Some places are designed by the “gods of style,” said Susan Spano in the Los Angeles Times. These trendy deities’ previous handiwork has included Southwest-chic Santa Fe; art deco South Beach in Florida; the French-Moroccan magic of Marrakesh; and the midcentury modern look of Palm Springs, Calif. Now they’ve decided it’s Thailand’s turn. In recent years they’ve transformed Chiang Mai, the country’s ancient northern capital, into yet another global center “for cool contemporary architecture and design.” Serious shoppers head to Nimmanhaemin Road, where many of the upscale design shops are clustered.
Located 400 miles north of Bangkok, Chiang Mai dates back to 1296. Up until a decade ago, however, the town was mostly popular with the backpack crowd, which trekked to nearby tribal villages “and feasted on dollar-a-plate Pad Thai.” Then the government began lavishing money on the city, and “things went from dull to dynamic.” Both the Four Seasons Resort and the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi offer luxurious accommodations. But the moderately priced River View Lodge, about 20 miles from town, is a comfortable alternative. Surrounded by a medieval moat, Chiang Mai is best explored by foot, or on occasion by tuk-tuk, “a sort of motorized rickshaw.” At every turn throughout the city are stalls offering skewers of barbecued chicken in peanut sauce, frog legs cooked in basil, and other local delicacies.
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