Where to escape for the smoke season

[THAIJAMES]

A lot of us are fortunate enough to be able to leave for a few weeks during the smoke season. The Chiang Mai smoke can be turned into a positive opportunity with the right planning and information.

 

The ideal location would be a cool but not cold climate with fresh air to clean out the lungs and good opportunity to be active and exercise. However only certain parts of the world have good climate March and early April.

 

I would like to get feedback from other members as to where they have escaped the smoke.  (Going back home does not count)

 

I will start the discussion with some places I that I have gone during the smoke season in the past 10-15 years:

 

South island of New Zealand - my favorite location I go there every couple years.

 

Cuba - very interesting but very long flights.

 

Australia -  boring for me but would be interested in Tasmania

 

Taiwan -  just okay

 

Japan - going there soon is it a good option for longer stays?

 

Malaysia - hot and boring

 

Southern Thailand - too hot and humid

 

Southern China - I just don't like Chinese food and mainland Chinese in general.

 

Everybody has different experiences.

 

Please give us your experience and what you think are the benefits and drawbacks of different locations that you have been during the smoke season.

 

 

Edited March 31, 2019 by THAIJAMES

[vivid]

If one is on a low budget, taking a coach to some small city/town down south ~ 100km ought to do it.

[brommers]

No need to go to a lot of expense. That nice CM governor has created a refugee centre at the Convention Centre so just load up the kids, dogs, cat, granny and the wife and move into there. I am sure he will be there to welcome you personally with open arms and a nice photo op to show how compassionate and innovative he is!

[Trujillo]

Doi Intanon 

[piewarmer]

Plenty of CM refugees in Hua Hin, smog is 10% of Chiang Mai and beer is 40/70B

[THAIJAMES]

4 hours ago, hyku1147 said:

Southern Vancouver Island, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

In March?

[chingmai331]

Yachats Oregon.  About 3000 miles from the nearest air pollution. And decent fishing, some kayaking, hiking, maybe road biking, yoga at home, chopping your own firewood, feeding the goats...at ease with the world.  And breathing easy.

[THAIJAMES]

3 hours ago, chingmai331 said:

Yachats Oregon.  About 3000 miles from the nearest air pollution. And decent fishing, some kayaking, hiking, maybe road biking, yoga at home, chopping your own firewood, feeding the goats...at ease with the world.  And breathing easy.

Sounds really good I used to live in del North county a little bit south in northern California.

 

March and early April is very cold for me and I don't think would be the best time to be there.

 

Love the early summer and fall season.

Edited April 1, 2019 by THAIJAMES

[Emdog]

3 hours ago, chingmai331 said:

Yachats Oregon.  About 3000 miles from the nearest air pollution. And decent fishing, some kayaking, hiking, maybe road biking, yoga at home, chopping your own firewood, feeding the goats...at ease with the world.  And breathing easy.

 

3 hours ago, chingmai331 said:

Yachats Oregon.  About 3000 miles from the nearest air pollution. And decent fishing, some kayaking, hiking, maybe road biking, yoga at home, chopping your own firewood, feeding the goats...at ease with the world.  And breathing easy.

Being an Oregon (Ora gun) native, I approve. Wish there were a way we could hear how "Yachats" might be pronounced by our English friends... get a bit of revenge for "Lestuh" spelling doesn't match sound.....

Not to let other Americans off the hook, as my home state was referred to for decades a Or-e-gone on national news

[Tarteso]

South Spain? Portugal?

[TheFishman1]

Eugene Oregon is nice

[Chicken George]

Maybe not have to go thst far. We habe moved down to Jomtien Chon Buri yes fown a bit from Pattaya. Its cheap to stay. Great places to stay. The beach road has a great breeze and plenty of people run so its not hot... Be prepared April May and June are likely to be bad in Chiang Mai as the hottest season on record has been forecast. Its the El Nino effect

[millwall_fan]

We are hoping to go to Southern Vietnam next week. Vung Tau has a reasonable beach, reasonable air quality and very reasonable prices!

[Mahseer]

37 minutes ago, millwall_fan said:

We are hoping to go to Southern Vietnam next week. Vung Tau has a reasonable beach, reasonable air quality and very reasonable prices!

I'll be a week behind you and a bit north in Nha Trang to keep madam happy then Quy Nhon for seafood galore.

 

Aqi over past couple of weeks? 50-55. That'll do.

[THAIJAMES]

1 hour ago, Tarteso said:

South Spain? Portugal?

This is a very good suggestion, it probably hits all the requirements, good weather, good food physical activities and a variety of things to do. And the most important thing for me a break from Southeast Asia.

Edited April 1, 2019 by THAIJAMES

[THAIJAMES]

1 hour ago, Chicken George said:

Maybe not have to go thst far. We habe moved down to Jomtien Chon Buri yes fown a bit from Pattaya. Its cheap to stay. Great places to stay. The beach road has a great breeze and plenty of people run so its not hot... Be prepared April May and June are likely to be bad in Chiang Mai as the hottest season on record has been forecast. Its the El Nino effect

I think a lot of Chiang Mai expats do this and it is a good option for within Thailand.

[THAIJAMES]

Please keep the suggestions coming they will be helpful for other expats that need to plan months ahead for next smoke season.

 

Remember it should be for a longer stay at least a few weeks to get away from the smoke.

 

[THAIJAMES]

I am currently in Japan and I am impressed.

The air quality is good I'm in the south, Okinawa so the weather is good. The women are charming.

 

Interestingly a lot of hotels have full kitchens washer and dryers etc which makes it easy for long stays and surprisingly not expensive.

 

Flights from Bangkok are very cheap at this time of the year.

 

 

Edited April 1, 2019 by THAIJAMES

[connda]

Sitting in my room with my Air Purifier running full blast and the 2.5ppm meter in the green.  3M 2.5ppm masks when outside.  You can spend a few thousand dollars (quid, etc) pulling up stakes and finding a new residence for three months are so, or you can invest in high quality air filters and face masks and hunker down for the duration.  However, if I have occasion when I plan to visit the family in the US, I'll plan it during this utterly noxious time of year, and I should be able to get some snow skiing in to boot in some nice, clean, crisp mountain air over-looking Mount Rainier. 

[THAIJAMES]

8 minutes ago, connda said:

Sitting in my room with my Air Purifier running full blast and the 2.5ppm meter in the green.  3M 2.5ppm masks when outside.  You can spend a few thousand dollars (quid, etc) pulling up stakes and finding a new residence for three months are so, or you can invest in high quality air filters and face masks and hunker down for the duration.  However, if I have occasion when I plan to visit the family in the US, I'll plan it during this utterly noxious time of year, and I should be able to get some snow skiing in to boot in some nice, clean, crisp mountain air over-looking Mount Rainier. 

It's basically a compromise I'm not willing to stay away from Chiang Mai for two or three months but I want to get away for at least the worst part which is early March to early April.

 

It gets tiring being boxed into your room all the time. Starting mid April I am boxed in anyway because of the heat and the need for air conditioning. Even if the air quality improves.

 

As you say, we still need a good quality air purifier.

Edited April 1, 2019 by THAIJAMES

[bkk6060]

Pattaya then AC for Songran.

I like a moist environment. Hahaha.

[ujayujay]

Any Place on the Thailand Coast.

[malibukid]

7 hours ago, chingmai331 said:

Yachats Oregon.  About 3000 miles from the nearest air pollution. And decent fishing, some kayaking, hiking, maybe road biking, yoga at home, chopping your own firewood, feeding the goats...at ease with the world.  And breathing easy.

too far.  just did it last April

[malibukid]

Turkey looks nice, near the beach

[THAIJAMES]

29 minutes ago, malibukid said:

Turkey looks nice, near the beach

Great food there and cost should be a little bit lower with the lira down.

[Mahseer]

2 hours ago, ujayujay said:

Any Place on the Thailand Coast.

Just finishing up 3 weeks in Bang Saphan, 1 in Prachuap and couple of nights in HH. All decent and even had rain for a couple of days in the first 2. 

[NCC1701A]

18 hours ago, piewarmer said:

Plenty of CM refugees in Hua Hin, smog is 10% of Chiang Mai and beer is 40/70B

unfortunately they have all died of boredom.

 

we keep tossing their bodies into a mass grave at the edge of town. 

Edited April 1, 2019 by NCC1701A

[Ulic]

Not sure what you like to do but I thoroughly enjoyed my time sailing across the South Pacific. (Not suggesting you do that) But French Polynesia and the Cook Islands were lovely. Clean air, clean water, and everything you might want from western food choices. 

[THAIJAMES]

28 minutes ago, Ulic said:

Not sure what you like to do but I thoroughly enjoyed my time sailing across the South Pacific. (Not suggesting you do that) But French Polynesia and the Cook Islands were lovely. Clean air, clean water, and everything you might want from western food choices. 

I traveled all over the South Pacific for 2 years, 35 years ago mostly by boat. I have been pretty much everywhere Fiji, Rotuma, Western Samoa, Tonga, Tokelaus, Tonga  - I loved the Cook islands. I also loved Bora Bora but that's too expensive.

 

The problem with the South Pacific is that March is the summer not the best time to be there as it rains heavily and is very hot. The ideal time is in the southern hemisphere winter which is July - August.

Edited April 1, 2019 by THAIJAMES

[xylophone]

2 minutes ago, THAIJAMES said:

I loved the Cook islands.

Me too with Rarotonga being a particular favourite..........relaxing but boring and if you like pristine sandy beaches you won't find any better IMO.