Thapae Avenue

A short story about a center point of Chiang Mai, the most important city in the north of Thailand, which is called "The Rose of the North". It was the capital city of the great Lanna Kingdom, which means "a million rice fields".




Because of the name, it could be guessed that Lanna was wealthy and had real great culture as still can be seen in the present time. The beautiful both interior and exterior decoration of the buildings, the warm culture of Chiang Mai people and the comfortable weather are the best sides that make both Thai and foreign tourists visit this beautiful city all the time. There is an area that seems to be the meeting point of Chiang Mai's tourists.

That is the city gate and Thapae yard. Some people say that when you come to Chiang Mai, but you don't come to the city gate and Thapae yard, it means you never arrive Chiang Mai. This 700-year red-brick gate, built the same time as Chiang Mai city, is called "Thapae gate".

Around this area, there are many things to make your trip to Chiang Mai comfortable and delightful; such as, a great number of national food shops, guesthouses, souvenir stores, tourist information center, tour agencies, banks, exchange service counters, bars, and pubs. This area is crowded with tourists during the autumn (November-February) and Songkarn festival (13-15 April). Besides, this area seems to be a paradise for those who love to shop. Something could be a bit expensive. You may shop around to compare the price before making a decision to purchase, then you will get what you need at a reasonable price.