My Favorite Things To Do in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai, sometimes misspelled as Chang Mai, is a stunning city nestled in the mountains of northern Thailand about twelve and a half hours north of Bangkok. You can get there by plane, bus, cab, train, rental car or even a series of rickshaws if you’re really adventurous, though you’d have to find drivers who were equally so.
I visited Chiang Mai with my partner at the time after we spent a month in the south of Thailand studying yoga on the small island of Ko Phangan. After a few days in Bangkok, we took a bus north as we had heard from other travelers what a great city Chiang Mai was for learning and exploring. We spent about a week there, walking along the water ways and through the walled fortress area that is the beating heart of this city. October was a great time to visit as the temperature was perfect and the rain was slight.
Chiang Mai: land of spas, cheap food and activities
The thing about Thailand in general is that the people there are so good at taking care of you. The local food is great and cheap, the spa options are abundant, the creative education opportunities
Souvenir 3-D Map of Chaing Mai
are bountiful, as are the opportunities to explore history and natural wonders. The people of Chiang Mai, and of Thailand in general, are very good at taking care of you. They are largely a happy and helpful lot, though in cities like Bangkok, as in all cities really, it’s wise to be mindful of the “helpful” stranger. I find trusting your gut instincts the best bet in those situations, provided you’ve honed them to some degree. Otherwise, stick with friends or go with an organized tour or take your chances and learn as you go. Likely the worst that will happen is that you’ll part with a little extra Bhat (Thai money); a cheap education on the road.
While in Chiang Mai, my partner and I had both an educational and adventurous time studying Thai Massage, exploring jungles on the back of Elephants, floating down rivers on Bamboo rafts, and luxuriating at one of the many local spas–and it was CHEAP. In any Western country you’d easily spend three times as much to enjoy what we did.
The Best Things To Do in Chiang Mai
Here are some specifics activities that we found worth exploring if you are headed that way.
Thai Cooking and Thai Massage Classes
- www.chiangmaicooking.com
- www.thebestthaicookeryschool.com
- For Thai massage classes email our girl jira_massage@hotmail.com
Chiang Mai Tours and Adventure Services
- www.somethingdifferenttour.com
- mountianbikingchiangmai.com
- www.thaimoto.com
- www.chiangmai-xcentre.com
- www.treetopasia.com
- www.siamrivers.com
- www.thailandclimbing.com
Good Cheap Eats
- Street food is the best AND the cheapest way to eat. Just use common sense
- Amazing Italian- While on a wander about town we discovered this little gem called Stefano
Chang Moi Kao Road, Si Phum, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand+66 53 874 189
Cheap and Comfortable Guesthouse Accommodations in Chiang Mai
There a easily hundreds of places to stay in Chiang Mai so all I can share are my discoveries. We stayed at a nice family-run guesthouse that was quiet, comfortable, very affordable and close to everything we needed. It’s called Srisupan Guest House and they can be reached by email at srisupan@yahoo.com or by phone at (053) 270086, 270087.
Another place well worth a stay if you’re a bit more cashed up is called Mo Rooms and it’s super funky, artsy, chic, and all those other trendy words that hotels like to use to describe themselves, but Mo Rooms
A room called "Horse"
really fits the bill. The whole layout is one giant work of art. If you’ve got the coin you would do well to book a night or two in this hotel. You won’t be disappointed.
An extensive list of accommodations in Chiang Mai can be found here: Stay in Chiang Mai. And of course heaps more information about Chiang Mai in general can be read here: Wikitravel
Happy travels and as always please comment and share this article! Also, remember your own experiences with Chiang Mai and Thailand in general will help others travel better too.
Cheers and be sure comment and share with your fellow nomads.
See Totally Thailand for other ways to relax the Thai way.
Regards for helping out, great info .