Anyone thinking of traveling to Thailand would first of all think of Bangkok, – one of the most visited and exotic places in the country, and world.

Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, in 2012 was announced by MasterCard to be the most popular tourist city in the world, because then, Bangkok was visited by almost 16 million tourists. The victory was decided by only a small number over London.

However, we chose to live in the second most popular city of Chiang Mai, situated in the northern part of the country at a distance of approx. 700 km from the capital – Bangkok.

Why Chiang Mai? With a gross simplification we can say that the further north of Bangkok one gets, cooler the weather, cheaper prices and nicer people and above all, more varied and tastier food.

The name Chiang Mai (specifically: Nopburi Srinakornping Chiangmai) means „new city”, but in fact it has more than 700 years. It was founded April 12, 1296, by the King of Your Million Rice Fields (Lan Na).

The Old Town is inhabited by about 170 thousand. people, of which 80% are Thais, and the remaining percent are foreigners, mostly Europeans and Americans. And to our surprise, we meet more and more Poles :).

In the greater Chiang Mai Area, there are over 1.6 million people living spread over a large area, but more than 1 million in the metropolitan area. 

It is Thailand’s fifth-largest city. Located on a plain at an elevation of 316 m, surrounded by mountains and lush countryside, it is much greener and quieter than the capital, and has a cosmopolitan air.

Chiang Mai, the capital of the region, is also known as the Rose of the North, which perfectly reflects its beauty. There are plenty of public gardens, sprinkled with beautiful, exotic flowers, fauna and flora.

The main tourist attractions of Chiang Mai are over three hundred temples. So if you are going to visit this beautiful city, it’s worth staying for longer, because there is so much to see and do. The most known are Wat Doi Suthep, Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh.

Chiang Mai is located in a valley, on flat terrain at an altitude of 316m, surrounded by mountains and rural areas, and is much greener and quieter than the capital.

Near Chiang Mai, you can see the mysterious karst caves, tropical forests (with trees teak), the extensive national parks and fabulous waterfalls.

Chiang Mai is a good starting point for visits as it an international hub with a international airport operating domestic and international flights. There is rail network and many coach tours out of the city centre.

Both the city and the countryside can be explored by foot, by bicycle, by rickshaw, by hired motorbike, by hired  tuk-tuk, or red mini-bus of the so-called ‚song-taew’.

We certainly do not get bored here, and the most important we feel safe here.