Lam Yai Market
Patongko: the fried bread stick Patongko: the fried bread stick At almost every market in Thailand you can find someone who is producing patongko (ปาท่องโก๋), the Chinese fried bread stick. Patongko seems to be a morning snack. At most fresh food markets I have been to, patongko is often sold out at around 0700. The […]
The San Pakoy Market One of our favorite local markets The San Pakoy area is an area situated opposite to Wat Gate area and with Charoen Mueang road in the middle. Before the arrival of the railway to Chiang Mai this area was only a small community. The first community to settle here was the […]
Only few tourists visit Baan Jang Nak, the House of Many Elephants in Northern Thai language. Baan Jang Nak is in the village Ban Buak Khang in San Kamphaeng District, Chiang Mai. It is maybe too far from Chiang Mai but also many residents of Chiang Mai, Thai or expat, have never been there. All […]
Customized private tours vs join tours All our tours are customized private tours unless stated otherwise. It means that our guide and our vehicle are at your service throughout the trip. Private tours are not cheap, but if you can afford them, private tours are definitely worth it. There are, for instance, more affordable ways […]