Chiang Mai first impressions

First time in Chiang Mai.

Gotta say, I’m impressed. No wonder it was one of those places where the whole digital nomad movement started.

Food is awesome - not just good Thai food but everything else.
A large presence of local Thai Chinese makes things feel familiar.
Theravada Buddhism, I recognise, understand and love.
Locals are friendly, chill, lovely. Lots of social grace here!
Traffic is okay, drivers are patient.
Pavements actually work, and people use them to walk or jog.
Art and artisan goods are abundant and inspiring.
Quality of life can be good since you can travel out to lovely farms and cafes in the middle of nowhere at a fraction of what it costs in Singapore.
Yet there’s proper malls and retail if you need it.
There’s so many international schools to choose from, we’re spoilt for choice.
It feels safe for kids and children to be out and about - for me, that’s a sign of a civilised society.
There’s lots of tourists too, but they’re not everywhere and crowding out everything.
There’s many Singaporean families here too, which helps with getting intel on the moving.
Having local Thai friends make the transition smoother too.
It’s weird, but Chiang Mai feels like the Ubud I know and love, except even more familiar, culture-, religion- and ethnicity-wise.

Chiang Mai, you’re a strong contender for our new life, I must say!