Chiang Mai is arguably the best city in S E Asia to live in. With lots of character & charm, it has all the necessary facilities of a modern city, but without the horrendous traffic problems. Smack bang in the middle of North Thailand, it is the perfect base for making 4-5 day loops by motorcycle around the Golden Triangle region. The local expat bikers love the place and never want to leave (although some won't admit they are hooked).
On two wheels you're never far from wherever / whatever you need. It is only 10-15 mins (20 mins in a car) maximum to the international airport, bank, post office, railway station, hospital, school, department store / supermarket. Or in 45 mins you can be in the forest with elephants, hill tribes and waterfalls. (If you were in a major city like Bangkok, you’d still be stuck at the traffic lights!)
Getting Started - the best way to get to Chiang Mai is fly. Chiang Mai's a much easier place to settle down and acclimatise in than Bangkok (see Bangkok on the way out). Taxi from Chiang Mai Intl Airport costs 140 baht & takes just 10-15 mins to get into the centre of town.
Use the free Chiang Mai tourist magazines for their city maps & comprehensive service directories to find most places you want. The best magazines are Guidelines, Good Morning Chiangmai and Welcome to Chiang Mai.
To get around town, hire a Honda Dream scooter for the first 2-3 days to familiarise yourself with the place; then hire a bigger bike to make 1 or 2 day trips before going up-country.
First-timers to Chiang Mai should at least
1. Ride up Doi Suthep mountain overlooking Chiang Mai city.
2. Go to the night bazaar & do some shopping.
3. Get some clothes tailor made.
4. Have a Khantoke (traditional Northern Thai) dinner & hill tribe cultural show.
5. Visit the main day market Talad Warorot.
6. Take in some of the main city temples - Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Umong & Wat Chiang Man.
7. Visit Bor Sang, Sankamphaeng & Ban Tawai villages to see the traditional handicrafts.
8. Do the Samoeng loop, see an elephant show & take an elephant ride.
9. Have dinner at one of the riverside restaurants & bars. (Riverside / Good View / Brasserie / Cottage / Tha Nam.)
10. Have a 2 hr traditional Thai massage. Try a foot massage too!
11. Relax and unwind, Chiang Mai is a safe & great place to be.
Come and take a look for yourself... To help you get off to the right start and make the most of you time in Chiang Mai, here are some recommended businesses, that I use on a regular basis.
RESTAURANTS
Bier Stube The expat favourite for 15 years - consistently good western & Thai Food. The best value breakfast in town. 33/6A Moon Muang Road. Tel: 0 53278 869.
The Kafe (David Unkovich's fave hang-out.) The best atmosphere and value for money Thai restaurant in town. Good food and music, with an excellent mix of both Thai and farang customers (not easy to get and maintain). Satellite TV for all the football matches. The cheapest happy hour (5.00 - 8.00 pm) in town: Don’t miss it. 127-129 Moon Muang Road. Tel: 053212717
UN Irish Pub run by Aussie Sandy (& various non Irish partners). Satellite TV. A popular expat hang out, and with a good upstairs bar, this is the place to watch the bike GPs / SBK & F1 races, plus live football matches & other sporting events. And, if you're a trivia quizz fan, then don't miss Thursday night quizz night at the Irish Pub. 24 / 24 - 1 Ratchawithi Road. Tel: 053214 554.
BARS / PUBS (there's a few of them & I try to hit them all on a "semi-regular" basis. Chiang Mai's brilliant for food, music & the odd social drink......)
Blues Bar run by Tui. A laid back, roadside, cheap drinking spot. Excellent collection of blues music tapes / CDs. Next to the Bier Stube. 33/6 Moon Muang Road. Tel: 053277 040.
Sax Bar run by Swiss Rudi, a biker & great guy. A popular biker's spot, plus undoubtedly the best selection of music CDs in town. 35 / 2 Moon Muang Road. Best after 10.00 pm.
Fine Thanks run by Miss Bern (Apple), a popular Thai garden pub & restaurant with good live music, terrific food & draft Heineken beer. Located in a very nicely renovated wooden Thai style house. With attentive staff (the best line-up of waitresses in town), sensible lighting & sound level it has a magic atmosphere - sitting outside or in. Best time to go is after 9.30 pm, when the dinner crowd has gone & the drinkers stay on. Check out Miss Meow (the girlfriend) raunchy singer from midnight till 1.00 am. 19 Nimmanhaemin Road. Tel: 053213 605.
The Cottage popular open-air yuppie pub with good live music - jazz orientated. Best after 9.45 pm.
The Riverside Chiang Mai's most famous open-air riverside pub. Magic atmosphere. Great food, live music (3 bands), and often crowded - the place to be for a big night out, especially on Friday and Saturday nights (with the herd mentality). Best for a meal around 7.30 - 9.00 pm, then best for drinking, music & fun...
ACCOMMODATION
Veerachai Court 3,500 - 6,500 baht per month. Small, comfortable, quiet & secure, fan / air con, hot water, one room apartments, with fridge & cable TV. Central location. Popular with long-term tourists. 19 Soi 2 Thapae Road. Tel: 053 251047. The fave for most of my biking mates.
Montri Hotel 550 - 750 baht. Excellent central location by Thapae gate, the bike hire shops, restaurants and bars. Moon Muang road. Tel: 0 53211069.
Riverview Lodge 1,000 baht plus. Swimming pool. Delightful riverside location, quiet, very comfortable well run family establishment. Run by Pitaya, a classic car collector and perfect gentleman. 25 Soi 2 Charoen Prathet Road. Tel: 0 53 271110.
Chiang Mai Hotels List:
The complete line-up of Chiang Mai Hotels here...
TOURS & TRAVEL
Siam Sun for tours & hotels. Run by Swiss Danny. 1 / 2 Soi 8 Moon Muang Road. Tel / Fax: 0 53 357221. Email Siam Sun to book your accommodation in Chiang Mai (& elsewhere in Thailand.)
Contact Travel for mountain-biking, rafting and kayaking adventure tours, plus on-line airline tickets. Run by Swiss Alex. 73 / 7 Charoen Prathet Road. Tel: 053277178. Fax: 053279505.
CAMERA REPAIRS
Jear Photo Inexpensive, reliable and fast camera repairs. Its amazing how often your camera falls off the bike, and you can get it repaired satisfactorily. Tried & approved "several" times by various riders. 12 Ratchawithi Road. Tel: 053 210809.
TAILOR
Neramit Extremely good & reliable tailor - a cut well above the rest. Hit Neramit your first day in town, then hit the road & pick up your new clothes on the way out, or, have them delivered to your guesthouse / hotel while you're away. Clothes always a perfect fit. Highly recommended. 91 / 2 Ratchawong Road. Tel: 053 234353.
PRINTING
Post Shop Fast & cheap -good for name cards and general colour print outs from off your computer. High quality laser print outs. Icon Computer Centre. Maneenoparat Road. Tel: 053 218096.
Come & stay in a Chiang Mai for a few weeks to experience the good life.
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