Anyone live in Chiang Mai?

[DrAndy]

^^ gosh Norton, that looks like a scene out of one of the Rambo movies!!

plenty of running water and no electricity?

[Fluke]

Geez, you guys and gals are the greatest. Thanks so much. That is one thing I really love about TD is the helpful people. I owe you all a beer at some point. Keep the suggestions coming.

How do you like rainy season and what do you do at that time of year, hibernate or just dress for it. I`m not used to living in a tropical climate, although I do like the sound of the rain, it could make for some good writing time.

Rain is water, and unless you are made of sugar, it wont be a problem .
Last year it rained for a few hours in the evening , but the year before that , rainful was heavy, which caused the floods.
As I said, its only water . The climate is hot, so getting wet isnt a problem

[MissTraveller]

Geez, you guys and gals are the greatest. Thanks so much. That is one thing I really love about TD is the helpful people. I owe you all a beer at some point. Keep the suggestions coming.

How do you like rainy season and what do you do at that time of year, hibernate or just dress for it. I`m not used to living in a tropical climate, although I do like the sound of the rain, it could make for some good writing time.

Jump on a bike, head for Mae Hong Son, or Doi Mae Salong, or Chiang Khong, or Nan, and photograph & soak up the amazing greenery. Every single shade of green you've ever heard of....... is here!

I cannot post pics here but there's a couple of specialty forums with loads of photographic trip reports from folk who love to tour the high country: if you're interested PM me and I'll send you the links. And no, you don't have to be a biker...... folk do the high country just as easily on a semi-auto scooter or car/pick-up. The 2 and 3 day rides/tours out north, south, west or east using CM as a central hub are endless, and are exactly what a huge % of expats are living here for.

Btw it'll be a cider ta very much, not a beer!

That sounds great! I want to check out those regions for sure. I was reading about a place you can rock climb and white water raft. I am also looking for a good Muay Thai gym!

[MissTraveller]

Geez, you guys and gals are the greatest. Thanks so much. That is one thing I really love about TD is the helpful people. I owe you all a beer at some point. Keep the suggestions coming.

How do you like rainy season and what do you do at that time of year, hibernate or just dress for it. I`m not used to living in a tropical climate, although I do like the sound of the rain, it could make for some good writing time.

Rain is water, and unless you are made of sugar, it wont be a problem .
Last year it rained for a few hours in the evening , but the year before that , rainful was heavy, which caused the floods.
As I said, its only water . The climate is hot, so getting wet isnt a problem

I'm certainly sweet, but I won't melt. haha!

I have been to Thailand a few times during rainy season and most of the time it doesn't rain the whole day anyway. I hear September is the worse month though. How cool does it get?

[MissTraveller]

A mountain villa for rent at good price. Owned by a TD member. The villa

This looks nice, Norts, but a little too hermit for me.

[palexxxx]

I am also looking for a good Muay Thai gym!

There are at least three Muay Thai gyms in central Chiang Mai. Have lunch at any restaurant around the moat and sometime during your meal some guy will rock up on the back of a motorcy and start handing out leaflets to upcoming bouts.

[boatboy]

[QUOTE=palexxxx;2422383]

some guy will rock up on the back of a motorcy and start handing out leaflets to upcoming bouts.

How pissweak is that.

I at least expect the miniature ring on the back of a ute with a dancing boxer in it and loud speakers shouting out "TONIGHT - Muay Thai Boxing - Come one, COME ALL" (as seen all to regularly in Phuket)
I especially liked it when they drove up a tight alley and the boxer had to hold up the power lines with his "safety" boxing gloves.

[palexxxx]

^

[palexxxx]

I am also looking for a good Muay Thai gym!

There are at least three Muay Thai gyms in central Chiang Mai. Have lunch at any restaurant around the moat and sometime during your meal some guy will rock up on the back of a motorcy and start handing out leaflets to upcoming bouts.

Plus, if you haven't reached the 'retirement age' visa condition, then you can study Muay Thai boxing at Payap University, and probably some of the other uni's to satisfy the 'education' visa requirement.

[MissTraveller]

Thanks all for the replies. I won`t be needing an education visa. I`ll go over on a tourist visa and then take things from there.

[Fluke]

Geez, you guys and gals are the greatest. Thanks so much. That is one thing I really love about TD is the helpful people. I owe you all a beer at some point. Keep the suggestions coming.

How do you like rainy season and what do you do at that time of year, hibernate or just dress for it. I`m not used to living in a tropical climate, although I do like the sound of the rain, it could make for some good writing time.

Rain is water, and unless you are made of sugar, it wont be a problem .
Last year it rained for a few hours in the evening , but the year before that , rainful was heavy, which caused the floods.
As I said, its only water . The climate is hot, so getting wet isnt a problem

I'm certainly sweet, but I won't melt. haha!

I have been to Thailand a few times during rainy season and most of the time it doesn't rain the whole day anyway. I hear September is the worse month though. How cool does it get?

Hot in the day time everyday , cool in the winter evenings , 20 C

[MissTraveller]

cool in the winter evenings , 20 C

That is not cool in my books. haha...that is very nice actually.
It has been a cold winter in South Korea this year, so that will make a nice change. Not sure how well I'll do with the heat after awhile.

[palexxxx]

It's not that hot actually, just constant.

About 37 - 38 degrees every day in summer, around 30 in winter.

[Fluke]

cool in the winter evenings , 20 C

That is not cool in my books. haha...that is very nice actually.
It has been a cold winter in South Korea this year, so that will make a nice change. Not sure how well I'll do with the heat after awhile.

You get used to it after a while .
Try to stay in the shade between 12 and 2 pm

[TizMe]

What months is air quality in CM crap?

[palexxxx]

March, April, and some of May

[DrAndy]

depends on the rains - they clear it away quite quickly

not only do they wash the air but they stop most of the burning

[SpicyMartin]

What months is air quality in CM crap?

Bit of March this year and that's been about it...... my garden only suffered one day of black ash blown in (I'm about 12km north of town)..... yes it's been hazy but I wouldn't say crap air quality...... certainly not as bad as a lot of doomsayers go on about, and certainly far far better than the all year smog you have to put up with in Chonburi and Bangkok.

[DrAndy]

sshhhhhhhhhhh, don't tell people that, they will all want to come up

[rickschoppers]

^
Unfortunately, the word is already out.

[palexxxx]

March, April, and some of May

I should clarify my above post.

Spicy Martin is correct, last month the air was really bad, serious health problem.

But since then it has been hazy, smoggy, but it's only a visual issue, not a health one. Still, I am looking forward to some rain to wash away the haze so that I can see some blue sky and mountains again.

[snakeeyes]

very colourful, always something going on

I lived in chiang mai for a year , there is fook all to do but drink , spotlight strippers club and across the the river from that the cheap bars which I like , thats it , porn ping is ok , live band and disco , hong dong is ok cheap goods , the UN Irish bar , fooking joke , no air com ,cheap charlies , not an Irishman in sight , owned by wankers , not Irish ,

[DrAndy]

^ That's good

you really got around and had a great time

[MissTraveller]

very colourful, always something going on

I lived in chiang mai for a year , there is fook all to do but drink , spotlight strippers club and across the the river from that the cheap bars which I like , thats it , porn ping is ok , live band and disco , hong dong is ok cheap goods , the UN Irish bar , fooking joke , no air com ,cheap charlies , not an Irishman in sight , owned by wankers , not Irish ,

Yeah right.. that is maybe all of what you wanted to do. What I liked about CM was the night market, trekking opportunities, cooking courses, and lots of stuff to do on day trips from there. It seemed so much more laid back, relaxing and artsy compared to BKK and other places.

[DrAndy]

It is just a nice town, not too big but big enough to have anything you might want to indulge in