Things to know (and bring)

There's some packing and prep specific to our trip to Chiang Mai that will be useful to keep in mind.

Packing essentials

While the tail end of the rainy season means Chiang Mai will be colder than Singapore, it'll still be warm enough to make use of our pool!

Swimming gear 🏊‍♂️ (There's a pool!)
A sweater 🧥
At least one outfit covering shoulders to knees
Good walking/hiking shoes 👟
Some Thai Baht (THB) in cash
Grab or Bolt app downloaded 🚕

Currency

Thailand is happily quite cheap!

Cached Rates

Common purchases

THB

SGD

INR

EUR

150 THB is: 0.5 massages OR 1.5 tuk-tuks OR 3 coffees

Transportation

Chiang Mai's main ride-hailing apps are Grab and Bolt. Please download at least one before you arrive.

Motorbikes and scooters are more fun and well suited to Chiang Mai. I recommend Cat Motors - used them every time I've been in Chiang Mai, and they prioritize safety and maintenance highly.

However, please be aware driving on a foreign license may result in a fine at police checkpoints. Nothing to worry about, just a tourist tax:

Official fine: 2000 THB (with receipt)
Unofficial "fine": 500-1000 THB (no receipt)
Receipt excuses you from paying any fine again for the next 3 days

Take whichever you're offered, and be polite and respectful to avoid sudden increases in the amount.