The Thai List - Chiang Mai: Secrets of the North

Vol. 02 - Sept 2025

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Chiang Mai feels different from Bangkok right away. The mornings are cooler, the pace is slower, and life seems a little more relaxed. We’ve been wandering the old town, drinking coffee in open courtyards, and eating Chiang Mai’s famous dish khao soi (northern style curry noodles).

It’s the kind of city where you plan to see one temple and end up spending the whole day just walking, sitting, and watching life go by.

📍 Locations: This week we added all the Chiang Mai spots to our Google Map - easy to find, follow, and visit. You can find it in the ‘Insider’ section of this newsletter.

Happy reading,
Ploy & Jochem

🗺️ The journey: Night Train & Old Town Wanders

A travel story

We started our trip on the night train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, one of the easiest and most fun ways to travel north. Tickets can be booked online through the Thai Railways site or at Hua Lamphong Station. Go for a 2nd-class sleeper: by day it’s two seats facing each other, at night the staff folds them into bunk beds with fresh sheets and curtains. It’s cozy, a little bumpy, and you wake up with sunrise rolling past rice fields and misty hills. A truly unique experience.

Arriving in Chiang Mai early in the morning, we headed straight to Chiang Mai Breakfast Restaurant Saneha. Located near the Three Kings Monument, this local favorite offers a blend of Thai and Western breakfast dishes. We indulged in their American fried rice, a hearty plate topped with crispy fried chicken and a flavorful sauce. The pork rice porridge with grilled pork was another comforting choice. The atmosphere was relaxed, with a vintage Thai-style décor that made for a great start to our day.

Then we went to discover Chiang Mai’s old town, which is like a patchwork of temples, cafés, and narrow soi’s shaded by big trees. Walk slowly, every corner has a surprise.

We began at Wat Phra Singh, where the sound of monks chanting drifts out of the main hall. The Lanna style temple dates back to the 14th century, but it feels alive, not like a museum. If you come early, the air is cool and the light is golden on the rooftops.

From there, wander aimlessly. You’ll stumble upon juice stands, small boutique stores with handmade products, and traditional massage shops tucked into wooden houses. When it’s time for a break, head to GAAD Coffee. This cozy spot focuses on carefully sourced beans and slow-brewed coffee, with a calm, minimalist vibe, perfect for sitting back and watching the old streets of Chiang Mai come to life.

By afternoon, the town slows down. Locals nap, cats stretch in the sun, and the smell of grilled pork skewers starts drifting from alley corners. It’s the perfect time to go for a walk towards the Ping River.

Cross the street market near Warorot and you’ll find the river opening up, breezy and wide. We sat at The Riverside Bar, lights strung above, cold Singha beer in hand, and watched the longtail boats slide by. A local band was playing blues covers and Thai love songs. It’s simple, old-school, and exactly the kind of night Chiang Mai does best.

☕ Coffee tip: GAAD Coffee (Old Town) – Stop by for a slow-brew coffee and a little break. The space is cozy and simple, perfect for sitting back and watching the streets of Chiang Mai go by.

🏘️ Local life

Thai life, up close.

If you want to feel the heartbeat of Chiang Mai, step off the main roads.

In Wat Ket, just across the iron bridge, life moves at a slower pace. Wooden homes lean into each other, tiny noodle stands serve bowls for 40 baht, and antique shops are filled with old radios, postcards, and trinkets. Woo Café is our favorite stop here, part café, part art gallery, part jungle of plants. You can easily lose an afternoon here with a coffee and a sketchbook.

Then there’s Chang Moi, by day it looks like nothing special, just hardware shops and welding garages. But at night, the doors slide open and little bars appear. We also found Tha Chang Café, where a jazz trio played while students and old uncles shared beers. It felt like a secret club you just happened to walk into.

And if you want to stay right in the middle of it all, the old town has plenty of beautiful spots. Tamarind Village is one of our favorites: a boutique hotel tucked behind white walls, with shady courtyards, wooden verandas, and a centuries-old tamarind tree at its heart. It feels local and quiet, yet you’re just steps away from temples and markets. If you want to make your stay extra special Tamarind Village is the place to stay.

For something more personal, try a homestay like Baan Boo Loo Village. Hidden in the old town, it feels like staying in a traditional northern home, complete with wooden beams, open-air verandas, and a kitchen that smells of home-cooked curries. The family here welcomes you like relatives, sharing stories, tips, and even the occasional cooking session. It’s the kind of place where you feel less like a guest and more like part of the household.

🗣️ Say it like a local

“Naa rak mak” (น่ารักมาก) — So cute / lovely!

Say this to compliment anything from a little shop, a handcrafted item, or even a friendly dog you pass in a soi. It’s endearing and gets smiles instantly.

📰 Thailand Now

• F1 is coming to Bangkok: Thailand will host a Formula 1 street race in Bangkok starting in 2028, with five races lined up through 2032. Big news for motorsport fans and a major boost for tourism!

• Dusit Central Park Unveils Thailand's Largest Urban Roof Park: Bangkok’s Dusit Central Park just opened Thailand’s largest urban rooftop park. Think panoramic city views, amphitheaters, pet-friendly zones, and a lush green escape right in the heart of the city.

• Bangkok’s Giant Lizards: Lumphini Park is now home to around 400 Asian water monitor lizards: big, curious, and surprisingly city-savvy. Locals have grown to love them, and they’re becoming a quirky urban attraction while keeping the ecosystem in check. Don’t be afraid, these modern dinosaurs are more curious than dangerous, and spotting one feels like stumbling into a tiny Jurassic Park.

📻 The Thai (Play) List

Songs for discovering Thailand: from scenic drives to hidden escapes. New vibes added every week .

Click on any of the tracks below to get in the travel mood.

The Thai List Insider

If you liked this week’s walk, here’s the exact plan we’d give a friend visiting. Special spots and hidden treasures, to make your visit a memorable one.

🌞 One Day in Chiang Mai

Here’s how we’d spend a day that captures the city’s rhythm:

• 7:00 am – Tamarind Village. Wake up in the courtyard with the sound of monks chanting in the distance. Have a slow breakfast under the tamarind tree before heading out.

• 8:00 am – Wat Phra Singh. Start your walk here. The golden roofs glow in the morning light, and locals come to make merit before the day begins.

• 10:00 am – Flo Coffee Brewers. Tucked inside the old town, this café makes some of the best slow brews in town. Grab a seat in the minimalist space and watch the city wake up.

• 12:30 pm – Khao Soi lunch. No trip to Chiang Mai is complete without it. We like Khao Soi Mae Sai, where the broth is rich, spicy, and comforting.

• 2:00 pm – Woo Café (Wat Ket). Cross the iron bridge into this leafy, art-filled café. Perfect for an unhurried afternoon with coffee or cake.

• 5:00 pm – Buak Hard Park. As the day cools, head here to sit on the grass, watch families picnic, and see the sky turn pink behind the trees.

• 7:30 pm – Tha Chang Café. Finish with live jazz, a cold beer, and a room full of locals. A low-key way to end the day.

🍲 Eat & Sip - Food Crawl

For when you want to wander and snack:

• Warorot Market. Start with skewers or fried chicken while browsing the night stalls.

• Khao Kha Moo (stewed pork leg). Found at carts near the old town gates, rich and tender with rice.

• Kanom Jeen Nam Ngiao. Spicy northern noodle soup often served at tiny stands, look for the locals.

• Sweet roti cart. Crispy roti with condensed milk, easy to spot near the night markets.

💡 Tip: Go after 7 pm, when the air is cooler and the market buzzes.

💎 Local Treasures

A few extra spots we like to show friends when we have more time:

• Woo Café (Wat Ket). Part café, part gallery, part jungle. Great for a long afternoon.

• Baan Boo Loo Village. A homestay that feels like joining a northern family, complete with wood beams and home-cooked meals.

• Flo Coffee Brewers. Minimalist café tucked into the old town, known for slow brews and a calm vibe.

• Wat Umong. A 700-year-old forest temple with tunnels, hidden corners, and a pond full of giant fish.

• Buak Hard Park. The city’s green heart, where families picnic and students play guitar at sunset.

📍 For Our Insiders

Every week we drop new pins onto our Local Secrets Map - special spots you won’t always find in the guidebooks. Street stalls tucked down alleys, rooftop bars only locals know, temples that feel like they belong to you alone.

This map is just for Insiders, and it grows with every edition - a living guide that keeps unlocking Thailand, piece by piece.

👉 Tip: Tap the link on your phone and choose “Open in Google Maps” for the full interactive experience.

💡 Local Tip

In Chiang Mai, mornings belong to the monks. If you’re up early, walk to the old town gates around 6 am and you’ll see lines of monks collecting alms. Buy a small basket of rice or fruit from a nearby stall and join in, it’s quiet, respectful, and a way to see the city at its most peaceful.

🙏 Thank you

That’s this weeks full walk. Next stop: Southern Thailand, where the islands and seafood await 😋

See you next week!

We hope you enjoyed this edition of The Thai List. If you did, please share the love by inviting your friends and family to join us ❤️

Each week we uncover local secrets, hidden escapes, and the best food and drinks Thailand has to offer.

Don’t miss out on the journey.

Wishing you save travels,

The Thai List - Your weekly postcard from Thailand.