Living in Chiang Mai

Location
Located in Northern Thailand, Chiang Mai is easily accessible from most points in Southeast Asia. Chiang Mai means ‘New City’, it is Thailand’s second largest city, after Bangkok. The city centre of Chiang Mai is surrounded by a walled moat, known as the Old City and is just a single square mile.

It has an airport offering direct and in-direct flights to and from cities and countries including Bangkok, Singapore, China, and Phuket; flights to Bangkok run more frequently.

Accommodation
Accommodation in Chiang Mai is quite easy to find. There are many Estate Agents in the area as well as trusted sites such as:

Chiangmai House

Thailand Property

Perfect Homes

Homes and condos can be rented from as little as THB 3,500 for a small one bedroom suite. In general a good home will cost anything between THB 7,000 and THB25,000+ for a more than acceptable accommodation.

Climate
Thailand’s climate is tropical monsoon with three seasons: the warm season is hot and dry from March to May, the rainy season is from June to October, and the cool season is from November to February. Daytime temperatures range from 16 degrees C (60 F) to 36 degrees C (97 F). Evenings are a bit cooler. In the cool season you will need some warmer clothing as it can get cold.

Entertainment
Chiang Mai has something for everyone! Near the city are waterfalls, temples, elephants, whitewater rafting, rappelling, hiking, biking and other outdoor activities.

Varee Chiangmai International School is conveniently located near Central Airport Shopping complex with a multi-screen cinema and to Promenada Shopping Mall.
There are also plenty of dining experiences. Western chains include Sizzler, Dukes, KFC, McDonalds, Starbucks, and Pizza Company. In addition, hundreds of locally-owned eating establishments provide good value in Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Italian, French, Indian, and American cuisine.

Churches
There are numerous international churches which meet in Chiang Mai. Several Thai churches also provide English translation for their services.

Attractions
Chiang Mai has many attractions to see such as temples, Chiang Mai Zoo, the Night Safari, the Night Bazaar, Doi Inthanon, Doi Suthep, boat cruises on the Ping River, golf courses, and there are lots of trips to go on, if you wish to travel outside of Chiang Mai.

Parent groups
There are also many Face-Book Groups to join, where you can find out about local information and events happening in and around Chiang Mai. Check out Chiangmai Mums, Chiangmai Houses for Rent, Chiangmai Buy Sell Swap, Chiangmai Events