Chiang Mai was our absolute favourite place in Thailand, we planned 2-3 days but ended up staying for 9! We did so much, I've split it into sections: good food, things to do and nightlife. This blog is more for myself if I ever return as a reference of what to do in Chaing Mai (that isn't Temples), kind of like a "Top 10 things to do in Chiang Mai". Since we were there in rainy season, there are lots of things in here to do on a rainy day in Chiang Mai as well.
Chiang Mai is so relaxed with a small-town feel but loads to offer. In the North of Thailand, it's surrounded by mountains making a nice contrast from the beachy islands in the south.
Also, here's the video of Chiang Mai.
Places to eat:
2. Siri Wattana Market (best street food)
3. Unamed Noodle Restaurant
4. Teppanyaki Restaurant
Things to do:
6. Hipster area (Nimmana Haeminda roads)
7. Wat Phra That Doi (A compact, beautiful temple with an epic road to drive up)
8. Veranda Resort (Luxurious swimming pool with a view)
9. Chiang Mai "Grand Canyon"
10. Maya Shopping Centre (English cinema for a rainy day)
11. Outdoor Rock Climbing- The Crazy Horse Buttress
12. Indoor Rock Climbing- CMRCA
Nightlife:
Warorot Market (top)
This is a market for locals and has a bit of everything from street food to clothes to kitchen appliances. It's a nice place to pick up lunch- they serve lunch in clear plastic bags.
However, this place really comes to life at night where the roads become pedestrianised and filled with clothes, accessories and food pop-ups. We didn't actually rate the food there particularly highly as we were in love with our local food market (see area 2).
Siri Wattana Market(top)
This was our local food (and clothes) market and we ate at the food court practically every day. Initially, it was quite nerve wracking as there were zero westerners, it is always full of locals, it’s cramped and hot and a lot of the “menu’s” didn’t have any English or pictures. Pushing all that aside, once you actually decide to sit down (my favourite place was called “Duck Noodle (does exactly as it says o the tin)”), the staff are very friendly and the menus are quite easy to decipher.. Equally you can just point to what someone else is eating.
The meals are all around 45THB (£1) and you get a free miso soup to start at all of them. Each stall has a cooler box of ice, metal cups and drinks which you help yourself to. If you’re lucky, some of the stalls give unripe mangos (surprisingly refreshing) free as well.
If you go into the actual market (rather than the food court) you can get all sorts of goodies- cakes, fried meats and fish, fruit, PAPAYA SALAD and lunch in bags. All of it’s incredibly cheap as it’s not aimed at tourists.
Teppanyaki restaurant(top)
We found this place when we got lost looking for out hostel (Banilah) and took an early turn. It's such a fun experience- you get a grill on the table and two empty plates. For something like £5, you get all you can eat - there's a buffet of raw meats, seafood and vegetables (definitely wouldn't pass health and safety standards in the UK) which you cook to your liking at the table.
It was full of local people which gave it a great atmosphere. Unfortunately, it began to rain, HARD with only loosely tied tarpaulin between you and the weather. Fortunately, they had lots of Chang Beer!
Unnamed Noodle Soup Restaurant(top)
This little unintrusive restaurant would be easy to walk straight past as it's very basic. However, they serve some of the best noodle soup we've had so far. It's very simple- you choose the noodle type, size and select the meat combo wanted. The soup was around 40THB (<£1). Perhaps the best part was their home made coconut ice cream with peanut sprinkled on top (For 40THB).
Directions: With Wawee Coffee on your right, take the immediate right and the noodle soup place will be about 30 yards down on the right.
Night Bazaar(top)
This place is purely for tourists but definitely worth going to in the evenings. The stalls sell the same things as everywhere but there's so much competition, you can get a good bargain. Ian and I splashed out and bought an enormous abstract block colour painting of an elephant for when we finally buy a flat! We had to barter with the artist as it was way out of our price range, he was so proud of his work that it was difficult to ask for a lower price but we wouldn't have bought it otherwise!
We also had the best curry I've ever had, strangely enough. Finally, for some relaxing drinks with Thai bands singing an eclectic collection of western music and high-end food trucks, look out for the shop called ‘Pink Pussy’ and head through the gates- a very nice way to spend the evening.
To get there, you need to walk down a seedy street (Loi Kroh Road) with ladies on the payroll outside bars trying to entice the men in. Worth seeing it as it’s quite funny if you’re in the right frame of mind.
Hipster Area(top)
Located on the Nimmana Haeminda roads, this area is very hipster with boutique shops, juice stalls and high end coffee shops all over the place. We spent a few hours here which was plenty of time but it was a nice place to explore and reminded us of home.
Wat Phra That Doi
Having a motorbike/ larger scooter is a must to get up to Wat Phra That Doi as the winding roads are great fun! You can get taxis or Baht cars but where’s the fun in that..? There are lots of waterfalls and viewpoints on the way so this could be a whole day trip.
We were actually aiming for Bhubing Palace and thought we were there, when in-fact, we were half way up at Wat Phra That Doi. I’m glad we didn’t go straight to the Palace though as this was probably the best temple we’ve visited in Thailand so far as it’s bright and colourful, has breathtaking views and is quite compact.
You can take a Gondola up to the Temple (Wat) but I insisted on walking up the dragon stairs in the midday sun, much to Ian’s delight!
Veranda Resort(top)
Following a pretty heavy night out (described in the blue points), Ian and I were feeling pretty tender. The Hangovers in SE Asia are horrendous, mainly due to the heat and not being able to escape the sun. We didn't want to spend the entire day cooped up in our hotel room watching Netflix, so Ian searched for the best swimming pool in Chiang Mai.
I can only describe Veranda Resort as one of the James Bond Villains' top secret, luxury lairs in the mountains (probably the reason the cheapest room is £90/ night). There are Golf Car's that will take you to your room with it's own private pool (so we read), all of the surrounding landscape is sculptured and kept meticulously and the building it's self is imposing sterile concrete, oozing luxury.
It costs £16/ person to use the pool and you get a flavoured soda on arrival (the flavouring is a thick syrup mixed with the mashed fruit of choice- yum). There are deck chairs on little islands in the infinity pool overlooking the mountains. I can't use this word enough- luxury.
Just by chance, two of the guys we met and spent most of our time with the night before turned up at the pool, feeling equally as rough.
Chiang Mai Grand Canyon(top)
Unfortunately, we did not get to go to the 'Grand Canyon' as Ian had an infected toe which was quite swollen and didn't want to risk it going into dirt water. From the pictures, it basically looks like a large quarry that people jump off of into the water. We have our own one of those in Tintern so I wasn't too upset about missing it.
Maya Shopping Centre(top)
Great for a rainy day, the Maya Shopping Centre has a pretty good ‘Street Food’ food court on the bottom floor with foods from all over the world. But perhaps more importantly, it has a cinema and rooftop bar! Perfect for a rainy day, the cinema shows western movies in English (with Thai sub-titles).
One weird part is that they play the King’s anthem immediately before the film starts which you MUST stand up for and show your respects. I’ve heard that if someone catches you not being respectful, you COULD go to prison.
Climbing Crazy Horse Buttress(top)
Ian and I have been climbing for nearly two years now and absolutely love it. We unfortunately left the climbing mecca, Krabi, due to the torrential rain and bolted for the north as the weather doesn't impact what you do so much as being in a beachy area. an was quite upset about not being able to do any more climbing until l we discovered this place. It's possibly the best place I have been climbing so far!
I wrote more detail about the actual climbing here, but as a brief summary:There are over a hundred climbs on The Crazy Horse Buttress, enough to keep you going for days (regardless of your grade range)! The local climbing shop, CMRC bolt and maintain the crag themselves, and to a very high standard too. There are signs to the climbs, a comprehensive guide and maintained steps and paths from the car park to climbs and everything in-between. The climbs range from 4-8 (not that I ever looked for 8’s) and had a variety of overhangs, slabs, caves, juggy holds, pinchy holds, the lot!
CMRCA Indoor Rock Climbing(top)
One of the guys at CRMCA forgot to give us chalk bags when we rented the gear to go to Crazy Horse Buttress so the owner kindly gave us a voucher for free entry to their bouldering wall. The wall is absolutely tiny (by our spoilt Bristol standards) but is packed with lots of different routes to try. I don't think I'd go there more than once or twice but it was a fun way to spend a rainy day.
John's Place(top)
Ian and I were actually looking for THC Rooftop Bar which is virtually impossible to find but it was closed, so we went for a couple of drinks in John's Place, a third story bar which overlooks part of Chiang Mai. The venue was nice and busy enough with a handful of Thai Ladies performing traditional dance. However, Ian and I felt it was a bit seedy- plus it played sports on TV screens which I never rate highly.
THC Rooftop Bar(top)
Probably one of the best bars we found in Chiang Mai, THC Rooftop Bar is incredibly hard to find (particularly when it's closed) but well worth the effort. It's on about the 4th story so you have a great view of the old city walls and moat. There are little foot high tables scattered everywhere with cushions for seats. The walls are decorated in UV paint and it blasts reggae music all night. We were there at 8pm so there was virtually no one there but after an hour or so it started to pick up. Despite the name, I didn't see anyone buying weed, or smoking it there for that matter.
Spicy Bar(top)
On our way back from the Night Bazaar, fuelled by the bucket of Sangria in our bellies, we stopped off at a lively looking Jamaican bar on the way home. There was a funky Thai band playing reggae covers an a group of westerners outside. They had all met at a cooking class and we a good mix of Americans, Canadians (there are SO many Canadians travelling) and Brits. After a few more drinks, we all went on the hunt for something a little more lively and found Spicy Night Club.
We arrived here at about 11:45, had to buy a £2 beer to get in and after 15 minutes the lights turned on and everybody started clearing out... Great.
Lucky Bar(top)
To end the night, we went to Lucky Bar which looked closed but we followed the sound of music round a back alley to find a busy night club. It turns out, that due to the military government, bars can't stay open past midnight (or 2am on weekends I believe) so 'underground' style bars open.
We had a great time here, but the highlight was perhaps that Ian was accosted by a drunken Thai women. His only way to stop her way by pointing at me across the bar and calling me his 'wife'. When I came over a bit later, she asked if I was his wife, to which I obviously said no and she proceeded to get a little aggressive to Ian saying "she no your wife" "why you lie? you think me ugly?" "you think I'm a whore?".