Chiang Mai named World’s Best City for a Beautiful Bike Ride, according to Instagram data

[webfact]

 

New research by MoneyBeach says the #ChiangMaiCycling hashtag is flooded with images of cyclists enjoying the Inthanon Challenge. 

 

TAT Newsroom

 

Bangkok, 17 June, 2021 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is pleased to report that Chiang Mai’s reputation as one of the world’s leading tourist destinations continues to grow after the city was named among the world’s best cities for a beautiful bike ride, according to Instagram data in a new research by MoneyBeach.

 

MoneyBeach, a bicycle insurance search engine, registered in England and Wales, released its research titled, “The World’s Best Cities For A Beautiful Bike Ride, According to Instagram Data” on 2 June, 2021. The study named Chiang Mai as the most picturesque city in the world for a bike ride.

“With over 6,400 hashtags on Instagram, Chiang Mai has significantly less images shared under its cycling hashtags than second placed Miami, but its relatively small square footage places it firmly in first place – with 161 cycling images shared per square kilometre! Situated in a breath-taking mountainous area in Northern Thailand, the cycling scene here has blown up in recent years. Chiang Mai used to be the capital of the Lanna Thai Kingdom and remains one of the most culturally significant parts of the country. With its high elevation, it sees cooler temperatures than the rest of the Thai tropical climate and its stunning mountain roads makes it a cyclist’s dream. If the elevation and mountain bike routes are too much for you, you can take a spin around the city itself and visit some of the impressive, ancient temples that remain standing to this day,” said the MoneyBeach’s study.

The #ChiangMaiCycling hashtag is flooded with images of cyclists enjoying the Inthanon Challenge, where each year cyclists eagerly race 47km to the top of Doi Inthanon, standing 2,595 m above sea level – the highest point in Thailand.

According to MoneyBeach, it compiled a list of over 120 popular tourist cities from around the world and used Instagram data to find how many images have been uploaded to the platform in relation to cycling in the specific city. This was achieved by detailing the number of times hashtags including#(city name)bybike, #(city name)cycling, and #cycle(city name) had been used.

 

It analysed over 350,000 city specific cycling hashtags on Instagram to discover which location had the most snaps shared under them. The results were then weighted against city size (km²) to reveal the ratio of images taken vs. the scale of the city. The city with the most images taken per km² was then crowned the most picturesque. All data correct as of May 2021.

 

The study was also published in New York-based Travel & Leisure publication on 12 June, 2021, titled “Here Are the Most Beautiful Cities in the World to Bike, According to Instagram Data”, citing the research from MoneyBeach.

 

Source: https://www.tatnews.org/2021/06/chiang-mai-named-worlds-best-city-for-a-beautiful-bike-ride-according-to-instagram-data/

 

 

[realfunster]

They are so desperate for any PR they will pick up on spurious traffic generating ‘survey’. I had to call them out of FB a few months back after some no-name UK optician shop (Yes, I know) did a survey on something naming Thailand as number one and they referenced it as ‘UK authorities’.

I played them at their own game and asked them to stop referring to Her Majesty’s Government incorrectly.

 

Back to Chiang Mai, I must assume this was surveyed outside of the 300 AQI season ? I wouldn’t have thought that was conducive to a pleasant bike ride. Just shows how economical with the truth these things can be.

 

Some Thai colleagues visited CM for work just before April lockdown 2020, they informed me they could actually ‘taste’ the smoke in the air and their cars were covered with a light layer of ash every morning. Sounds charming.

[bojo]

16 minutes ago, realfunster said:

Back to Chiang Mai, I must assume this was surveyed outside of the 300 AQI season ? I wouldn’t have thought that was conducive to a pleasant bike ride

Quite possibly the study (if true) was conducted in the cool season, with the city and surrounding mountains in full bloom and the views pretty special............Personally, I'd be pushing my bike up the hills though and freewheeling down, no lycra on my firm......!

[realfunster]

17 minutes ago, bojo said:

Quite possibly the study (if true) was conducted in the cool season, with the city and surrounding mountains in full bloom and the views pretty special............Personally, I'd be pushing my bike up the hills though and freewheeling down, no lycra on my firm......!

 

It’s a genuinely beautiful place, with a charming culture and for foreigners, some of the best weather in Thailand.

Myself and my better half were looking at some land up there but we didn’t fancy 2-3 months of shockingly bad AQ every year. If they can get a grip on the burning in the next few years, we may look again. 

[bojo]

5 minutes ago, realfunster said:

 

It’s a genuinely beautiful place, with a charming culture and for foreigners, some of the best weather in Thailand.

Myself and my better half were looking at some land up there but we didn’t fancy 2-3 months of shockingly bad AQ every year. If they can get a grip on the burning in the next few years, we may look again. 

I hear you regarding the polution, it definately affects some...............I lived in the city for a few years (2007-2010) and as crazy as this might sound, I never really thought anything of the polution. I could feel my nose burning slightly in April while driving the bike on seriously hot days and would see the fires on the mountain ridges whilst approaching the city on long drives up from BKK, but I was more concerned about the pool being hotter than bath water!! I gotta say, that then, only a few years ago, I never noticed it talked about much with the expats or locals...............Just saying, from my perspective it wasn't a biggie and I can't wait to get back there, and 'yes' I will be going on holiday in April coz the pool's too hot............!

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is pleased to report that Chiang Mai’s reputation as one of the world’s leading tourist destinations continues to grow after the city was named among the world’s best cities for a beautiful bike ride, according to Instagram data in a new research by MoneyBeach.

Don't forget your mask, your life insurance, blood type and next of kin.

Enjoy the view.

[Ron jeremy]

Sick and tired of getting sick and tired 

[MrJ2U]

It's a fun city to ride a scooter around with all its interesting side streets.  Great now with no tourists and crowded streets.

 

Obviously it's not good during the fire season.

[pseudorabies]

Just be sure to bring N95 masks and plenty of albuterol. .

 

It's really sad - My wife and I are still trying to figure out where to settle in Thailand.  If it wasn't for the smoke in Chiang Mai it would be a no-brainer.  In addition to bicycling the region has some of the best roads that I've ever ridden a motorcycle on.  Absolute heaven.

[BumGun]

U wot mate ?  ????

 

My (f) partner and I road our bikes around CM itself years ago (2011, how time flies) ... budda wept, what an experience ???? definitely a challenge.

 

 

Edited June 18, 2021 by BumGun

[Markus Rider]

Unfortunately it's a terrible place for any kind of outdoor sports usually from mid December until end of April because of the horrible air quality due to the burning. I just left Chiang Mai after 4 years because I was sick damaging my health. Many foreigners are leaving all for the same reason! Only Chinese are attracted because for them it's an improvement from 12 months of bad air per year. 

[sawadee1947]

3 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

It's a fun city to ride a scooter around with all its interesting side streets.  Great now with no tourists and crowded streets.

 

Obviously it's not good during the fire season.

Only suiciders are riding scooters in Thailand. ????

[sawadee1947]

2 hours ago, BumGun said:

U wot mate ?  ????

 

My (f) partner and I road our bikes around CM itself years ago (2011, how time flies) ... budda wept, what an experience ???? definitely a challenge.

 

 

Be happy that you survived ????

[Lancelot01]

On 6/18/2021 at 1:20 AM, bojo said:

Quite possibly the study (if true) was conducted in the cool season, with the city and surrounding mountains in full bloom and the views pretty special............Personally, I'd be pushing my bike up the hills though and freewheeling down, no lycra on my firm......!

And probably on past recollection. I doubt anybody has been cycling around Chiang Mai for 18 months or more and certainly not in the field burning season.

[Ron jeremy]

On 6/17/2021 at 7:58 PM, bojo said:

I hear you regarding the polution, it definately affects some...............I lived in the city for a few years (2007-2010) and as crazy as this might sound, I never really thought anything of the polution. I could feel my nose burning slightly in April while driving the bike on seriously hot days and would see the fires on the mountain ridges whilst approaching the city on long drives up from BKK, but I was more concerned about the pool being hotter than bath water!! I gotta say, that then, only a few years ago, I never noticed it talked about much with the expats or locals...............Just saying, from my perspective it wasn't a biggie and I can't wait to get back there, and 'yes' I will be going on holiday in April coz the pool's too hot............!

Just because you never thought anything of the pollution doesn’t mean it didn’t affect you!

your nose was burning? That’s ok????

poor air quality- pollution is not something that kills overnight!

I surely hope you understand that???

it affects everyone, you seem oblivious to this as many are!

many places to spend time with clean air!

myself and many friends left because I’ll health effects.

another businessman trying to downplay the situation perhaps???

????????????????‍♂️????????????‍♂️????

[Sticky Rice Balls]

I would ride my bike daily around the city---between breathing in toxic exhaust and getting sideswiped I would have to disagree with the article

 

I even had a 10 baht whistle for the wandering chinese.....id wait to get right up behind them n BLAST it.

 

Best investment ever, that 10 baht whistle ????