With 3000 yuan, you can spend 30 days in Chiang Mai, enjoying 30 days of sunshine and birdsong, it's truly worth it.
As for my favorite cities in Thailand, Chiang Mai is definitely number one. The weather in Chiang Mai is really comfortable; during the day it's a bit sunny, but not as hot as in Bangkok, which is sticky and humid. Chiang Mai's daylight has a gentle breeze and the fragrance of birds and flowers. At night, it gets cool quickly, so you can sleep comfortably even without air conditioning. That's why there are so many tourists who visit Chiang Mai.
Regarding accommodation in Chiang Mai, it's a veritable paradise with countless choices. There are so many hotels, guesthouses, and hostels. Prices range from high to low, from a few thousand to a few hundred. Generally, those with swimming pools are a bit more expensive, usually around 300 yuan, while guesthouses and hotels outside the old city with pools start at 250 yuan. However, we checked out several hotels and guesthouses with pools, and the pools were almost like small fishponds, about 15 meters long and 5 meters wide. It's not really suitable for adults to swim, it's more for children to play. Plus, many of these pools are just for show. So, it's not recommended to choose hotels and guesthouses with swimming pools in the old city, because the pool is just a decoration, and the prices are also high. It's only suitable for wealthy people to enjoy.
In our earlier trips to Chiang Mai, we initially stayed in those 'INS style' hotels and guesthouses, but we later found the Bussaawan Hotel, which is located in a quiet alley on the right side of the Tha Pae Gate. We've been staying here ever since. The hotel's interior is a bit old, but the facilities are complete – there's a refrigerator, air conditioning, free drinking water, and washing supplies. The room and bathroom are also quite spacious, and there's a balcony where you can dry clothes and drink tea. This balcony isn't very big, but it's not too small, you can put two chairs and a coffee table on it. The best thing is that it's very fast to dry clothes, which is great for us, as we need to take a lot of photos for our materials every day. It wouldn't be possible to dry clothes in an air-conditioned room like that, and the clothes would have a musty smell. Bussaawan's price is around 160 yuan a day, and it's even cheaper if you stay longer. Actually, there are even cheaper hostels in Chiang Mai, with bed prices of just 50 yuan, located inside the old city, in those slightly secluded alleys.
Next to the Bussaawan Hotel is a family restaurant run by a lady. It only serves rice meals and noodle soup, but the taste is really amazing, and the price is not expensive either. Adding an egg costs around 10 yuan, and you can eat very full. It's NICE!
Next to the aunt's restaurant is a barbecue shop. It's always busy, with a fish barbecue costing around 50 yuan, and a rack of ribs costing about 10 yuan. However, the business isn't as good as it was a few years ago, and many tourists have decreased. Not only are the restaurants seeing fewer tourists, but there are also fewer tourists on the streets.
Every evening, the Chinese Street Night Market in Chiang Mai is a must-visit. Not only do you find various daily necessities and goods for sale, but there are also many food stalls. And they all have one advantage: low prices and good quality.
What a colorful sushi, various Thai grilled and steamed fish and side dishes, fragrant sausages, and of course, super cheap and delicious 1-yuan chicken legs and 5-yuan ribs. This night market is really a great place, so the Chinese Street Night Market has become one of the must-visit places for many tourists.
Every weekend, the Chiang Mai Old City Night Market is another highlight. On Saturdays and Sundays, they are held in different locations. On Sundays, the night market extends along a 1-kilometer stretch from the Tha Pae Gate. Since our place is right next to the Tha Pae Gate, we like to stroll around this night market on Sundays. This night market gathers local specialties. The most eye-catching is the sight of the beautiful ladies from all over the world. It's cool and refreshing in the summer, and very enjoyable.
Of course, the most attractive thing about the Sunday night market is its various foods. Besides the food stalls along the two sides of the street, there's also a large area beside the temple with dozens or hundreds of food stalls, and the prices are very cheap. You can eat a full circle for about 50 yuan, so why not eat it?
Actually, traveling in Chiang Mai is not expensive at all. If you're frugal like the European backpackers, you can stay in hostels with bed prices of 50 yuan and spend 1500 yuan for 30 days. And you can eat delicious food at the night market stalls every day. You can enjoy 30 days of sunshine and birdsong for about 3000 yuan. So, Chiang Mai is definitely worth visiting!
