Nicest Things About Chiang Mai

[Physherman]

What's on your list?

For me;

Friendly, helpful local folk

Variety of ethnic foods and restaurants

Ease of shopping

Access to a great variety of cultural experiences

Quick access to rural landscapes and environments

Constant flow of new people from other countries to chat with

and...

it's not Pattaya!

The Fly Fisherman

[Ajarn]

I can do anything I want to, and nobody bothers me...

[The Dan Sai Kid]

I can do anything I want to, and nobody bothers me...

It offers a lot of the same ammenities as Bangkok, without the incrediblly bad traffic.

[tigerbeer]

saw suay maak maak ley.

[lannarebirth]

It only takes about 15 minutes to get outside of Chiang Mai.

[Chiangmai Foxy]

many things - but the main things are -

the laid back attitude to life

cooler than bangkok,especially the evening when drinking!

very cheap

the people are so friendly to me and very helpful

so easy to make friends(if you want to)

none or very little CHAVS,as its too far to travel for them! (ibiza,benidorm,faliraki,magaluf much closer to england lol)

chilled out bars and clubs

many more

[Puwa]

1) Kon muang are in general very nice people

2) The cool season

2) Doi Suthep and the adjacent hills

3) Temples and stupas

4) Good food from all over

5) Sao muang ngaam kanaat!

[Tywais]

Strawberries! Can't wait until next month.

[fruittbatt]

the pace....generally laid-back and provincial

the people....friendly, helpful and encouraging

the mountains

the wats

the food

the climate

attracts interesting travellers and some great ex-pats

plenty ....in fact way too much....to do

proximity to some great natural attractions

the moat and the river and Doi Suthep

prices

markets, esp Warorot area

good second hand bookshops

an hour's flight to shopping, movies, hospitals in Bangkok (close but not too close)

the list is endless...........................

[ThaiPauly]

The very attractive Women

Plus all of the above of course

[Blinky Bill]

I can do anything I want to, and nobody bothers me...

Are you sure Ajarn? I've noticed a little aggravation in some of your posts......

[chanchao]

> it's not Pattaya!

Almost anywhere in Thailand isn't Pattaya.

But speaking of Pattaya, wouldn't it be great if Chiang Mai had a beach nearby too? Not DIRECTLY in town of course or it WOULD be Pattaya, but I mean a beach somewhere Lampoon-Lampang-ish. (If only climate change would hurry up a bit. )

[fruittbatt]

> it's not Pattaya!

Almost anywhere in Thailand isn't Pattaya.

But speaking of Pattaya, wouldn't it be great if Chiang Mai had a beach nearby too?

Yeah - the one thing I really miss. The upside is that it is one hour to Bkk and a connecting flight to an island OR 2 hours by taxi, 3 by bus to Hua Hin. From there you can get to less touristed beaches and small islands further south at your leisure.

I get by on a summer pilgrimage as described above and a swimming pool for the rest of the year.

[Ulysses G.]

I can do anything I want to, and nobody bothers me...

Are you sure Ajarn? I've noticed a little aggravation in some of your posts......

Ajarn has some pretty major health problems Blinky.

He has good reason to be grumpy from time to time.

[john b good]

I can do anything I want to, and nobody bothers me...

Are you sure Ajarn? I've noticed a little aggravation in some of your posts......

Ajarn has some pretty major health problems Blinky.

He has good reason to be grumpy from time to time.

So that explains it.

And, if correct best wishes for a quick return to full health.

[too true]

saw suay maak maak ley.

I've always said that I could never live somewhere where I didn't find the people attractive.... and I definitely cannot complain for lack of eye candy in Chiang Mai. (and I'm not looking at the girls )

[chownah]

The nicest thing about Chiangmai City is that is is far away from where I live.

Chownah

[pichai]

I bike/brisk walk every morning because of the cool fresh air. Vegetables and fruits are freshly harvest and deliver straight to market.

[ronw]

I totally agree with all statements so far......but I must add the fact that the best part of CM is the road to Pai!!

[richard10365]

It's just a nice place to live.

[chanchao]

> but I must add the fact that the best part of CM is the road to Pai!!

About half of that road is technically Mae Hong Son. (Roughly once you get past Huay Nam Dang National Park HQ)

[Ajarn]

> but I must add the fact that the best part of CM is the road to Pai!!

About half of that road is technically Mae Hong Son. (Roughly once you get past Huay Nam Dang National Park HQ)

The chiang mai part is the most beautiful...

[Ajarn]

I can do anything I want to, and nobody bothers me...

Are you sure Ajarn? I've noticed a little aggravation in some of your posts......

'Here' isn't Chiang Mai, from my point of view

[too true]

I love that we regularly share food with our neighbours and they reciprocate.

I love that I don't have to own a dining room table and chairs set, that we can just eat on the floor with our hands.

I love that I've had the opportunity to get to know some wonderful and inspiring people (Thai and farang) that, for various reasons, I wouldn't have had the chance or inkling to get to know had we met at home (out of Thailand, I mean)

I love hot season mornings in the mountains, from 6 until 9, when the sun is up and the sky is an absolutely glorious colour of blue.

I love cold season nights, bundled up around a fire with a glass of beer and a guitar and barbecuing sticky rice with egg (khao jee).

I love that my laundry dries in half an hour.

What a great thread. I haven't thought about Chiang Mai like this in a long time.