- Chiang Mai
- (45)
-
Thailand
An amazing way to find out about Thai culture, meditation, and the lives of Thai monks. This retreat leaves Wat Suan Dok in the west of the city every Tuesday and is by donation only.
You can actually listen to some of the sounds of the meditation retreat in the podcast below.
Learn about traditional Thai massage techniques as applied to oil massage. We did this very well put together one-day course and apart from having a fun day, came away feeling relaxed and happy together.
Chiang Mai, like the rest of Thailand, has a huge problem with stray dogs. How about visiting Care for Dogs, a dog rescue and adoption centre, a few miles outside Chiang Mai? You can see the amazing work they are doing and even take some dogs for a walk. We went yesterday and it is well worth a visit!
Otherwise known as Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep - the temple affords amazing views of Chiang Mai and can be reached by driving up a 12km winding mountain road.
Pun Pun is an organic farm, seed-saving operation, and sustainable living and learning centre based about 50km North of Chiang Mai. It offers a variety of workshops and training courses, with in-depth, hands-on experience in organic gardening, earthen house building and community living, as well as sustainability study trips.
www.earthoria.com/podcast-pun-pun-sustainable-organic-farming.html
The air quality plummets to dangerous levels every March in Chiang Mai due to slash-and-burn farming in the surrounding countryside. You can check the daily pollution levels here before setting off, at earthoria.com.
www.earthoria.com/air-pollution-levels-in-chiang-mai-rising.html
Doi Inthanon is a couple of hours away from Chiang Mai. It's a great way to cool off on a hot day - and it is renowned for its amazing views and wildlife. The best time to visit is November to January.
www.earthoria.com/doi-inthanon-the-highest-mountain-in-thailand.html
We're obsessed with our weekly massages in Chiang Mai, and have been all over the place trying out new places. We still believe the massages just outside Wat Umong are the best in Chiang Mai. The cost is only 99THB (£1.60) a hour, and you can wander around the beautiful Wat Umong temple before and after...
Lots of people come to Chiang Mai and do a 'package trek' - and see little more than a couple of captive elephants and the backs of other westerners as they parade through well-trodden 'Hill tribe villages'. Forget this, hire a motorbike and head into the surrounding mountains.
www.earthoria.com/podcast-1483km-by-motorbike-in-north-thailand.html
The people at gapyearworldwide are gathering feedback from people who have volunteered abroad to help future participants. They are producing a list of free volunteering placements around the world which is cool. Thought I would share it.
What a breath of fresh air this place is, a really laid back, cool and hassle free bar in the pulsating heart of the Chiang Mai city.
Designed by renowned UK designer 'Simon somebody' (sorry I forgot his surname) The What Bar is super easy to relax and unwind in.
As a play on words, The What takes its name from The Thai word for Temple (Wat) and like a temple to cool, it welcomes travelers and expats in to the warmth of its embrace.
The food is excellent, the atmosphere tolerant and arty, it really is worth stopping in for a meal or one of its famous pool tournaments. I highly recommend checking this place out if you are within 50 km of Chiang Mai.
The What is located on Loy Kroh road, within walking distance of the Night Bazaar and Thapae Gate. Look for the sign which is a play on the symbol used by the UK band The Who.
Well worth a visit.
Take any Tuk Tuk to Loy Kroh road, 'The What' is located near the 7/11.
This is the first pub to open its doors in Chiang Mai and was voted one of the best bars in the world. It is an olde worlde English pub in the true tradition. Has a great selection of food and drinks including roast dinners on Sundays.
It recently had a makeover and extended the bar and the restaurant but has kept its old charm. There is also an outside area where you can sit and enjoy the tranquility of a tropical garden. And now has new bungalows added for those wishing to linger a while. A must to visit when in Chiang Mai.
On a recent trip to Thailand, I finally made my way north and on a visit to the night bazaar in Chiang Mai, I found a good English pub - the originally named Red Lion.
They had a great range of beers (Strongbow and Blackthorn Cider) and I was quite surprised that they had draught Kilkenny and Guinness. Despite that, I went for the local brew - Singha.
They had a big screen showing the Premiership and my team was on, so I was well happy. I love Thai food but after a week in Thailand I was ready for some old-fashioned English stodge. They had steaks, and the likes, but I tried the chicken pie and chips and I was not disappointed.
The staff were very friendly and the service was good. Well worth a visit.
If you love elephants, animals and care about the environment then visit this wonderful elephant sanctuary.
Over 30 elephants live here free from work and they live a natural life in social groups. There is no riding but that doesn't matter because you can feed and bath them in the river. Just watching them interact with each other is really special.
They give you lots of information about elephant conservation and the whole day is great.
Highly recommended.
Tuskers is a great pub and restaurant in Chiang Mai. I was recommended it by the Elephant Nature Park as they give a 10% donation to elephant conservation.
It is a huge place with a great open bar, big garden, pool room and a separate sports bar so something for everyone. I had a relaxing meal listening to music in the garden while a big crowd was watching rugby upstairs.
The food was excellent, they have a western and Thai menu and serve cocktails. The staff were very friendly and gave advice on where to go in Chiang Mai.
Really recommend highly!
I have been travelling in Thailand a while now and of all the places I have been this is the winner by far. Thailand is a friendly country but Chiang Mai is in a different league. The people are great and just hanging around the city is a lot of fun.
It is far less busy and polluted than Bangkok and much less commercial than Phuket and the islands.
There is tons to do. I have been trekking, done a cookery course, had loads of massages and spa treatments and the food is terrific. A wide variety of choice and at ridiculous prices.
Brilliant all round so my tip is go to Chiang Mai!
Khao Soi is a speciality of northern Thailand. It's a rich curry soup with soft yellow noodles. Usually served with chicken, sometimes pork, it will be topped with crispy-fried noodles.
At my favourite place at the top of Rachamankha Road you get Khao Soi with a chicken drumstick for 30B.
Try it at a few places so you get a feel for the different variations. Don't order it in a 'restaurant' though - this dish is strictly street food!
Great burgers, steaks, Tex-Mex food. Cold beers, efficient service, pool table, free monkey nuts, free pop corn ... yeah you've guessed I'm not talking about the Sheraton!
Definitely a 'saloon' atmosphere. Friendly owners as well. All topped off with free wifi. Or if you're not carrying your mobile device there's a computer you can use.
On Rajvithi Road, down from UN Irish Pub.
ChefMoz lists restaurants, cafes and bars. You can browse for what you're looking for by cuisine, rating or location and then you can come back and provide a rating and review. Or you can upload new places you come across. It also links to selected reviews and online resources.
The sections for Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Phuket are the most active.
chefmoz.org/Thailand/Chiang_Mai/
...and other cities in Southeast Asia
You should have no problems hooking up to some free wifi in Chiang Mai. In some parts of the city it's difficult to go 50 metres without stumbling on a bunch of signals.
The densest concentration is probably in the area popular with trendy locals, Nimmanhaemin Road. It seems like every coffee shop and smart restaurant down here provides wifi.
Up in the backpacker part of town you might struggle a little bit, but you can combine surfing and drinking in such pleasant establishments as the Pirate Cove on Ratchamankha Road and Chiang Mai Saloon on Rajvithi Road. There are also a few smart coffee shops such as Wawee's to consider.
For the more serious Internet junkie you'll be looking at rooms equipped with wifi. For this I'll direct you to 'wifi alley', Ratchadamneon soi 1, just south of Thapae Gate. You have the very comfortable Ban Wiang Guesthouse along with the slightly more upscale Boonthavon and Mini Cost. At the end of this alley there's even the more backpacker level Rama Guesthouse sporting wifi! And don't forget the Montri right by Thapae gate - their signal seems to reach just about every cafe in the vicinity.
Others: The Garden Chiang Mai on Loi Kroh Rd, Prince on Tai Wang Rd, Viang Bua on Viangbua Rd and Galare Guesthouse on Chareonprathet Rd.
Of course, there'll be more when you get there.
Send your feedback or queries to been.there@guardian.co.uk
Search Been there
Your tips about Chiang Mai