My First Impressions Of Chiang Mai

[Nawak]

I am planning to move to Thailand very soon,and from what I can tell Chiang Mai seems like a perfect fit for me.I grew up in the U.S.A. spend many years in central america moved to Israel like 8 months ago,and the people here seem a little stressed out .I think thats because there know real peace in this part of the world.I would like if any one could tell me more about Chiang Mai.Before I get there.I am kinda a laid back guy,enjoy different things.I do think that after a short trip to any place and to say what they think is well I am LOL. Just my 2 cents

My 2 cents, I don't live in the city and it's perfect for what I'm looking for. Only 27 km to Chiang Mai (20-30 min on bike) when I want to meet some people or buy some western food, no one westerner around and I live in a nice thai moobaan with few people. Quiet, clean and friendly neighbours, only 3 houses inhabited all the time.

Usually no noise after 10 PM and no traffic near the house.

[jackers]

I did say 'maybe Mumbai' but that is hardly the same as Mumbai is a sh*thole

'Maybe' only one place that you ever have had a first thought, impression, opinion, good or bad? I find that extraordinary. And I haven't said that Chiang mai is a shithole or anything like that. I would still much prefer to be here than London.

I wasn't particularly criticizing just saying give it more time as somewhere like Mumbai is so obviously a bad place full of people sh*tting in the street etc. that one can instantly say 'wow this is not good' (and I lived in Mumbai a year for work!).

But to even think Chiang Mai as a 'poor first impression' when it so obviously it is a vibrant interesting place (but you don't know that I grant you) is premature.

I don't know how many times I have to say this but it's a first impression, no final conclusion or final judgement has been reached. I have a lot to explore, a lot of things to do, a lot of things to find out about.

London is not so bad in places too (I lived in Greenwich for six years and loved it) - the theaters, concerts, parks... anyway I digress - you seem very quick to evaluate when others might be a little more 'reserved' in their judgement that's all.

Where London is concerned I've lived there for most of my life, there are things to do but the cost of living and value for money is not good, amongst other things. There are good and bad points for me personally I want out.

[diseq]

Where London is concerned I've lived there for most of my life, there are things to do but the cost of living and value for money is not good, amongst other things. There are good and bad points for me personally I want out.

That's one thing that Chiang Mai definitely has, value for money.

I have stayed in the Tha Pae gate - moat area for about a month. I liked some things there, like the entertainment options, laid-back atmosphere, markets/food, central location. But it is not real Chiang Mai, it is more like a backpacker zoo, especially in the tourist season.

Moving out of that area into a more thai neighborhood (albeit still close to the center) was the best choice I made.

You mentioned that you are not used to riding scooters, but you will have to rent or buy a motorbike and learn how to drive slowly/carefully.

Otherwise you are severely limited discovering the city and surroundings. Or a car, if you can afford it.

The traffic seems wild at first, but after a few days of careful driving you'll get the hang of it.

Oh - and when I first came here last year I had a similar impression - "what is all the fuss about this place?"

But I've been here for a few months and the more I discover Chiang Mai, the more I like it.

Good luck

Edited March 12, 2011 by diseq

[folium]

First impressions, right or wrong, matter in a way that no one has yet focused on.

probably almost all the regular contributors to this forum are residents of CM and are residents because they have decided it's a great place to live.

What is of immense importance to CM and anyone running a business here that depends on tourism is that CM seems to have lost its pull as a must-do destination. When I first came to CM 26 years ago it was on EVERY tourist's agenda as a destination. Today what does CM have that can't be found better in other parts of Thailand or more importantly elsewhere in SE Asia?

This is why first impressions do count. Sadly the OP is not alone in finding CM an anticlimax. The new generation of tourists often hear from their parents about CM and its wonders. But that generation (myself included) could not readily access Cambodia, most of Burma or Laos, and Vietnam was no cake walk in the early 1980's.

I now spend my weekends exploring the areas around CM but longer trips are all spent outside Thailand as now that all of SE Asia is accessible, far better experiences in almost every form are found elsewhere.

To use that crass pseudo-economic term, what is CM's or even Thailand's USP (unique selling point) today? Being the global leader in sex tourism does not count and is a further indictment on where the LOS has fallen to.

I agree CM is a great place to live for all the reasons given in this and many other posts on TV, but for the tourist.....what is special/unique about CM? How can CM compete in an era when tourists can pick and choose any destination in SE Asia. Political unrest, despite being swept under the carpet remains the elephant in the room, and the next eruption will turn even more tourists to alternative destinations.

Mass tourism, over-development, environmental disinterest and shocking mismanagement has destroyed places such as Pattaya, Koh Samui, Phuket, Phi Phi in a classic rerun of the suicidal development of the Spanish Costas. The arrogance of the Thai tourist trade is breathtaking and if the solution lies in Russian tour groups and sex tourists worldwide what a sad situation LOS finds itself in

We are lucky to live here, but how many tourists come back? First impressions do count and while CM had a probably exaggerated positive reputation 25+ years ago, I fear that it now has lost its uniqueness as a tourist destination and reputation is something that outruns reality in both positive and negative directions.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

^ Good post.

There another side to this part though:

Mass tourism, over-development, environmental disinterest and shocking mismanagement has destroyed places such as Pattaya, Koh Samui, Phuket, Phi Phi in a classic rerun of the suicidal development of the Spanish Costas. The arrogance of the Thai tourist trade is breathtaking

Well, wait. Whatever you, or I (because I agree with you), may think of these places, there is no denying that vastly more money is made there compared to picturesque untouched places in regardless which SE Asian country you wish to pick. Thailand is a free country (economically), so what you see in those places is inevitable. The alternative is the Bhutan approach. While there's perhaps some arrogance in TAT and government, keep in mind that most of the tourist trade is small and medium sized businesses, run by people working very hard to grow their business. If they're making money (and they are), they are doing it right. (within the boundaries of capitalist free market economy logic.).

You or I may not like the result, but I'm not ready to therefore call their approach wrong. There will always be cool places to go. And some of those cool places are right here in or around Chiang Mai.

Edited March 12, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[TacoBoy]

Jack and others new to the north should travel around a bit and explore the north.

Chiang Mai is just a big city surounded by nature and natural wonders.

Chiang Rai is 180 kilometers, 2 1/2-3 hours east by bus and much smaller and more intimate.

Yes another city, but not near as much hustle and bustle as Chiang Mai.

To realy enjoy the north, you should have a place a bit out of town and a source of transportation to get about. Car and/or mortorcycle are pretty much required.

Have a good time.

[folium]

I'm no enemy of capitalist endeavour or reaping financial reward for hardwork. But as the Spanish Costas, much of Florida or Pattaya/Phuket etc show is that uncontrolled development exploiting the opportunities provided by lax/nonexistent oversight and management is utterly unsustainable and the end result is always the same....the golden goose becomes supper.

places being "loved to death" is the hallmark of unrestrained mass tourism.

What's the alternative? High cost, low volume tourism just about works in places like Botswana, the Galapagos, Maldives, but, like eco/responsible tourism, can never accommodate the quantity of actual and potential tourists (just wait until 400million newly-minted middle class Chinese and Indians really hit the international travel scene). Mass tourism is fundamentally unsustainable and destroys whatever it touches. So the bitter choice is to either spread the damage around so everywhere is impacted or allow some places to be ploughed over again and again and again.

But to go back to my original point, what does CM have today that sets it apart from other SE Asian tourist destinations? Great place to live, disappointing place to be a tourist, ironically this might save CM from being trashed but at the expense of those reliant on the tourist trade.

[mogoso]

diseq tells you to rent a car, sound advice it's a bit safer than a bike less work and quite cheap. At this time of year rain isn't a problem, in other months you'd welcome the dryness and ac of a car. There is so much countryside choose a direction and follow the road till you get to where your at, look around and enjoy. get back in car and drive to where your at spend the night get up go another direction to end up where your at. If you still don't like where your at, take your head outta where it's at

Edited March 12, 2011 by mogoso

[jackers]

Unfortunately a motorbike or car are not viable options right now, due to budget constraints and not being able to drive. Even riding slow on a motorbike, I'm just not very confident about trying that right now. So my other options are just to explore everything I can on foot and/or cycle and take buses to other areas in the province.

[pjclark1]

The bars I frequent have Thais and ex-pats in them.

The snooker hall I play in, Thai only (though I did once see another white guy in there)

The places I eat are mainly Thai only.

The mooban I live in is entirely Thai (and me)

I love Chiang Mai, I don't like tourists!

I spent 3 days in Bangkok, hated it, too many foreigners.

Edited March 13, 2011 by pjclark1

[Roota]

Well I'm going to take a minority view and say that I thought the OP's first-day impression had value. A lot of people do come to Chiangmai expecting to be 'bowled over' and they're not. And in one day he managed to pinpoint some of the problems with the place.

I moved to CM in the early '80s and liked it so much I thought I'd never live anywhere else. But in time a variety of things drove me elsewhere. Mainly, I suppose, the development, the traffic, the air quality, the climate (too cold in the cool season for me, too hot in the hot, and too dry for at least nine months of the year), and the farang-ization (nothing against farang, but I prefer a more Thai environment). Those are just my own tastes -- I know many of you will disagree, and that's fine -- but my point is that the town itself is not for everyone. No argument from me though that the North still has some lovely places.

[AmeriThai]

My first time to Chiang Mai was about 20 years ago when my wife and I went to visit some Thai friends of mine. We completely fell in love with the city and surrounding areas. What we both like about it is that there are plenty of conveniences available, but has an easier pace than Bangkok. Sure, in the heart of the city and the various tourist spots can be pretty busy, but the surrounding communities are much more relaxed and a comfortable place to call home. We have a place in the province of Saraburi, but we've been mulling over the idea of moving to Chiang Mai. Our daughter and her husband moved there a year or so ago, and seem to enjoy it as much as we do. I guess it can take some time for some people to get a better feel for Chiang Mai, but for us, it was love at first sight and we really like the people there.

[Ulysses G.]

too cold in the cool season

You are entitled to your opinion, but this is blasphemy!

[anonymouse]

Unfortunately a motorbike or car are not viable options right now, due to budget constraints and not being able to drive. Even riding slow on a motorbike, I'm just not very confident about trying that right now. So my other options are just to explore everything I can on foot and/or cycle and take buses to other areas in the province.

The fixed route buses out of town are worth using this is copied from another TV posters post

ChiangMai gate to San Patong (20km) is 20 bht (price is less if you get off earlier)

White songtaw wororat market to Doi Saket via Bo Sang is 15 bht (no matter where you get off)

Yellow songtaw from wororat market to Doi Saket via 118 is 17 bht (less if you get off sooner)

[ChiangMaiFun]

very quick to evaluate when others might be a little more 'reserved' in their judgement that's all.

Where London is concerned I've lived there for most of my life, there are things to do but the cost of living and value for money is not good, amongst other things. There are good and bad points for me personally I want out.

well that is true - hence I am here! anyway not sure the value of posting 'first impressions' on here - populated as it is by those that are committed to the city. I came here at least six times before deciding to settle here - my first impressions (for what it's worth - which is not a lot) was great when comparing other Thai and, indeed, Asian cities.

[jackers]

well that is true - hence I am here! anyway not sure the value of posting 'first impressions' on here - populated as it is by those that are committed to the city. I came here at least six times before deciding to settle here - my first impressions (for what it's worth - which is not a lot) was great when comparing other Thai and, indeed, Asian cities.

I am a bit more than a tourist, I am looking for a base where I can spend several months of the year. I would agree with much of what you said about your three year impression of CM. I can definitely see that it has potential as a base, So before I go to chiang rai and other places in the north, I want to spend a good amount of time exploring and getting to know the city and definitely learning more thai and learning the script will definitely enhance my experience.

I think there are some posters here who have forgotten that they were new and outsiders once and they are coming across to me as rather elites and pompous. If I posted a very positive rirst impression I am guessing that very few would have questioned its value.

[jackers]

Unfortunately a motorbike or car are not viable options right now, due to budget constraints and not being able to drive. Even riding slow on a motorbike, I'm just not very confident about trying that right now. So my other options are just to explore everything I can on foot and/or cycle and take buses to other areas in the province.

The fixed route buses out of town are worth using this is copied from another TV posters post

ChiangMai gate to San Patong (20km) is 20 bht (price is less if you get off earlier)

White songtaw wororat market to Doi Saket via Bo Sang is 15 bht (no matter where you get off)

Yellow songtaw from wororat market to Doi Saket via 118 is 17 bht (less if you get off sooner)

Thanks, that's useful info.

[ogb]

We can say clearly that our first impression of you is now of a kind of vacuum that's really getting-off on sucking up attention.

best, ~o:37;

Just speak for yourself and let other people speak for themselves.

Spend a bit more time in town, or at least on this forum, and you will realize the 'Orang37' always speaks for two

[ableguy]

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Jackers,

Welcome to Chiang Mai !

If you give us a hint about what you'd like to find here (or what you imagined you'd find), and share with us where you went, and what you did on your first day: You just might get some useful reactions, and ideas, from the many of us here on this forum who've lived here for years, found "home," here, and love Chiang Mai.

best, ~o:37;

"Spot on"as we say where I come from....Don't come here and criticise until you have done the whole thing in CM and outlying areas.. Do not know where you come from ...but do not criticise...what you do not understand, based upon your western ideals of life!!!

If the town does not impress the guy so what ? mellow out and get on enjoying your life.

[ChiangMaiFun]

well that is true - hence I am here! anyway not sure the value of posting 'first impressions' on here - populated as it is by those that are committed to the city. I came here at least six times before deciding to settle here - my first impressions (for what it's worth - which is not a lot) was great when comparing other Thai and, indeed, Asian cities.

I am a bit more than a tourist, I am looking for a base where I can spend several months of the year. I would agree with much of what you said about your three year impression of CM. I can definitely see that it has potential as a base, So before I go to chiang rai and other places in the north, I want to spend a good amount of time exploring and getting to know the city and definitely learning more thai and learning the script will definitely enhance my experience.

I think there are some posters here who have forgotten that they were new and outsiders once and they are coming across to me as rather elites and pompous. If I posted a very positive rirst impression I am guessing that very few would have questioned its value.

I think this is a sensible approach. I came here a minimum of six times before deciding - and I still travel regularly as even a Paradise can get boring! but as a 'jump-off' place to other Asian delights it's ideal (and not too in-your-face). I also live in two places here - a small house for weekdays and a small condo more in town for weekends - this splits it up again. I can honestly say that I could not see another Thai city having quiet the same mix that suits me personally.