Getting a real feel for Chiang Mai

By JOHN HUTTON

Chiang Mai is a popular side-trip from Bangkok for Kiwis visiting Thailand.

The rich culture and spectacular northern hill country provide new experiences and adventure.

And there is no more fun or flexible way of getting around than by motorbike.

After experiencing Bangkok traffic, you will probably need reassurance about using any vehicle elsewhere in Thailand.

Motorbikes have a lot going for them. They are amazingly cheap to rent, you have the freedom to go where and when you like (with no parking hassles), and you can get among the locals in a way no organised tour can.

Plus, nippy 100cc motorbikes are downright fun.

But are they dangerous? Not if the adage "there's safety in numbers" is true. Motorbikes, often carrying three or four people, make up half the traffic in Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai is Thailand's second-largest city, a bustling, slightly scruffy place that has expanded well beyond its crumbled, 700-year-old walls. The city now revolves around its 2km, square-shaped, ancient moat, clockwise outside the moat, anti-clockwise inside.

This makes navigation straightforward. If you get lost, head towards the centre of town and circulate round the moat until you find your bearings.

However, as there's much to see down side streets and alleys, you should make a point of regularly getting lost.

Wander through food markets, contemplate Buddhist temples, experiment with local fare at roadside stalls, soak up the life and atmosphere of ordinary neighbourhoods. This is the way to explore the real Chiang Mai.

Of course, Chiang Mai's regular tourist attractions should not be ignored. An absolute must is the spectacular, winding climb to views over the city from the impressive temple complex 1000m up Doi Suthep.

Back in town, there are scores of other temples to visit. Food and clothing markets, such as the Warorot Market, are always a fascinating and revealing window on Thai life.

The attractions (including elephant rides, bamboo-raft trips, crafts and orchid farms) in the popular Mae Sa Valley tourist mecca are less genuine.

Chiang Mai's night bazaar is a highlight - people, clamour, colour, bargaining, food, crafts, atmosphere.

When your shopping's done, and it's still only 10 pm, the air is seductively sultry and the streets are still buzzing, what better than a burn-up through the tropical night ... that's what I like; a burn-up with me bird up on me bike.