I arrived in Chiang Mai exhausted by the liveliness of Bangkok. It was a quick flight to the city. At the airport, I had to purchase a second ticket because mine was written in the shortened version of my name. Damn autofill. The airline said they would have corrected it had I warned them at least 24 hours in advance. I call this the cost of ADHD. I had planned out my entire trip in one sitting, and even though I had printed out all the flight tickets and hotel locations to be safe, I didn’t bother reading them. Oops. Lesson learned. Maybe.

I chose to stay at The Social Club for two reasons. First off, the social aspect: I was in an apartment-style building meant for digital nomads. I envisioned myself joining them in the computer room furiously working away on my book. I also hoped to make some friends as I was staying over the Christmas and NYE break.

The second reason was the cost. The room was very affordable.  Anyways, back to the first day. My flight was early in the morning, so I was unable to check in. I left my suitcase at the front desk and googled a nearby café.

The Social Club Chiang Mai

The Fern Forest Café. This was the café of my dreams. Well, not exactly. It was better. It was the middle of December, and I was parked in the middle of a lush courtyard-style café, koi fish swimming excitedly next to my seat as I ordered matcha and a hearty breakfast. People watched. The café was nearly full; giant white cups of coffee or colorful fruit smoothies were passed to the patrons. I eavesdropped on two friends at the table to the left of me. “This has been the most epic trip ever.” I smiled, happy to hear they were having a good time. I was also a bit saddened not to have anyone to discuss the trip with. Oh well, I pulled out my printed manuscript and set of markers and began my review.  Chiang Mai is known for having great coffee and interesting locations. This one wasn’t on my list, but I was thrilled I ended up there.

The next morning, I woke up early to beat the heat and took a taxi to the university area, where there was a reservoir and a mountain view. And running paths that did not involve traffic. Ah, this would do. Oh, did I forget they drive and walk on the other side of the road? Of course I did. I corrected the course about halfway through. Soon I was soaring, sweating, and hopefully jet lag poured out of me. Conveniently, another beautiful café was at the end of my run where I had been dropped off. I ordered a green juice and waited for my ride.  I spied on the people alone at their computers, wondering what they were working on, feeling a bit guilty I had lugged my laptop with me, but hadn’t used it to look at my manuscript.

Back at the apartment, it was crowded; a new group of people had arrived. Even though I was not my freshest, I introduced myself to everyone. The staff was organizing an afternoon craft; would I like to join? I am terrible at drawing, but I wanted to spend more time with the friendly group of people in front of me. Sure.

The craft instructor was missing. A homeless man had been bitten by a dog, and she had taken him to the hospital to ensure she was looked after. I knew a girl from our group, whom I’d met earlier, was an artist and nominated her to take over. She was perfect for the job.  A natural instructor, the best kind too. One that sets out a few narrow guidelines and gives you artistic freedom. We searched for something we’d like to copy, then traced it out onto a card. She brought down a set of her own paints and brushes in case we wanted to experiment with them, as well as the crayons provided. In a place like Thailand where consumption is easy and inexpensive, it felt good to slow down and create something. It also felt good to be surrounded by people with whom it was easy to bond. We all seemed to love traveling and meeting new people. I chose the perfect place.

As I continued making my handmade Christmas card, ideas filled my mind. There were so many things to see and do in Chiang Mai. The night markets, the elephant sanctuaries, the cooking classes, the lady-boy shows, the hikes, and the day trips. I liked the sounds of everything. All of a sudden, two weeks felt like there wasn’t enough time to do it all. I began taking down phone numbers, screenshots of restaurants, and things to do. My brain was making a schedule for the next few days, none of which included writing. At that point I gave up. I realized that I wasn’t sure I would ever come back to Chiang Mai. I would work on my book when I was back in my less stimulating hometown, where several feet of snow was currently piling up in my front yard.

I let myself off the hook; I accepted all the invitations to markets, dinners, and tours I could, but still squeezed in affordable massages, of course!

I enjoyed meeting everyone. A young girl, Oti, from Romania, had found a studio at Northlab Dance where she would take private hip-hop classes. Luckily, she allowed me to join in, and some of my greatest memories are driving on the back of a scooter while the sun faded to our hip-hop class where our Thai teacher Fern shouted “Let’s go” and “5,6,7,8!” and we danced like no one was watching. Because no one was, and it was awesome! Since returning to Edmonton, hip hop has become a regular part of my routine.

Then there is Daniel, who excelled at organizing group meals. Grab lunch orders or lead the way to highly rated dining spots. He is a foodie; his greatest pleasure is to excite his taste buds. He was also great at gathering people to play board games. He renewed my love of playing Splendor, and I also purchased a set of Blokus. As exciting as travel can be, it can also be exhausting, and it was nice to have time to slow down and play games instead of constantly absorbing new sights and stimulations. Dan, although claiming to be introverted, was constantly in the common area, curious about how people spent their days and wishing them well as they set out. He enjoyed waking up early to beat the heat and get lost in the streets, picking up a snack or two to bring on his journey back.

Sabina, a Hungarian girl with fiery red hair and cat-eye-lined green eyes, was always warm and sweet to be around, like a sister you’d always wished for. There was something whimsical in everything she did and said. She was a cool girl who practiced ballet back in London and frequented cafés with other artists, hiding behind shopping bags and sketching unknown patrons.

Val, who, upon hearing it would be my birthday on NYE, was already insistent we make brunch reservations. We chose Kati (https://www.instagram.com/kati_breakfastandbrunch/).

Val arrived with a gift bag of a handcrafted necklace and mango-scented lotion. She’s got killer taste!

Kati

Get up early, its worth the wait!

I was very spoiled with the unique individuals I’d met during my stay in Chiang Mai. I was not expecting to meet so many creative and open-minded individuals.

Here is us; we spent a lovely day starting off with brunch, a visit to the artists market followed by a two-hour massage, and of course more eating! Love these humans! PS: We are all Capricorns; the goats know how to spend a travel day!

We visited Baang Kan Wat, which was super busy; it has several unique places to buy or make handcrafted jewelry, pottery, or paintings. We didn’t make anything, but I bought a cute handmade book market and a sell coloring sheet. We stopped for dessert and a Thai Tea, a traditional black tea with spices and condensed milk. Oti was on a mission to find the best one in Thailand and highly rated the one in the artists’ village. I could have lived in this village, making arts and crafts all day long, sipping on Thai tea… might have to come back!

The Capricorns’ Day Out!

Here are some highlights from my two weeks:

Cooking class with the Passion Food Cooking School. We started the morning at a local market in Chinatown, going over the list of ingredients we would use for the recipes. Here I stocked up on spices and tea. I love a local market. We made 7 dishes that day; I was stuffed. My favorite was the Tom Yum Soup. A sweet-and-spicy combination of flavors I’m excited to make when I return home. Maybe. Or maybe it’s something I’ll order when I go for Thai food.

The Lady Boy Show at Ram Show Bar

end, and OMG, were they ever talented. Sadly, I’m still a beginner at hip hop; these queens nailed it. Also want to hire a ladyboy to teach me how to do my hair and makeup, ok, and to help me with stage presence. Absolute Fire. The dancers had amazing costumes and an even better stage performance; they jumped into the crowd, kicking their legs in the air and hitting patrons. Their costumes and makeup were so immaculate, I was so impressed! This show was easily one of my favorite nights out in Chiang Mai.

Market Life is the Best Life!

The Night Markets- where I bought a zillion scarves and bookmarks for my book club! And a big highlight was waiting in line for the famous “Roti Lady,” who has a Michelin-starred roti-making stand. I got the chocolate, cheese, and banana one. Worth the wait! I also purchased a handcrafted notebook with my name inscribed on the cover, a handmade crochet doll, and a painting of a temple I visited on a hike. Oh, and not pictured here, but a woman told my fortune with a unique set of tarot cards that I’ve never seen before. I like to pull my own tarot cards. The fortune said my life would really be picking up speed this year; boy, was she on the nose!

These markets are so fun; you can spend all night shopping and eating. There was also a whole street dedicated to people getting back and shoulder massages, while still having the ability to people watch, or scroll their phones, to each their own.

The Coconut Day Market

The Coconut Market- where I had the best coconut icecream and a cheesy baked potato with corn and dumplings. This market is only open Friday through Sunday, so plan ahead. Ther

Yoga, where I was taught to do my first headstand. Also, the yoga instructors were top-notch. I could tell they were so passionate about teaching. One of them kept yelling at me, “Seesta, Seesta, you strong, come every day you get better, I promise!” And then she slapped my shoulder. I love Thai people; they treat you like family. For me, travel can be overstimulating, so getting a yoga session in helps ground me and stretch from the long travel days 🙂 The yoga instructors really had a passion for teaching; they had an Indian man teach them to become instructors, and the way they led the classes, well, let’s just say, yoga in North America is very commercialized, and I was fortunate enough to find this place. It was recommended by a Brazilian couple I met at the Coconut Market (thanks, friends!).

Abby Society Chiang Mai

The Monk’s trail hike. We assembled most of our apartment peeps and headed to the straight-uphill 5 KM jaunt. This hike was amazing, super sweaty and we were met with a beautiful view of the town and a shiny gold temple at the top. So fricken cool! (I ended up buying a beautiful painting at the night market of the gold temple).

Cafes:

Fern Forest: My first Chiang Mai café experience, a must for anyone visiting Chiang Mai, it heavenly.

This café is in the trendy Niman neighborhood. Super chill and mountain views. I took time out here to journal. I feel like I had so many neat experiences I wanted to write about them. Also journaling made me realize I needed to slow down. While it was easy to go with the flow most of the time, I reminded myself that this was still my trip and I still could choose how I wanted to spend my time, hench the recharging solo coffee date.

Fohhide:

Akha Ama

I had seen this coffee shop posted about on some travel blog at some point. I wanted to go mostly for the aesthetics. It’s got this modern industrial look to it, high ceilings and a large u-shaped concrete coffee bar. I ordered an orange-coffee flavored drink and carrot cake pastry. I could have been in there all day—but it was NYE, and I needed to decompress and get ready for the night out.

Spa Time: Affortable and Scenic

I booked a Reiki session at nearby Spa. A luxurious slice of downtime before the evening festivities began. The Spa’s range from cheap, $40 CND for a 2 hour massage or $230 for 4 hours of massage, facial, body scrub and body mud mask! Oh and they also have several massage places where female ex prisoners provide massages at an affortable rate. I went and was not dissapointed. The bed was a bit stiff, but the lady did a good job.

Where I went:

Award winning: Fah Lanna

Makkha Health Spa- Colonial Gardens

& No Frills: Giving Tree

NYE in Chiang Mai was unreal. We started the night by ordering pizzas, the perfect base for a few cocktails. We started walking towards the downtown square, stopping into a bar for a drink and playing a round of darts. By the time we were downtown, the streets were full of people; it was incredible, from babies to the elderly, everyone was out to celebrate the new year. It was a vibe. After a large display of glistening fireworks, a DJ took the stage, and we headed over to dance. When the crowds began to clear away, we headed to Niman and found a local bar where we danced. I really like the street-style mix. I saw a lot of girls wearing sneakers and jeans; they made casual look cool.

The elephants at Chai Lai Orchid. I might need another post to describe just this! It’s an ethical elephant sanctuary where you spend the entire day, feeding, hiking, and bathing with elephants. I have a tattoo of an elephant on my foot; it’s a good luck charm!

I regret that I only spent two weeks here. I could have easily been here for a month; in fact, I might come back. There are still interesting coffee shops I’d like to visit, and the yoga classes and street markets are too good to pass up. There is cheap accommodation to book and tons of expat meet-up groups. In fact, friends I made might be going back this winter, so there’s still a chance to return and knock off the rest of Chiang Mai’s hidden treasures.

Must Eat Here: Kats Kitchen

Day Trips

It’s common to hire a driver in Thailand for the entire day. A girl I met at the TSC, Nicole, had already done some research, and we chose to see the highest point in Chiang Mai (note: it was cold! Bring a sweater), visit a temple, and stop for a waterfall lunch.

Final Thoughts on Chiang Mai

Creating this post made me eager to return; I could repeat each market, massage, and food or coffee stop and still be impressed. Chiang Mai overdelivered on everything; the pictures don’t do the city justice. It’s an experience I promise you need to have!