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When you seek for the most well-liked digital nomad places, Chiang Mai is certain to seem on that checklist. When you don’t need to be immediately hooked, don’t look any additional—that is one place so intoxicating that you simply’ll be planning your journey directly. There are numerous professionals of dwelling in Chiang Mai; it’s no surprise that so many distant employees and vacationers alike flock there 12 months after 12 months.
Having spent a number of months dwelling in Chiang Mai myself, I might love to return, and I completely will sooner or later. It’s a sociable place, in style with numerous different distant employees and pleasant locals. The professionals of dwelling in Chiang Mai far outweigh the negatives for my part, nevertheless it’s necessary to learn about each side of the coin to make your personal knowledgeable choice earlier than taking the plunge.
15 Professionals and Cons of Residing in Chiang Mai
For me, Chiang Mai is the jewel in Thailand’s crown. Sure, Thailand is a giant nation with wonderful seashores, like Koh Samui and Phuket, and the vibrancy of Bangkok is unbeaten, however there’s nothing fairly like on a regular basis life within the northern metropolis of Chiang Mai. It has its challenges, in addition to its main benefits, and having skilled most that Chiang Mai has to supply, I really feel fairly well-informed that will help you out.
Professionals of Residing in Chiang Mai
As a result of I prefer to deal with positivity earlier than anything, let’s begin with the benefits of dwelling in Chiang Mai. By the top of this checklist, you’ll in all probability have one foot on the aircraft and be planning your first few days within the metropolis.
1. A Nice Place to Meet Different Digital Nomads
For sure, one of many greatest professionals of dwelling in Chiang Mai is simply how straightforward it’s to fulfill different distant employees. In 2023, an enormous 3.9 million individuals handed by way of the doorways of Chiang Mai airport, with an honest proportion of these certain to be digital nomads. Regardless of whenever you go to, you’re assured to fulfill loads of different like-minded individuals, which is able to make your keep a lot extra pleasing.
I’ll speak about coworking areas shortly, however most have common social evenings, with a deal with bringing individuals collectively—the identical goes for hostels across the metropolis. It’s really easy to mingle in Chiang Mai, and I met many new mates whom I nonetheless keep up a correspondence with at the moment. Town presents many nice alternatives to collaborate, but when socializing is all you take note of, you actually gained’t wrestle to discover a new buddy or two.
2. Price-Effectiveness
Chiang Mai is a fairly cost-effective place to remain over the long run. For instance, you possibly can normally discover an condo within the metropolis middle and even stylish Nimman, for round 7800-14,000 THB ($220-$390) with utilities on high. If you’ll find a coliving area or just share with one other distant employee, you’ll save much more on lodging.
It’s low-cost to eat out too, so long as you follow native meals; if you would like Western-style meals then you possibly can anticipate to pay extra. Certainly one of my favourite locations was the Chiang Mai Evening Bazaar, the place it’s doable to fill your self with avenue meals for a really small amount of money. Even espresso outlets are low-cost—you’ll find a cappuccino for round 55THB ($1.50), and these are nice locations to work from too.
3. Security
Once you’re trying on the professionals and cons of dwelling in Chiang Mai, you’ll little question need to learn about security to start with. I can hand on coronary heart say that I by no means felt unsafe for even a second throughout my keep, whilst a solo feminine traveler. In truth, a 2023 report said that Chiang Mai is the most secure metropolis to go to in Southeast Asia general.
After all, like some other metropolis on the planet, you shouldn’t take undue dangers, and customary sense ought to at all times be practiced. General, nevertheless, Chiang Mai is taken into account a secure metropolis to go to when it comes to low crime charges; supplying you with peace of thoughts when seeing the sights and going about your day by day enterprise. Regardless of this, site visitors is a completely separate topic which I’ll speak about later.
4. Nice Web High quality & Coworking Areas
One other of the highest benefits of dwelling in Chiang Mai is the variety of coworking areas and the standard of web obtainable. In response to Speedtest, the typical add and obtain speeds in Chiang Mai are 169.21 and 198.03 Mbps respectively. I by no means struggled with the web connection as soon as, together with video calls and lengthy durations on-line.
There are some incredible coworking areas across the metropolis too—Yellow Coworking House is considered one of my high suggestions, however you’ll discover many dotted round. There are some low-cost choices to select from, reminiscent of HeartWork, a coworking cafe that prices a low payment for the usage of their web for a number of hours. Once more, these are nice locations to fulfill individuals, community, and recharge on inspiration.
5. Pleasant Locals
You’ll discover a number of the friendliest individuals on the planet in Chiang Mai and loads of locals who need to let you know about their traditions and customs. Whereas it may be difficult with the language barrier generally, it’s not one thing you possibly can’t overcome. I had many conversations with espresso store and meals stall house owners and even made some native mates.
Locals in Chiang Mai are very accustomed to worldwide guests, and I by no means felt something apart from completely welcome. So long as you do your finest to immerse your self within the conventional methods, you’ll meet individuals from all walks of life. After all, you possibly can assist your self a little bit by studying a number of phrases within the native language.
6. Excessive-High quality Healthcare
One of many greatest advantages of dwelling in Chiang Mai is the accessible, high-quality, and inexpensive healthcare. This needs to be one thing you concentrate on irrespective of the place on the planet you’re. In Chiang Mai, you’ll discover private and non-private hospitals, each of that are inexpensive in comparison with different nations.
I needed to go to Ram Hospital in Chiang Mai after tripping and injuring my arm. I anticipated it to be a sophisticated course of, nevertheless it was fortunately tremendous straightforward, and there have been English-speaking employees. After all, ensure you have good medical health insurance, and also you gained’t have any issues if a health-related situation occurs to come up.
7. A lot to See and Do
There are such a lot of issues to see and do in Chiang Mai throughout your day without work. I puzzled what I might do in my spare time as the town doesn’t have a seashore, however I shouldn’t have even questioned it—I used to be by no means bored for a second. I liked strolling across the night time markets, and there are a number of: the Sunday Strolling Market is vibrant and enjoyable and is at all times a very good possibility.
A day journey to Inthanon Nationwide Park is a must-do in addition to a tour across the temples within the metropolis, reminiscent of Wat Umong. I additionally suggest a day journey to Sticky Waterfall, which is a superb approach to beat the warmth. When you’re a nature lover, there are some nice mountaineering trails round, together with Huai Cho Reservoir Loop, which I actually loved.
8. Fantastic Climate
Heat climate is undoubtedly one of many professionals of dwelling in Chiang Mai. Throughout the 12 months, the common temperature not often dips beneath 22°C/71°F. August is the rainiest month, with the wet season stretching between Could and October. Throughout this time, there are lots of heavy showers, however they’re usually short-lived, and the climate sometimes clears up in a short time.
April and Could are the most well liked months, with common highs of 30°C/86°F, and fortunately, most locations have air con and loads of followers! Through the wet season, it could possibly grow to be a little bit humid, however I didn’t really feel it was too overwhelming. Waking as much as the solar most days is certainly a plus and one of many main pulls towards Chiang Mai.
9. A Cultural Place to Discover
The factor I preferred most about Chiang Mai is that though it’s very easy to seek out residence comforts, it’s a very cultural place with a distinct lifestyle. Simply strolling down the streets and seeing the fantastically adorned temples and tuk-tuks passing by reveals you that you simply’re in nearly one other world. I’ve already talked about the night time markets, however these are an exquisite approach to simply immerse your self within the tradition.
Absorbing the native tradition is a good thought, and by doing this, you’ll recognize your time in Thailand far more. Thai tradition is wealthy and simple to find out about; native individuals will fortunately present you their traditions so long as you present respect always. I don’t assume I’ve skilled tradition in some other nation as a lot as I did right here, and it’s considered one of many the reason why I need to return.
10. Superb Meals
One of many main advantages of dwelling in Chiang Mai is the meals, for sure. It’s very straightforward to strive native delicacies, and the native markets are an ideal place to start out. Thai avenue meals is scrumptious and extremely low-cost, serving to you to maintain money in your pocket. I developed a severe love of Pad Thai in Chiang Mai and I turned far more adventurous with attempting new issues.
Khao Neow Ma Muang, or sticky rice and mango, is considered one of my favourite dishes and it’s really easy to seek out from avenue distributors. Thai meals can be actually wholesome and made with the freshest produce. I took a cookery class, and I discovered a lot about native delicacies; I’d extremely suggest it if you wish to throw your self into native life and check out one thing new.
Cons of Residing in Chiang Mai
Nowhere on the planet is 100% good, and there are some cons of dwelling in Chiang Mai you want to pay attention to. They’re not main deal breakers, no less than not for me, however they’re issues that would have an effect on your keep when you’re not clued up beforehand.
1. Visas Can Be Tough to Get
One of many greatest disadvantages of dwelling in Chiang Mai is that getting a visa over the long run could be a problem. It’s not at all unattainable, however the necessities are a lot stricter than they was and there’s numerous paperwork concerned. Rules change usually so it’s necessary to double-check earlier than you intend to journey to keep away from discovering your self in a difficult state of affairs.
General, most individuals can go to Thailand for 60 days on a vacationer visa, however this varies in keeping with nationality so, once more, double-check. You’ll be able to then apply to increase this for an additional 30 days when you select to. To assist make your particular state of affairs a little bit simpler to grasp, you possibly can enter your passport particulars into this website and discover out what your choices are.
2. Attainable Language Barrier
When you’ll discover English audio system round vacationer websites and in coworking areas, when you enterprise away from these areas you’ll possible expertise a slight barrier. I by no means bumped into too many issues, however I did have to make use of Google Translate a number of occasions, which might be irritating, particularly when you’re looking for necessary data otherwise you need assistance.
I made a decision to view this as an ideal excuse to study a number of phrases of Thai. You don’t have to be fluent to get by, however the fundamentals will serve you nicely when you enterprise into rural areas otherwise you meet somebody who doesn’t communicate nice English. I discovered that talking even just some phrases made individuals need to assist me study much more, they usually appeared to understand my makes an attempt, irrespective of how unhealthy!
3. Burning Season
For me, one of many greatest downsides of dwelling in Chiang Mai is the burning season. In truth, many individuals both keep away from the world throughout this time or depart and return as soon as it’s over. Burning season occurs between January and April throughout a lot of northern Thailand, when farmers burn their fields to prepare for the following rising season and harvest.
Throughout this time, air high quality is fairly poor, and it could possibly make even strolling round pretty tough. Some years are higher than others, however there’s a basic haze over the whole metropolis between these months it doesn’t matter what. When you’re somebody who suffers from respiratory points, reminiscent of bronchial asthma, you may need to keep away from these months and go to when it’s over.
4. Site visitors
It’s no shock that in 2019, Chiang Mai ranked as primary on the checklist of most harmful locations to drive in Thailand; It even beat Bangkok, which is kind of shocking when you’ve ever been to the capital. One of many cons of dwelling in Chiang Mai is attempting to navigate site visitors, and when you select to drive, you’ll have to be very cautious certainly. Even strolling might be perilous as there are only a few respectable sidewalks.
Chiang Mai’s roads are famously congested, and many individuals driving scooters weave out and in of the site visitors or drive at excessive velocity. Personally, I most popular to get round through public transport, and I by no means discovered it tough to make use of; it actually works out cheaper than gasoline and offers a extra genuine expertise. I used the songthaew very often and I even made some mates on there.
5. Twin Pricing
Many individuals see this as one of many downsides to dwelling in Chiang Mai, however I personally don’t thoughts it an excessive amount of and may perceive why it occurs. Twin pricing signifies that as a foreigner, you’ll be charged extra for some sights than an area particular person, and generally the distinction might be fairly vital. I’ve seen twin pricing in lots of different nations, however not as clearly as I skilled in Thailand.
It’s annoying, however what you must bear in mind is that native wages are significantly lower than what most foreigners obtain and these costs mirror that. The excellent news is that this solely occurs on admission charges and also you gained’t see it on markets, public transport, or common day by day purchases. It’s one of many stuff you merely have to just accept, nevertheless it’s a draw back all the identical.
Is Residing in Chiang Mai Price It?
Like anyplace else on the planet, there are professionals and cons of dwelling in Chiang Mai. It’s obviously apparent that my checklist has way more professionals than cons, and that’s not an accident. Your complete expertise of dwelling in Chiang Mai was constructive sufficient for me to see these downsides as small annoyances slightly than large deal-breakers, except the visa situation.
As one of the crucial in style locations for digital nomads, Chiang Mai has one thing for everybody and delivers all of it with a cultural and genuine vibe. Generally it’s frenetic and loud, different occasions it’s peaceable and chilled out—the whole metropolis is a contradiction in all the perfect methods doable. It’s additionally the primary place to fulfill different individuals, a few of whom might find yourself your finest mates for all times.
I can’t wait to return; when are you going?
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