The Charms of Laid-Back and Artsy Chiang Mai

Feeling relaxed and ready to plunge back into urban life after our beach week, Matt, Nate, and I boarded a two-hour evening flight to Chiang Mai, the largest city in northern Thailand. With a metro-area population of about 1 million people, Chiang Mai’s city center or “old city” is the shape of a perfect square with crumbling brick walls and a peaceful moat outlining its four-mile perimeter. Chiang Mai is oft-reputed as a wonderful destination for backpackers seeking a city that is more laid-back and hospitable than crazy, cosmopolitan Bangkok. Many of our well-traveled friends had hyped up the northern destination so we were very excited to explore the old city’s labyrinth of winding streets and alleyways lined with temples, coffee shops, restaurants, art galleries, bars, murals, and hostels. We had a very enjoyable three-day visit!

For one, our accommodations at the Siriwan Hostel were so memorable and conveniently located near the north gate in the old city. Though our room was modest and we shared a bathroom with other travelers, the defining feature of the guesthouse was its beautiful, sweet-smelling, colorful garden patio. We spent many hours lounging in a fan-equipped gazebo surrounded by flowers and sipping sweetened iced coffee. The staff were so kind and cheerful, helping us arrange onward transport and constantly watering the outdoor space with care.

Matt relaxing in our hostel garden.

A significant issue in Chiang Mai, however, was the air pollution. We didn’t know until we arrived, but the city’s air quality is one of the poorest-ranked in the world. Countless locals and tourists were wearing face masks, and we felt a bit sick and lightheaded after walking around all day. Unfortunately our view from atop a nearby mountain was completely obscured by a thick layer of smog. It almost felt more dire than the situation in many Indian cities we visited earlier in our backpacking trip. The air pollution compounded with the intense heat (high 90s!) made us very tired in the afternoons, and we took more intentional rest breaks in Chiang Mai than other places we had visited in Thailand.

Our first day in town we meandered around the old city, visiting a few of the dozens of Buddhist temples dotting the Chiang Mai map. Stops included Wat Pra Singh, built in 1345 and the most-visited temple in old Chiang Mai because of its gold adornments and impressive architecture, as well as Wat Phan Tao, distinguished by its large prayer hall made of teak wood. We also toured the Lanna Folklife Museum which was highly recommended in our guidebook. Housed in the Thai-colonial-style former Provincial Court, this museum provided a basic survey of northern Thai village life and the arts, describing the history and presenting artifacts related to religion, clothing, artwork, dance, pottery, and architecture. Compared to many of the museums we have visited on our backpacking trip, the Lanna Folklife Museum was beautifully-curated and very thorough—it felt almost like a large exhibit from the renowned Smithsonian Institution! We browsed a few souvenir shops, ate lunch at a Thai restaurant called Dash, and Nate tried his first coconut (a disappointing experience for him). Feeling tired and hot, we retired to our hostel for the afternoon.

Chiang Mai's most popular temple, Wat Pra Singh.

Inside Wat Phan Tao, made of teak wood.

Inside the Lanna Folklife Museum.

Three Kings Monument across the street from the Lanna Folklife Museum.

Nate drinking from his first coconut. Not as delicious as he expected!

Chiang Mai comes alive in the evening, when the sun has set and the temperatures become more bearable for spending time outdoors. For dinner we perused Chang Phuak—the night market near the city’s northern wall which featured dozens of street food carts selling meat kabobs, seafood platters, noodle dishes, fruit shakes, and more. Matt especially enjoyed fried spring rolls filled with banana and topped with powdered sugar and chocolate sauce. Nate sampled many of the meat skewers, and I ate noodles, a fried radish salad, and my favorite—mango and sticky rice. The experience was very fun and adventurous, as hundreds of patrons were roaming the night market trying different foods. It was fun to watch the chefs cooking up all these Thai dishes before our eyes! Luckily none of us were sick afterwards, as street food is somewhat notorious for causing stomach issues. We wrapped up the evening at a very cool open-air music club called North Gate Jazz Co-op, where a jazz band of young Thai men were jamming as many locals and tourists sipped beers and sat on low stools both inside the venue and on the sidewalk outside. It was a fantastic night!

Matt adorning his banana spring rolls with chocolate sauce.

Nate contemplating which Thai snack to purchase.

Thai jazz band playing at North Gate Jazz Co-op.

The next day we slept later than anticipated, still feeling groggy from our full days in the heat. Regardless, we were committed to venturing beyond the walls of Chiang Mai’s old city as many of the key to-do’s in the area lie on the outskirts of town. Our first destination was Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a Buddhist temple located about nine miles from Chiang Mai at the top of a mountain. A revered religious site, Doi Suthep is accessible via red pickup trucks that shuttle tourists to and from the old city. We piled into one of these shuttles with seven other travelers and made our way to Doi Suthep, climbing the steep hill (we actually went the wrong way and entered through the back of the temple), and wandering around the facility for about an hour. The temple was founded in 1383 its complex houses many smaller shrines featuring different depictions of Buddha. Another impressive feature of the temple are the dragon statues that line the staircase ascending up the mountain. When the air is clear, views from the temple are said to be stunning, but we weren’t able to see very far because of the pollution.

The golden pagoda inside Doi Suthep.

Dragon guarding Doi Suthep. You can see the dragon's body runs all the way up the staircase!

Wooden Buddha with gold accents at Doi Suthep.

We walked through dozens of souvenir shops near Doi Suthep (all selling the same stuff!) before deciding to proceed to the Bhubing Palace. We debated visiting the Palace as it is located even farther from Chiang Mai and we had to take another shuttle. Despite this inconvenience, I made the executive decision that we would do it, and I am glad we did! The Bhubing Palace was built in 1961 as the royal Thai residence during the family’s stays in Chiang Mai. When the family is not in town, visitors are welcome to explore the sprawling, well-maintained gardens. We followed signs directing us throughout the facility, past various state buildings, fountains, rose gardens, fern gardens, and a reservoir. The experience was very pleasant albeit hot, and we negotiated with our driver to stay outside while we toured the palace so we could jump back in his truck and return to the old city immediately afterwards. We wrapped up the evening at a hole-in-the-wall yet positively-reviewed Thai restaurant called Lert Ros. I ordered an entire grilled tilapia for myself, and it was so tasty! I dipped the fish in a spicy green sauce and a soy sauce, and avoided looking at the fish’s face throughout our meal.

Gardens at the Bhubing Palace.

Matt and Nate had to rent pants to visit the Bhubing Palace. No short allowed!

My tilapia meal at Lert Ros.

The next morning I went on a long run, which in retrospect was probably a foolish decision given the air quality. I’ve had limited access to decent running paths on our trip, and Chiang Mai has a perfect four-mile sidewalk rounding the old city’s perimeter. I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to get in some exercise. Nate and I accompanied Matt as he got his beard shaved off at a barber shop, which was a fun and goofy experience. Midday we parted ways with Nate as he caught a flight to Bangkok to begin his journey back to the US. It was bittersweet! Matt and I boarded a shuttle bus towards our next destination: the hippie, backpacker-oriented town of Pai. We enjoyed the charms of Chiang Mai: its tasty food, colorful outdoor art, windy old city streets, and funky shops. We’ll find ourselves back there for one more night at the end of our Thailand trip! Already looking forward to it.

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