Mid-January is smack in the middle of peak season for Chiang Mai. Not coincidentally, this is also dry season. It did not rain once during our two weeks here, and clouds were few and far between. The weather during our visit was sun all day every day. Temperatures ranged from 60°F to near 90° F (16° C to 30° C).
Chiang Mai is a very popular city with nomad travelers: mild weather + cheap living = tattooed backpacker heaven. The city definitely has a backpacker vibe to it. If you can stand the crowds and like Asian food, it’s a great place.
On the other hand, if having rice or noodle dishes twice a day isn’t for you, your options are somewhat limited. Stephanie and I both struggled at times with the food options. We made it four days before heading over to Taco Bell. While grateful for a taste of home, at $24 for lunch for two, I was not going back.
Two days later we went to Salsa Kitchen, a Mexican restaurant. We had very low expectations, but wow did it impress. The food was better than the Mexican restaurants we have in Memphis. It was surprisingly authentic.
As an aside, several travelers that we met compared Chiang Mai to Mérida, México. Just swap Asian for Mexican, and that’s about right.
It was day ten before we broke down and went to McDonald’s. Unlike Taco Bell, the prices at McDonald’s are comparable to the United States.
Even though we’re not up to speed on Buddhist religion or culture, we made time to visit several wats (Buddhist temple complexes). Wat Phra Singh is the main wat in the old city. The complex dates back to the 1300s, and has been rebuilt and restored several times over the centuries. While the complex is free to enter, there is a 50 ฿ fee to enter the main hall.
Northern Thailand’s most revered Buddha statue, Phra Phuttha Sihing, is found here.
Within a short walk are two other wats worth visiting, Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Chiang Man. Wat Chedi Luang is one of our favorite wats to visit. Offhand it seemed to be the largest wat complex in Chiang Mai. Foreigners must first buy a ticket for 50 ฿ to enter. This wat is famous for having a massive chedi (Buddhist monument).
A short walk away is Wat Chiang Man, which is free to enter. It is apparently the first wat built within the ancient city walls. For us the highlight of this complex is the ancient chedi ringed by elephants.
About walking. Be careful on the sidewalks, or what is left of them. Choked with scooters and vendors, the sidewalks are nothing more than almost unwalkable narrow pathways. We found it easier to walk in the street a lot of the time. Walking around Chiang Mai is not particularly enjoyable.
Wat Sri Supan, the silver temple, is the most unique wat in Chiang Mai. Outside the ancient city walls, this wat costs 50 ฿ to enter. It is a fairly small complex, but the silver decoration, rather than gold, is quite striking. Unfortunately, it is also one of the few temples in which women are not allowed to enter the main hall.
After being in the hustle and bustle of a busy city for a week, we decided to get out for a day at Royal Park Rajapruek, basically a large park and botanic gardens a few miles outside the city. The ticket cost is a staggering 200 ฿ per adult.
Okay, $6 isn’t exactly staggering, but it sure feels like it when pretty much everything else in town costs less than 100 ฿.
We took a Grab to and from the park and stayed about two hours. The orchid garden is by far the nicest area of the park and where we encountered the most people. We also made sure to see the Japanese garden and butterfly garden before taking a long break with drinks next to the lake.
On the way back we stopped at Wat Umong. Even though by then we had seen more wats than we ever imagined, we liked this one for its tunnels and relative simplicity. After paying our 20 ฿ entry fee we headed into the tunnels. Unbeknownst to us, quite a few bats live in those tunnels. Most were resting. We saw only one or two in flight. Overall we found Wat Umong worth the visit if only because it is so different from the wats in town.
Next to the wat is a lake with a small island covered in pigeons. Feed is sold nearby, so kids can feed either the fish or the birds. Or, like Stephanie, try both at once.
Stephanie bought bird feed and promptly starting throwing it at the fish. About the time she realized the fish weren’t happy with this, the pigeons started swarming her on the bridge. The birds knew exactly what Stephanie was throwing into the water.
She quickly stopped tossing bird feed into the lake and ran onto the island to feed the pigeons there. Those pigeons had no fear. Several tried to land on Stephanie and, quite literally, eat out of her hand. I’d say it wasn’t the idyllic, pleasant experience she was hoping for. She ended up throwing the bird feed on the ground and running away.
Luckily the air quality was reasonably good for the duration of our stay in Chiang Mai. There were a few hazy days, but nothing irritating. Burning season begins at the end of January and really ramps up towards the end of February. Once the fields are being burned in mass, air quality craters. According to the people we spoke with, foreigners basically flee Chiang Mai in mass for the duration of burning season.
Not wanting any part of burning season, it is time for us to get a move on. While Chiang Rai was not originally in our travel plans (it is often visited as a long day trip from Chiang Mai), it is on the way to our next destination, so we decided to head there for a few days.
Garrett and Stephanie
If you have not already done so, read our other posts about Chiang Mai:
Chiang Mai, Thailand (January, 2025, Part I). Learning to love local markets. On the Monk’s Trail to Wat Phra Lat and Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.
Elephant Nature Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand (January, 2025, Part II). Elephants, and dogs that bite.
For additional posts about Thailand, or elsewhere in the world, check out our Travel Blog. It contains collected links to all of our travel posts.
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