Hi all,

 

I'm planning on spending a week in Chaing Mai to get a feel for the place to see if I could retire there.  I'm looking at lodging options now, but I'm wondering if I should stay in on central hotel or move around the greater Chiang Mai area a bit and spend a day or 2 here and there?  Transportation might be an issue too, I have ZERO motorcyle experience and have no intention of learning how to drive one in Thailand.  I'm an experienced cyclist and might rent a mt. bike.  Or I'm even thinking of renting a car, I think I could handle driving on the opposite side of the road (at least outside of the city center--from Ytube videos parking looks like a pain in the a**)  

Old City is best. Just use Bolt for transport. Easy as pie.

 

I wouldnt drive unless going far.

Staying in different areas for a couple of days each is a good idea. A couple of days each  in the old city, Nimman area, and perhaps near the Central Airport Mall or a little further down in Hang Dong.

A week is not enough

I suggest talking to cyclists with experience in Chiang Mai before attempting to deal with local traffic and drivers.

I f you can't ride a motorcycle then you sure as hell have no chance on a bicycle...

5 hours ago, NHBOB said:

to get a feel for the place to see if I could retire there. 

 

This is a big ask?

 

Why Chiang Mai?

 

What do you want to do in retirement?

-Golf

-Model railway

-RC Aircraft

-Skydiving

-Obviously?

not riding a motorcycle

 

Chiang Mai is just another big Thai city.  

 

1 hour ago, Bill97 said:

A week is not enough

 

What he said?  A week is not enough to make a decision about the rest of your life.

 

Himku Hotel is pleasant. In the old part of town, you can walk to places for B/fast/lunch/dinner and for a few beers near the boxing stadium.
 

Moving around and spending two days here and there is an excellent idea.

 

If you've never driven on the left and never driven in Thailand, don't start to learn now or you'll end up in hospital!

 

The old town is nice to visit but few retirees live there, everyone else lives out of the city center. What is your accommodation budget (when retired) because that will help better understand your choices?

 

Also, as others have said, you're coming here during the best season of the year, the air is clean, the temperatures are not hot, a visit for one week only is going to give you a very distorted view.

 

 

Edited November 11, 20232 yr by Mike Lister

If you are seeking advice, maybe you shouldn't go..😇

Top north guesthouse

not expensive, in the middle of everything, nice swimming pool.

 

Bicycling is the best way to get around.  I use my bike far more than my motorcycle, going everywhere from Mae Tang to Lamphun, Doi Saket to Hang Dong, and all over the city.  Traveling the highways can be somewhat more dangerous, but just stay to the left and you should be OK.  That said, always expect the unexpected; this isn't Kansas. There are lots of quieter local roads if you get out of town.  In town, be alert and aware of the uneven road surfaces, especially in the old part of town with all the road construction going on.

 

This company provides bicycle tours; I don't know if they rent bikes by the day.  If not, perhaps they can suggest another shop for you. 

https://mountainbikethailand.com/

66 Realty is a good site to look at. The Old City is great, but there's not a ton of rental inventory there. For a mellow and cheap stay, I like the Dozy Guest House in the north end of the Old City. A first timer will welcome a place on a quiet street.

 

I love the area between Thapie Gate and the night market for a newcomer even more than the Old City. Cheap hotels are plentiful. You could pop in on New Year's Eve and still have your pick of 1,000 baht rooms.

 

Sort of over by The Shangri-la are a lot of condo's where white people rent in the 10K range. Nimman, Santiam, and the Uni are good too (pricier). The area around Central Festival Mall is a bargain, but not beautiful. Wat Umong is coming up a bit and has more of a country feel.

 

Hire a grab cab for a couple of days (like 1500 baht for 6 hours) and you could easily visit everywhere I just listed. Blow up the google map where you might want to be and then look for the word, serviced apartments or residences. 

 

CM is not that big. Yesterday, I took a cab from the north end of Nimman to the far side of The Ping River (also worth a look) to eat oysters. It took 12 minutes.

 

As a point of reference, The Central Festival Mall, The Night Market,  Chinatown, and good whack of the area south of Tapie Gate would be about 5-7 minutes away from those oysters. From Nimman to the dead center of the Old City is about 8 minutes.

 

2 hours ago, VinnieK said:

If you are seeking advice, maybe you shouldn't go..😇

Thank you for your deep insight, loser.

12 minutes ago, MrBrad said:

Bicycling is the best way to get around.  I use my bike far more than my motorcycle, going everywhere from Mae Tang to Lamphun, Doi Saket to Hang Dong, and all over the city.  Traveling the highways can be somewhat more dangerous, but just stay to the left and you should be OK.  That said, always expect the unexpected; this isn't Kansas. There are lots of quieter local roads if you get out of town.  In town, be alert and aware of the uneven road surfaces, especially in the old part of town with all the road construction going on.

 

This company provides bicycle tours; I don't know if they rent bikes by the day.  If not, perhaps they can suggest another shop for you. 

https://mountainbikethailand.com/

I am from the greater Boston area.  Riding with traffic is not new to me.  Although I understand it's a good idea to avoid the smaller sois because of the half-feral dogs.

5 minutes ago, NHBOB said:

I am from the greater Boston area.  Riding with traffic is not new to me.  Although I understand it's a good idea to avoid the smaller sois because of the half-feral dogs.

The soi dog problem has been much improved for decades. An esteemed poster here, StickyRiceBalls, has posted a lot about biking around CM (Me? No way).

A week is not enough... Try to come for a month... Stay in a place like this...

 

https://air.tl/oqQ3c2Rf

 

This is in Santhium area which is centrally located yet a Thai area with few short term tourists... There is a great local market with a typical Thai foodcourt... This would give you a great flavor for the real city and a month give you a chance to explore the city... Join a FB group that lists rentals and form a relationship with an agent who will drive you around to the different areas to view places to live... 

26 minutes ago, NHBOB said:

Thank you for your deep insight, loser.

Another angry drunk who can't take even the mildest joke.

 

I am truly sorry I was helpful to this miscreant dimwit.

CM is too big to figure out in that time frame. I would stay for a couple days in each major area of the city, starting from most dense to most rural and see where you're comfortable. 100% you need to get on your bike or have a vehicle otherwise you'll see very little.

 

Remember some places will make it impossible for good cycling because you'll be trapped in urban sprawl and the good roads will be unreachable. Much of CM is like that actually so you need to be extremely careful where you live if you're a cyclist. If cycling is your majority priority in retirement I would now considering avoiding CM because the major roads bisect everything and make it difficult to travel far outside your area comfortably.

 

 

3 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Chiang Mai is just another big Thai city.  

 

Really? Have always found it has more character and class than most any other Thai city of comparable size--the mountain, the moat, the malls, the green spaces, northern architecture, leafy old town lanes, stunning temples, great cafes, close airport. Most other Thai cities are incredibly bland in comparison.

 

I wouldn't stress too much, just find an area and try it out then come back for a few months. If it doesn't work out, move on. You likely won't scratch the surface going here and there. 

 

This area around Sakorn Residence is nice and within walking/riding distance of town:

 

 

4 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

 

This is a big ask?

 

Why Chiang Mai?

 

What do you want to do in retirement?

-Golf

-Model railway

-RC Aircraft

-Skydiving

-Obviously?

not riding a motorcycle

 

Chiang Mai is just another big Thai city.  

 

 

What he said?  A week is not enough to make a decision about the rest of your life.

 

Himku Hotel is pleasant. In the old part of town, you can walk to places for B/fast/lunch/dinner and for a few beers near the boxing stadium.
 

CM old city. Nothing like it elsewhere.

 

Dont move every 2 nights. Stupid waste of time. Pick a central hotel then move around. 

7 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

 

Really? Have always found it has more character and class than most any other Thai city of comparable size--the mountain, the moat, the malls, the green spaces, northern architecture, leafy old town lanes, stunning temples, great cafes, close airport. Most other Thai cities are incredibly bland in comparison.

 

I wouldn't stress too much, just find an area and try it out then come back for a few months. If it doesn't work out, move on. You likely won't scratch the surface going here and there. 

 

This area around Sakorn Residence is nice and within walking/riding distance of town:

 

 

I like the central to northern parts of old city

4 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

If you've never driven on the left and never driven in Thailand, don't start to learn now or you'll end up in hospital!

Strange comment.

Probably. over the years, millions of Europeans, Americans etc have managed the transition without ending up in hospital.

The biggest danger for those citizens used to driving on the 'wrong' side of the road is crossing the roads on foot.

They look left, right, left.

Here they need to look right, left, right.

Almost every time that I am out riding, I see them about to step out in front of me. 'Beep. Beep!'

28 minutes ago, Prubangboy said:

Another angry drunk who can't take even the mildest joke.

 

I am truly sorry I was helpful to this miscreant dimwit.

Bad arrogant joke. The guy is a first timer. Asking for advice not " dont go"

Question for the OP - how is your health?

I live on Koh Samui (clean air) as I have COPD. Had breathing issues since I was a kid.

I visit Chiang Mai every year for 3 - 4 days as I love walking, and the old city is dead flat. (I struggle to breath walking up hills.) I just spend all day wandering around the old city and the nearby suburbs. Great time.

But I could not live in the Old City all year round. I love my peace and quiet back home on the island.

Also, Chiang Mai is a no-no for me long term due to the pollution during the burning season.

 

Retiring in Chiang Mai would be a mistake.

The air quality scores very poorly most of the time.

During burning season, the levels of pollution become dangerous for a couple of months.

 

Id do this loop. Stay old city. Visit central mall, museum, temples, maya mall, check out a few apartments, restaurants. Go to the Silver temple at night (G).

 

 

Edited November 12, 20232 yr by bignok

33 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

CM is too big to figure out in that time frame. I would stay for a couple days in each major area of the city, starting from most dense to most rural and see where you're comfortable. 100% you need to get on your bike or have a vehicle otherwise you'll see very little.

 

Remember some places will make it impossible for good cycling because you'll be trapped in urban sprawl and the good roads will be unreachable. Much of CM is like that actually so you need to be extremely careful where you live if you're a cyclist. If cycling is your majority priority in retirement I would now considering avoiding CM because the major roads bisect everything and make it difficult to travel far outside your area comfortably.

 

 

I came for a week's holiday in 2009, went back and gave all my stuff away, and have been living here ever since.

26 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

 

Really? Have always found it has more character and class than most any other Thai city of comparable size--the mountain, the moat, the malls, the green spaces, northern architecture, leafy old town lanes, stunning temples, great cafes, close airport. Most other Thai cities are incredibly bland in comparison.

 

I wouldn't stress too much, just find an area and try it out then come back for a few months. If it doesn't work out, move on. You likely won't scratch the surface going here and there. 

 

This area around Sakorn Residence is nice and within walking/riding distance of town:

 

 

Stayed there. Nice place.

1 hour ago, NHBOB said:

I am from the greater Boston area.  Riding with traffic is not new to me.  Although I understand it's a good idea to avoid the smaller sois because of the half-feral dogs.

Dogs no issue. Bad motorbike riders are the issue.