Thailand’s second largest city, 700km North of Bangkok, Chiang Mai is a city of history, antiquities and bucolic natural beauty. The city was founded in 1296 as capital of the Lanna kingdom, meaning a million rice fields. Surrounded by jungle covered mountains, the city sprawls along the banks of the Ping River and adjacent plains. Whilst older parts of the city retain their rustic charm and old wooden buildings, newer developments provide modern shopping malls and hotels. With it’s three hundred temples, many handicraft shops and markets and a laid back nightlife scene Chiang Mai offers something for everyone.
Known as the “Rose of the North”, Chiang Mai is a very welcoming destination for LGBT visitors too. Whilst there is a selection of hospitality venues catering specifically for LGBT customers, virtually all of the city’s many bars and restaurants are gay friendly. It is a safe city for tourists who won’t encounter any homophobia.
Chiang Mai has so much to offer visitors that information abounds online. The website (Click for gay-in-chiangmai.com) provides a good description of Chiang Mai for LGBT visitors and has the most up to date guide to Chaing Mai’s gay bars and venues. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has a dedicated website (click for gothaibefree.com) for LGBT tourists visiting Thailand, which has many interesting articles including about Chiang Mai.
