Yulia Saf Attention! This blog post is written many years ago when I was not even dreaming about becoming a professional travel blogger. You are warned that the quality of the text and/or pictures might not be the best. 🙂
I wake up in my new apartment, stretch luxuriously in the heat, step onto the cool tiled floor and walk over to the window.
Outside, the sun shines down, casting a warm green glow through the leaves of the jungle trees in the courtyard. Distantly, I can hear the noises as the city awakes: chimes, and street vendors, and traffic, an exciting bustle of industry.
Chiang Mai, Thailand – I can hardly believe that I get to call this place home.
This apartment costs less than a small room back home in Russia (3500 baht, which is somethng like 85€!), and I am only a few minutes away from the Old City, and the beautiful Wat Prasingh Temple. So cheap, and yet, I am living in Paradise!
It has air conditionate, hot water, a fridge, a TV and everything else you might need. It’s only that I don’t have a pool, such a pity! 😉 For that, I would have to pay around 150 € per month!
Here are the pictures of my place, sorry, it’s a bit messy, the photos were taken when I have just moved in.
But seriously, I can see now why so many expats choose to live in Chiang Mai. That was actually one of the reasons I myself have chosen it to settle down: a great community of people who help each other. All these guys here are awesome! They make me better! I even started to wake up early now, no way! 🙂
I visited all the main tourist attractions: the Old City, and Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, atop its mountain, and the bucolic hillside village of Doi Pui. We wandered the bustling, colorful streets and visited many of the bars and restaurants.
You know, I was quite happy back in chilly Russia in any way, but I really like it here so far.
It is extremely cheap, compared to the western world, the climate is super warm, people around me are great, the city has rich culture and stunning nature and the visa policy is mild.
So, I figured, WHY THE HELL NOT? 🙂
This is a creative, artistic city, and I feel like fit in well here. The golden statues, richly coloured, jeweled temples, greenest-green trees, bluest sky, all fill the eye with wonder and inspire the mind.
Today, I shall walk down to the Sunday Walking Street market. The sights, sounds and smells are so vibrant that all your senses are confused and you wander through it in a pleasant daze. I’ll have a look at the local wares on offer – textiles, jewelry, lamps, dolls, soap, and then to the food stalls, where I can pick up a feast for next to nothing, and bring it home to share with my new friends.
Every day here is an adventure, and I am so glad I made the decision to step out from my comfort zone and try living in Chiang Mai. Even if it is temporary, to move to Thailand was one of the best decisions I have done in my life!
Stay tuned!
Yulia
Update Jun 2015: As I have already been in here for a while, I collected some of my favorite adventurous things to do in Chiang Mai. Check it out, you will like it! 🙂
If you want to discover more of the North of the country, something will be surely useful here. And certainly don’t forget about Bangkok!
Thanks for reading!
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Yulia
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Hey Yulia,
I am jealous of your travel life!!!! 🙂 🙂 I am travelling with my wife to Thailand between 21-28. I am staying at Phuket till 23rd and then will move to Bangkok via Krabi. I am confused about what to do and where to stay in Bangkok. Can you give us some tips?
We are looking for
1. Easy transportation even at night
2. Nightlife!!!!!
3. Shopping
4. Ease of access to go to Safari World and airport.
Thanks a lot. Your website is awesome!!!!
Thank you so much! You can check out this article https://misstourist.com/must-see-bangkok-thailand/ with my best tips of things to do in Bangkok, best places for shopping and for going out and many more, and this article https://misstourist.com/where-to-stay-in-bangkok-5-best-areas-with-hotels-and-prices/ with the best places to stay in Bangkok, divided from luxury to budget!
Enjoy your trip!
very interesting
Privet Yulia, thanks for sharing. I am currently looking for an apartment for 3-4 months in Chiang Mai. What is the name of the condominium/ap. block you have rented? Is it colose enough to the old town (the square) to get around on bicycle? Did yougo to a real estate agency or have found it by yourself? It would be nice to get somoe more info. You can write me to my personal email: [email protected] or find me on Facebook: Sirenita Bobinsana. And you can write in Russian as well 🙂 Заранее благодарю. Вика
Hi Victoria!
i ll reply in Eng in case other people are interested too.
My condo is called Impresso, but it is so local, even the name is written in Thai. The price is awesome and the condition of my apt was just great, I recommend checking that place out. There is another one called Baan Thai – that’s where the majority of my friends were staying. That one has a pool and it costs 5000 THB plus utilities. Both are located close to Nimman, it is maybe 20 minutes by bicycle to the old town. But believe me, you will not really want to live in the touristic center. At least that is what we all felt. Nimman and are around is great for digital nomads! 🙂
I can understand you well about your movie to Thailand, i was working on it years before but now days a changed ‘a bit’ my mind, but you are right in everything you said. I don’t know if you went already but from Chiang Mai i suggest you to visit Pai it’s a simple amazing town.
Which places did you visit in Thailand?
thanks, Carlo! No, i haven’t been to Pai yet, but planning to go there in something like a week! Thanks a lot for the suggestion! 🙂