Guide for Chiang Mai

• Probably the best value food is Steak Bar. Michelin level presentation from a random shack
• Nice Japanese desserts can be found at Sofuto
• Mon Jam also worthwhile for mountaintop views (fyi I recall the last 500 m of driving uphill is a bit sketchy with many people walking in the road) https://maps.app.goo.gl/4TaxpTj7SyPLx1v18
• Elefin elephant cafe (probably easiest elephant petting/feeding experience around)
• I liked going to DN Wellness massage in Nimman. Because careful, there are other massage places nearby with almost the same name. It is very central but in a quiet place. It is not the cheapest but I thought the nicer experience was worth it
• Yellow Coworking is a crypto-focused coworking space. You can also ask them about the schedule of the regular Ethereum meetup (or crypto meetup, idk which term they use) in Chiang Mai
• I recommend a visit to Pai, even for 2 nights, if you stay in Chiang Mai for over 1 month. It is a smaller town that is much more chill than Chiang Mai
• The basement of Maya shopping mall has a food court with many good food options. They also have a tea shop and a nice french bakery (buy many small sugar-topped chouquettes when they are available, they are delicious!). On the top floor of Maya, you will find the free CAMP coworking space
• If you want to eat healthier food, I really like Salad Concept (multiple locations but this one is most central) and Salad Terrace

General comments:

• If you want to rent a scooter or regularly call a scooter/car to drive you using Grab, then the area where you can stay is much bigger. Many people staying a short term who want to walk a bit will stay in Nimman (Nimmanhaemin, but everyone calls it Nimman) or Santitham. These areas are close to Maya mall and One Nimman (the unofficial center of town for foreigners). People who stay in Chiang Mai longer, want to use a scooter more, and especially foreigners living there, will prefer to stay closer to the mountain (west) because it is more quiet. This website is no longer working fully, but it lists many useful "serviced apartments" (this is the special word to use when you are searching for the 1+ month rentals) https://nomadrental.com/cities/chiang-mai-th/hotels/
• Online shopping in Thailand is BETTER than in the USA, so you can check Lazada" and Shopee
• The best time to be in Chiang Mai is November and December. Avoid burning season, which starts in January/February most years.
• Do you want to learn how to ride a motorcycle REALLY well? Consider a school like Fox mini circuit motorcycle school
• If you want to go shopping, Central Festival mall is a modern shopping mall with Uniqlo and many other large shops
• Want to go for a walk in the evening when the weather is cooler? Go to the Chiang Mai university campus - they have lakes and big green areas that are nice to walk around
• You're in southeast Asia, remember to eat durian! You should also try Burmese and Indonesian food, it is easier to find such restaurants in this region