The Nice Mum Lodge opened its doors in Chiang Mai around a year ago and though we had been somewhat put off by the slightly twee name,  we checked it out it proves to be quite a worthwhile flashpacker choice for the city. The lodge is run by an elderly and very friendly Thai couple, … read the full post

We have complained about downtown Chiang Mai’s lack of parks before but there is a stretch of grass and trees that we inconsiderately overlooked, a very long stretch in fact — nearly eight kilometres long — which makes for an interesting and attractive hike without ever having to leave the city centre. We’re talking of … read the full post

We’ve been writing this Chiang Mai blog for some time now but still haven’t given a general introduction to Chiang Mai city but… better late than never, eh? Here’s a bit about what makes Chiang Mai a special city and the lay of the land so you can orientate yourself during a visit. Chiang Mai … read the full post

We’re covering a very different kind of market compared to our last post’s one on Prathu Chiang Puaka though it’s certainly another of our faves in Chiang Mai. Kamthieng market is what in the West we might call a garden centre, as it sells flowers, plants, trees, garden equipment, furniture, decorations and so on. This … read the full post

A long-standing favourite of ours in Chiang Mai’s mid-range accommodation category is the excellent Chiang Mai Thai House (see here for our budget pick). Location’s one of the strong points of Thai House, which falls somewhere in the range between upmarket guesthouse and boutique hotel. Situated on Tha Pae Road, Soi 5, it’s about a … read the full post

Any expat or visitor to Chiang Mai will quickly become familiar with the town’s main drags. You’ll have strolled along Ratchadamnoen running through the centre of the old town, tuk-tuked down Tha Pae Rd on your way to or from the night bazaar and of course eaten, drank, hired a motorbike and bought a Bangkok … read the full post

Following on from our recent Songkran post: if your $1,000 Nikon does get totally destroyed by water pistol-frenzied 5-year-olds during the festivities then the following may well be a useful address for you: Den Chai Trading, Rattanakosin Rd (T: 053 211 450). It’s the largest photographic store in Chiang Mai and possesses the most efficient … read the full post

I often get asked by visitors about bookstores in Chiang Mai, perhaps because a) it’s hard to choose from among the bewildering number of secondhand bookshops, b) it’s hard to find the decent new book shops or c) they’re looking for books in obscure, minority languages like French. Thailand is not like Vietnam or Cambodia, … read the full post

Although Chiang Mai’s Saturday Walking Street Market started up around the same period as the Sunday one, for some reason it’s never really caught on in the same way. The Sunday one down Ratchadamnoen Rd is laid out right through the centre of the old town, within spitting distance of most hotels and guesthouses and connecting … read the full post