Chiang Mai, Thailand, was just voted the “#1 City in Asia” to visit in 2025 by Travel & Leisure Magazine, one of the travel industry’s most respected magazines. There is much to agree about: the great food, low prices for food and lodging, the street markets, waterfalls, great hiking, elephant sanctuaries, friendly people and a very low crime rate.
But we want to be fair and also tell you about some of the negative things about our city, like the burning season (aka smokey season) and the rainy season. The good news is, you can avoid both, if you know about them in advance. Join me (Randy), a California expat, and my wife, Joy, a native of Chiang Mai, as we show you all about our home city of Chiang Mai.
π΄ SUBSCRIBE AND RING THE NOTIFICATION BELL π: https://www.youtube.com/@RetiredGlobalLife?sub_confirmation=1
π΄ Some of our other videos touched upon in this video you might want to check out:
-The Best Boutique Hotels in Chiang Mai: https://youtu.be/uVFdAZDkeNA
-Your First Hour in Chiang Mai (airport details): https://youtu.be/hA-LodP74-E
-The Real Cost to Live in Chiang Mai: https://youtu.be/_I56pgxJ-b4
-My First Thai Condo: https://youtu.be/tbV5n8n2QZc
-Why We Leave (and some give up a life in Thailand): https://youtu.be/KPf7FPL5MD4
π΄ CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
01:19 The top 15 Countries in Asia
01:40 The criteria in votiing
01:56 Temples
06:07 Close to nature
07:18 Great food
08:24 Street markets
10:48 Friendliness
12:21 Value
13:43 The burning season and floods
16:32 Conclusion
#chiangmai #chiangmaithailand #thailand
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Burning season is nail in coffin for northern Thailand. Canβt do it. No way.
Thanks for the great video!
I love the rainy season. Everything is so green , the air is clean ,the skys are dramatic , and the sunsets spectacular. If you enjoy photography , it is probably the best time to visit.
I am seriously considering retiring early in Southeast Asia and thanks to your videos Thailand is a very real possibility. However I was curious if that atmosphere is still what it was years ago. Warm, welcoming and inviting. Have the locals grown tired of Expats in their country as other places? What's your take on that?
I have been living in the Philippines with my Filipina wife for 9 years now. I just found your channel and subscribed. The medical system here is really lacking, and i am thinking of going to Thailand for a full checkup. We visited Bangkok 5 months ago and loved it there. Im watching some of your older videos. Has much changed there in the last year in the medical system ?
β€πππ₯³ππ―π€© Bangkok πΉπ
I think Chiang Mai is really a great place. Hopefully donβt happens like to Bali. The over tourism is killing the island. Hopefully the Thai authorities will handle better as the Balinese authorities ..
Randy, are you in SD or back in Thailand? I live in SD and seriously retiring in Thailand. Would love to meet up for lunch/breakfast and get your insights and thoughts. I know you are a busy guy so no worries if your calendar doesn't permit it. Cheers.
PS. I'm a subscriber and have watched many but not all of your videos. Love your channel!
I wanted to apologize to both for my insensitive comment. You make great informative videos free of charge. Basically you are trying to help American men have better lives. Your videos are informative and helpful and thank you!
Please put some gold on your girl. She looks poor and lowborn. She may not admit it, but suprise her and you will be surprised how much she likes it. A big necklace!!
Part of the business of magazines is to make lists of top this and that where those on the list pay for being on the list (often indirect payments via buying ads, etc.). In Asia, the corruption is so bad that direct payments are made. Given that CM has collapsed and not recovered since COVID, I'm confident officials "influenced" the magazine. CM isn't even top 20.
Very much enjoy your content. I have moved to CM last May on the permanent basis. Love it !
I was in Chiang Maiii and Pai during burning season 2024. North of Pai some days were quite smokey, other days were crystal clear. Loved it so much that my wife and i went back to Chiang Mai for 10 days. Great spot. No its lousy: stay away.π
Great to see your happy faces,not seen you for a while and I have 15 weeks to work until my retirement to Chiang mai,I really enjoyed the monks trail too and also an amazing temple in Doi Saket
I was planning on Thailand for my retirement, but unfortunately the visa situation is not very welcoming.
Cambodia has a superior visa system for retirees. Too bad, maybe someday Thailand will change.
I'm coming to visit this December and have have picked up many good tips from your older videos. I was happily surprised to see this new one today. Your love and enthusiasm for Chiang Mai is infectious and it had a lot to do with where I decided to visit this year. Little did I know in June that I'd be going to the #1 City in Asia.
Randy and Joy – it's great to see you posting again! This video is a good, balanced, summary of what Chiangmai has to offer – well done.
Khao Soi is my favorite dish in the world! I found one restaurant in my city in Caifornia that makes it, but it can't compare with Chiang Mai's. When I was there for 2 months in 2022, I tasted as many khao sois as possible and ranked them. My favorite was Khao Soi Maesai, but I had a dozen really excellent ones! π€€
I've been living here in Chiang Mai for just over a year now. I have also experienced the locals in Chiang Mai much more friendly with tourists, but I have a different theory. Tourists here in Chiang Mai aren't here for the partying and such like other areas, and are here more for the culture, sights and food, so the "bad actors" are few and far in between.
Number seven in the list is a city that doesnβt exist. Is this is AI ?
Hope all is ok with you two ? Long time no see, good video on CM ππ
Mountain coffee among many places
Thank you , great couple ! Enjoy …
Randy, any issues with the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia?
Thanks for the great information.
Another great video, thank you Randy and Joy π Loved my trip to Chiang Mai back in April.
How is the current conflict with Cambodia affecting you in Chiang Mai?
You may want to edit the list. Upud Bali should read Ubud Bali
We spent the month of May in Old City and fell in love. I agree with this video but I would also add Silver Temple to the sights to see. We were right near the complex with the gold buildings and walking through it all was just humbling. Gorgeous. Chiang Mai is to Thailand what Kyoto is to Japan (it's the City of Shrines). I don't think I will ever beat the experience of taking a back alley back to the hotel from a park and WOW! Another temple down that alley, and it might be 500+ yrs old! Unreal. What an amazing experience! And the people of the Old City – I can't say enough about how wonderful and kind everyone was. Just an incredible month for us. We are already planning to return and when we do, we will return to the Old City.
If i was involved in this vote i would also put your city up there with one of the best, in my opinion. Visited twice and will definitely be back again. Thanks for the video π
Info on Golfing in Chiang Mai please!
Nice to see the happy married couple again. Randy, do you spend six months of the year in the USA for work or because of the tax laws? Cheersπ
We just moved here 3 weeks ago! Already rented a house and bought a motorcycle. π
I love the rainy season so far, hope I don't feel differently later. Everything is so green and lush, and smells heavenly. The tropics are just fine for this Midwestern gal from Michigan! π΄π΄π΄
Welcome back Joy and Randy, unofficial agents of the TAT! π One more thing to add to your list, Chiang Mai is known as the City of Artisans.
Today we're going to visit the Lanna Expo which exhibits everything unique to this pearl of the North.
Nice tip's like always π merci beaucoup ! π
You are a lovely couple thx for sharing, all the best to you guys. πππππ
My Thai wife and I finally got NVC after 18 months to hear our case for the Spousal Visa. Soon hopefully my wife will get her interview and then we will know if one day she can come to America with a Green card. That way we can spend time together in both countries, Thailand and America. We have been in Chiang Mai during April, and we would like to travel there again at another time, when it is not so smoky or so hot. Glad to see both of you again on YouTube,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
not sure they have many African elephants there π