Chiang Mai Flower Festival

While archeology, culture and history take the forefront in promotional campaigns form Chiang Mai, highlighting the city’s temples, pagodas and ruins of an ancient civilization, it’s the city’s natural beauty that attracts Thai visitors from across the country. The natural beauty of Chiang Mai is inherent in the city’s surrounding mountain range, and particularly, its abundant floral life.

Chiang Mai is blessed with a unique location that suits a wide variety of floral species. The climate is tropical and so is ideal for the fruition of flowers such as orchids, and t the same time, the city’s high altitudes and cool winters make it a suitable home for cold weather flowers such as carnations. Chiang Mai has increased in fame as a city of extreme floral beauty. It is now suitably labeled “The Rose of the North.” While the majority of Chiang Mai’s natural beauty may be appreciated in natural bloom, there’s nothing quite so dazzling and memorable as the annual Chiang Mai Flower Festival.

The Chiang Mai Flower Festival is an able rival to the major flower festivals of the world, Taiwan’s In-Season Flower Festival, Japan’s Sakura Festival and the Flower Parades of the Netherlands and Belgium. The first ever flower festival in Thailand was held in Chiang Mai in 1977, and was so successful that it become a yearly highlight of the calendar.

The Chiang Mai Flower Festival takes place over three days in the first week of February, when the citys flowers are in full bloom, and during this time, the city is completely transformed. Wherever you are in Chiang Mai during the flower festival, you willl always be in sight of exhibitions, street parades, shows, stage entertainment and beauty contests.

The flower floats are particularly eye-catching, decorated in a range of floral species. Each flower is carefully selected and positioned on the float top form words, patterns and images. Some floats speak of Chiang Mai’s rich heritage, others speak of Thai lifestyle, some communicate religious principles and others focus on Buddhism. While the majority of flower floats focus on tradition and culture, a number are now introducing modern and breakthrough designs. The floats are also the thrones of contestants n the Chiang Mai Beauty Contest, dressed in classical Thai dress and as beautiful as the flowers themselves.

Chiang Mai Flower Festival Accommodation

The abundance of quality Chiang Mai luxury villas and apartments means you can book accommodation close to, or along the route of the flower festival. It runs until Sunday when the most beautiful float receives a prize at a competition held at the Suan Buak Hat Park. Previously, the parade was held on the outer moat road from Katam Corner to Sri Phum Corner. This has changed to a route from the Nawarat Bridge along Thapae Road to the Suan Buak Hat Park.

Chiang Mai accommodation is available on line. Be sure to book in advance for stays during the flower festival as the city draws crowds from all around.

Chiang Mai Flower Festival The Chiang Mai Flower Festival takes place over three days in the first week of February, when the citys flowers are in full bloom, and during this time, the city is completely transformed. Wherever you are in Chiang Mai during the flower festival, you wi

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