First Impressions of Chiang Mai, Thailand
Whenever we land in a new country, Stephen and I are always looking for ways to explore the least blogged about places. When we landed in Chiang Mai, Thailand a couple weeks ago we made a plan to stay put and explore this up and coming city.
Chiang Mai is located in Northern Thailand in the Khun Tan Mountain Range. Known as a backpacker, digital nomad, ex-pat community, we learned from our Grab Driver (aka, Uber Driver by US definition) that just 10 years ago, this sleepy town was often overlooked in favor of high rises and fast paced, exotic lifestyle in Bangkok or the laid back, sandy beaches of Phuket. Today, you can’t type in “Travel to Thailand” without getting a 100+ searches for Chiang Mai.
Chiang Mai reminds me in many ways of Williamsburg, Virginia. It has a classically small town vibe, steeped in history. The ancient 700 year old walls that surround the Old City of Chiang Mai mirror those of the colonial fences of Historic Williamsburg. There are over 300 temples in Chiang Mai scattered mostly in the Old City and into the mountains. In our short window here, we have intentionally visited some of the most well known, Wat Suan Dok and Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and stumbled onto others tucked back into neighborhoods as we motorbiked around the city.
We timed our arrival into Thailand during their “summer months” and days before the launch of their Buddhist New Year, Songkran. Every April 13-15, this religious festival suspends work and daily activities to celebrate with family and pay homage to elders. It’s wrapped in love, compassion, and gratitude with water used to symbolize the cleansing of the bad and blessings for the future. As we walked through the streets in Chiang Mai, we saw mini-alters with the Buddha and small silver containers with water set aside. People would pass and take a cup of water from the larger container and pour it over the Buddha. Young and old alike were actively engaged in this religious tradition.
Of course, the one major thing absent this year was the large scale water fights that happen almost every year on the streets throughout Thailand. Chiang Mai is known as the best place to feel the full festivities of Songkran but this it was quiet, with the Chiang Mai province banning alcohol and street water fights due to the continued fight against COVID.
Another thing to keep in mind when traveling to this part of Thailand is the “hot and smoke season”. Each year, from March through April, farmers in the mountains burn off their old agriculture they don’t sell, creating high levels of smoke that linger throughout the day. This practice, along with the soaring temperatures that traditionally hover at a toasty 98 - 102 degrees, creates a greenhouse effect making it difficult for those who struggle with breathing issues. Add the humidity index of 100% and you get that warm wet blanket feeling when you walk outside. For us, coming for a seasonally dry and less hot climate like Colorado this made adapting a bit more challenging. I will say that my skin has never felt better and there is something to be said for “sweating it out”!
“April/May and part of June temperatures soar and hover at a toasty 98 - 102 degrees with a humidity index of 100%, giving you that warm wet blanket effect when you walk outside.”
This Tuk Tuk Driver was sleeping at 9 am when temps were already in the 90’s.
Chiang Mai seems to have responded well to the influx of foreigners, both tourists and ex-pats alike. There are trendy restaurants catering to all Western palates. No shortage of inexpensive Thai massage spots, evening and day time markets with unique clothing and crafts made by locals and for the traveler looking to get their Zen on, there are plenty of meditation and yoga centers owned and operated by ex-pats. Oh! And let’s not forget the over abundant number of 7-11 stores on every corner. Unlike other developing countries, Thailand has become a hub for Western tourists who can stretch their dollar/euro and get a life experience that feels like paradise for 1/4 the cost of a trip to Disney World or the Grand Canyon.
Let’s talk people shall we? We heard in preparing for our travels to Southeast Asia that Thailand is the “Land of Smiles” . In fact there are 13 different different smiles that Thai people make, each with their own unique meaning. The graciousness and hospitality we experienced in our short time here so far has been true to form. From the security guards who open the doors and salute you when you enter the mall, to the grocery store cashier who bows and says hello to you- the reverence of respect you experience here from Thai people just makes you want to be a better person. I often wonder if we approached each other in other parts of the world like this, would we be kinder and gentler to each other.
Lastly, I want to mention food. Of course, there is a cornucopia of food options available to you in Thailand and each province has its own unique dishes to its region. I was already a sure thing for Thai food. It wasn’t a huge stretch for me to explore the many options of street food that I could get for almost pennies. All prepared in front of you by street vendors who have been preparing the same family recipes for generations at the local street markets all over the city. Stephen and I did take the leap in Bangkok and tried crickets, I think I will stop there and say that’s about as daring as I get with the exotic.
There is still so much more to explore here in Thailand and while we continue to make Chiang Mai our home, albeit for a short while, we continue to love this life of travel and look forward to learning more about the culture, customs and way of life of Southeast Asia.
