Cons of living in Chiang Mai
1. Streets are not designed solely for walking. There are some parks where you can walk undisturbed, but most streets you walk in will have car/scooter traffic as well.
2. Traffic can be dense, especially in high season from October - January. If you have a motorcycle/scooter this doesn’t matter as much (you can lane split, filter, etc). In a car, some streets get gridlocked at busy times which can make your commute much longer than planned. Avoidable with some planning and familiarity.
3. Every year around March the air quality takes a nosedive for 2-6 weeks. This is known locally as “Burning season” and is the result of seasonal forest fires. Many nomads choose to travel abroad, visit home, or go to Southern Thailand (like Phuket) for a few weeks to escape the smoke.
Pros and Cons of living in Chiang Mai
Pros:
1. Incredibly safe and friendly vibe - as in zero crime of any kind, you lose your wallet and someone will find you to return it. It will break your conceptions of what life outside your front door can be like.
2. Very affordable cost of living. Houses rent for $300-$500/month, lunch is $2-3, gym is $2 for a day pass.
3. Abundance of nature; very green city, with hikes and outdoor activities right next door on the Doi Suthep mountain.
4. High concentration of nomads and expats in coworking spaces and
5. Incredible cafe scene, probably 1,000+ boutique cafes in a city of ~1M. High end coffee plantations are dotted all over Northern Thailand, so most beans are locally sourced.
Cons coming next...
Hello! This is your Satlantis ambassador for Chiang Mai. As an American living here since 2019, I've settled in to life in Northern Thailand for the long haul.
For those of you planning to visit (or live in!) Chiang Mai, here is my "starter kit" of the best cafes, restaurants, massage spots and more I've discovered over my time spent exploring this beautiful land. I will be transferring this list over to Satlantis, but for immediate value, here’s the list on Google Maps.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/uRCsEXDYRm9Zm2Ki6
The image includes far more locations I've saved, just to give you an idea of what I've seen around the city!
GM
#gm
#catstr
#siamstr
Today's myth about Thailand 🇹🇭 (#4) is that it's dangerous here.
This is probably the most laughable myth I've heard about Thailand.
I understand why it exists: I grew up in the USA 🇺🇸 and the brainwashing that "everywhere else is poor and therefore dangerous" is strong... but you are more likely to die in your local grocery store in America than literally anywhere in Thailand.
Thailand is by far the safest place I've ever lived in my life. There is virtually no violent or petty crime here.
Imagine if the entire world was your living room - that's what it feels like to go anywhere in this country.
Don't sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭
Following all those accounts is a great way to start!
Today's myth about Thailand 🇹🇭 (#3) is that there's no #Bitcoin community here. After 5 years in Thailand, I'm discovering that Bitcoin runs deep here.
There are Bitcoiners everywhere, they're just low key about it!
The Bitcoin scene among Thais is large and growing fast. The Bitcoin Standard is now the #2 book at Naiin, a major bookstore in Thailand.
There's a 4,000 person Discord server in Thai language dedicated to all things #Bitcoin , and the educational company @Right Shift has 30k YouTube followers and runs a global Bitcoin conference in Bangkok: v2 coming in September 2024.
Also, check out the #siamstr community 😉
Bitcoin physical spaces and meetups like nostr:npub13pn45hvfxqy5vpyr03krapqvsjpj34n74u36qz9aynw4svg5ypqszxgctw by PlebPiccoloJr (you on Nostr?) and nostr:npub1e2ayjlmmaksx2rtt0z4jzyskunfwh2lwe89xav4qtnhgu4wxsudsp98a4l , Bitcoin Learning Center by nostr:npub1c9r9lad84kpqwnh09u58vdzwnfsnxcr7a40uf5ulkpdguq4667jsgaxu4k in Chiang Mai and nostr:npub1yyhng9y4t5tu2t8c2gaxwp635zu4su7pqzlyxncc436f5j906xvsawxnuq in Phuket are also growing across the country.
Don't sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭
I am but I would like to get to know the #siamstr community better!
When I was at nostr:npub167n5w6cj2wseqtmk26zllc7n28uv9c4vw28k2kht206vnghe5a7stgzu3r I heard a lot of myths about Thailand 🇹🇭
After 5 years living here let me clear them up.
Here’s myth #1: Thailand is just for backpackers.
Maybe this was true 20 years ago, but it couldn’t be further from the truth today.
Yes, Thailand has a low cost of living. But it also has incredibly high quality and high value services.
For instance, I can get a Thai massage at a local shop for $6/hour. Or I can go to one of the many high end spas in Chiang Mai and get the service, amenities and surroundings of a 5-star hotel for $30/hour.
I can eat a local meal for $2, or a Michelin-star fine dining meal for $100.
Beers in a local bar for $2 a pop, glitzy rooftop cocktails for $10.
These are all accessible within Thailand, matched with service that’s way above and beyond for the price you’re paying.
You can definitely live a cheap life here; but you can also live one of great luxury, for good value.
Don’t sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭
All was well in my life once, but it still felt like I was walking around with a rock in my shoe...
If this is how your life feels - great on paper, but something missing to feed your soul - the Ride of Passage is the journey you need to take.
Here's some highlights from last year's ride in Thailand. Learn more about this year's rides at the link below.
This is Amsterdam
#yesterday #Amsterdam
nostr:npub1v5g4gkhazw4g7ncm9avpf8all4r3mgfw2fz0g9erzl6srv0vsz4sj9nsq4
Cerra un poco los ojos
#negr0art
Trippy!
Kinda like saying chips and salsa is your favorite Mexican food. Most people agree, but few have the courage to say it 🫡
How to make your phone less addicting by putting it in black and white.
Since I got asked this often at nostr:npub167n5w6cj2wseqtmk26zllc7n28uv9c4vw28k2kht206vnghe5a7stgzu3r , here you go!
Architecture in Prague is on another level
I just set up https://connect.nos.social/ ... let's see if this works on desktop first.
