2 Best Sights in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai's version of Bangkok's hip Sukhumvit area is simply called Nimman (the full Nimmanhaemin is a bit of a mouthful), a mile-long strip west of the Old City. Cafés, pubs, bars, restaurants, art galleries, boutiques, and the trendy One Nimman shopping plaza line the street, which is usually packed with students from the nearby Chiang Mai University. It's definitely worth exploring the jumble of side streets off the main drag, too, where hipper restaurants, shops, and nightlife venues jostle for space.

Chinese traders originally settled this area 1½ km (1 mile) east of the Old City, and some of their well-preserved homes and commercial premises now house upscale and midrange restaurants, guesthouses and hotels, galleries, boutiques, and antiques shops. Unlike in Bangkok where many of the riverfront spots tend to be full of foreigners, the restaurants, hotels, and bars along the river are enjoyed by Thai couples and families on evenings out.