Chiang Mai is the most important city in Northern Thailand. It is located at the foot of Doi Suthep mountain and surrounded by fertile, green land. The city of temples, featuring over 300 of them, is famous for its unique culture, history and food.
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Discover Chiang Mai like never before
The essential guide for a trip to Chiang Mai. This handy ebook guide includes everything you need to know and see in Chiang Mai. Discover the best sights, restaurants, cafés and accommodation in the city and save money with exclusive discounts. Make the most out of your trip! Find out more
There are over 300 temples in Chiang Mai. This number is growing constantly and it is hard to choose the most beautiful and interesting ones to visit. These are 7 temples you cannot miss while visiting Chiang Mai.
Especially if you want to visit all the popular tourist attractions, you will soon discover how quickly your Baht bills can vanish into thin air. If you are on a budget or simply looking for cheap alternatives to the main attractions, look no further.
This is a list of free or nearly free things you can do in Chiang Mai.
Most excursions can be done by a motorbike. You can also buy a tour from one of the operating tourist offices in the city, or hire a songthaew driver to take you to your chosen destination. Here are my favourite 6 options for day trips around Chiang Mai.
While the city offers many of the perks of a metropolis, it still manages to keep an overall laid-back and relaxing atmosphere. Even during peak hours, when the streets are getting crowded, it is always easy to escape the traffic and noise and retreat to an oasis of peace and quiet. That’s what makes life in Chiang Mai so different from the bustling city life in Bangkok.
Chiang Mai is the second largest city in Thailand and its cultural and spiritual capital. It is located in the north of the country, nestled among green hills and mountains, filled with ancient temples and colourful markets, it’s definitely a place you cannot miss when visiting Thailand.
From the moment you arrive in the city, you will notice the huge amount of songthaews, also known as ‘red cars’. They are the most popular and cheapest option to get around Chiang Mai on four wheels. The name a literally means “two benches” after the passenger seating in the back of the truck. There is room for at least 8 people inside and at peak hours you will see people standing on the little platform outside, holding onto the metal railing.
I always encourage visitors, who are a little bit more adventurous, to rent a scooter and go for a road trip. It is a much better way to see the area than organised tours. To avoid unnecessary trouble and accidents it is very important to prepare yourself before you even come to Chiang Mai.
Live in Chiang Mai
Life in Chiang Mai is easy, easier than what you might imagine. There are condos to rent everywhere in the city, there are pubs and clubs, there are interest groups for digital nomads, entrepreneurs, volunteers, and travellers, there are supermarkets with western food, gyms, hospitals with English speaking doctors, and if you have kids you can send them to one of the international schools. If you want you can have your piece of the west here, or you can easily immerse yourself in the culture.
Many future expats always worry about finding a place and look for something before they come to Thailand. Some of them book their flats when they are still in their home countries. That’s a mistake! First rule – come to Thailand first, get to know the city and view some apartments, then you can decide which one to book.
Teaching in Chiang Mai
Become an English Teacher in Thailand
This 4 Week TEFL Training Course in Chiang Mai will prepare you to teach English as a foreign language. Thanks to SEE TEFL’s job guarantee for graduates as well as classes on Thai language and culture you won’t find a better course to kickstart your new life as an English teacher.
If you want to work in Thailand the first thing you need to have is at least a bachelor degree in any subject. You don’t need to be a teacher by profession. You can be an engineer, a software developer or an artist. As long as you have a confirmation of a degree you are good to go.
Finding a good TEFL course in Thailand proved to be hard. There were so many schools, offering trainings and placements. Some of them tempted me with pictures of beautiful beaches and islands, where they had their headquarters. For days I sat in front of my laptop researching different options.
Working remotely in Chiang Mai
I started my adventure with digital nomadism in Thailand. After long 2 years in a Thai school, I have had enough and I started to work on the Internet. The Land of Smile turned out to be very friendly to digital nomads and it’s no wonder that cities like Chiang Mai become their Mecca.
Remote work in Thailand: What every Digital Nomad should know
This list of more and lesser known co-working cafés in Chiang Mai will help you to find the perfect workspace for you. Whether you like a more quiet atmosphere, far away from the crowds or a place where you can meet other Digital Nomads like you: With this extensive collection of coffee shops you will never have to worry about finding a workspace that suits you best.