Me clutching the shedded cobra skin of the dude who slid through the property recently here in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Kelli and I landed in Chiang Mai, Thailand a few days ago.
Our arms are still tired.
Anyway, we feel like we are home. Happens every time we visit Chiang Mai.
We are on a 2 month house sit watching an adorable French Bulldog named Yoda in an awesome Thai style home bordering the really really really big Doi Suthep National Park. Look up top. See that shedded cobra skin? The day we arrived the homeowners found said skin in the driveway.
Centipedes, scorpions, snakes, lizards; they got ’em all here in this quiet Thai village. Right up my alley.
Funny thing; CM is the digital nomad capital of the world. Yet it factors not into my decision. If I can get online I can work. Not picky about meet ups or co-working or any of that stuff.
Here are 5 reasons why I love Chiang Mai so.
1: Our Fave Buddhist Vegetarian Restaurant
One of our fave restaurants on earth serves amazingly tasty veggie fare. A little Buddhist veggie joint outside of the Old City in a sleepy Thai neighborhood.
Can’t beat the price either. 3 servings of veggies plus a heaping serving of rice for 35 Baht. Which is $1 USD. Not bad.
Street where we’re living. Traffic is a nightmare. Had to wait a whole 2 seconds for a chicken to cross the road in this Thai village.
We eat there on an almost daily basis for delicious, healthy and wholesome vegetarian fare served in a Thai environment.
2: The Convenience/Culture Factor
I am a world traveler but cannot lie: I like me some convenience. I go all Indiana Jones sometimes – see this Costa Rican house sit in a remote jungle – and help slay spitting cobras and sit with 400 pound tigers while locked in their cage, but I like some, dare I say, Western elements to my travels too.
Enter Chiang Mai. Where while you watch throngs of monks on morning alms runs for their daily bread you can dip into a 7-11 for a quick snack. Or while traipsing from temple to temple you can grab a burger from a reputable joint. A REAL hamburger.
3: The People
Chiang Mai folks are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. Kind, polite and warm, the happy vibe in The Land of Smiles combined with Face Saving Culture makes for a pleasant experience for us farang.
Thai are friendly throughout the country but heavy tourism hasn’t jaded folks in dese parts compared to those who may have been beaten down by fat farang in places like Bangkok and Phuket.
I see these guys more than the neighbors. Because today I saw no neighbors and her once.
Bonus; we have become friends with awesome ex-pats here too. Amid a few colorful, cantankerous curmudgeon ex-pats you will find a collection of colorful but kind and generous ex-pats from all over the globe. Fun lot to spend an afternoon with.
4: The Weather
Yes it’s 100 degrees daily now. Sure as hell beats the blizzard they’s feeling in New Jersey right now. Besides…it’s a dry heat (love when they say that). But really, the lack of humidity and short span of genuinely hot conditions makes for an amazing weather profile in Chiang Mai.
Decembers here are pretty much the best weather on earth. 70 during the day. Not a cloud in the sky. Dry as a bone. 50’s at night. Fahrenheit of course. Us American morons have not gone metric yet.
January and February are delightful too. Light wet season. No brutal humidity. All in all, one of the better climates you will ever experience.
5: Walking Town
Kelli and I love our walks. From getting our cardio on to leaning down to seeing more of a city than you’d ever see flying by on a motorbike or in a car, you can walk virtually the entire city. Or, the entire city is walkable.
Yoda the French Bulldog.
Good sidewalks – is most areas – and tons of spots to stop for a cool drink or warm feast makes for a Pedestrian’s Paradise.
If you are living a little too far outside of town you can:
- rent a motorbike
- hire a tuk tuk driver
- grab a songthaew
to move around town.
Your Turn
Have you been to Chiang Mai?
Do you dig it?
