Your favorite area in Chiang Mai city for living

[jackdd]

I plan to relocate to Chiang Mai at the beginning of next year.

I've spent a few weeks in Chiang Mai before, but this has been a while ago and i did of course only experience staying in one part of Chiang Mai, so i'm not sure yet where i want to stay.

I plan to stay in or close to the city (let's say max. 15 minutes drive with motorbike to reach the old city in this square).

To narrow the options of condos / houses (not sure yet if condo or house) down a bit i would like to hear which area in Chiang Mai you prefer and what the pros / cons of your area are.

Edited November 19, 2018 by jackdd

[ThaiPauly]

Have you been here to experience the smog in Feb and March?

 

it may make you think again about settling down here.

 

9 months of the year it's fabulous here but then for 3 months it's hell. 

 

Just a thought for your consideration

[Lacessit]

I like my condo in Nong Hoi. Have lived there for 9 years. Close to a hospital with good dental clinic, close to the market, 7/11 and massage shop on the doorstep. PM me if you want more detail.

[1FinickyOne]

From what I have seen, the differences of opinion here can be due to differing degrees of sensitivity... Some find the traffic unbearable - but for me, it is not a problem. It is a city and sometimes there are traffic jams, nothing near to what I saw in Bkk... 

 

And same w/air quality. I have found a couple of weeks it can be bad but mostly it doesn't bother me...

 

That said, the basic decision is for condos in particular, you get more amenities the further out of town you get... if you want resort style living there are some nice places 10-15 minutes out of town... 20-30 minutes out you can rent a house in some attractive countryside... 

 

pm me if you want more specific info..

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, jackdd said:

To narrow the options of condos / houses (not sure yet if condo or house) down a bit i would like to hear which area in Chiang Mai you prefer and what the pros / cons of your area are.

Well in my drinking/whoring/sexpat days I lived around MoonMuang soI 1/2, which was a good place to live within staggering distance of the bars, and the girls didn't complain about travelling too far.

You've got Top North Guesthouse for short-term stays, NuanPranee Guesthouse for monthly stays (6k/month)

 

Then I entered my Thaier than you stage, where I learned the language at Santhitam YMCA, stayed at Emporium Residence in Santhitham Road (5k/month) and drank with the Thai students and beer girls at Santhitham Plaza, OxidePub and T-bar (used to be called Time).

 

Finally, I moved to my Thai LTR stage where I rented houses with a Thai live-in gf, which were usually in houses about 10Km from the centre of town, around 6K/month for a semi-furnished 2bed house with a bit of garden and a few mango trees (Mae Rim, Doi Saket, Hang Dong). Doi Saket was a bit too far.

 

So it really depends in your stage of Thainess ..... prices haven't changed much.

Edited November 19, 2018 by BritManToo

[eyecatcher]

I live in a very nice area but Ill be damned if I am sharing it with another miserable expat.

[jackdd]

1 hour ago, ThaiPauly said:

Have you been here to experience the smog in Feb and March?

 

it may make you think again about settling down here.

 

9 months of the year it's fabulous here but then for 3 months it's hell. 

 

Just a thought for your consideration

I've been there in february once for a few days. Was ok for me back then (might of course vary from year to year), so this is no reason for me to avoid Chiang Mai and i will give it a try.

 

50 minutes ago, kenk24 said:

From what I have seen, the differences of opinion here can be due to differing degrees of sensitivity...

That's of course to be expected, one of the reasons why i asked for the pros / cons, so i can judge this by myself.

Before i rent a place for 6 months or a year i will of course stay in a hotel somewhere for a week and have a look at the different areas to get a personal impression.

But since Chiang Mai is a bigger city i can't see everything within a week, thus this topic to narrow it down beforehand

 

21 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

So it really depends in your stage of Thainess ..... prices haven't changed much.

Sadly i'm in stage 3 already, even bringing the girlfriend with me ????

 

I don't hang out in bars, so this in itself is completely uninteresting for me, but on the other side i like to have a few food options available in the evening in my closer surrounding (currently living a bit outside of Udon and the only options in my area here in the evening are moo-gata and soup, could be a bit more ;)), which then often correlates with bars.

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, jackdd said:

i like to have a few food options available in the evening in my closer surrounding (currently living a bit outside of Udon and the only options in my area here in the evening are moo-gata and soup, could be a bit more ;)), which then often correlates with bars.

Learn to cook, then you can eat food from any region of the world every night.

[1FinickyOne]

2 hours ago, jackdd said:

I've been there in february once for a few days. Was ok for me back then (might of course vary from year to year), so this is no reason for me to avoid Chiang Mai and i will give it a try.

 

That's of course to be expected, one of the reasons why i asked for the pros / cons, so i can judge this by myself.

Before i rent a place for 6 months or a year i will of course stay in a hotel somewhere for a week and have a look at the different areas to get a personal impression.

But since Chiang Mai is a bigger city i can't see everything within a week, thus this topic to narrow it down beforehand

 

Sadly i'm in stage 3 already, even bringing the girlfriend with me ????

 

I don't hang out in bars, so this in itself is completely uninteresting for me, but on the other side i like to have a few food options available in the evening in my closer surrounding (currently living a bit outside of Udon and the only options in my area here in the evening are moo-gata and soup, could be a bit more ;)), which then often correlates with bars.

one of the interesting things is that even 30 minutes out of town are some surprisingly good restaurants and choices of international foods... I like it east of CM as access from the north [mer rim] and sw Hang Dong areas tend to get backed up and have heavy traffic more often.. 

 

I have a friend building 3 rental cottages in the countryside on a pond if you are interested... 

[ChakaKhan]

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Well in my drinking/whoring/sexpat days I lived around MoonMuang soI 1/2, which was a good place to live within staggering distance of the bars, and the girls didn't complain about travelling too far.

You've got Top North Guesthouse for short-term stays, NuanPranee Guesthouse for monthly stays (6k/month)

 

Then I entered my Thaier than you stage, where I learned the language at Santhitam YMCA, stayed at Emporium Residence in Santhitham Road (5k/month) and drank with the Thai students and beer girls at Santhitham Plaza, OxidePub and T-bar (used to be called Time).

 

Finally, I moved to my Thai LTR stage where I rented houses with a Thai live-in gf, which were usually in houses about 10Km from the centre of town, around 6K/month for a semi-furnished 2bed house with a bit of garden and a few mango trees (Mae Rim, Doi Saket, Hang Dong). Doi Saket was a bit too far.

 

So it really depends in your stage of Thainess ..... prices haven't changed much.

Santitham is my pick too..started there and still hang there alot....nice mix as a mid stager

[mrmillersr]

6 hours ago, kenk24 said:

From what I have seen, the differences of opinion here can be due to differing degrees of sensitivity... Some find the traffic unbearable - but for me, it is not a problem. It is a city and sometimes there are traffic jams, nothing near to what I saw in Bkk... 

 

And same w/air quality. I have found a couple of weeks it can be bad but mostly it doesn't bother me...

 

That said, the basic decision is for condos in particular, you get more amenities the further out of town you get... if you want resort style living there are some nice places 10-15 minutes out of town... 20-30 minutes out you can rent a house in some attractive countryside... 

 

pm me if you want more specific info..

Don't listen to this uniformed BS about the air quality being only  bad a couple of weeks and just because they're still alive and haven't gotten a terminal illness yet, claim the bad air doesn't affect them.

 

Live in Chiang Mai and you're going to be breathing the most harmful PM 2.5 particles in unsafe levels for 4 to 5 months a year and this problem is not going away any time soon.  If you value your health find a new location as there are plenty to choose from that are better than CM if you do a little searching.

[stament]

1 hour ago, mrmillersr said:

Don't listen to this uniformed BS about the air quality being only  bad a couple of weeks and just because they're still alive and haven't gotten a terminal illness yet, claim the bad air doesn't affect them.

 

Live in Chiang Mai and you're going to be breathing the most harmful PM 2.5 particles in unsafe levels for 4 to 5 months a year and this problem is not going away any time soon.  If you value your health find a new location as there are plenty to choose from that are better than CM if you do a little searching.

Really?

[mrmillersr]

6 hours ago, stament said:

Really?

No I just make this stuff up for the hell of it.

[sfokevin]

You might also look just south of Suthep Rd in the CM University area... It is a college area (this may or may not be appealing)... But it is a greener area next to the base of Doi Suthep so it cools down in the evenings quicker... Cheap eats and drinks in the area and an easy motorcycle drive to the Niman area...

 

Start from. The 7-11 on Suthep Rd near the University South Gate and motorcy out and check out this area... See map below...

 

 

For Rest Hill Apartments
Soi Wat Umong, Chiang Mai Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai, Chang Wat Chiang Mai 50200
053 020 125
https://goo.gl/maps/mCsA5KDBSV82

Edited November 20, 2018 by sfokevin

[stillhereandlovinit]

Im North of Mae-Jo but the town is catching up quick. There used to be nothing from Mee-Chock up until Mae-Jo but its getting built up now.

[moontang]

I lived up Suthep Rd too.  Bars are forbidden that close to the U, great food options and conveniences, traffic pretty bad mostly U related.  Smoke problem is horrible, and trash problem is some of the worst I have seen in LOS.  Thousands of hot uni girls up there..you can use the pool and track at CMU, and banks post office, too.  15 minutes?  Puts you no more than 2km from the wall....unless you only go out at 3 am.  

[sammieuk1]

You could join the Hang Dong massive or fat expats as everyone else calls them????

[moontang]

22 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

You could join the Hang Dong massive or fat expats as everyone else calls them????

Would probably be better than the smart casual gay gang on Huay Kaew...now being outnumbered by Chinese embasals, taking selfies and crashing motorbikes, but don't underestimate how bad traffic on HD Road is.

[Foxy52]

I like being in the old city within the moat, not least as you can walk most places and there's no traffic, once you know your way around

[sfokevin]

2 hours ago, Foxy52 said:

I like being in the old city within the moat, not least as you can walk most places and there's no traffic, once you know your way around

And what well appointed reasonably priced long term accommodations do you stay in?... 

[Lacessit]

21 hours ago, eyecatcher said:

I live in a very nice area but Ill be damned if I am sharing it with another miserable expat.

Oops - did you really mean the third last word?

[connda]

Lamphun.  Close enough to drive to in 20 minutes.  Far enough away to still be in the slow lane, i.e., no traffic issues.  It has a Big C, the Jampha Mall (little bity mall), and lots of open markets.  And you report to the Lamphun Immigration office if you live in the province.  However, if you're fond of traffic jams, Chiang Mai is the place for you.

[connda]

13 hours ago, stament said:

Live in Chiang Mai and you're going to be breathing the most harmful PM 2.5 particles in unsafe levels for 4 to 5 months a year and this problem is not going away any time soon.  If you value your health find a new location as there are plenty to choose from that are better than CM if you do a little searching.

You're right. Perhaps it's time to just give this all up and move back to California! 

Edited November 20, 2018 by connda

[connda]

21 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Finally, I moved to my Thai LTR stage where I rented houses with a Thai live-in gf, which were usually in houses about 10Km from the centre of town, around 6K/month for a semi-furnished 2bed house with a bit of garden and a few mango trees (Mae Rim, Doi Saket, Hang Dong). Doi Saket was a bit too far.

Where do you keep the Gik.  That may be a good place for the OP to consider! <grin, eye-roll, laugh>

[johnnysunshine]

I have lived here for 16 years in the Wat Pong Noi and Wat Ram Poeng area...cooler breezes and away from the city noise and so much happening...really getting better every day and still only 15 minutes to the city and 10 minutes to Nimmenhaemin area.

[GarryP]

14 hours ago, stament said:

Really?

Chiang Mai has the highest incidence of lung cancer in Thailand in both males and females which, apart from smoking, is attributed to air pollution and ground based radon. Could there be a link between the annual burning season and lung cancer and other breathing diseases? Take your best guess.

Edited November 20, 2018 by GarryP
Bad grammar.

[simoh1490]

1 minute ago, GarryP said:

Chiang Mai has the highest incidence of lung cancer in Thailand in both males and females and, apart from smoking, is attributed to air pollution and ground based radon. Could there be a link between the annual burning season and lung cancer and other breathing diseases? Take your best guess.

Do you have a source for that, it's not a case of doubting you it's just that I would like to understand the detail behind the numbers?

[White Christmas13]

22 hours ago, eyecatcher said:

I live in a very nice area but Ill be damned if I am sharing it with another miserable expat.

So does that mean you miserable as well 

[GarryP]

4 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

Do you have a source for that, it's not a case of doubting you it's just that I would like to understand the detail behind the numbers?

There are a number of studies online, e.g. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jemsge/33/4/33_4_120/_article

[scorecard]

14 hours ago, stament said:

Really?

A different point, the plans for the electric light rail public transport system have been approved and if I remember correctly the completion date is 2022.

 

Several lines starting from the city centre around Tar Paer gate, all the lines are underground for the first 2 to 4 kilometers than above ground, quite a big coverage.

 

Maybe worth having at look at the maps etc., all here on TV. Perhaps a factor to be considered in choosing a location to live.

 

Good luck.