Things We Would (and Wouldn’t) Do Again in Chiang Mai, Thailand

If there were such a thing as a Digital Nomad Capital of the world, Chiang Mai, Thailand would be it. Since becoming location independent, this was the place we kept hearing about over and over. Nearly every nomad and traveler who had been there, raved about it.

We had to go and see for ourselves! We booked ourselves a one-month stay during our first Southeast Asia trip (which is when I originally wrote this post).

Not more than a year later, we found ourselves back in Chiang Mai for a couple weeks, then again in early 2023, so I updated this post a bit. 

Last updated: February 2023. Originally published: 2017.

This post will cover:
– Video recap of Chiang Mai
– Our take on Chiang Mai for digital nomads
– Things we would do again in Chiang Mai
– Interactive map of our favorite restaurants, night markets, scooter trips, and other sights

Here’s our super quick recap video from our first stay in Chiang Mai:

 

* Click here to get free access to our map of Favorite Places in Chiang Mai *

Our Honest Take On Chiang Mai

To be honest, we didn’t fall head over heels in love.

Why? I think we were expecting some place a bit more quaint. As we all know, expectations rarely serve you well in travel!

That being said, we don’t particularly love bigger cities to begin with. And while Chiang Mai doesn’t have sky scrapers, it does have crowds and traffic. It’s also not particularly walkable.

It could certainly be much worse, and none of these things were really deal breakers. We just didn’t hit it off right away.

I think another big draw for most Digital Nomads to Chiang Mai is the fact that there are so many other nomads and co-working spaces. I can see why this is important to people – especially nomads who are traveling alone and seeking community.

As a married couple, though, we have each other to talk to, and we don’t mind working mostly from “home” and the occasional coffee shop. So that networking aspect isn’t as attractive to us as it may be to others.

(That being said, wherever we go, we love meeting up with friends and people we’ve connect with through blogging, and we certainly did a fair amount of that in Chiang Mai, thanks to it being such a popular place for people to visit.)

Another aspect of the big Digital Nomad community in Chiang Mai is that it seems to be somewhat dominated by the sub-genre that some call “bro-mads.”

Personally, we were drawn to the location independent life because of freedom and flexibility. We don’t make a ton of money but we don’t have to because we live simply and save money living abroad. But not everyone is in it for the same reasons.

Some people work like crazy and make tons of money – and/or spend tons of money because their dollars go so much farther in Thailand. In these circles, you’ll start to hear bro-mad words like “crushing it” and “six figure business” and “sales funnel.”

It’s impressive what they’re doing, but we don’t necessarily connect with that brand of nomadism ourselves.

Here’s the thing: I’m starting off with a less-than-sunny picture of Chiang Mai because it seems like no one else is talking about the down sides.

In actuality, we warmed up to Chiang Mai and were sad to leave.

When we left that first time, we weren’t sure if we’d ever go back. But as one of our fellow nomads explained, when asked why she liked Chiang Mai so much: “It’s just easy.”

Now I understand what she means, and I totally agree.

Chiang Mai truly is an approachable, easy city for foreigners to live in. Everything you could want is there and it’s so affordable – food from just about any region of the world, shopping and entertainment, gyms, hiking groups, good wifi, big box grocery stores, signs often in English, welcoming locals who don’t seem to mind the language barrier, etc., etc.

After a short adjustment period, you can feel at ease. We felt a sense of freedom there to live the kind of life we wanted.

The main reason we returned to Chiang Mai was not so much because we really missed it. We were back in Southeast Asia again, had a couple weeks to fill, and knew we’d be content in Chiang Mai.

It’s comfortable and affordable.

So that’s our take on Chiang Mai. (Keep reading for our recommendations…)

November’s lantern festival in Chiang Mai was magical, though the traffic and crowds were nuts!

When it comes to Chiang Mai, blog posts on all the things to see and places to eat in this city have been done over and over again.

Instead, this post shares a list of the things we definitely wanted to do again in Chiang Mai after our first trip (proven against our second and third visits). I also put together a map of places in Chiang Mai we personally recommend.

Click here to get free access to our map of favorite places in Chiang Mai

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5 things we’d do all over again in Chiang Mai

These are the things we loved from our two now three stays, totaling 6 9 weeks.

Rent a Scooter

Renting a scooter in Chiang Mai was highly recommended to us by fellow nomads.

After traveling in S.E. Asia for a while, we had a good grasp on how traffic flowed and the variations in driving rules. 

Understanding traffic patterns and having a familiarity with mopeds is important for your safety. The rental shop shared that foreigners often crash their motorbikes – especially newbie renters losing control right around their shop.

The first time, Jedd he took his time practicing on the quiet streets by the rental place – stopping and starting, turning, back and forth, then adding me as the second passenger.

All three visits, we’ve rented from Mango Bikes in the Nimman area, which has great reviews. Twice we had to call back for a couple days until they had a bike returned that we could use.

A one-month rental cost about $80-$100 US (~3000 baht). Motorbike rentals include the two helmets and medical insurance for accidents. We were happy with the service.

The scooter gave us a ton of freedom, especially since our lovely Airbnb condos were on the outskirts of town.

We also got to enjoy a couple day trips on the scooter, including the Samoeng Loop, a ride through Doi Inthanon National Park, and a morning trip to the Sticky Waterfalls.

The scooter rental location and day trip ideas are included in our free interactive map – sign up here to get it.

Motorcycle rules are somewhat mirky in Thailand. Technically you’re supposed to have a Thai driver’s license and it’s not entirely clear if an international license counts.

Unfortunately, the local police use this to earn extra cash under the table by pulling over foreigners on motorbike.

We were pulled over twice in our first month. They charged 500 baht each time (about $14), although the second time it actually came with an official receipt which was supposedly to act as a “free pass” for the next five days!

During our second stay, we wore face masks and I tried to cover up so we might be mistaken for locals. So far during our third visit, we haven’t seen traffic police stopping people.

Taking a scenic drive on the Samoeng loop outside Chiang Mai

Hiking in Chiang Mai

One of Chiang Mai’s best advantages is being surrounded by green, with a chain of National Parks in the mountains to the West.

We joined the Doi Suthep Walkers Facebook group for a vigorous hike up to the mountain temples one morning. Hikes are pretty much every Saturday, often led by a Finnish expat.

We did another hike with the group on our second trip as well – it was even more challenging than the usual route so we opted to pay for a ride for the way back down.

We took a ride out to the Sticky Waterfalls one morning and were not disappointed. Though it’s 90 minutes by scooter, you get to stretch your legs climbing up and down the falls.

The porous rocks actually grip your feet so it’s not slippery!

And we really enjoyed early morning runs around Huay Tuang Tao lake, too. (We also tried to follow a trail to a waterfall from this area but we would not recommend it.)

Chiang Mai night markets

Something we didn’t understand about Thai people until we got there is that the average Thai family (in the cities) doesn’t really cook for themselves all that much.

Street food is so common and cheap, people eat out frequently.

Saturday walking street market

Chiang Mai has a number of night markets which are full of food carts.

On Saturday and Sunday evenings, two different streets are closed off for pedestrians. Craft and food vendors line both sides of the street, making a great atmosphere to browse, people-watch, and sample various treats.

Both walking streets get quite crowded by 7pm, so I highly recommend arriving close to 5pm (even before it’s technically open) for a more enjoyable experience.

The Night Bazaar in Chiang Mai is not nearly as charming and the vendors not as original as these two walking street markets.

Whatever your neighborhood, you’ll probably have a night market or two with food stalls popping up throughout the week.

Two mainstay night markets are at the North gate and the South gate (Chiang Mai gate).

The South gate quickly became one of our favorite places to eat. Pad thai, chicken and rice, Japanese takoyaki, crepes, and the famous Mrs. Pa’s smoothies were all great. On our second trip, I think we ate there at least 6 times in two weeks.

The evening market has a mix of locals and foreigners but the early morning South gate market is almost 100% local (and a great place to get sticky rice with different toppings).

Chiang Mai (south) gate night market stalls
Miss Pa’s fresh fruit smoothies – with or without added sugar. Just 20 or 25 baht (about 60 cents).

Coffee Shops in Chiang Mai

There is a happening cafe culture in Chiang Mai, and it’s not just Digital Nomads who enjoy them.

While a latte may cost the same – if not more – than your whole meal at a street vendor, it’s still a relatively “affordable luxury.” The Nimman neighborhood, where many Digital Nomads and expats tend to congregate, has tons of cafes.

Our favorites from our first trip, when we stayed on the southeast side of town, were Mingmitr (a local chain) and the riverside Co-Working Cafe (now closed). 

Outdoor workspace on the Ping River at Co-Working Cafe
Stylish work space at Mingmitr Cafe on Kaeo Narawat road

When we stayed by Chiang Mai University, we fell in love with Sode Cafe, a really cool open-air space with a coffeeshop and vendors selling Thai, Japanese, and Vietnamese style dishes. Prices were reasonable – 40-60 baht (under $2 US).

We would often go to work when it opened at 10am and stay for lunch.

Check out more of our favorite restaurants, cafes, and street food in our interactive map – –sign up here to get it (free).

Tasty Treats: Best things to eat in Chiang Mai

There are so many good things to eat in Chiang Mai.

Our favorite treats were mango sticky rice, which are widely available at markets and food courts. The cheapest we found were 40 baht and very colorful in the morning market at the Chiang Mai (south) gate.

Our other favorite discovery was a little bakery in the bottom floor of Central Festival Mall called Saint Etoile. There’s also one on the bottom floor in MAYA mall.

They used to make a round, flaky, croissant-like pastry coated in a crunchy glaze. It was like croissant-meets-applefritter (without the apple) and it was hands down the most perfect pastry I have ever had in my pastry-filled life.

In recent years, I have yet to see this delightful pastry again. But the shop also has a wide variety of other sweet baked goods as well as some savory rolls with cheese or meat, which are good for taking on picnics.

Things we changed: Returning to Chiang Mai

Granted, we didn’t do everything right the first time in Chiang Mai.

The only activity we didn’t really love was our crazy hike up to the waterfall from Huay Tuang Tao lake.

It’s a beautiful area. But the hike relied on GPS rather than official trail markings, and our GPS was not super reliable. Plus the trail was really overgrown.

We ended up taking quite a few detours, came face to face with some truly giant spiders, and were pretty scratched up by the end. We had no idea what we were in for, and I can’t say I’d recommend this trail to the average day hiker.

We really loved our Airbnb set up for our first stay – it was compact with a nice view, giant pool, fitness center, laundry, and strong wifi for $380 a month. However, it was a long-ish drive into the heart of town and required taking highways.

The second time, we stayed at the sister condo complex near Chiang Mai University, and this was definitely a better location. It’s next to Doi Suthep mountain so there are more trees, along with more local activity and cheap eateries around the University.

While rentals in this condo complex weren’t available for our third visit, we chose to stay in the same area. Walking distance to the University and MAYA without being in the heart of Nimman is kind of our sweet spot. 

D Condo Sign with pool and fitness center

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Where to stay in Chiang Mai Thailand

We found our first apartment rentals at D Condo on Airbnb and Booking.com.

I also did some research on highly rated, best value hotels and B&Bs in central Chiang Mai, in case you’re looking for a place to stay within walking distance to the main sights and night markets in town:

– 18 In Town Homestay – $$/$$$ – This central, relaxing B&B offers free use of their bicycles plus Thai or Western breakfast. Click here to see photos, prices, and availability for 18 In Town Homestay

– Villa Thai Orchid – $$/$$$ – Not far from the Thapae Gate, this new hotel also hosts cooking classes and come with an excellent breakfast. Click here to see photos, prices, and availability for Villa Thai Orchid

– iWualai Hotel – $$$ – Located on the Saturday Walking Street and close to Chiang Mai Gate night market, this stylish hotel features a pool and breakfast. Click here to see photos, prices, and availability for iWualai Hotel

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TIP: 🛏️ When it comes to accommodations, finding the right balance between cost, location, and comfort is worth getting right. But it doesn’t have to take hours of online searching!

I’ll teach you how to pinpoint your own perfect accommodations efficiently and avoid disappointing stays in my Smart Stay Finder course.

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In conclusion, we had an all around good time during our stays in Chiang Mai.

We ate lots of good food, met up with some great people, kept up our exercise schedule, got our work done, explored on the scooter in our free time, and got to do a few little extras like the Kindred Spirit Elephant Sanctuary & Homestay.

 

 

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