We’ve always heard that Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand, is the 2nd largest city in Thailand, after Bangkok. But the area where we spend almost all our time, from the Ping River to the far end of the moat around Old Town, feels more like a laid-back, very walkable town than a big city. Anyway, I just read that although the metropolitan area has about a million people, the city proper has only 150,000, making it just the 5th largest city in Thailand.

We went to Chiang Mai on our first trip to Thailand because of its reputation as the arts & crafts capital of Thailand. We loved it, & have returned on every trip, spending four weeks there on each of our last two trips. We stayed in the same serviced apt. in Old Town both times. (We used to stay near the river & the Night Bazaar.) Chiang Mai is a pretty hip place, with a growing number of healthy restaurants, & a jazz co-op. Lodgings & restaurants are a bargain in Chiang Mai.

THESE PHOTOS start with four zoo photos from 2007, when I got my digital camera. Most of the photos are from 2008 & 2009. Although there are some from 2010, look to the right to see where most of the 2010 photos are.

I hope you’ll get a sense of why we love Chiang Mai!