Chiang Mai travel blog
Stories, tips and honest takes for every kind of Chiang Mai traveller — first-timers, couples, families, foodies and day-trippers chasing the mountain roads to Pai
What it's actually like to release a lantern at Yi Peng
A first-person account of attending Yi Peng in Chiang Mai: the ticketed mass release, the free alternatives, and the moment the sky actually fills up.
Why we keep coming back to Chiang Mai
Three trips in, we've stopped trying to see everything and started noticing why this city keeps pulling us back.
The cooking class that finally taught us how khao soi actually works
A first-person story of learning to make khao soi in a Chiang Mai cooking class, from the market stall to the curry paste to the crispy noodle topping.
Was the Chiang Rai day trip actually worth it? Our honest verdict
We did the long day-trip drive to Chiang Rai's temples. Here's the honest verdict on the bus time, the crowds, and whether it's worth a full day.
Is 3 days enough in Chiang Mai? Our honest take
We tested a compressed 3-day Chiang Mai itinerary against our usual week-long pace. Here's what worked, what we cut, and our honest verdict.
Chiang Mai in rainy season: our honest verdict after a full month
We spent a full rainy season month in Chiang Mai. Here's the unfiltered take on the daily downpours, the empty temples, and the waterfalls worth it.
A Chiang Mai coffee crawl: the cafés worth your time
Our honest coffee crawl through Chiang Mai's Nimman and Old City café scenes, plus a trip to the mountain village where some of it's grown.
Our favorite temples in Chiang Mai, ranked by what actually stayed with us
After visiting more than a dozen wats across Chiang Mai, here are the five temples that actually stayed with us, ranked and explained honestly.
The best time to experience Chiang Mai, honestly ranked
An opinionated, honestly ranked take on the best months to experience Chiang Mai, weighing air quality, festivals, crowds and rain against each other.
Where we stayed in Chiang Mai: a neighborhood review
We tried three Chiang Mai neighborhoods across two trips. Here's an honest comparison of Old City, Nimman, and the riverside area.
Slow mornings in Nimman: a Chiang Mai atmosphere piece
An atmosphere piece on the specific texture of a slow morning in Chiang Mai's Nimmanhaemin district, from the first coffee shop opening to the midday heat.
Driving the Mae Hong Son loop: our road trip diary
Four days, 600-plus curves, and a lot of misty mountain roads — our honest account of driving the Mae Hong Son loop from Chiang Mai.
Chiang Mai food we loved: a personal shortlist
A foodie listicle of the specific Chiang Mai dishes, stalls and markets we genuinely loved, with real prices and honest notes on what to skip.
A day at the Sunday Walking Street, start to finish
An hour-by-hour account of Chiang Mai's Sunday Walking Street: the early calm, the crushing peak crowd, and the stalls actually worth stopping for.
Chiang Mai with kids: our family diary
A day-by-day account of what actually worked (and what didn't) traveling Chiang Mai with two kids under ten.
Chiang Mai on a budget: what it actually costs
Real numbers from a genuinely frugal week in Chiang Mai, covering accommodation, food, transport and activities in both THB and USD.
Why Chiang Mai became a digital nomad hub, and whether it still works
An analysis of why Chiang Mai became a leading digital nomad hub and an honest look at whether the cost, wifi and visa realities still hold up in 2026.
Songkran in Chiang Mai: what it's really like once you're soaked
An honest first-person account of Thai New Year in Chiang Mai's Old City moat: the water fights, the heat, the exhaustion, and why it's still worth it.
A day out at the Sticky Waterfalls
What actually happens when you spend a day climbing Bua Thong's Sticky Waterfalls near Chiang Mai — the good, the slippery, the surprising.
Chiang Mai first impressions: what actually surprised us
An arrival story covering what actually surprised us landing in Chiang Mai for the first time, from the airport transfer to the first night bazaar walk.
The best viewpoints we found around Chiang Mai
Our honest ranking of the viewpoints around Chiang Mai actually worth the trip, from Mon Cham's ridgeline to a rooftop bar in Nimman.
Burning season in Chiang Mai: the truth nobody puts in the brochure
The unfiltered reality of visiting Chiang Mai during burning season: the haze, the AQI numbers, the mask-wearing, and whether to reschedule your trip.
A 10-day northern Thailand trip report, day by day
A day-by-day trip report covering 10 days across Chiang Mai, the mountains, Pai and Chiang Rai, with real costs, timings and a few honest regrets.
Chiang Mai mistakes we made (so you don't have to)
The bookings we regretted, the scooter decision we shouldn't have made, and other honest mistakes from our own Chiang Mai trip.
How we chose an ethical elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai
The research, red flags, and questions that led us to a specific ethical elephant sanctuary near Chiang Mai, and why we ruled out several others.
Pai motorbike loop diary: 762 curves, one bad decision, no regrets
A first-person account of riding the Chiang Mai to Pai route by motorbike: the curves, the fuel stops, the one moment we nearly turned back.
Chiang Mai or the capital first? Our honest opinion
An opinionated take on whether to start a first Thailand trip in the north or the capital, based on jet lag, pace, and what each city actually offers.
Doi Inthanon at sunrise: is the 3am wake-up actually worth it
We did the pre-dawn drive up Thailand's highest peak so you don't have to guess. Here's the honest verdict on the cold, the crowds, and the view.
Things that surprised us in Chiang Mai
From burning-season haze to shockingly good coffee, here's what actually caught us off guard on our first proper trip to Chiang Mai.
Is Chiang Mai worth visiting in 2026? An honest verdict
A candid verdict on whether Chiang Mai still lives up to the hype in 2026, including who it suits, who should skip it, and what to plan around.