👉Download the ULTIMATE Chiang Mai Map (For FREE!)
👉Work with me to plan an EPIC Thailand Adventure
I’ve travelled to Chiang Mai many times over the last 10 years and made plenty of travel mistakes during that time. In this video I’ll show the 16 things that I wish I knew sooner. Including where to stay, what to do, the best day trips, where to eat, as well as the dark side of tourism that you need to AVOID
source
👉Download the ULTIMATE Chiang Mai Map (For FREE!)
https://thailandtravelplanners.com/chiang-mai-map-form/?video=UbDnAZRDtAk
👉Work with me to plan an EPIC Thailand Adventure
https://thailandtravelplanners.com/?video=UbDnAZRDtAk
Just one big tourist trap. Nothing seems authentic here. The Covid 19 opened your eyes to reality, truly seeing these places for what they are, when there were no "FOREIGN" tourists.
8:25 Me, in Chiang Mai in February 🥲
Hi Jack,
I was planning to visit Chong Mai in February with my family
My son has asthma and only after watching your video I found out that it would be dangerous for him to go there
Thanks a lot!!!!
You saved a life
So why did you go back if you thought it was shit????
Cheaper in changrai or changmai?
please avoid promoting animal tourism.
Many of these activities are directly linked to the mistreatment and exploitation of other living beings.
Choosing ethical and responsible tourism helps protect animals and respects their natural freedom
Can Chiang Mai be done in mid/late feb or does it get too bad with the burning season? I land in Bangkok 2/2 and was hoping to go north after a couple of nights in Bangkok and then go to laos after Chiang Mai for a week in early March. And then Vietnam after. Hopefully, avoiding the worst of the burning season.
is 3 days hiking around Chiang Mai worth it or is one day trip is enough?
The Karen people do not stretch their necks, it's their shoulders that are pushed down by the rings to give the impression of an elongated neck which they find attractive.
We find your videos super helpful to prepare us for our trip to Thailand next year with our 1-year-old daughter! We were thinking of visiting Chiang Mai in the first days of March… glad you shared that information about the air pollution. We were really looking forward to Chiang Mai, but maybe it’s better for our little daughter if we go to Kanchanaburi instead?
If you are looking for an absolutely first class Khao Soi in Bangkok, go to Pak Bakery and you find a supergood selfmade Khao Soi. My Khao Soi place when I have to stay in Bangkok for any reason.
Agree on the Karen villages, absolute tourist trap, felt like a zoo where they were essentially there to sell souvenirs, most of them still wrapped in plastic so nothing authentic. Visited Chiang Rai and the white, blue and red temples felt very "Disney" like, and were absolutely crowded by van loads of tourists, I didn't really enjoy them. I much preferred the old temples in Chiang Mai
why you think elephant riding is an animal cruelty? it seems to me an unnecessary sensitivity. They have immense power. and also their existence mostly depend on their functionality on the eyes of owners in tourism. otherwise how can they afford the food they eat.
i m animal lover i dont ride them, nice vid bro ,, i m from india will soon be visiting thai, for 10 or 15 days
If you don't’ ride the elephant, who will feed the elephant? An elephant can survive for up to 70-80 years and previously they were used massively in timber production.
I want to go as far away from the Thailand tourist meccas… Cities like khonkaen korat
I am never riding elephants again!
Hi. Is it better to rent a car/ bike to explore or is it more worth to book tours?
I dont drink,
But the markets in thailand are awesome i have gone 2 times both 3 weeks and visited markets every other day if not every day its also and the food is delicious
I made a video in chiang mai too! Beautiful Chiang Mai, Thailand (capybara included)
https://youtu.be/Do5Iv-khcVQ
I love night markets, but hate bars. So where would the best part of Chiang Mai be for me to stay?
Stayed out of Old Town is the advice then quickly advised to stay near Tha Phae Gate which is the most popular spot in Old Town area lol. This comes from someone that lives in Chiang Mai. Stay anywhere west of Ping River and most everything is in a walkable distance.
finally a truly helpful video. Packed with thoughtful insights. Thanks a ton
Unless things have changed a lot recently, I was very happy to stay in the western part of the old town, and yes, there was a night market. The night bazar area looked very dirty and noisy. And anyways, buses and taxi are cheap, so it ils not a big deal. And girafe women are not a tourist trap, at least not the one near Mae Hong Son. I visited them with a Karen guide (same ethnic group). They told us they like visitors but they appreciate that we buy things from them as the village next to them exploited them and they do get money from the entry fees. We had fun with them, played darts and played guitar. I got traditional make up. One woman mentioned she was very happy to be a musician as opposed to working on a field. You can visit them. All you need to do is to have a good guide from the same ethnic group and make sure that some money go to them. I hesitated to visit them for ethical reasons, but it was ultimately a memorable and very happy and joyful experience. I was much more concerned about Akka people exploiting their own children at the Chiang Mai Sunday night market.
with the Karen tribes…they are refugees from Burma and don't have work permit. Their main source of income is therefore small business sellling to torists. So whilst it may feel like a tourist trap, unless it's a total scam, you help them make a living
Thank you for all your helpful information!!!, I wanted to ask you because I'm going to be planning a vacation that involves the north and south of the country… basically exploring Chiang Mai and the surrounding areas for a few days and then heading down south, stopping at Khao Sok National Park and then down to some of the islands (specifically the Phi Phi islands and Koh Kood.) In trying to avoid burning season up north but also wanting the best possible weather with minimal rain in the islands, what would be my best window of time to travel? In doing research, it kinda looks like November and December, but the holidays are difficult for me to travel. What are your thoughts on mid to late April?? Thank you for your time!!
Which overnight hike tour would you recommend? THank you for the amazing video!
The Burning Season is really January through April
Have you heard of Wat Sukhavati in the mountains near Chiang Mai?
It’s one of the most mystical places I’ve ever been to – completely quiet, often no one else around except the monk.
There’s free accommodation, a simple kitchen, and the atmosphere is just magical – especially in the early morning mist.
Definitely a hidden gem that deserves to be on lists like this!
The long neck tribes were not living there for centuries. They are from Burma and were attacked and brutally attacked from the locals, so Thailand let them move in. Unfortunately they lost their villages and live in a community. This is how they make money. I felt a bit strange at first two, but through a translator I was told they are very happy doing this. The rings are a sign of beauty and they like it. Today some children are abandoning the rings and some are not. If they have rings they can’t go to schools which are given by the Thai government because they get picked on. It was very interesting.
To add to the taxi / van tip: there is an inexpensive, modern, air conditioned bus from the airport to the old city, Nimman and the East (3 lines actually) that runs every 20 mins or so.