The city is a blissfully calm and laid-back, an easy place to kick back and relax.
The historic centre of Chiang Mai feels rather residential, more like a sleepy country town than a bustling capital. Yes, there are busy roads with lots of traffic (and the fumes to go with it), but only a couple of steps away, you can find quiet back roads without the noise (and much less of the pollution).
Here are some impressions from the last couple of days.
Back streets are quiet and it’s easy to find an oasis for a refreshing drink (if you look beyond)
Curious rubbish collection
And some green spaces to escape the hubbub up of the city …
Chiang Mai is certainly a place I would come back to and then spend some time exploring the surroundings like the mountains and hill tribe villages.
But that’s better done at a different time of year when the farmers don’t burn the fields after the harvest.
The Travels of Birgit 