Between cricket matches, or if you can manage to spend some extra days in northern Thailand, you'll find the makings of a memorable holiday even if the Sixes Cup eludes your team. The city and province of Chiang Mai, or further afield Chiang Rai, the Golden Triangle and Mae Hong Son are all easily accessible and offer a marvellous mix of things to do or see. Unless you're a very jaded old Asia hand, there’s an experience here for everyone.

‘When in Rome’ – remembering Thai ways can save embarrassment, or worse!

• For Thais it’s almost a matter of honour to extend hospitality to visitors, but they put great importance on good manners and can be offended by the lack of them.
• Enjoy the gentle warmth of this "land of smiles", but remember the smile may also be used to cover negative feelings (if you say or do something rude and the lady smiles it doesn't mean she shared the joke!)
• English is not widely spoken, and certainly not fluently. So patience and good humour helps.
• Body language is quickly noted, and showing anger should be avoided. If you're truly annoyed, play it cool, even smile if you can, it’s probably a misunderstanding anyway.
• Never touch the head of an adult or pass things over someone’s head. And don't use your feet to point at things.
• The Thai Royal Family is very highly respected. Even likenesses of the King of Thailand including money, should be treated with respect. So too of course the Lord Buddha and Buddha images.
• Remove your shoes when entering temples, people’s houses and even some offices. You'll usually get a warning from the pile of shoes already outside the door.
• Dress is almost always informal. However you'll notice that Thai people tend to dress fairly neatly. Brief clothing is frowned upon. Shorts, sleeveless vests, bikini tops and such are a no-no for palace or temple visits, and not very good for anywhere else except open countryside, swimming pool, beach or Cricket Sixes.
• Between cricket matches, or if you can manage to spend some extra days in northern Thailand, you'll find the makings of a memorable holiday even if the Sixes Cup eludes your team . The city and province of Chiang Mai, or further afield Chiang Rai, The Golden Triangle and Mae Hong Son are all easily accessible and offer a marvellous mix of things to do or see. Unless you're a very jaded old Asia hand, there’s an experience here for everyone.

Between cricket matches, or if you can manage to spend some extra days in northern Thailand, you'll find the makings of a memorable holiday even if the Sixes Cup eludes your team.

Some of the best known tourism activities include: riding an elephant, going trekking or river rafting, and visiting some of the many historically-important temples located around Chiang Mai.

The city and province of Chiang Mai, or further afield Chiang Rai, the Golden Triangle and Mae Hong Son are all easily accessible and offer a marvellous mix of things to do or see. Unless you're a very jaded old Asia hand, there’s an experience here for everyone...

Chiang Mai is great for shopping

You might enjoy a wander around one of the city’s airconditioned shopping malls. The one on Huay Kaew Road called Kad Suan Kaew is probably closest. Central Airport Plaza (near the airport) is now the biggest and trendiest. Looking for clothes? There’s a good 'Export Shop' at Airport Plaza that has factory rejects of well known label clothes (Gap, Eddie Bauer, Colombia etc) – the sizes are for western export markets and prices are low for clothing that would cost a lot more at home.

Everyone goes to the Night Bazaar on Changklan Road at least once, and it’s certainly worth a visit for crafts, souvenirs, clothing, and much more (it gets going around 6pm). But why not also try one of the real local markets. The biggest is Warorot Market, a short walk from Thapae Road on Wicha Yanon Road (it’s also side on to the River on Charoen Prathet Road). It is interesting to go very early in the morning and see the fresh goods, fruit and vegetables, herbs & spices, meat and fish, etc.

Chiang Mai is an excellent place to buy silk, cotton, silverware, wood carvings, ceramics, lacquerware, and other handicrafts. The list of shops is too long to mention but runs from colourful, fairly low priced souvenirs up to expensive fine quality art. A trip along the Chiang Mai- San Kampaeng Road (Route 1006) will bring you to many factories and shops selling all the main handicrafts, they line the road on both sides much of the way down. Also, if you head out towards Hang Dong (past the Airport) the wood crafts 'village' of Baan Tawai has a huge variety of wooden products and all sorts of eating and drinking alternatives for lunch, dinner and after hours.

Support the Sixes hotel advertisers

The Sixes is pleased to have the support of these local hotels and resorts, and we commend them to our teams and supporters:

• Pornping Tower Hotel’s Nimanoradee Restaurant is a great place for a good steak after the match. You can enjoy their other establishments – Bubbles Disco, Hot Shot, and the Blue Bat Bar.
• The Galare Guest House is a great place to stay also – a favourite over many years with those great judges, our umpires.
• This is the fifth year of advertising for the Empress Hotel and they are very welcome. The hotel convention centre will be the site of the Farewell Dinner.

Some useful numbers for visitors

• TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) – 053-248-604
• Thai Airways – 053-211-044
• Tourist Police – 1699 or 053-248-130
• Rajawej Hospital – 053 801999
• Emergency Help – 191
• Chiengmai Gymkhana Club – 053-241-035