I know this is a silly tourist question and I wouldn’t normally ask, but having just arrived and found the old town to be like a set from a dystopian zombie movie, there is no life at all, is anything actually still open? Weekend Markets etc

it took us 45 minutes to find a decent place to eat last night. Would not have believed how bad things had got unless I had seen it with my own eyes

Saturday morning there's Chamcha market which is 8kms from Thapae off the San Kampaeng road and was busy 2 weeks back. If you fancy a feed Meena Rice is at the bottom end of the market and serves decent Thai food plus other simple options in the compound.
 

https://www.facebook.com/ChamchaMarket/

 

Sunday between 06-1400 Jing Jai market is worth a look. It's back in its previous traffic free area on Atsadathon road next to Lotus Kham Thiang. Plenty of food outlets both fresh and cooked plus normally couple of music options after 0800 and plenty of shops selling hand made goods.

 

If you fancy quality Thai food beside the river Wanlamun just along from Nawarat bridge is the best I know but individual tastes vary.

 

 

 

For a good meal try L'elephant.

There's always a few boring temples to see.

 

If you can get outta there and go to Hua Hin or Bangkok.

 

At least there's still a little life and plenty of things to do!

 

Lots of good restaurants and premium hotels have never been so cheap!

 

 

Some stand by’s
Sunday walking street was re upped a month back, has increased in numbers every week since. It makes you feel like the city is alive again.  For breakfast, Jok Somphet on the north side of the old town. A, Khi Ka Ta shop on the south next to Chiang Mai gate market at 37 Phra Pokklao street. Maybe because other places are closed, both fill up fast.  Dinner at The Riverside. Still a great place for a nice Ping river, Doi Suthep, sunset view. Great Thai/western menu.

21 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

it took us 45 minutes to find a decent place to eat last night. Would not have believed how bad things had got unless I had seen it with my own eyes

Seeing as the Thais got a letter stating 'you should not leave your home from 5th-19th Jan' because of the rampant spread of COVID. It seems unlikely much will be happening.

10 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Nimman..

 

Is like night and day...as i bike both areas daily..

 

I even sent tourists there today as they held a map at TP gate and were looking for a place to have wine.....old town is barren at night

 

Nimman is pumping nightly as I cut thru the chaos on my way home

Think we figured that out. Went to Tong Tem Toh for lunch and it was heaving. Seems more normal there, old town like a cemetery! 

10 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

There's always a few boring temples to see.

 

If you can get outta there and go to Hua Hin or Bangkok.

 

At least there's still a little life and plenty of things to do!

 

Lots of good restaurants and premium hotels have never been so cheap!

 

 

Yeah, did the temples yesterday including wat ched yod which was a new one for us, very cool indeed. 
Only here to wait for wife’s family to pick us up Monday to go back to Phrae. 
had to do an extended 10 day isolation before going back to family just in case.

39 minutes ago, ourmanflint said:

Yeah, did the temples yesterday including wat ched yod which was a new one for us, very cool indeed. 
Only here to wait for wife’s family to pick us up Monday to go back to Phrae. 
had to do an extended 10 day isolation before going back to family just in case.

Definitely worse places to isolate.

 

I'd find it interesting to be there when its so slow.

 

I've only been there when it's overflowing with Chinese Tourists and the hotel prices high for what you get.

 

Enjoy yourself.

What was the point of the 10 day isolation, and then going to busy restaurant (risk of infection) while waiting to return to Phrae.

59 minutes ago, ourmanflint said:

Yeah, did the temples yesterday including wat ched yod which was a new one for us, very cool indeed. 
Only here to wait for wife’s family to pick us up Monday to go back to Phrae. 
had to do an extended 10 day isolation before going back to family just in case.

The underground tunnels at Wat Umong are worth a look.

And then feed the snapping turtles and fish on the temple island.

 

Sticky waterfalls (nam tok bua tong) 40Km north are unusual.

Straight up the 1001.

Riverside shut down through 9th due to outbreak as has the nearby Good View.

Avoid all Cities in pandemic. Phuket for tropical paradise experience.

Suggestions of restaurants, markets and temples.  Things that every city has.  No one mentioned the wonderful malls?

CM is a total bore especially now unless you like to drink a lot of coffee.  I would go someplace else even Bangkok would be better then CM.

Go to McDonalds today at 2.30pm, get on the truck/bus (2.50pm) and be driven with others to Hash House Harriers. Go for a walk in the countryside, have a few beers, get driven back to McDonalds with locals, who will know where to go afterwards for dinner.

Forget the tourist areas and go native.  Explore.  That applies to all of Thailand as the 'tourism' areas have as much life as a box of rocks.
The government has successfully killed them - so do what we did before Thailand was a tourism mecca - go find your own mecca.
There is a lot of culture left outside of the now - dead zones - of previous foreign tourism in Thailand.

In answer to the OPs question: Not a lot....CM has been sliding into joyless torpor since the coup.

34 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

Go to McDonalds today at 2.30pm, get on the truck/bus (2.50pm) and be driven with others to Hash House Harriers. Go for a walk in the countryside, have a few beers, get driven back to McDonalds with locals, who will know where to go afterwards for dinner.

Sounds worse than Saudi!

47 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Suggestions of restaurants, markets and temples.  Things that every city has.  No one mentioned the wonderful malls?

CM is a total bore especially now unless you like to drink a lot of coffee.  I would go someplace else even Bangkok would be better then CM.

It's been dead for years

25 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Sounds worse than Saudi!

Until you try it.

Go up the mountain to Ban Chang Khian and see the cherry blossoms. It only a occurs for a couple of weeks a year and its happening now. It will be cold early morning or if its cloudy. I have not been this year but you may need your double vaccinated status app/ref numbers to get in? You dont want to go all the way up there and be denied entry. 

7 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

Yeah, did the temples yesterday including wat ched yod which was a new one for us, very cool indeed. 
Only here to wait for wife’s family to pick us up Monday to go back to Phrae. 
had to do an extended 10 day isolation before going back to family just in case.

Lanna Expo is on at the Chiang Mai Exhibition Center, January 7-16. Proof of vaccination required for admittance (& the usual, masks, distancing). Traditional crafts, textiles, food, ... the usual. We always enjoy the walk through.

18 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

For a good meal try L'elephant.

Do they serve chang pat prik?

8 hours ago, KhunLA said:

What was the point of the 10 day isolation, and then going to busy restaurant (risk of infection) while waiting to return to Phrae.

We were outdoor. No stress really

5 hours ago, CNXBKKMAN said:

Go up the mountain to Ban Chang Khian and see the cherry blossoms. It only a occurs for a couple of weeks a year and its happening now. It will be cold early morning or if its cloudy. I have not been this year but you may need your double vaccinated status app/ref numbers to get in? You dont want to go all the way up there and be denied entry. 

You must be a mind reader! That is where we’re going tomorrow 

7 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Suggestions of restaurants, markets and temples.  Things that every city has.  No one mentioned the wonderful malls?

CM is a total bore especially now unless you like to drink a lot of coffee.  I would go someplace else even Bangkok would be better then CM.

We’ve just come from Bangkok, CM isn’t that exciting anymore it’s true, but first time I’ve been here in January for 15 years so enjoying the cool weather at least

6 hours ago, ArcticFox said:

Forget the tourist areas and go native.  Explore.  That applies to all of Thailand as the 'tourism' areas have as much life as a box of rocks.
The government has successfully killed them - so do what we did before Thailand was a tourism mecca - go find your own mecca.
There is a lot of culture left outside of the now - dead zones - of previous foreign tourism in Thailand.

My wife’s family are from Phrae, there isn’t a province less explored and less touristy anywhere in Thailand

The dates are from yesterday but it was broadcast today. Semi shutdown in effect. On my news feed this evening. If I am reading correctly that means the place I recommended; "The Riverside" (one among many) has been closed J. -7 through the  9. The other closures and dates are listed. 

 

 

 

53 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

The dates are from yesterday but it was broadcast today. Semi shutdown in effect. On my news feed this evening. If I am reading correctly that means the place I recommended; "The Riverside" (one among many) has been closed J. -7 through the  9. The other closures and dates are listed. 

 

 

 

Wife says these are all places where contact tracing has someone who tested positive for Covid 

14 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

Think we figured that out. Went to Tong Tem Toh for lunch and it was heaving. Seems more normal there, old town like a cemetery! 

Chiang Mai city center is literally a ghost town now.

 

I know at least two of my favorite Thai eateries just opposite Kad Suan Kaew who have packed up their bags and gone back to their hometown due to lack of business since the pandemic started.

 

Most of the shops have closed and 'for rent' sign put up.