Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is where we stop moving. Cheap long-stay apartments, a real community, mountains twenty minutes away, and more house-sitting opportunities than anywhere else we have been in Thailand.

Best time to go

November to February. Avoid March and April when burning season affects the air quality.

What it costs

£35–£50 a day for two, or far less on a sit where accommodation is free.

What we'd actually do

Doi Suthep at sunrise

Ride up before dawn, climb the 306 steps, and have the terrace almost to yourself with the city under mist.

Ethical elephant sanctuaries only

No riding, no bathing shows. Look for places where you observe rather than interact — the animals are visibly calmer.

Sunday Walking Street

The best market in northern Thailand. Eat first at the temple food courts tucked off the main road.

Where to stay

• Nimmanhaemin — cafés, co-working and a young crowd
• Old City — inside the moat, walkable, temples everywhere
• Santitham — where people who stay for months actually live

Things we wish we'd known

• Monthly apartment rentals are dramatically cheaper than nightly — negotiate directly.
• Rent a scooter only if you are already confident; the ring road is unforgiving.
• This is the single best city we have found for repeat pet sits with the same owners.