Throwback: I spent one month in the “Digital Nomad Capital of the World” talking to 20+ Remote Workers.Here’s what I learned.
Editor’s Note: This was originally published on December 19, 2019. The digital nomad & remote work spaces have changed a lot since then (especially post-COVID 19), but I’ve decided to keep the original post exactly the same to capture the essence of my mindset in that moment.
A photo of me and several other Digital Nomad women at the Nomad Girls weekly lunch at Free Bird Cafe in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Digital Nomadism/Remote Work and Location Independence are lifestyles I’ve been curious about for some time. To learn more, I went directly to Chaing Mai, Thailand, which is arguably known as the Digital Nomad capital of the world, and spent one month there talking to, and learning from the experienced individuals based there. I asked a lot of questions, and this article will cover what I gathered from those I had the opportunity to connect with.
A photo of me and several other Digital Nomad women at the Nomad Girls weekly lunch at Free Bird Cafe in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Let’s Address Some Frequently Asked Questions First:
WHAT IS A DIGITAL NOMAD?
Someone who works online and travels frequently. The type of work they do digitally can range from Digital Marketing, teaching English online, Web Development, Graphic Design, Coaching, Course Creation, etc.
The “nomad” piece to this means they change locations frequently - anywhere from every few weeks to every few months. They typically reside in areas where the cost of living is relatively inexpensive, such as Southeast Asia or South America.
WHY IS CHIANG MAI, THAILAND, CONSIDERED ONE OF (IF NOT THE) DIGITAL NOMAD CAPITAL OF THE WORLD?
The inexpensive cost of living, the warm climate, the friendly people, and the wide range of co-working spaces available make it a top choice for those looking to work remotely and live comfortably.
WHAT IS REMOTE WORK?
A line of work that one can conduct without having to be present at a traditional, physical office. This means one can work from a cafe, from home, in a co-working space, etc.
WHAT IS LOCATION INDEPENDENCE?
The freedom to live and work wherever you please without being tied to a single geographic location.
BACKGROUND ON MYSELF, MY FASCINATION WITH THIS LIFESTYLE, AND MY LIBERTY LEAVE
As someone who was born and raised in the Greater Toronto Area in Canada (where the temperature sometimes dips lower than –20°C/-4°F in the winter), I have long dreamt of a lifestyle that would allow me to escape the brisk weather for something more tropical-esque.
This past October, I left Toronto to embark on a journey that would allow me to learn more about this lifestyle (and heal from side hustle-related burnout) with my very own 6-month Liberty Leave. I’m calling it a Liberty Leave because I’m giving myself permission to take time and space away from my day job as a Senior Marketing Communications Manager at one of Canada’s largest telecommunications companies, TELUS, to travel Southeast Asia solo for 6 months.
But enough about me! Let’s jump into my findings.
A photo of me before I boarded my 15 hour one-way flight to Taipei, Taiwan, then connecting flight to Chiang Mai, Thailand in October 2019.Origin
I met nomads from any and everywhere - America, Canada, Australia, England, Ukraine, and Germany were the most popular origin countries. Some of them have been travelling for so long that when I asked them where their hometown is, their response was “wherever I can unpack my suitcase and get a solid wifi connection at this point”. Many of them haven’t lived in their hometowns for so long that they no longer feel comfortable claiming it.
The majority of them have either sold the majority of their personal belongings (or are storing them in their parents’ homes), and live out of 1-2 suitcases. Many have no desire to return to their home countries - especially those from America, who seemed to have a disdain for the country. Many people (like myself) were just sick of braving extra cold winters in their home countries.
A photo of Digital Nomads and myself at a Digital Nomad meet-up held by Remote Collective at the Home Chiang Mai hotel, along with flags indicating each participant's origin. Photo Credit: peaceoutand.de on Instagram, the German friends I met there!Work
ONLINE TEACHING IS A POPULAR CHOICE AMONG WOMEN
Approximately 45-50% of the women I met living in Chiang Mai teach English to Chinese children online. They hold an Undergraduate Degree (the major doesn’t matter to teaching companies), got a TEFL certificate (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) which many obtained from Groupon, and most are employed by companies such as VIPKid and DaDa. This line of work is enjoyable to them because of its flexible hours, fair pay, and the opportunity to interact with children who are mostly eager to learn.
THE COACHING INDUSTRY IS B O O M I N G.
Online Coaching is a popular line of work right now. Once someone becomes knowledgeable about a niche topic and is able to package their content and market their services accordingly, the profitability possibilities are endless.
Popular coaching topics include: Digital Marketing, Life Coaching, Mindfulness/Meditation, Leadership Development, and even coaching for aspiring coaches. These coaches offer self-learning options where you can pay to have lifetime access to content they’ve developed, attend weekly group coaching sessions, pay a premium for 1:1 sessions, and more.
REMOTE WORK OPPORTUNITIES ARE GROWING
Many of the people I met were able to continue working for the same companies they did before they left their hometowns to pursue a location independent lifestyle (either full-time, or are subcontracted for special projects).
Within the various Digital Nomad/Remote Work online communities I’m in, there have been countless job postings where the location the role is located is labelled as completely remote (some with time zones dictated, some without, and some provide a range of timezone options).
Finally, job posting sites that post solely remote roles are frequently discussed within these online communities, such as WeWorkRemotely, NODESK, Workew, etc.
DIGITAL MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES ARE PLENTIFUL AND LUCRATIVE
Every time I told a Digital Nomad/Remote Worker in Chiang Mai that I work in Digital Marketing back home, their eyes widened for one of two reasons: 1) Because they, too, are Marketers and love talking about the endless opportunities for making money using this very in-demand skill, or 2) Because they were looking for a Digital Marketer for their company and wanted to hire me. The most popular type of Digital Marketing execution the people I met did by far was Facebook ads. Others did Affiliate Marketing (predominantly on Amazon), Social Media Marketing, and Content Marketing.
THEY LIKE TO SWITCH UP THEIR WORKING LOCATIONS
There are an abundance of co-working spaces available in Chiang Mai. These spaces offer everything from your regular desk format, to 3D printing, to private meeting rooms, to studios where you can record and edit video (for courses, YouTube, etc.), and more.
Some of the Digital Nomads/Remote Workers I met work exclusively at said spaces, while some prefer working at quiet cafes, and others enjoy working from their homes because they have complete control of the ambience. As many in Chiang Mai teach English online, they almost always prefer to work from home as it allows them to have a strong WiFi connection they can depend on, as well as a private space free from noise and distractions.
Finance and Expense Management
GENERAL
People tend to avoid talking about specifics when it comes to their income (I’m not one to pry on this topic), and as such, I don’t know how much the majority of the Digital Nomads/Remote Workers I met make monthly. However, I’ve watched plenty of YouTube videos from Digital Nomads based in Chiang Mai who boast about “ABSOLUTELY CRUSHING” 5K months with their online businesses. One consistent sentiment shared with me by numerous people I met (that came with plenty of eye rolls) was that these people tend to inflate how much money they’re actually bringing in to boost their social media followings or sell courses teaching others how to do the same. I don’t know how much truth there is or isn’t to that.
It’s worth noting that one woman told me that she chooses to work only a few hours a day teaching English online and earns ~$1K USD/mo ($1300 CAD). Chiang Mai’s low cost of living makes this doable.
FINANCE TRACKING
I was very impressed with how closely the people I met tracked their finances. They often talked about being very conscious about everything they spend because they want to sustain this lifestyle for as long as possible. When I joined some for meals, many of them would pull out their phones after paying their bills to track the cost of food on apps like Spendee to ensure they were on budget.
FOOD
To keep food costs low, they chose predominantly local Thai foods, like Pad Thai, Papaya Salad, or Khao Soi that cost an average of 40 THB ($1.74 CAD or $1.32 USD). For those who drink, local beers like Chang are a popular choice and will run you about a dollar per can.
Western or fancier meals were reserved for special occasions, group outings, or intense cravings, as they are often 2x-4x more expensive than Thai food.
A photo of the traditional Northern Thai Dish called Khao Soi along with Thai Iced Tea from the restaurant Khao Soy Mae Sae. This meal cost 60 Thai Baht ($2.59 CAD/$1.97 USD).HOUSING
While the main area for trendy bars/restaurants, entertainment, and co-working spots for the Digital Nomad/Remote Work community in Chiang Mai is called Nimmanhaemin, where they actually chose to lay their heads at night ranged widely. Some prefer the charm of Old Town, where you can find older homes and low rise buildings that are very affordable, some enjoyed being tucked away near the mountains for ultimate seclusion, or some, like myself (who comes from, and thrives in a big city), like being in the middle of the chaos around the Maya Mall area (the Western style mall in Chiang Mai). The general rule is the further you are from the “new part” of town (Nimmanhaemin/Maya Mall) and the older your house/condo is, the more affordable your accommodation will be.
Chiang Mai housing ranges from as low as $300 USD/mo ($395 CAD) for a simple studio in Old Town, to $725USD/mo/$950 CAD/mo (for my modest one bedroom unit in the newer area), to up to $1500 USD/mo/$1985 CAD for a luxury 2-3 bedroom villa. Many people choose to share multi-level homes and pay as low as $100 USD or $132 CAD per month in Old Town.
A popular method for finding accommodations is to simply arrive Chaing Mai, book an AirBnb or hostel for 2-3 nights, and walk into buildings and ask if they have any availability. Most buildings prefer 3, 6, or 12 month leases (the longer, the better, and the less expensive/mo), but some buildings will even rent out units for 1 month on the spot with just ID and cash.
For example, I absolutely loved my accommodation that I found on AirBnb for $960 CAD ($725 USD) and plan to go back to Chiang Mai in one month’s time, but the listing on AirBnb is unavailable, so I spoke directly to management in the lobby and was able to rent a unit in the building with the exact same layout and square footage for $167 CAD ($126 USD) less than if I were to book on AirBnb.
In terms of domestic tasks, it’s common to hire people to clean your entire home for less than $20, have your laundry washed, folded, and ironed for less than $2/KG (WashDrop was my go-to laundry company).
The view from my AirBnb in Chiang Mai, Thailand.Community
This is my favourite part about Chiang Mai. The sense of community is so incredibly strong and is what makes it so special. I landed in Chiang Mai, Thailand, knowing absolutely nobody and was simply a member of a few local Facebook groups. Within a few days, I was attending daily community events including everything from co-working meet-ups, to lunch socials, to arts and craft sessions, to 1:1 dinners and heart to heart chats, to being invited to people’s homes for Halloween parties, etc. I was truly blown away by how open the community was to welcoming new people - even if our only commonality was our location.
Chiang Mai tends to have a mixed reputation in the worldwide Digital Nomad/Remote Work community though, with some people calling it “fake” or being stuck in their entrepreneur bubble facade, but my gosh, did I ever feel welcomed with open arms! So much so that I’ll be back in one month over Christmas, New Years, and will even be attending the Digital Nomad Summit there on January 17!
The Chiang Mai-based community Facebook groups are where all of my connections originated from. Some of these include:
Chiang Mai Nomad Girls (reserved for people who identify with being a woman)
Brothas and Sistas of Chiang Mai (reserved for people who identify with being black)
I joined each of these groups well before I even decided I was going to embark on this Liberty Leave journey. If this is something you’re considering, I’d recommend joining these groups in advance, too, to get an idea of what you’re signing up for!
It’s worth noting that the Black Community (Brothas and Sistas of Chiang Mai) and the community of women (Chiang Mai Nomad Girls) communities are especially strong, welcoming, and large. I chatted with some non-black men who have heard about these groups and wish there was a strong community like that they could be part of, too.
In terms of visual representation, I’d say ~80-85% of the Digital Nomads/Remote Workers in Chiang Mai were white or white-passing. In terms of age, I met people between 23-45.
A photo of me attempting to listen closely to the instructor teaching the Digital Nomad Girls group and I how to make a Krathong, which is a a piece of banana trunk decorated with flowers, banana leaves, candle and incense sticks people float down rivers for the annual Loy Krathong Festival.Dating
RELATIONSHIPS
60-70% of the Digital Nomads/Remote Workers I met during my time in Chiang Mai were in relationships. Many of them were in newly formed relationships (under 6 months). Few of them were married.
Some of them met their partners while travelling, however, the majority of them met their partners while back in their home countries and decided to “take the plunge” together, quit their office jobs, and pursue a location independent lifestyle.
The consistent sentiment I got from talking to the women in said relationships is that they find themselves often caught inside “a bubble” when travelling with their partners full-time, and often lose sight of what’s going on outside of their work and relationships. Though sometimes they had to force themselves, they made a conscious effort to attend community events and women-only outings to make connections outside of their partner.
ONLINE DATING
On dating apps like Tinder and Bumble, making meaningful connections is a unique challenge because many people are either a) only in the city for less than 48 hours as Chiang Mai is one of the stops on their Thailand trip, which typically includes also includes Bangkok and Phuket, or b) already left Chiang Mai and their location settings hadn’t updated yet. I was also surprised and disappointed that one of the major challenges I experienced while “swiping” back home persists here - people match, but never respond to messages. The Chiang Mai locals who actively swiping on dating apps shared this sentiment and were frustrated with the lack of options available.
In terms of the type of people present on said dating apps, many people were looking for temporary companionship during their short time in the city, while some were looking for someone to join them on their year-long trips exploring Southeast Asia. There was also a small but noticeable segment of users who identify with being polyamorous and have lifestyles that force them to travel consistently, which is a reason why this relationship style worked best for them.
There was ~65/35 mix of foreigners/locals swiping on Tinder, and ~85/15 mix of foreigners/locals swiping on Bumble. There were significantly more users on Tinder than Bumble (I “swiped through” all of my Bumble prospects frequently).
Family
CHILDREN
Not one Digital Nomad/Remote Worker I met had a child. However, in my personal opinion, I do think raising a child in Chiang Mai is possible due to safety, affordable healthcare, and overall low cost of living.
FAMILY OPINIONS ON THEIR LIFESTYLES
60% of the family members of the Digital Nomads and Remote Workers I met wanted them to return home, and thought the lifestyle was reckless, strange, and unsustainable. Many people from this community are under 40, and such, a frequent opinion communicated from their families was that they were delaying their lives and/or carelessly forfeiting good stable, “traditional” job opportunities, as well as taking too long to get into a relationship, get married, and procreate.
40% of their families were completely supportive of this lifestyle and some parents and siblings even came to visit them abroad!
Entertainment
The entertainment options in Chiang Mai are plentiful! There’s something for everyone, and you can literally never get bored.
At One Nimman, which acts as a marketplace/square for trendy shops, cool cafes, and art installations, there are constantly fun (and often free) events for all to enjoy. They have free Swing Dancing classes on Saturdays, free Salsa classes on Sundays, free Yoga classes every Tuesday and Thursday, etc. As the people I built relationships with were both active and cost-conscious, these were popular activities for them.
In Maya Mall, the largest “Western-style” mall in Chiang Mai, there’s a movie theatre that plays some English films for film buffs that want to catch up on the latest and greatest. In the second largest mall in Chiang Mai (not my favourite, but still a great location with a wide array of stores available) called CentralPlaza, they even have an Ice-Skating rink! I’m from Canada and haven’t gone ice skating once in the past ten years, but for some reason, ice skating at an indoor rink and leaving to go outside in 25 degree celsius weather after really does appeal to my soul much more…
In terms of more traditional and “touristy” things to do, Chiang Mai truly never does disappoint. I went to a traditional Thai Cooking class, an Elephant Jungle Sanctuary, a day-trip to a nearby town called Chiang Rai to see some contemporary temples, and much more! There’s also a wide range of Night Markets generously scattered throughout the city. My personal favourite (because it’s small and close to my condo there) is Think Park Market, directly across from Maya Mall, but some other popular ones are the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar (Chang Khlan Road and Loi Khro Road), Sunday Walking Street in Old Town, Wualai Walking Street in Old City, and many others.
A photo of three women and I playing with an elephant at the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I met these women less than a week prior, and they run an event series business called ManiFeast.Lifestyle
MINDSET
This is one of the most interesting things I found about the Digital Nomad/Remote Workers in Chiang Mai. Many of them shared that they’ve recovered from their Type-A personalities (ambitious, rigidly organized, highly status-conscious, sensitive, impatient, anxious) and have learned to embrace unpredictability and let go of control. They described their lives and how they viewed work back home as a “traditional rat race”, and said pursuing a location independent lifestyle has allowed them to let go of the anxiety and pressure that comes with the expectation of living the 9-5, one home, one city/town, 3 weeks annual holiday lifestyle.
“If you fight the flow of life, you’ll drown.”
— A DIGITAL NOMAD BASED IN CHIANG MAI WHEN DISCUSSING LETTING GO BEHAVIOURS ASSOCIATED WITH BEING OBSESSED WITH CONTROL AND PREDICTABILITY.
HEALTH AND FITNESS
Most of the Digital Nomads/Remote Workers I met live active, healthy lifestyles. They are conscious of eating fresh fruits, veggies, and mostly staying away from unhealthy Western food. They frequently work out at traditional gyms, Muay Thai gyms, do yoga, hike, or even pole dance several times per week.
Challenges
ROUTINE
When you go from working a traditional, structured job to working for yourself and holding yourself accountable, it can be very difficult to create and stick to a routine. The more seasoned nomads I met have successfully mastered this challenge by solidifying when/where/how they work, eat, and exercise, but the newer nomads were still struggling with setting these disciplines. They described their experience as a work-in-progress that they knew is mandatory to complete soon because their livelihood and ability to maintain this lifestyle depends on it. Having to return to their home countries and traditional jobs was seen as a last, dreaded resort.
MONEY
Some of the more seasoned entrepreneurs/consultants secured regular clients and had little to no worries about bringing in a constant stream of income, however, some described their cash flow as coming in bursts and as such, they had to structure their lives around potentially not having any income come in for 3 months at a time, then one lump sum coming in.
Those working full-time or through subcontracts with companies had less worries about consistent cash flow, however, acknowledge that work arrangements can quickly change and attracting multiple streams of income (and especially the most coveted type of income stream, passive) is the ultimate goal.
VISAS AND IMMIGRATION
One simple oversight of a date on a calendar can mean overstaying your allocated time in a country, being fined, and/or being denied re-entry. In Chiang Mai, the available visas range, however, most people are able to receive a 30-day Tourist visa and apply for extensions. Some are in the country on Education Visas that allow them to stay in the country for up to 6 months so long as they agree to pursue learning the Thai Language or take a martial arts course (like Muay Thai) and attend classes as little as once per week, but these visas appear to be more difficult to receive.
A popular activity to extend the amount of days you’re allowed in Thailand is to do a “visa run” which essentially means you exit and re-enter the country to restart the amount of days you’re allowed to stay inside. Some visa runs mean doing a day trip loop to bordering country Myanmar, while some choose to do a beach getaway in Da Nang, Vietnam (another Digital Nomad/Remote Work hotspot), etc.
Visa runs can be risky because sometimes foreigners can be denied re-entry into Thailand if the border officials feel said person has entered too many times, or has spent more than 120 days there per calendar year. This has actually happened to some of the people I’ve met and can be devastating and force them to scramble and move to a nearby country until they’re ready to try again. The good news is, the Thai government is aware of these challenges and the many ways these long-term travellers can actually boost the economy (through housing, food, etc.), and as such, is reportedly working on a Visa that will make long-term Thailand travel more seamless.
HOMESICKNESS
The majority of people I spoke to hadn’t felt an ounce of homesickness at any point in their travels. They thanked digital tools like Facebook, WhatsApp, and FaceTime for allowing them to keep in touch with their family and friends back home and therefore cutting down the need to visit home frequently.
Some described getting homesickness in small, infrequent, and unpredictable bursts. Perhaps a song will play that will remind them of their loved ones and they’ll miss home - but they’ll go to sleep and wake up the next morning and be fine.
Some nomads, however, admitted that they do get very homesick around the holidays and as such, will go back home for a few weeks to a month to recharge on the physical connections with their loved ones before they jet-set again. This can also be a good way to stock up on all personal products or snacks that they’re unable to get while spending time abroad.
FEAR OF MISSING OUT (FOMO)
Being away from home and living an alternate lifestyle inevitably means that you won't be around for some important life events that involve the people you grew up with - weddings, baby showers, birthdays, holidays, etc. While many of the nomads I discussed this with admitted that this is a negative feeling they often deal with, they also acknowledge that this is the trade-off they signed up for when they decided to live abroad and are at peace with the decision (mostly).
THE REVOLVING DOOR OF ARRIVING AND DEPARTING CONNECTIONS
Living in a place that’s popular for nomadic people inevitably means making genuine connections, hanging out with new friends for a few weeks, and potentially never seeing each other again because one of you is leaving for another country. This is also a challenge I experienced and while I know it’s a part of the lifestyle, it doesn’t make it any less difficult. Thankfully, social media makes it easy to maintain e-friendships.
An image of two women I had the pleasure of connecting with from the Brothas and Sistas of Chiang Mai Facebook group. The women to my the left, Adrienne, was visiting from America on her first solo trip and has a podcast called My Lovely Lunatic Leo Life.Travel
VACATIONS
As Thailand has a variety of environments available that are easily accessible by low-cost airline carriers like Air Asia, taking mini vacations in-country is very easy. If you want to party, you can fly to Bangkok and hang out with the backpackers in Khao San Road. If you want some rest and relaxation on a beach, you can visit the islands in the South like Krabi or Phuket. If you want to chill and to yoga, you can take a short (but carsick inducing) drive to Pai and hang out with the Yogis. Many in need of a vacation take advantage of the diverse landscapes that Thailand has to offer.
When travelling outside of Thailand is preferred, neighbouring countries like Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia are popular picks for short or long-term getaways. Out-of-country vacations can also serve as a convenient visa run activity.
LOCATION-HOPPING
The most common duration of time those I met stayed in Chiang Mai was 3-6 months. Most admit they’d stay longer if the visa situations were easier to manage.
Some people I met who’ve been living a nomadic lifestyle worldwide for over 10 years regarded Chiang Mai as their favourite place on earth to live and work. When many describe Chiang Mai in one word, they choose “special”. After spending 30 days there, I understood.
Unfortunately, there is one annual event that occurs in Chiang Mai that clears out the majority of those who would otherwise choose to stay there yearlong: Burning Season.
There are several factors that make up Burning Season, but mainly, it’s when the farmers in northern Thailand burn their fields to prepare their land for the following year and also to get rid of bio-wastes like corn that can't be sold in the market. It’s an illegal practice as it causes harm to the environment and directly impacts people’s health, but it’s an inexpensive way to increase the likelihood that you’ll have a successful farming season ahead and farmers continue doing it anyway.
During this time, you can expect extremely low air quality that makes it difficult to breathe and a thick layer of smog/smoke that prevents you from seeing even the closest obstacles in the distance. Most Digital Nomads/Remote Workers leave between late January and early April to escape the smoke and save their lungs. They’ll either just leave Chiang Mai and head to the islands that are popular to long-term Thailand travellers (like Koh Lanta), or leave Thailand entirely and head to nearby Digital Nomad hotspots like Da Nang, Vietnam, Bali, Indonesia, or Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
A photo I took of an Air Asia plane I boarded from Chiang Mai, Thailand, to Hanoi, Vietnam. Flights on this low cost carrier can be as little as $40 one-way between regions.Transportation
I’d estimate that 50% of nomads living in Chiang Mai rent a motorbike and use it daily. Motorbikes in Southeast Asia and inexpensive and a convenient option as you can easily glide through traffic. Some are legal riders (with actual licenses)...and I’ll leave that at that. Most acknowledge that it took them several months to muster up the courage to start driving a motorbike.
For those (like myself) who will probably never get to that level of comfort, Grab, which is like the Uber of Asia, is a popular option from getting people from Point A to Point B. You can choose between a traditional car, or even ride on the back of a motorbike (helmet provided!), which can cut your costs in half. On average and in my experience, Grab Car is about ~40% less expensive in Chiang Mai, Thailand than in Toronto, Canada.
Other options for transportation are Tuk Tuks (like an old-fashioned rickshaw), or a SongThaew (bench seats mounted in the back of a small truck), but these options are more often utilized by short-term tourists for the novelty (and sometimes locals as a form of public transportation).
Final Thoughts
Chiang Mai is a special place. Thailand as a whole is a wonderful country, however, the city of Chiang Mai has a little something extra. It’s a unique city that’s small enough that it feels like there’s a strong community there, but big enough to not feel isolated.
Although it’s a tourist hotspot and there are an array of Western-style cafes, bars, restaurants, and malls, the locals have still done an excellent job of preserving their Thai culture so you still feel like you’re learning everyday and are being welcomed into something new.
Though the visa restrictions are difficult to get around, you know the government is simply doing what’s best for the country and the people. Thailand is one of the few countries in the region that hasn’t been colonized, and you can feel their sense of pride in the way they work to preserve their culture.
I enjoyed Chiang Mai so much that I will be visiting again later this month, and would 100% live and work there for 3-6 months annually if the opportunity presented itself.
While everyone’s experience and outlook on travel can differ drastically, I truly believe Chiang Mai, Thailand, has something for everyone.
You should visit. If you don’t like it, Pad Thai on me! (40THB/ less than $2 :P).
A photo of me failing my attempt at a graceful release of a Hello Kitty lantern at the annual Yi Peng festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand.