Chiang Mai – Thailand at long long last!

February 1, 2026|Rick Juliusson

We took the longest route in modern history to get to Thailand. Thanks to some life curveballs - dental work, sick son, revised Christmas plans - our simple (and nonrefundably-purchased) ticket across the Pacific from Vancouver to Thailand turned into: Vancouver-Albania-Philadelphia-CostaRica-Chicago-Montreal-Pittsburgh-Philadelphia-NewYork-AbuDhabi-Bangkok-Chiang Mai!

Last chance to be a neck-craning New York tourist

Halfway there - another 9-hour flight to Thailand still to go

Free massage (for a $3 tip) in the Bangkok airport lounge? Yes please!

Never seen this on an airplane screen before. But then again, I've never flown into the United Arab Emirates before.

First look at Abu Dhabi

Stunningly beautiful airport in Abu Dhabi

More Than Just Pad Thai

Now that we’re finally here, we pinch ourselves to make sure it’s real. Still feel between worlds, with just 4 days between a cold lovely family Christmas and a 1-week yoga retreat.

The food is so good and so cheap we don’t even use our AirBnB’s kitchen. How about an Michelin-recommended Indian roti food cart with a half-hour line-up?

Indian roti with egg, cheese and banana...

...was well worth the 30-minute wait

She and her partner earn that red Michelin rating by making hundreds of roti every night from 6-11pm

Or perhaps the fancier, reservation-only sit-down Baan Landai restaurant, also from the Michelin Guide? We go crazy with appies, drinks, desserts, and walk away with a bill under $25 each.

Appies: Raw mango and shrimp/crispy fish salad...

...Savoury leaf wraps: Blend of coconut, ginger, fresh bitter leaves, peanuts, lime and chilli

Fancy drinks - passionfruit and cinnamon stick

Another fancy mocktail

Grilled salmon steak, served with rice wrapped in banana leaf

Thai mackerel with spicy dip and deep-fried vegetables

Desserts: Mango sticky rice with mango ice cream and fresh mango

When not in Michelin mode, we make do with $2 pad thai, night-market fried delights, and an infinite variety of market foods that has Sarah itchin' for a kitchen.

Crispy pork rinds (chicharon) make a happy Ricky...

... No idea how (or why!) one could replicate the glories of real pork rind

Sarah actually made it to day 3 before succumbing to Pad Thai

Guay Jub (Thai-Chinese Rolled Noodle Soup): pork meatballs, pork blood jelly, Vietnamese pork sausage, crispy shallots, onsen egg, corriander, rice noodles ($3)

1 City, 300 Temples

The online “3-Day Chiang Mai Itinerary” posts unimaginatively allot just one day to actually being in Chiang Mai, then outings to elephant sanctuaries and Karen villages. We do most of the one-day activities on the first day: old city, food, and a random selection of the over 300 Buddhist temples in the city.

It took several minutes of worship to realize that these were wax monks

One temple had murals of the local history (some violent)

Some loving (though nowhere near as explicit as Nepal)

Beyond the Food and Temples

Don’t listen to the uninspired blog posts - Chiang Mai is so much more than a one-day eat-pray-love party. We spend the next 3 days slowly exploring a vibrant, easy city. Markets, fabrics (to be tailored next in Vietnam), old buildings and unique signs. And outside every home and business are two small raised houses so that spirits have a place to rest and bless the inhabitants.

We also slide easily back into our Living Here routine. Gym workout, coffee shop work session, laundry at one of the many outdoor back-alley laundromats, exploring the trendy Nimman (Nimmanhaemin Road) area where lots of students and expats live. There’s a reason Chiang Mai is one of the world’s prime destinations for digital nomads. It’s safe, fun, cheap, friendly, delicious, easy access to beautiful mountain outings, with culture and religion and history delicately woven through everything.

For my scary doll collection

Sewing paradise

Daily offerings to the spirit houses

We impressed them so much at the gym that they put our pictures on the wall

Roadside pickle joint

If you've ever smelled Durian fruit, you'll understand

Not a mural city like Tirana or Philadelphia, but some good stuff

Bougainvillia

Beautiful fabrics at incredible prices ($4/yard)

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4 Comments

Esteban Celis on February 1, 2026 at 12:33 pm

Love this post! The food, the colors, the temples, the people and the culture. Great photos Rick.

Reply
Art Broderson on February 1, 2026 at 1:02 pm

Thanks for the day brightner I forgot some places feel safe. keep on treking so colorful so filled with beauty Art

Reply
- Rick Juliusson on February 1, 2026 at 2:34 pm
  
  “I forgot some places feel safe.” I’m so sorry you, or anyone, has to feel that way, but you speak the truth. It is so healing for our souls to be here, and we don’t take it for granted.
  
  Reply
Donald Stuart Crawford on February 1, 2026 at 8:41 pm

Wow, the food! I hope when we next cross paths you all will have mastered some of those delicious Thai recipes. Enjoy the journey.

Reply