Advice needed for 1 week in Chiang Mai

[bignok]

3 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Did the guesthouse room have its' own kitchen? King-size bed?

You seem to think because you have been in Thailand for a few months - a year at most - you are an authority on everything Thai.

Somewhat rich you accuse me of arrogance. You've got that and dogmatism in spades.

The only reason I don't have you on ignore is I enjoy puncturing your more fatuous posts. It's not as if you keep me starved of material.

 

Yes I know. You enjoy abusing people. It's a sign of unhappiness.

 

The topic is about helping the OP. It's not about how awesome you are or your room.

 

The OP asked about Chiang Mai not Rai.

 

 

[Lacessit]

16 minutes ago, bignok said:

Did this loop in CR

You did not see Fang, Doi Ang Khan, Chiang Saen, Charin Gardens, Wat Sang Kaew Phothiyan, Phayao, Phu Chi Fa, Thoeng, Phan Lily Farm, Singha Gardens, Thaton. Mae Ai.... oh, forget it.

[bignok]

Just now, Lacessit said:

You did not see Fang, Doi Ang Khan, Chiang Saen, Charin Gardens, Wat Sang Kaew Phothiyan, Phayao, Phu Chi Fa, Thoeng, Phan Lily Farm, Singha Gardens, Thaton. Mae Ai.... oh, forget it.

Topic is about Chiang Mai not Fang or who flung dung.

 

I went to Phayao twice. Not a fan.

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, bignok said:

Yes I know. You enjoy abusing people. It's a sign of unhappiness.

 

The topic is about helping the OP. It's not about how awesome you are or your room.

 

The OP asked about Chiang Mai not Rai.

 

 

I am suggesting an alternative to the OP. It's up to him whether he wants to take what I say on board.

I don't enjoy abusing people. However, I don't suffer fools gladly.

[bignok]

Just now, Lacessit said:

I am suggesting an alternative to the OP. It's up to him whether he wants to take what I say on board.

I don't enjoy abusing people. However, I don't suffer fools gladly.

Look in the mirror. Topic is Chiang Mai. No need for rants on Fang.

[novacova]

6 minutes ago, bignok said:

Topic is about Chiang Mai not Fang

Fang is in CM…

[Prubangboy]

Just now, bignok said:

No need for rants on Fang.

I read here that Fang aint what it used to be. So what is it now, a single shack?

 

Back in the day, Fang took over from Mae Hong Son as edge of the ledge of the world-status in Thailand among the Lonely Planet crowd.

 

I see the saintly King above me has recco'd The Smith Residence. I concur. Truly an island of lost, wayward boys. My stay there was my fun-est in CM to date.

 

Caveat: Angry American Boomers are CM-local's absolute least favorite whities. So maybe go somewhere else so as not to kill the vibe.

[Mike Lister]

8 minutes ago, bignok said:

 

I went to Phayao twice. Not a fan.

I blinked the first time and missed it, on my second trip they forgot to fill the lake......I shalln't return soon..

[ChaiyaTH]

If you consider moving to Chiang Mai a week is not close to enough, and your question is unrealistic too. You would want to live in each area for a few days to a week to conclude anything, one area can make a city look awful and another great, same as in Bangkok. Not to even start about the pollution season, you likely cry to have moved there.

[ChaiyaTH]

5 minutes ago, novacova said:

Fang is in CM…

Use some brains... The guy obviously wants to move to CM CITY, getting out of the city you might as well move to any farm land in the world. Nothing to see.

[Prubangboy]

1 minute ago, ChaiyaTH said:

a week is not close to enough, and your question is unrealistic too. 

How long is enough, tho?

 

Call it 2 nights each in OC/Nimman/Fill in the blank actively looking around with a driver and you would have seen a lot of CM and a lot of it twice.

 

When I was sussing areas in Bangkok, 2-3 nights would do it, at least to veto it from further research.

[bignok]

3 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

If you consider moving to Chiang Mai a week is not close to enough, and your question is unrealistic too. You would want to live in each area for a few days to a week to conclude anything, one area can make a city look awful and another great, same as in Bangkok. Not to even start about the pollution season, you likely cry to have moved there.

Yes he needs to visit 2 or 3 times and 2 weeks at a time.

 

I wouldnt bother with remote towns unless they floats his boat.

 

Do a few loops of the city. Check out malls, train station area,bus stations, restaurants,bars. Roads.

 

 

[ChaiyaTH]

1 minute ago, bignok said:

Yes he needs to visit 2 or 3 times and 2 weeks at a time.

 

I wouldnt bother with remote towns unless they floats his boat.

 

Do a few loops of the city. Check out malls, train station area,bus stations, restaurants,bars. Roads.

Yeah it's like people coming now or in the next month, you get a romantic version of Chiang Mai, not the hell that follows in the months after (pollution + extreme hot + not a soul to be found anywhere).

[bignok]

Just now, Prubangboy said:

How long is enough, tho?

 

Call it 2 nights each in OC/Nimman/Fill in the blank actively looking around with a driver and you would have seen a lot of CM and a lot of it twice.

 

When I was sussing areas in Bangkok, 2-3 nights would do it, at least to veto it from further research.

Why move hotels? Hire a Bolt driver for 4 hours each day over 5 days. Check out the city well. Agree on a hourly price.

 

Download thai eng app to help.

 

 

 

 

[ChaiyaTH]

Just now, bignok said:

Why move hotels? Hire a Bolt driver for 4 hours each day over 5 days. Check out the city well. Agree on a hourly price.

 

Download thai eng app to help.

Because one area is not the same as another, you want to see if you can live somewhere, that includes sleeping breakfast, lunch, dinner. So moving hotels is smart.

[bignok]

Just now, ChaiyaTH said:

Yeah it's like people coming now or in the next month, you get a romantic version of Chiang Mai, not the hell that follows in the months after (pollution + extreme hot + not a soul to be found anywhere).

March to May is super hot all over.

 

June to January good months.

 

Id say visit March, August and December.

 

At least 2 weeks.

[ChaiyaTH]

Just now, bignok said:

March to May is super hot all over.

 

June to January good months.

 

Id say visit March, August and December.

 

At least 2 weeks.

Are you even living there or what? Because what you say is incorrect. The only good months there are are like sept/october until early feb, after it's <deleted>.

[bignok]

Just now, ChaiyaTH said:

Are you even living there or what? Because what you say is incorrect. The only good months there are are like sept/october until early feb, after it's <deleted>.

Fine for me in late May and June. March and April the worst. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Prubangboy]

2 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Because one area is not the same as another, you want to see if you can live somewhere, that includes sleeping breakfast, lunch, dinner. So moving hotels is smart.

Agreed. Every 7/11 and whitie breakfast outlet has its own unique vibe. You couldn't pull me off of my corner now. I booked into soi 11 and eventually migrated all the way to soi 17.

 

Hotel changing is down to temperment. I had a great solo week in BKK pinging and ponging to a diff nabe and hotel daily. Whereas my wife demands a 4 night stay MINIMUM anywhere we go.

[bignok]

11 minutes ago, Prubangboy said:

Agreed. Every 7/11 and whitie breakfast outlet has its own unique vibe. You couldn't pull me off of my corner now. I booked into soi 11 and eventually migrated all the way to soi 17.

 

Hotel changing is down to temperment. I had a great solo week in BKK pinging and ponging to a diff nabe and hotel daily. Whereas my wife demands a 4 night stay MINIMUM anywhere we go.

I think you need 3n minimum. Hard to judge places in 2 days.

[Prubangboy]

I love CM to death and am the kind of guy who wiki-reads about a bunch of temples, sees them all,  and might book a cooking class (I mean, in days gone by). But if I'm a tourist here, I'd be hard-pressed to fill 5 full days, even with some heavy padding from elephants and white water rafting.

 

As local, I found my rah-rah plans to eat at all the riverside restaurants were undone by how samey they all were. We get a lot of mental health from looking at Doi Suthep; we have yet to set foot on Doi Suthep.

 

CM is a great place to eat Khao Soi noodles. Only a tourist will get in a cab to eat legendary ones over the ones on hand 10 feet away. On my block, there are 3 B+ purveyors of KSN, and then Instagram legend-Nimman Khao Soi 2 blocks further.

 

I'd rather watch KSN noodles being eaten across town by Mark Weins than get in a cab to eat them myself. And that cab ride would cost more than the noodles.

 

Living here, your world is your nabe. That's why a low traffic nabe really improves your quality of life. 

[bignok]

1 minute ago, Prubangboy said:

I love CM to death and am the kind of guy who wiki-reads about a bunch of temples, sees them all,  and might book a cooking class (I mean, in days gone by). But if I'm a tourist here, I'd be hard-pressed to fill 5 full days, even with some heavy padding from elephants and white water rafting.

 

As local, I found my rah-rah plans to eat at all the riverside restaurants were undone by how samey they all were. We get a lot of mental health from looking at the Doi Suthep; we have yet to set foot on Doi Suthep.

 

CM is a great place to eat Khao Soi noodles. Only a tourist will get in a cab to eat legendary ones over the ones on hand 10 feet away. On my block, there are 3 B+ purveyors of KSN, and then Instagram legend-Nimman Khao Soi 2 blocks further.

 

I'd rather watch KSN noodles being eaten across town by Mark Weins than get in a cab to do so myself. And that cab ride would cost more than the noodles.

 

Living here, your world is your nabe. That's why a low traffic nabe really improves your quality of life. 

Chum has dishes that others dont.

[Prubangboy]

CHUM really shows how capricious restaurant reputation is. It kills Ginger Kitchen, it has a superb location in a pretty space  -but Ginger Kitchen gets the YouTubes.

 

Ging Grai a few blocks up is the best Thai food I ever ate -and they do all Thai regions with a very light on the oil touch. At dinner hour, they might fill a third up.

 

I think a lot of the CM Youtube foodie v-blogs are 1) very lazy and going to the same 6 places  2) out of date.

 

Vegan dining is a super-specialty here. You only see GoodSouls represented on Youtube. I love that place and its many pricey offshoots, but there are at least half a dozen vegan places in CM that would also be Time Out 5*'s anywhere else in the world.

[bignok]

40 minutes ago, novacova said:

Fang is in CM…

120km north.

 

Better to do a loop closer to the city if he wants a look.

[bignok]

1 minute ago, Prubangboy said:

CHUM really shows how capricious restaurant reputation is. It kills Ginger Kitchen, it has a superb location in a pretty space  -but Ginger Kitchen gets the YouTubes.

 

Ging Grai a few blocks up is the best Thai food I ever ate -and they do all Thai regions with light on the oil touch. At dinner hour, they might fill a third up. I think a lot of the CM Youtube foodie v-blogs are 1) very lazy and going to the same 6 places  2) out of date.

I know 4 good restaurants but Chum has the best menu for Lanna food. Can't beat it.

[sammieuk1]

You may regret going for a week and find its 6 days 23 hours to long 🤔

[novacova]

3 minutes ago, bignok said:

120km north.

 

Better to do a loop closer to the city if he wants a look.

120km north of CM is in Myanmar. 120km from cm city is Fang district CM.😊

[novacova]

12 hours ago, NHBOB said:

I'm planning on spending a week in Chaing Mai to get a feel for the place to see if I could retire there.

Personally I don’t think a week in cm is enough time to get a feel for the area given that cm is very touristy (note the feedback on this thread) and weather/smoke conditions changes during the year. Many expats really can’t handle the smoke conditions and leave during that period or just leave entirely. Everyone has their own tolerances, to each their own personal preference.

[ChipButty]

Personally I thought 4 days in CM was too much, I couldn't wait to get on the plane back to Phuket, 

[Bill97]

14 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Personally I thought 4 days in CM was too much, I couldn't wait to get on the plane back to Phuket, 

Right and 487 of us were there cheering your departure