Get Lost with Me in the Alleys of Chiang Mai

As a slow traveller, one of my most favourite things to do in any city is to amble aimlessly. I’m not a huge fan of seeing the usual tourist sights anywhere I go. Instead, my passion lies in finding the hidden gems, meeting locals and feeling as immersed as I can in everyday life. Get lost with me in the alleys of Chiang Mai and see what we can find.

Old Town

One of the most fascinating areas of the city is within the walls and moat of the oldest sector. Here lies the heart of cultural and historical Chiang Mai. Basically a square mile, this space is a wanderer’s dream. I never feel lost here for I know I will eventually reach a wall or gate and be able to orient myself.

Besides the 14^th century temples dotted throughout the area, visitors will find numerous cute and trendy café’s, hostels, boutique shops and more. What I want to discover, is what’s hiding behind all of these.

And what a treasure trove there is. The other day, I found this little group of alleys, where the walled fences are made of decorative and traditional terracotta pottery! Huge doorways, posts with beautiful finials and inserts of mystical creatures. With the lush greenery cascading down and into the alley, the feeling was like I had entered another universe.

As I walked around, I could spot orchids growing from the trees, lanterns gently blowing in the warm breeze and a precious hush surrounding me.

Outside the Walls

In each direction outside of the Old City walls, there are fairly distinct neighbourhoods to be explored. Last year, I was situated on the north side so this year I decided to checkout the alleys on the west side.

What a bounty of little vistas. What I especially enjoy seeing are the small vendors that open up really early in the mornings. They seem to use the front of their homes, the covered patio, to set up small shops. These typically sell all sorts of small nibbles and snacks.

Most interesting are the fresh fruits and veg that I can only imagine are grown in their and the neighbourhood yards. Many of the items are prepackaged, so the price and weight have already been determined. You can imagine me standing there, perusing these tables laden with goods, and not knowing what most of it is! But I love this, seeing all of these interesting things, how they are displayed and watching the local’s trade.

These alleys on this side are quiet compared to the north where I found many street markets both large and small. Instead, here I see people’s laundry placed in the alley to dry in the sunshine. I spot a rooster under the rattan cage, cock-a-doodle-doing. Locals giggle as I attempt to speak with him and come in for a closer look.

Plants, Plants, Plants

One thing that is common no matter where you are wandering off the beaten path in Chiang Mai, is the plethora of plant life. I love to see the edible ones, huge bunches of bananas, drooping low under their weight.

Rose apples, something I have only had in Asia. These are crisp and juicy, with a texture similar to an apple but much less dense. Papaya, massive spiky jack fruit and even the small juicy Thai pineapples! This year I spotted this other fruit perhaps? A hard smooth shell, all of them on the tree were green and they were as large as a cantaloupe.

Of course there is a bounty of flowers too. So much bright and vibrant bougainvillea, always a favourite to see. This amazing large fleshy flower that hangs low in huge trees. The smell is something out of this world, I’m absolutely obsessed with this flower.

Next time you find yourself in Chiang Mai, I encourage you to get off the main streets and take a few days to get lost. It’s an amazing feeling, having no goal but to find and discover beauty and hidden gems. Old Town will always hold my heart as it’s the first place I explored thoroughly last year, my first time in Thailand. But really, the whole city holds magic just waiting to be found.