I Loooove Chiangmai Already....After Just One Week Here!

[doji]

Oh my god….We’ve been here less than a week and loooove ChiangMai already!

The weather is so nice, cool and dry….not sticky like in Bkk,

The people are absolute sweetheart…very friendly, helpful, w/ plenty of genuine smiles

I have made 2 local friends already. One I met him on the overnight train coming overhere, and he was very kind enough to send us to our hotel w/his beat-up van for FREE.

May be it’s just me or what….seems people here just know how to cook better than Bkk people, even to the simplest local thai foods. I have been chowing at the Thanin market everyday, well it makes thai foods in Bkk so very bland for my taste!.

There is not much things to do here besides local markets & those forestly related activities, which I like it the way it is….very relax and zen like lifestyle, not everyday you are on a go all the time. I can picture myself sipping the Chiangmai oblong tea and listening to those birds chirping away every morning…..ahhh what a life.

I haven’t met many long term expats, but many semi expats are quite nice and chatty, and love the fact that there are a great mixed of international expats…..came across many Japanese, Singaporean, American, British..etcs. I don’t see many farangs walk hand in hand with girls half of their age, and there seem to be plenty of late 40-50 couple expats.

It just shows what type of the city chiangmai really is....my kind of a city.

Ok next week we will try to drive outside the city’s wall for more of a countryside exploration….

[Loaded]

+1

[peteinchina]

+1

+1 me too.

Try the Jazz collective at the north gate if you're into music.

Outside the gate, go for a picnic at the Der Huay Tung Tao See lake halfway to Mae Rim.

Try a chilli cheese burger at chiang mai saloon...

Learn to tango and meet some hot thai girls at 2nd floor (tues and thurs nights)

Woops, that was MY secret...

[doji]

...

Learn to tango and meet some hot thai girls at 2nd floor (tues and thurs nights)

Woops, that was MY secret...

Did I mention above that...."WE"... are here?......but thanks for the tip though

Was thinking on ...the cooking class and "INSECTS" museum better

[trainman34014]

Shhhhh ! Don't tell too many people about our little paradise in the North.

[IanForbes]

After spending my earlier visits in the southern part of Thailand I came to Chiang Mai about 8 years ago and I've been spending my winters here ever since. I can't say I'm ever going to change locations. There's just too much to explore for the interests I'm involved in. It's my second home after Canada.

[elektrified]

I agree with most of what you have to say...but come on...the food available from Bangkok all the way to Malaysia is much better than the Thai food in the North.

With respect to " I don’t see many farangs walk hand in hand with girls half of their age", just give it time and you will.

[NancyL]

Welcome to Chiang Mai. You've found the best Thai market in Chiang Mai -- Thanin market. I love the way that the offering changes during the course of the day, starting with great donuts early in the day and ending with prepared meals, ready to take home toward dinner time. Just look for the lady who's always surrounded with customers and you'll find the best ready-to-eat meals. The little restaurants are great, too, if you want to sit down and enjoy the scene.

Since you mentioned that "we" are here, I'm assuming one of you is female. Don't miss Chiang Mai Direct, a shop full of every possible beauty and grooming product on the other side of Thanin market, opposite from the fresh produce, toward the west. It's on a corner and there's always a herd of motorcycles outside with Thai guys sitting, waiting for their sweetheart to finish her shopping inside. It's much, much bigger inside that it appears from the outside. Great prices, many name brand products, well-lighted, aircon and aisles bigger than you'd expect. Finally got Hubby to go in there during my last visit (I go once a month to stock up on shampoo, deordorant, toothpaste, etc) and he said it was everything I'd said it was .... and more. (I think he liked looking at the university students!)

[doji]

@Ian,

Ian!... I have heard you’re quite a famous thing (opps …iconic figure, that is) that a “must see”/ or recommended , if one is in Chiangmai. R U in the city right now, or busy exploring the “flowers of the north”, so to speak?

@elextri,

I wasn’t referring to the availability or varieties of foods, but the comparison of the taste in the same typical thai dishes being sold throughout bkk in typical places for typical thai commoners. Here I don’t need to add any extra nampla, sugar, vinegar etcs. before eating,.. somehow it always comes in just right for me.

For the second part,…..I hope NOT (or may be just a wishful thinking on my part). I think Chiangmai people are different generally speaking here of course. I would think girls here are concerned more about the stigma being attached to it (or they may prefer other asians more), but ofcourse there will be an exception. Most girls that are with older farangs I have seen tend to be imported from diff regions, just from my observation so far.

Anyway WE love Chiangmai and its people, and are developing a circle of new friends here that we have more common in interests, which is quite plenty around.

@Nancy

Thanks for the insider info...jao

We're staying at ViengBua Mansion, only a few minutes walk from here. We BOTH will certainly check it out, since WE are joined by the hips!

Edited February 18, 2012 by doji

[ARISTIDE]

There is not much things to do here besides local markets & those forestly related act.

Please visit carefordogs.org they are very nice farang people living in a very nice area but a bit far from town.

While on the road to explore, Chiang Mai is also a capital of road accidents so don't forget to wear helmets if traveling on motorbike.

[doji]

@Aristide

oh no no...we won't be on any freaking motorbike...much prefer our "soda can" HondaJazz, and don't want to get too dark!

We will check it out, along with a few orphanages for children.....kobkhun jao, for your concern,

Edited February 18, 2012 by onthedarkside
deleted quote removed

[barefoot1988]

my place is just walking distance away from the tanin market. try the chicken rice stall, open 24 hours a day =)

that area is pretty convenient, 2 minutes of riding you will be in kad suan kaew. cant say cm is the best place atm, air is pretty bad. i enjoyed more in pai, but again i was there for only a week

[wolf5370]

Doji, sorry you had to come for the worst year in many for air quality - it will clear up well before Songkran. Are you here perminantly or just visiting? I stayed in BKK when I first moved here, dirty and sticky - I always wanted to be in CM (in BKK because of family at first) and a few years ago I moved up here with my family (on our 4th CM house now). There are plenty of expat hang outs (bars and cafes mostly) - there was a big thread about it here last year, so a search will help. Think there are a few threads running right now too (although the suggestion of meeting foreign-devils in the local supermarket may be a bit ambitious). Welcome and enjoy.

If you haven't had a CM Songkran, then get ready - it wears thin after a few years, but the first one is great (especially if the weather holds - last year there was torrential rain, but rain didn't stop play - it was just bloody freezing!).

[onthedarkside]

A number of off topic posts removed. Let's all stay with the OP's posts and not wander so far off the track.

[doji]

@ Barefoot

Thanks for the suggestion.....we just came back from your Kao-mun-gai place. Like a free self-served scoop of ginger on a table, the sauce could have been a bit more intense...so will give it 4/5 star....not that excellent, but still quite good. You should try the fried-garlic-pork ribs in the take home market there, very yum yum...the stand is in the middle of market. I think the name is "raan - jom-long". Now we're off to Kad-suan keaw. The Airport plaza was quite disappointing, feesl dated & like a cheap subburb mall in bkk.

@Wolfy

Thank you....We are here for only a month to browse the city and its surrounds and to see if we could see ourselves here permanently.

Bkk is just too sticky, noisy and polluted for us, the only time I feel a wind swiped my hairs is when some car zoomed by, thus making Chiangmai feels like one of those GreenPeace protected zone..hehe.

No I don't like Sungkran...don't like people throwing things at me, and over the years I think it's becoming an overrated event, just my opinion here. So far the air hasn't bothered us at all...still quite lively and happy. Right now we're scouting the internet for various housing developments, so that next week we can go to a few places each day....starting along Hangdong and Maehae area first. I like to rely on seeing things and the area myself ....so that I can FEEL and have the first hand knowledge if we can live here permanently or not. We just don't want to invest that much money buying a house and have to regret later in a few month, because it's not that easy to sell it, pack it and go back........so will see

Edited February 18, 2012 by doji

[wolf5370]

I strongly suggest you rent for a year first - things can change quickly here and shifting a house if things get too dirty, noisy, whatever - is a nightmare. Houses aren't really a great investment here either (though land can be) - so renting can make financial sense to (rents can be quite low out in Hang Dong).

For Hang Dong (ish) area: Have a look at Moo BanWanTan (off Chiang Mai Hod road - between Hang Dong and Airport Plazza) - and Ban Kwiang Wian (two sides of the road) which is the same road but turn left at Samoeng (pronounced sam-earn-g not sam-oh-eng) and you will see a new lit white sign on the left (by the cop shop) - often overlooked. Former has rents of around 12k/mo and the latter has rents from about 5k/mo (both with 3 beds/garden/bedroom aircon). Both closer than Hang Dong proper.

If you thought Airport Plaza dated, wait to you see Kad Suan Kaew!!! (or any of the older ones).

[thrilled]

Chiang mai is no prize,it'll grow on ya.ya better hope ya have strong lungs.

I've been all over thailand since 1971,there are much better places..But to each his own.

[wolf5370]

Chiang mai is no prize,it'll grow on ya.ya better hope ya have strong lungs.

I've been all over thailand since 1971,there are much better places..But to each his own.

Obviously not so Thrilled.

So, are you going to list these other places? Or is this just a negative dig and run? Why are these other places better? Are you so big you can be all over Thailand at once - and for 41 years - or do you mean in 41 years you have been to a lot of places in Thailand, in which case the first 35 or so can be ignored as everywhere is much different now than it was back then - so in the last 5 years where have yo been, for how

//Edit: Formatting issues again - bring back the old interface, at least it worked!

Edited February 18, 2012 by wolf5370

[Semper]

Chiang mai is no prize,it'll grow on ya.ya better hope ya have strong lungs.

I've been all over thailand since 1971,there are much better places..But to each his own.

What is the meaning of "ya"? Bronxs?

[MESmith]

OP, my house might be for sale. You a HEAVY smoker?

[czGLoRy]

its great, but its about to be pollute the air season

[doji]

Just came back from KadSuanKeaw….umm what can I say. Well at least someone was quite thoughtful enough to put up the Lanna architecture for the exterior design. We didn’t drive there, but used tuktuk instead, only 50 bths for 5 mins ride from our place (next to Thanin market)

Why is the night market outside in front, where we can’t even see a thing?

They should just turn the entire KadsuanKeaw inside to be one for those OTOP collections place instead, where we can go in and be able to sample & buy some of the local specialty products from all districts in Chaingmai province (whether be…arts, crafts, or local delicacies), I think it will be better used of that empty place, based on its location. Just me thinking out loud here

Anyway….there was quite a collection of many new condos and moobaans projects being advertised on the first floor next to the main entrance and inside the Bangkok bank office. Most new moobans are located along the third ring road. Isn’t it a bit too “rural”, far out there? We were on our way back to the city from Doi Intanon a few days ago, and thought …hmm even the Big-C & Lotus on HangDong rd seem so alone and out of place.

FYI: We haven't smell any smoke so far...jing jing. If it's only bad for 2 months, why can't you just leave the city and go to other places during that time...like Hongkong, Bali ects or vacationing around Thailand instead? So far I think the benefits can still outweight the few negatives.

Also I have heard that INDEX –Chaingmai branch is the biggest in Thailand, so we will try to check that out too next week.... may be we will see more things than the malls.

But tomorrow we will take a peek at the most talked about_ Sunday Walking Street. Does any friendly chianmai-nian here know of whereabout a clean/convienence bathroom we can used along that street?....as we plan to eat and drink a lot

Thanks in advance

[BlackArtemis]

Came in 2005 on a study abroad and couldn't stay away, was back in Jan 2006 to October 2008. I returned last summer and I can't get it out of my mind and heart. Been trying to find a decent teaching job to get back to Chiang Mai this March/April. Chiang Mai just pulls you in and never lets go!

[tolstoy]

If you didn't see the haze and smog yesterday, then you didn't look up. The smoke was very strong yesterday. Today it isn't bad at all. You don't have to smell it for it to be harmful for your health. I cleaned my air filter Friday and it was filthy black after one night.

I am surprised you didn't like Airport Plaza. I like the northern area and the food on the first floor is ok. It isn't a modern and hip mall like Paragon in BKK but there are a few good shops. Most foreigners I know prefer Central, but I find it too dingy.

Advocating OTOP ( what are you a communist?) What a failed project that was. It had great potential but it really tanked.

You are lucky to stay near Tanin market. As others have said it is the best for prepared foods. If you really like cooking, you should go to Muang Mai market near the US consulate. It is huge and has everything spread out across 4-5 streets. You can get a 10 Kilo bag of oranges for less than 200 baht. Nice fresh squeezed OJ is nice.

INDEX, isn't that just a furniture store?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

They should just turn the entire KadsuanKeaw inside to be one for those OTOP collections place instead, where we can go in and be able to sample & buy some of the local specialty products from all districts in Chaingmai province (whether be…arts, crafts, or local delicacies), I think it will be better used of that empty place, based on its location. Just me thinking out loud here

Airport plaza has exactly that down below in the new wing. And I agree that OTOP is a great concept, also for all the small businesses who get to market traditional products and crafts under an established 'brand' and established distribution channels. But why not more malls have an OTOP area: because most people would expect to buy local/traditional products at regular markets, except for tourists. But Chiang Mai thankfully is not a city geared entirely towards tourism like you get in most parts of Phuket, Pattaya, etc. Overall it's better that way.

By the way, it's useful to learn to use the Red Bus pick-up trucks; they're most cheaper and easier to use than tuk tuks.

Most new moobans are located along the third ring road. Isn’t it a bit too “rural”, far out there?

No. Actually rural would be GREAT. The word is suburban. If you prefer to rent a house (as opposed to an apartment unit) in central Chiang Mai then I know of a place becoming available soon. (Close to markets, Rim Ping supermarket, the river, etc. around 12K baht probably)

FYI: We haven't smell any smoke so far...jing jing. If it's only bad for 2 months, why can't you just leave the city and go to other places during that time...like Hongkong, Bali ects or vacationing around Thailand instead?

Sure you can. Or do as many expats and stay here and whine about it all day on this forum. By the way we had a visitor in on Friday (a really bad day, haze wise) and the first thing he mentioned was how great the weather was, cool in the morning and not too humid and hot! Many people feel that way. And you're less likely to get sunburnt..

What you saw yesterday is pretty close to the worst of it; it'll go up and down over the next 5-6 weeks, before subsiding finally in early April before Songkran. (Songkran is awesome by the way, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. 52 more days to go!

But tomorrow we will take a peek at the most talked about_ Sunday Walking Street. Does any friendly chianmai-nian here know of whereabout a clean/convienence bathroom we can used along that street?....as we plan to eat and drink a lot

Yes, the Sunday walking street market is excellent. Bathrooms: Any hotel along that road. Also in temples , but it's easier to step into a hotel or restaurant. Also at teh 'Klang Wiang' complex (where Wawi Coffee is) there are good bathrooms at the other side of the little park-like inside area.

Edited February 19, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[ARISTIDE]

Why is the night market outside in front, where we can’t even see a thing?

It's an old Chiang Mai shopping tradition where the shopping done with help of only a few candle light or oil lamp are allowed (no joke).

Original words :กาดมั่ว กาดซุ่มมืด

Edited February 19, 2012 by ARISTIDE

[Lizard2010]

Who does not like Chiang Mai

Always coming back for holidays.

To some realy freindly peole, we have made freinds with.

[doji]

But tomorrow we will take a peek at the most talked about_ Sunday Walking Street. Does any friendly chianmai-nian here know of whereabout a clean/convienence bathroom we can used along that street?....as we plan to eat and drink a lot

Yes, the Sunday walking street market is excellent. Bathrooms: Any hotel along that road. Also in temples , but it's easier to step into a hotel or restaurant. Also at teh 'Klang Wiang' complex (where Wawi Coffee is) there are good bathrooms at the other side of the little park-like inside area.

Just use “MapJack” for our virtual walkthrough to locate where the heck this Wawee @KlangWiang complex is.

Easy find…so now we know how far to run back and forth from either end of this walking street.

"MapJack" is a great tool for a virtual tour inside the city first....before getting there in real. So you can skip the area where is nothing of that importance there, save a lot of wondering around time.

Ok will take a little nap, clean up ourselves, then off on the red bus, and stand firm w/ them for 20 bts fare.

Since it’s an openback songtheaw… will try just a bit of hairgel this time around, don’t want too much dust sticking all the waaay there.

Thanks Winnie

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Yup; just state 'Pratoo Thapae' to the driver, should be easy to find a red bus taking you there for the standard fare. (Per person)

[Afrodite79]

Why is the night market outside in front, where we can’t even see a thing?

It's an old Chiang Mai shopping tradition where the shopping done with help of only a few candle light or oil lamp are allowed (no joke).

Original words :กาดมั่ว กาดซุ่มมืด

And it is called "the Dark market" and is there Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from about 4/5PM till 9/10PM.

You should try Saturday market as well at Wua Lai road (opposite Chiang Mai gate market) that has a lot of the same things as Sunday market but is smaller and less crowded.

There is a rather new outside mall called "Season Fashion mall" at the beginning of Chiang Mai Sankampaeng road. Have not been there yet myself but will visit soon. Otherwise you see more and more online and online pre-order shops in Thailand. I am happy that Chiang Mai does not have the same malls and offers as Bkk. I am a shopaholic :-)