Has Anyone Moved From Cm/cr To The Ocean And Happy They Did?

[sendbaht]

Thai wife and I really like living in CM but sometimes think about moving near the ocean. I know it can be more expensive living near the sea but the little amount we can afford. Maybe someone has moved away from CM/CR to a home/condo near the ocean and happy they did, or maybe someone has lived on one of the islands or near the ocean and look forward to move to or back to CM/CR.

We really love to ride mountain bikes and road bicycles so that is a plus here in CM.

Love to hear anyones input...thanks...

[chrisartist]

If you live in the mountains, you miss the sea. If you live near the sea, you miss the mountains. If there were some mountains in Thailand with a big lake in the middle that had edible fish in it, that would be ideal. You can ride a bicycle in the mountains or near the sea. I used to ride my bicycle along the road running alongside the sea. Now I ride it along roads next to the mountains.

[Birdman]

Could be the air pollution, why the op would like to move to the sea.

Edited March 15, 2009 by Birdman

[SlackJawChef]

Thai wife and I really like living in CM but sometimes think about moving near the ocean. I know it can be more expensive living near the sea but the little amount we can afford. Maybe someone has moved away from CM/CR to a home/condo near the ocean and happy they did, or maybe someone has lived on one of the islands or near the ocean and look forward to move to or back to CM/CR.

We really love to ride mountain bikes and road bicycles so that is a plus here in CM.

Love to hear anyones input...thanks...

Come on down to Koh Chang for a visit, we have both mountains and sea, but your right everything is a bit more expensive at first, if you look around you can soon find a few bargains. and a trip to the mainland every few months to do a big shopping trip.

It's the best place I have found in Thailand yet... but thats just my opinion.

[losworld]

A good friend of mine moved from a nice beachfront Condo in Hua Hin to a large house on the outskirts of Chiang Mai. He tells me he would not go back to Hua Hin. Not knocking HH but loves Chiang Mai.

I visited both and its hard to compare but his house didn't cost much more than the condo and the area is impressive.

Only downside to CM is the smoke in the summer.

[Minke]

Just a little input: Lanta is a big island in the south with what Thais call Mountains (I am from Alaska so my definition differs a bit) and you can live as cheaply as the mainland if you live Thai style and not Swedish Villa style. You can get a Thai style concrete house for 3-6K baht a month. I have a shophouse on the main road (about 30m from the beach) and it is 5K a month and pricey but big and clean with a garden and yard. Across the street the more utilitarian type shophouses are only 3K. It gets cheaper as you move into the jungle and up the hill. Good luck - Sarah

[Joaquin13]

If you live in the mountains, you miss the sea. If you live near the sea, you miss the mountains. If there were some mountains in Thailand with a big lake in the middle that had edible fish in it, that would be ideal.

[stevehaigh]

i think the OP wants to hear from someone with first hand experience of living in both CM/CR and presumably a touristy beach local like Phuket/Krabi/Samui/KPN/HH, etc. i suspects he wants to know about overall happiness level with the move, not simply cost of living.

i'd be interested to hear about that too.

steve

[sk1max]

Thai wife and I really like living in CM but sometimes think about moving near the ocean. I know it can be more expensive living near the sea but the little amount we can afford. Maybe someone has moved away from CM/CR to a home/condo near the ocean and happy they did, or maybe someone has lived on one of the islands or near the ocean and look forward to move to or back to CM/CR.

We really love to ride mountain bikes and road bicycles so that is a plus here in CM.

Love to hear anyones input...thanks...

Don't do it. I spent 5 years on and aroung Phuket, got to say I enjoyed my time there BUT I moved here 5 years ago and wouldn't want to go back. Why? It's not that I don't like beach life, I just love everything about CM. It's a real town/city, real people living their lives happily. The beach is usually full of tourists, non local Thais and less than top notch expats. Not to mention the ridiculous prices for rent/property/food etc.

Go for a long holiday. Good luck.

[PeaceBlondie]

I lived 2 years in CMai, one year at Hua Hin, and ended up in CMai forever. Also had rental house on beach in southernmost Mexico. PM me for details. OP feel free to phone me.

[ThaiPauly]

Thai wife and I really like living in CM but sometimes think about moving near the ocean. I know it can be more expensive living near the sea but the little amount we can afford. Maybe someone has moved away from CM/CR to a home/condo near the ocean and happy they did, or maybe someone has lived on one of the islands or near the ocean and look forward to move to or back to CM/CR.

We really love to ride mountain bikes and road bicycles so that is a plus here in CM.

Love to hear anyones input...thanks...

Come on down to Koh Chang for a visit, we have both mountains and sea, but your right everything is a bit more expensive at first, if you look around you can soon find a few bargains. and a trip to the mainland every few months to do a big shopping trip.

It's the best place I have found in Thailand yet... but thats just my opinion.

KC is my favourite holiday haunt...I try to get there every "smokey-hazy season here.

Thought about moving there once, but the infrastructure is just not as good as CM + my Wife does not like driving through the hairpin bends

The beauty of living in Thailand is of course that you can have a holiday on a tropical island without breaking the bank to get there

We are all blessed

[Minke]

i think the OP wants to hear from someone with first hand experience of living in both CM/CR and presumably a touristy beach local like Phuket/Krabi/Samui/KPN/HH, etc. i suspects he wants to know about overall happiness level with the move, not simply cost of living.

i'd be interested to hear about that too.

steve

Wow, thanks for setting us straight there Stevie, I suppose the OPs mentioning of financial concerns and that he welcomed anyone's input threw us off for a bit. Thanks again.

[CaptainNemo]

If there were some mountains in Thailand with a big lake in the middle that had edible fish in it, that would be ideal.

There is one in Chanthaburyshire.

[Fishenough]

Having lived most of my adult life on or within sight of the ocean can saw from that experience that an ocean view is wonderful but in all honesty just a prutty picture to look at occasionally. But it does really come down to what you really want; are you interested in boating and fishing, do you prefer to swim in salt water – if attracted to activities on the seaside you could likely truly enjoy yourself. Our family lost interest in going down to the beach in our last ocean front home after about the first 2 months, afterwards never during the cold season and maybe twice a month during the summer. Felt like a bit of a shame, but it wasn't in this latitude.

Last Fall!

[Kan Win]

Thai wife and I really like living in CM but sometimes think about moving near the ocean. I know it can be more expensive living near the sea but the little amount we can afford. Maybe someone has moved away from CM/CR to a home/condo near the ocean and happy they did, or maybe someone has lived on one of the islands or near the ocean and look forward to move to or back to CM/CR.

We really love to ride mountain bikes and road bicycles so that is a plus here in CM.

Love to hear anyones input...thanks...

If you live in the mountains, you miss the sea. If you live near the sea, you miss the mountains. If there were some mountains in Thailand with a big lake in the middle that had edible fish in it, that would be ideal. You can ride a bicycle in the mountains or near the sea. I used to ride my bicycle along the road running alongside the sea. Now I ride it along roads next to the mountains.

Easy really to both of you.

Try Kanchanaburi..................................

Not too far from Banger & Mash BKK and same as Cha Am-Hua Hin for the beach ?

Cheap places to rent a house (no Condos that I know)

We really love to ride mountain bikes

You Kan do that also here and for 'chrisartist' we have two great reservoirs with fish and mountains (sorry Hills ) to climb.

Take your pick folks

Your truly,

Kan Win

P.S. Also we do have a 'Fresh Water Beach' for the kids

[Birdman]

...contrary to me.

Living the last 20 years right next to the sea facing West, I would not change to any other location in Thailand.

Can go swimming whenever I want and doing that often. Sunsets and storm clouds, Thais looking for crabs, small lights from boats and the islands and the coasts in the night under the starry nights...

[NUMBNUTTS]

I am a beachbum from LA - I also had a huge A frame in the Tehachapis - a real mountain, which is about soso for the first month of the white stuff - and everyone has abused my hospitality, booze and Jacuzzi - then it sucks. Even in summer it still sucks - mountains are just boring - I have a Trek - in case ya think I am jiving ya - which I use at the beach 24/365 - nocando in da mountains. Couldnt find/see my truck for 4/5 weeks - we new were it was - my dog found it - it was just too much effort to dig it out - one day I fired it up and let it melt its way out. I drank too much in the mountains - nothing else to do - everyone is an alcoholic. Everything one does in the mountains is like doing pushups - nothing is easy. How many times can ya climb the dumb thing?!

Beach is good. HH is also sucky - the beach rocks, etc are devoid of sea life, even barnacles, no crabs even, and the sea water there is white. Death. Must be all the effluent from BKK. Pattaya - despite all the negativity expressed everywhere, is good - there are a couple beach places on the North Naklua side that are freeway close to the action, but ya can hear leaves fall at nite. Air is excellent. Bars, stores, fresh produce, all there - all at Thai prices - with a MamaSan on your arm - a cake walk. I was always blown away by how they could stretch 100 Bht to its max - fresh fruit, one or two hot/cold dishes and the inevitable top/blouse and she would always bring change. Of course she was real tiny.

I would walk up to the main drag and especially when I was single, would take someone out for a meal like I was in CA - FB we call them. Just like a regular date. Of course I spoiled them in other ways. There is a tiny bar, on the beach, in the water - 200 yards from the Dusit - I use the gym there - which has the coldest Chang beer this side of the Mississippi. That alone is worth the price of admission - I drop in there for a lite meal, post gym, take a swim, then walk home - takes the edge of the gym thingy.

Tough to beat. Living on the beach, with the exquisite sunsets, local + visitors digging around in the sand and swimming, it is always incredibly soothing.

One can actually sit out on the rocks, on a blanket, fire up a small Hibachi BBQ, watch the sun go down, sip a couple Gin Martinis and not get mugged.

Spend a couple hours there, stroll home - nocando in LA

None of that raucous boozy seedy druggie unhealthy alabaster hairless legged baldy paunchy smoking halitosis toothless stinking drunk ya find on main street.

I have to live in a quite spot near the city lights. Thats LA for ya. Some days the water in the bay is as good as Koh Samui.

I know that didnt help ya much - so sue me.

Enjoy!!