Introduction

I’ve always loved cities. They’re a place where you can find culture and excitement, and they allow you to meet new people while enjoying all the comforts of home. When I visited Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, however, I found myself falling in love with more than just the city itself—I was also captivated by its people and culture. This is one of my favorite places on earth!

Chiang Mai is a city that is at once both old and new.

In addition to being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Chiang Mai is also the capital of Thailand’s northern province. This means that it has more than its fair share of history, culture and beauty. The old city has been around for hundreds of years and is full of temples, markets and traditional Thai architecture. The new city has modern amenities like international restaurants and high-end shopping malls that you won’t find anywhere else in Thailand (or even Southeast Asia).

Chiang Mai is one of those rare cities that manages to be both old and new at once — an experience I had never before encountered in any other place I had visited around the world!

The people are quite friendly, making it easy to connect with locals.

Chiang Mai is a small city, and the people who live here are quite friendly. You can easily strike up a conversation with someone in the street or on the bus. Most of them are happy to help you if you need directions or advice about what to see. The fact that people are so welcoming makes it easy for travelers like me to connect with locals. The city also has many open-air cafes where it’s easy to meet people from all over the world, which really helps build community within the traveler community

The food in Chiang Mai is absolutely fantastic.

The food in Chiang Mai is absolutely fantastic. It’s tasty, affordable and easy to find. The abundance of food carts and restaurants makes it a great place to eat out with friends or try something new. You can find traditional Thai cuisine like Pad Thai or Tom Yum soup, but also lots of other options like Mexican, Korean or even French food if you want! The best part about eating in Chiang Mai is that you’re guaranteed to connect with the locals because they love talking about their culture over a plate of noodles or freshly made spring rolls!

There are many incredible places to visit outside of the city.

There are many incredible places to visit outside of the city. If you enjoy hiking, there is an abundance of mountains surrounding Chiang Mai. You can also find beautiful waterfalls and even lakes nearby. If you want to get your feet wet and go for a swim, it’s easy to hop on a bus or grab a ride with an Uber driver who will take you straight to the beach!

Chiang Mai has so much more to offer than just its temples and ruins (and don’t get us wrong—those are amazing). If you’re looking for something new and different while still being able to experience some of the same things that make this city so special, then look no further than these five locations:

The weather isn’t too hot and it isn’t too cold, making it perfect for getting out and exploring.

When visiting Chiang Mai, the weather is between 10 and 30 degrees Celsius. The city has a semi-tropical climate with hot, rainy summers and warm to cool winters. The temperature varies between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius in the winter, but can climb up to 40 degrees Celsius in summer.

As for when to visit? You can visit any time of year, as it’s hot during these months: January–February, April–May and September–November. For more information on Chiang Mai’s climate see [here](http://www.worldweatheronline.com/chiangmai-weather).

There’s a relaxed vibe that you don’t get in bigger cities like Bangkok.

Chiang Mai is a city that’s at once both old and new. It has a relaxed vibe that you don’t get in bigger cities like Bangkok, but it still has a lot to offer travelers looking for fun things to do. The people are quite friendly, making it easy to connect with locals. The food in Chiang Mai is absolutely fantastic. It’s an experience not to be missed! There are many incredible places to visit outside of the city as well—I particularly love Pai, a small town nestled between mountains and forests (you can read more about my journey there here!).

You can take advantage of an incredibly cheap cost of living while there.

Chiang Mai is an incredible place to visit on a budget. Not only can you enjoy the beautiful scenery, but you can also take advantage of an incredibly cheap cost of living while there. It’s safe to say that food, transport and tourist attractions are all cheap in Chiang Mai. Renting an apartment is also pretty affordable compared with other cities I’ve visited!

Chiang Mai is one of my favorite places in the world and I highly recommend visiting

Chiang Mai is one of my favorite places in the world and I highly recommend visiting. The city is beautiful, with a lot of charm, and there are so many things to do outside the city that you can easily spend a few weeks exploring it. Also, the people are very friendly!

If you like meeting new people and trying new foods, then Chiang Mai would be an excellent choice for your next vacation. You’ll also find that it’s not too hot or too cold there, which makes for a relaxing place to be during warm weather months.

Conclusion

I hope that this article has inspired you to visit Chiang Mai too. The city is such an incredible place with so much to offer. From amazing food, friendly locals and an affordable cost of living, there’s no wonder it’s been voted one of the best cities in Asia!