Luxury Travel to Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai,a city in the northern parts of Bangkok, attracts a staggeringly disproportionate number of tourists given its size and population. Attracted by its more benign climes, its stunning natural beauty, the artisanal workmanship and its almost mythical hilltribes, tourists looking to move beyond Bangkok almost unanimously single out Chiang Mai as their next destination.

With the influx of tourism comes the biggest names in the luxury hospitality industry. Whilst the Chedi and the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Devi are the city's most luxurious options, there are many others outside of Chiang Mai city, perched on the hills of Chiang Mai. The Mandarin Oriental Dhara Devi, an entirely new luxury reconstruction and re-modelling after the hilltop Wat Doi Suthep, is a destination unto itself for its sheer scale and contemporary workmanship.

There are two types of markets in the city- the Sunday market and the night market. Whilst the latter can be rather chaotic(though nothing on the scale of Chatuchak in Bangkok) and takes some groundwork to find the gems from the largely designer knock-off, cheap trinket variety, the Sunday market is a congenial place displaying the colourful produce of hilltribe women( at the same time gaudy but strangely well-adapted to contemporary fashion), organic beauty products and silk scarves.

Extricate yourself from the city centre and try basing yourself up in the hills after the first few days in Chiang Mai- whether for trekking, a lluxury spa retreat or simply for the experience of waking up in the morning to look out into an expanse of mist-covered greenery and mountain tops.

Trips can be coupled with a 3-day trip to the Golden Triangle in neighbouring Chiang Rai.