Chiang Mai, surrounded by mountainous countryside and close to both Burma and Laos, offers a region of Thailand, perfect for the traveler who wants an alternative learning holiday.

In the far north it is Thailand's second largest city and a center for excursions to the region's ancient and beautiful temples, the teak forests and their working elephants, caves and waterfalls, take a white knuckle ride on a bamboo raft, then stay in jungle tree house, exotic flora and journeys to visit the northern hill tribes.

Founded in 1296, Chiang Mai's heritage can be seen around the city, especially in the old city walls and the many beautiful Buddhist temples in the city and surrounding countryside.

The past is also evident in the distinctive Northern Thai language and in the culture - the many festivals such as the Songran New Year water festival and in the Loi Kratong candle festival. Traditional arts and crafts are also to be found - silver, lacquer, textiles and pottery.

The Doi Suthep temple here is one of the most famous temples in northern Thailand. Perched high on a hilltop, it offers fine views over the city on clear days. The trip up can either be made via a funicular or via a grand staircase with 400 steps. The banisters alone are worth a visit: a giant green-and-red glazed serpent windsits way down to end in a magnificent dragon's head.

Early morning is when the saffron robed monks leave the sanctuary of their wats to receive alms from the people. Buddhism is a way of life here and with the reverence the people have for the monarchy, a dynasty that has maintained the independence of the country for centuries, the result for the Thai's is a blend of tradition with contemporary living.

Located just outside the city is an elephant training school and also nearby, an orchid farm. Longer trips can be made to the Doi Inthanon National Park and to Chiang Rai, from which the Mekong River and the Golden Triangle can be reached. Another interesting route to take is the road to Mae-Hong-Son near the border with Myanmar. It is a good base from which to go trekking or motorcycle touring.

On the way round the Mae-Hong-Son loop, it is possible to stop at the small town of Pai, a relaxed and friendly place. In every village or town bargain hunters thrive in the street markets crammed with all manner of goods, where good-natured bartering is the norm.

Located only one hour flying time from Bangkok, Chiang Mai is the key to the North of Thailand and a great place to start a a trip around the rest of the country.

It is the participant's responsibility to have a valid passport and any necessary visas and permits to study abroad. Visit G3Visas for comprehensive information on visa, passport, permit and general country entry requirements.

Please Read: Important Travel Documentation

Fly direct to Bangkok then catch a connecting flight to Chiang Mai. The domestic flights are quite cheap in Thailand if booked in the country, so you may want to wait until you arrive in the country first. Chiang Mai airport is about 10 km from the city center.
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Elephant trekking
Rafting
Visit to local hill tribes
Local night market
Temples
Snake farms
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The school was established in 1985 and is located within the old city, surrounded by the old city walls and moat. It is located within its own mature garden just off a main road in a traditional Thai building.

It offers a very informal and relaxing atmosphere in small class sizes. Students can relax between or after classes in the beautiful garden and its only a few minutes walk to shops, restaurants, bars, internet cafe and the guesthouse. The school also teaches English to local students, this allows students to meet and mix with local students after classes.

The school is small with about 25 students per day but caters for all language levels and offers a very friendly and personal teacher/student relationship. The school is very centrally located therefore everything of interest is within walking distance.
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Standard: 2 Lessons daily (10 lessons per week) Max. 12 students per class (average 6).

NOTE: Additional daily private lessons can be added to this program, however classroom work is demanding and students are encouraged to devote one to two additional private hours per day, after class, to the study of the language. Textbooks are not included but can be purchased at the school (approx. $10.00 dollars). Our programs cater for all language levels from absolute beginners to the more advanced, include the use of course materials and provide a variety of options to enhance your program. For more information please see Prices and Start Dates.

Each student will be expected to take a short placement test on the first Monday morning of the course (unless a complete beginner), to determine the students language level and ensure placement in the correct class. Lessons are usually held in the mornings, starting at 9 am, which leave the afternoons free for social or cultural activities, trips, workshops, short excursions or free time to relax or explore on your own.

The Thai Language courses consist of beginning and intermediate levels. The course is recommended for those with a serious interest in learning to understand, speak, read and write Thai properly. Our group classes are taught by experienced native speaking Thai instructors. English is used in the texts and in the class by the teacher when necessary but fluency in English is not a requirement.

In class, students practice by speaking the language in a controlled setting. As a student you will be expected to actively participate in the learning process-interaction not only between teacher and student but between fellow students. Words and grammar patterns are presented for understanding and repeated to ensure proper pronunciation and tone habits. Dialogs are also practiced to increase fluency.

Beginners:
Our beginners spoken course is divided into 2 books. The emphasis at this level is on SPOKEN Thai with the objective being to assist the learner in acquiring a good foundation for further fluency. Special stress is placed upon control of the sound system and good tone manipulation and production, while using and recognizing the basic vocabulary and sentence patterns of the language.

Intermediates:
Our intermediate course continues to develop fluency in the spoken and written language. The school book "Small Talk" provides ways for students to start and sustain conversations and "chat" in various social situations, while "Book 3" offers learner more complex patterns of Thai language. "Basic Reading and Writing" introduces the writing system, the tone and spelling rules and provides practice in the mechanics of reading and writing.

Special interest:
Courses to meet the special language needs of groups or individuals, like Northern Thai and Preparation for Pratom 6 Exam, can be organized with sufficient notice.

After classes are over for the day, our program allows you plenty of time to discover your new country, culture, traditions, customs and everyday life. Cultural and social activities allow you to make new friends among your new international classmates, experience cultural and social activities together, and also practice your new language skills in real life situations. In some cases, a small additional fee will be charged to cover local transport and entrance costs. Our contact will be happy to arrange these excursions for you.

A half day Thai Cooking course can be arranged (please see price page for information).
In the morning you will visit the local market and select required seasonings for your selected dish. The time is not limited, so there remains sufficient time for questions about all the new things you will see on this market. After a short introduction, on what you must note when preparing Thai meals, you will prepare your dish under your cooks guidance step by step.
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Guesthouse: (private room) breakfast daily.

Located ten minutes walk from the school, the staff at our guesthouse are extremely friendly and helpful, they will make you feel right at home as soon as you arrive. The rooms have a shower and the guesthouse has a small, cafe with terrace, restaurant, travel agency, garden and social room with TV. Shared rooms can be booked for two people traveling together.

The travel agency can help book ant tours or excursions you may be interested in and the guesthouse restaurant serve's all kinds of delicious Thai food. In the morning a European breakfast is also available. The guesthouse is centrally located and close to all amenities and only 5 minutes walk away is the "Chang Pueek" market, which is open from 06.00 to midnight every day.

NOTES: Airport transfers may be included or available, also extra nights can be booked before / after course (at an additional cost), please check price page for details. The Sunday night accommodation before your course begins on Monday, is included in the program price. All meals will be local custom and meal times may be different to what you are used to, however you are not obligated to eat all your meals with the family, just notify them when you will not be returning to eat.. Our families are diverse with young couples without children, couples with children (of all age groups) and older couples with grown children who are no longer at home. Please see the Accommodation link for additional information.
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"Language Learning Abroad staff members were very responsive and helpful. The web site is very easy to navigate and has lots of valuable info. Pre-departure information was especially valuable: because I had to rush to get my passport renewed and to get my visa, the info on G3Visas.com was just what I needed. Though I could easily have stayed at a less expensive hotel, the Rydges Tapae Chiangmai Hotel, was an excellent choice for my purposes. A short walk from the school, the hotel is air-conditioned and has a pool big enough for lap swimming. All rooms have cable TV with a variety of local language stations (a very useful language learning tool). The breakfast buffet included with the room was a real plus. My impression was very favorable. The person in charge of programs was entirely accommodating, and the teacher was excellent."
Scribner Messenger (Age 58)
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