News Forum - City Guide: Why should you visit Chiang Mai 2022

[Thaiger]

Are you looking for a reason to go to Chiang Mai? You’ve arrived at the right place. It’s Thailand former capital, as seen by the numerous temples and ruins spread across the city. A trip to Thailand is arguably incomplete unless you visit this historic city. If you’re still not persuaded to make a trip to Chiang Mai, keep reading to find out why you should visit Thailand’s ancient capital of the north. The Weather Thailand is hot all year round, especially the further south you travel. Since Chiang Mai is located in the northern part of the country, it […]

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[Guest1]

 The best time to visit is from November to February, during Thailand’s cool season. 

And the worst time starts direct in the end of February, as soon as the anchient behavior of burning everything kicks in.

Wasn't that always the time, pollution in Thailand is the worst in Chiang Mai, then? Even worse than in Bangkok?

Oh no, last year, March 9, it was even worse: 

It was the most polluted city on earth, said the Bangkok Post.

Another reason, to visit Chiang Mai!

[HiuMak]

Love Chiang Mai.....Next Chiang Rai

[Cabra]

Anywhere I can fly (domestic or int'l) that does not require a covid test is good in my book

[MarvW]

Having spent 6 weeks in the heat of southern Thailand, I’m looking forward to getting to the cooler climes of Chiang Mai myself. I hear Pai is also worth a visit, if anyone has any input? 

[JamesR]

If you are feeling a bit down then it is a good time to visit Chiang Mai.

After being there for two days you will realise that things where you live are fantastic in comparison, no smoke for three months a year, no mealy mouthed moaning expats with bugger all money to spend moaning into their beer.

The best part of the visit is when you are leaving. 

[palooka]

Hang in there for the first week of February and the Flower Festival.  Truly worth the time.

A big plus, all those beautiful Thai maidens adorn the flower floats from each regional area. 

[Guest1]

On 2/19/2022 at 10:12 AM, MarvW said:

Having spent 6 weeks in the heat of southern Thailand, I’m looking forward to getting to the cooler climes of Chiang Mai myself. I hear Pai is also worth a visit, if anyone has any input? 

Use a Motorcycle, this sign is there for a reason

 

On a motorcycle, it is a good reason

[Guest1]

12 hours ago, palooka said:

Hang in there for the first week of February and the Flower Festival.

Isn't that a bit to late? Or a year to early?

[palooka]

7 hours ago, Guest1 said:

Isn't that a bit to late? Or a year to early?

Plan ahead.

[MarvW]

On 2/19/2022 at 1:27 AM, Guest1 said:

 The best time to visit is from November to February, during Thailand’s cool season. 

And the worst time starts direct in the end of February, as soon as the anchient behavior of burning everything kicks in.

Wasn't that always the time, pollution in Thailand is the worst in Chiang Mai, then? Even worse than in Bangkok?

Oh no, last year, March 9, it was even worse: 

It was the most polluted city on earth, said the Bangkok Post.

Another reason, to visit Chiang Mai!

err….thanks for the info. And the warning (I think)  

[MarvW]

On 2/19/2022 at 8:19 PM, JamesR said:

If you are feeling a bit down then it is a good time to visit Chiang Mai.

After being there for two days you will realise that things where you live are fantastic in comparison, no smoke for three months a year, no mealy mouthed moaning expats with bugger all money to spend moaning into their beer.

The best part of the visit is when you are leaving. 

Is it that bad?! I thought it was a coll, interesting place to visit. Maybe I was wrong?!

[MarvW]

12 hours ago, Guest1 said:

Use a Motorcycle, this sign is there for a reason

On a motorcycle, it is a good reason

So now I REALLY wanna know what this sign means?!! (Or do I? - ‘ignorance is bliss’, right?!)

[Guest1]

32 minutes ago, MarvW said:

So now I REALLY wanna know what this sign means?!! (Or do I? - ‘ignorance is bliss’, right?!)

It means, that a lot people get, in a car, "seasick"!

 

 

 

It's no secret that the three-four hour drive from Chiang Mai to Pai, Thailand is a daunting one. It's a steep and winding road that will make you feel every single one of its 762 turns for three, sometimes four hours straight." 

 

[Guest1]

38 minutes ago, MarvW said:

err….thanks for the info. And the warning (I think)  

The good thing is: You may not question the mask wearing, outdoors, in case the burning is bas as in the pictures here:

https://www.google.com/search?q=chiang+mai+pollution&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjzvLbv-Y_2AhUD4zgGHXAABA4Q_AUoAXoECBsQAw&biw=1248&bih=1324&dpr=1.5

[Guest1]

Oh, aside, it starts soon, right now it is still ok:

https://www.iqair.com/th-en/world-air-quality-ranking

So in case you wanna go: Gooooooooo now! 

[JamesR]

6 hours ago, MarvW said:

Is it that bad?! I thought it was a coll, interesting place to visit. Maybe I was wrong?!

Go and have a look, it is only 1.5 hours flying time from Bangkok. 

[Fluke]

36 minutes ago, JamesR said:

Go and have a look, it is only 1.5 hours flying time from Bangkok. 

Is that going the long way around  or is it a slow airplane ?

[Fluke]

6 hours ago, Guest1 said:

It means, that a lot people get, in a car, "seasick"!

 

 

It's no secret that the three-four hour drive from Chiang Mai to Pai, Thailand is a daunting one. It's a steep and winding road that will make you feel every single one of its 762 turns for three, sometimes four hours straight." 

It depends on the driver and how he drives and where you are sitting  . 

If you're sitting at the back of  bus and the driver is going as fast as he can , you're probably going to be sick

If you're sitting in a central location and the driver is driving slower , you should be OK and not be sick 

[KaptainRob]

7 hours ago, MarvW said:

Is it that bad?! I thought it was a coll, interesting place to visit. Maybe I was wrong?!

It's a great place to live and also draws many visitors, in normal times.  Don't believe the naysayers who talk of 'most polluted' as the smoky season is usually not at all bad.

For a start, the best months to visit are from October thru December whilst everything is still green.  Jan/Feb the landscape turns brown with leaf fall and low rainfall.

Pollution is not a worry unless you sit on the pavement alongside a busy city road and breathe in vehicle exhaust fumes.  AQ measurements of particulates will appear worse in cbd areas at rush hour, same as any city. 

Outside the cbd we often suffer from drought conditions from Dec/Jan/Feb onward which causes dust to be stirred up and mix with any bushfire smoke ... quite normal though not the industrial pollution one might expect in say, Mumbai.  At times we get high level smoke from India & Burma being trapped in our valley by temperature inversion layers.  This is what the media will latch onto.

A number of CM areas, Suthep, Nimman, Mae Rim etc are worst affected when local scrub fires break out as they're in the path of seasonal sou 'westerly breezes.  And the media love showing those photos!

An Aussie will tell you, bushfires are par for the course, and that's what we can expect here after 2 to 3 months of NO rain.  This year the rain has come thru Dec/Jan/Feb. it's very different.  No smoke yet.

[JamesR]

3 hours ago, Fluke said:

Is that going the long way around  or is it a slow airplane ?

The usual pettiness I see, I was 15 minutes out. 

[JamesR]

2 hours ago, KaptainRob said:

It's a great place to live and also draws many visitors, in normal times.  Don't believe the naysayers who talk of 'most polluted' as the smoky season is usually not at all bad.

For a start, the best months to visit are from October thru December whilst everything is still green.  Jan/Feb the landscape turns brown with leaf fall and low rainfall.

Pollution is not a worry unless you sit on the pavement alongside a busy city road and breathe in vehicle exhaust fumes.  AQ measurements of particulates will appear worse in cbd areas at rush hour, same as any city. 

Outside the cbd we often suffer from drought conditions from Dec/Jan/Feb onward which causes dust to be stirred up and mix with any bushfire smoke ... quite normal though not the industrial pollution one might expect in say, Mumbai.  At times we get high level smoke from India & Burma being trapped in our valley by temperature inversion layers.  This is what the media will latch onto.

A number of CM areas, Suthep, Nimman, Mae Rim etc are worst affected when local scrub fires break out as they're in the path of seasonal sou 'westerly breezes.  And the media love showing those photos!

An Aussie will tell you, bushfires are par for the course, and that's what we can expect here after 2 to 3 months of NO rain.  This year the rain has come thru Dec/Jan/Feb. it's very different.  No smoke yet.

The fires are caused by the local farmers and farmers in nearby countries burning their old crops on an annual basis.

I know many who live in CM for most of the year but disappear to their houses in Hua Hin during the three month burning season, they said it is terrible.

See todays news about how polluted it is https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/30383775

I aways wonder why many farangs living in Thailand refuse to acknowledge the facts and are angry if a negative truth is said about the country?

[Fluke]

8 minutes ago, JamesR said:

The usual pettiness I see, I was 15 minutes out. 

10 minutes actually , its a 1 hour and 20 minute  journey and the difference between 1 and a half hours and 1 hour and 20 minutes, is 10 minutes , rather than 15 

[Marc26]

12 hours ago, Guest1 said:

It means, that a lot people get, in a car, "seasick"!

 

 

It's no secret that the three-four hour drive from Chiang Mai to Pai, Thailand is a daunting one. It's a steep and winding road that will make you feel every single one of its 762 turns for three, sometimes four hours straight." 

I may be doing this trip in May and my wife will not go because she won't be able to handle that ride

[MarvW]

After all the comments, and after reading more into it, (note: I couldn’t find any info to say it WASN’T that bad!), decided to head back south and spend a month on Koh Chang. Will save the north for another time. Figured it’s pointless to go somewhere like that if I can’t fully appreciate it. 

Muchas gracias for all the info folks. Saved me (& my lungs) a lot of aggro!