Have you ever dreamed of prolonged journey in Thailand? Our information for lengthy stays in Thailand could have you absorbing the fascinating landscapes of the “Land of Smiles”.
Are Long Stays in Thailand For You?
The low price of dwelling in Thailand makes lengthy stays a sexy journey choice. Depending in your vacation spot and magnificence of journey, lodging and day by day bills could also be far cheaper than the West.
Long Stays in Thailand are an ideal selection for gradual travellers desirous to stretch their journey greenback additional. This mode of journey additionally provides you loads of time to immerse your self in day by day life, discovering native customs and tradition alongside the best way.
Why Chiang Mai?
Over the years we now have had lengthy stays within the cities of Chiang Mai in Thailand, Da Nang in Vietnam, Phnom Penh in Cambodia and Penang in Malaysia.
Of all of the locations we now have visited, Chiang Mai Thailand must be the closest to our coronary heart. In Thailand we lived life at a slower tempo and loved the joys of dwelling inside a special tradition.
Chiang Mai Thailand Overview
The metropolis of Chiang Mai is nestled throughout the lush inexperienced mountains of northern Thailand and is simply over an hour’s flight from Bangkok.
Chiang Mai provides you the very best of each worlds, it’s a large metropolis with a rustic city vibe. Here you’ll be able to get pleasure from the whole lot that town has to supply, vibrant nightlife, espresso tradition and wonderful eating.
You will discover that most of the locals in Chiang Mai converse English making it a user-friendly place for lengthy stays in Thailand. There can also be a thriving digital nomad and expat neighborhood for added assist making it much less of a tradition shock.
The metropolis is framed by spectacular mountain surroundings and is known for its Buddhist temples with Doi Suthep being its crowning glory.
The metropolis can also be the gateway to the treasures of northern Thailand. Visit the White Temple in Chiang Rai or uncover the mountains and villages of rural Thailand with a visit to Pai or Mae Hong Son.
Chiang Mai for Long Stays in Thailand
Chiang Mai is a straightforward choice for anybody wanting to remain in Thailand for a month or longer. It is a contemporary metropolis with a very good infrastructure and a laidback slower paced way of life.
Nothing beats spending time in Chiang Mai to get a greater understanding of a tradition totally different from your personal. I’ll always remember the joy of discovering the quiet fantastic thing about the Buddhist temples, the scent of chili and ginger being cooked into one thing scrumptious and festivals stuffed with gentle and color.
Additionally, Chiang Mai is well-known for its medical and dental tourism the place procedures price a fraction of the worth than they do at residence.
Chiang Mai has superfast and reasonably priced web which is ideal for preserving linked to household and associates at residence. In truth, this characteristic and the affordability of Chiang Mai is why the nation is a agency favorite amongst digital nomads.
Chiang Mai Long Stays in Thailand Information
Chiang Mai is one among our favorite locations for lengthy stays in Thailand. Although Chiang Mai is a big metropolis it’s way more laid-back than the hectic hotspots of Bangkok and Phuket.
Below is a rundown of lengthy keep journey data for Chiang Mai Thailand.
Chiang Mai Cost of Living
The price of dwelling in Chiang Mai will depend upon whether or not you like a luxurious or funds way of life.
Chiang Mai has the whole lot you would need for a 5-star existence, wonderful eating, luxurious lodging and world class purchasing. If that is your type of journey it’s possible you’ll discover a price of dwelling not that a lot totally different from residence.
If you are ready to reside like a neighborhood, Chiang Mai is less expensive than its Western counterparts. Most folks on lengthy stays in Thailand prefer to take the center floor mixing the occasional luxurious expertise with native dwelling.
Chiang Mai Accommodation
The price of lodging will differ relying in your most popular type of lodging, location and the way lengthy you intend to remain in Thailand. Popular Chiang Mai lodging preferences embrace funds to luxurious inns and flats.
Click right here for Chiang Mai lodging choices
Chiang Mai Apartments
For lengthy stays in Thailand, renting a studio or one bed room residence in Chiang Mai is a well-liked selection. Along with a eating desk and sitting space, most flats could have a small range prime and microwave, good for reheating scrumptious market or road meals stall dishes.
Chiang Mai flats might be organized by way of common resort reserving web sites. These will typically embrace utilities corresponding to water, electrical energy and web within the whole value. This is an effective choice for first time guests to Chiang Mai as precisely what you might be paying for earlier than you arrive.
Click right here for Chiang Mai Apartments
Alternatively, you’ll be able to hire an residence by way of an actual property or go to residence blocks independently and negotiate a value in your keep. These costs are normally cheaper than resort reserving web sites, however you will have to pay a safety deposit which is refundable while you go away.
Additional prices will embrace water, electrical energy and generally web, with utilization being calculated every month. Thankfully you’ll discover that these utility costs are fairly affordable. Keep in thoughts that the longer your keep the cheaper your residence value might be.
Best Area to Stay in Chiang Mai
For the primary time customer to Chiang Mai, we might suggest staying within the Old City or close to the Chiang Mai Night Markets on Chang Klan Road. These areas are inside strolling distance to vacationer points of interest corresponding to Wat Chedi Luang Buddhist temple, nightlife and eating places.
Digital Nomads staying longer than a month usually desire to benefit from the espresso tradition of Nimman, an space situated in and round Nimmanhaemin Road.
Chiang Mai Food Scene
Dining in Chiang Mai is an actual deal with as town is known for its wonderful eating scene. Along with delicious Thai dishes town additionally caters to all kinds of Western cuisines.
Chiang Mai has one thing for each funds, from Michelin Guide eating places to market distributors. You will discover one thing for everybody, and you’ll not go hungry throughout lengthy stays in Thailand.
When we first arrived in Chiang Mai, we loved eating out each night time, a life-style we might not have been in a position to afford in our residence nation.
As time handed, we started dwelling life a neighborhood, buying meals from the grocery store meals courtroom, native markets or road meals distributors. This allowed us to reside cheaply with breakfast, lunch and dinner usually costing as little as $5 Australian a day.
As scrumptious as Thai meals is there comes a time while you lengthy for Western meals. During these instances we might dine at small native eating places or spoil ourselves with the occasional wonderful eating expertise.
Chiang Mai Shopping
Chiang Mai is a shopaholics dream. You can store till you drop at one of many hundreds of boutiques and specialty outlets scattered throughout town.
No journey to Chiang Mai can be full with out visiting Warorot Market, a rabbit warren of outlets promoting clothes, non secular objects, contemporary produce and homewares.
If you might be on the lookout for an inexpensive snack or small on a regular basis objects, you’ll discover a 7-Eleven at each flip.
Chiang Mai Shopping Malls
You will discover three giant purchasing malls throughout the inside metropolis of Chiang Mai, they’re MAYA Lifestyle Mall, Central Chiang Mai and Central Chiangmai Airport.
Each have all kinds of worldwide and native model outlets, a Tops or Rimping Supermarket, meals courts, cinemas and leisure areas. Both supermarkets have a variety of contemporary produce and promote a wide range of Western grocery model favourites corresponding to Vegemite.
Chiang Mai Pharmacies
There are chemists all around the metropolis together with Watsons and Boots model pharmacies. You will discover that some medicines might be bought over-the-counter however to be protected it’s advisable to convey your prescription and a provide of present remedy from residence.
Unless you may have an identical complexion to the Thai folks convey additional make-up objects from residence. For instance, I ran out of my deep burgundy colored lipliner and had a tough time discovering any lipliners, not to mention one so darkish.
Chiang Mai Hospitals & Dentists
Hopefully you’ll by no means want it however there might come a time when you should go to a hospital. We have visited Chiang Mai Ram Hospital on a couple of events and have been proud of their care.
Hospital care and procedures will not be free however usually price a fraction of the worth than in some Western nations. This makes Chiang Mai a well-liked place for dentistry and beauty surgical procedures.
Chiang Mai Transport
Most folks visiting Chiang Mai will both take a tuk tuk, negotiate a value for a songthaew (pink bus) or take a Grab Taxi.
Other transport choices embrace taxi, bus or renting a bike or automobile. If you might be renting a bike or automobile understand that Chiang Mai site visitors might be chaotic and you will have bother discovering a carpark. Take particular care inspecting your rent automobile for injury earlier than you allow the lot and take photographs of present injury for those who discover it.
Thailand Visas
Your size of keep in Thailand will depend upon how lengthy you need to keep and the visa entry necessities into Thailand from your house nation.
For Australians there’s a 30-day visa exemption on entry into Thailand with an choice for an additional 30-day extension by way of the native immigration workplace in your chosen metropolis.
Click right here for Thailand Visa data in your nation
Thailand Currency
The Thai Baht is the official foreign money of Thailand.
Although slowly altering Chiang Mai remains to be very a lot a money society the place bank card shouldn’t be all the time accepted. High finish inns and eating places might settle for bank cards, however small native companies, eating places and market distributors won’t.
We extremely suggest grabbing a free Wise Card which can be utilized for purchases and ATM withdrawals worldwide with out the hefty charges charged by many banks.
Check right here to study extra about the advantages of Wise
Chiang Mai Weather
Chiang Mai is greatest averted throughout smoky season from February to April, particularly when you have a historical past of respiratory issues.
Dry Season – November to February
Average Temperature – 15 to 28C (59 to 82F)
Chiang Mai has a tropical local weather with three essential seasons. The cool and dry season from November to February provides delicate, nice climate making it the preferred time to go to.
Hot Season – March to May
Average Temperature – 25 to 38C (77 to 100F)
The scorching season runs from March to May, with scorching temperatures. This interval additionally contains the smoky season, normally from February to April, when agricultural burning causes poor air high quality, particularly in March.
Wet Season – June to October
Average Temperature – 24 to 32C (75 to 90F)
The wet season lasts from June to October, bringing heat, humid circumstances and common afternoon downpours, with the heaviest rain sometimes falling in August and September.
Chiang Mai Thailand Health & Safety
As you discover Chiang Mai make certain to observe your step because the footpaths are uneven and generally is a tripping hazard. Take care at crossings as site visitors doesn’t mechanically cease, look ahead to a break earlier than stepping onto the crossing. If you may have by no means ridden a bike Chiang Mai’s busy roads will not be the place to study.
During our time in Chiang Mai, we now have seen so many vacationers limping across the metropolis. This is a continuing reminder to all the time take out journey insurance coverage earlier than you allow your house nation.
Click right here for journey insurance coverage quotes
Last Words on Long Stays in Thailand: Chiang Mai & Beyond
We hope our article on Long Stays in Thailand: Chiang Mai & Beyond has impressed you. If you may have ever thought of or are planning gradual journey all through Southeast Asia, we will suggest it as a life-style or a solution to prolong your journey adventures.
Long stays in Thailand have opened our eyes to the great thing about Thailand and its folks. Have you taken lengthy stays in Thailand? Feel free to go away a remark we might love to listen to from you.
