Chiang Mai was once the seat of the ancient Lanna Kingdom, home to important temples and institutions, and a trading hub and melting pot for the ethnic groups of the region. The Lanna legacy makes “The Rose of the North” a great place to explore the cultural and artistic side of Thailand. Even though Chiang Mai is no longer a royal seat, the city is home to a number of 5-star hotels sure to make you feel like royalty. Whether you’re looking for luxury accommodations in the center of town so you can get the most out of a short visit to Chiang Mai, or you want to escape the city and lounge in th ..read more

When I was writing my ‘how to order in Thailand‘ post, a lot of questions came up about how to order safely for certain dietary restrictions, mainly regarding gluten and peanut sensitivities or allergies. Personally, I will try anything and everything when I’m traveling and don’t have any food allergies or restrictions. I tend to not eat a lot of meat, but also don’t avoid it and often will opt for local food that maybe isn’t the healthiest, but is the most affordable and accessible. For example, there are a ton of delicious veggie restaurants in Chiang Mai that source organic ..read more

I’ll let you in on a little secret…there are a lot more Thai dishes than phad thai, fried rice and green curry. Really. Those are all great options, and I still eat my fair share of them, but if you visit Thailand and only stick to these “safe” staples that most people seem to be familiar with, you are missing out. Of course, it can also be intimidating to order and try something new when you’re not even sure how to order and immediately fall back on your go-to dish. Heck, now when I visit the U.S. I’m overwhelmed by my options and don’t know how to choose or what to order…and that’s in ..read more

Not going to lie – I still love a good guidebook. Especially when it’s coming from a creative angle or written by people I know in IRL. Both of which are true for the books covering Bangkok below.  Especially when it comes to such a big, multi-layered destination as Bangkok, I go straight to a guidebook or local lifestyle outlet (for Bangkok, BK Magazine is incredible…) to learn what to do, where to go and where to eat. Blog posts from people who have spent a few days in the city just don’t cut it.  The Bangkok guides below are some of the best around…and still just scratch the surface of ..read more

I’ve gotten pretty spoiled living in Thailand getting regular massage and spa treatments. Before moving to the country, I had only had two massages total in my life…now I get at least two a month. I also have been fortunate enough to try out a range of massage shops and spas in Chiang Mai from the small, simple shop run by a local family offering massages, to more therapeutic treatments (i.e. not so comfortable or relaxing but beneficial), to 5-star, full-on, oh-my-God-I-can’t-believe-I’m here spas at some of the city’s most impressive hotels. If you’re looking for something special, these ..read more

Chiang Mai, Thailand is a city well known for culture and creativity. With its rich Lanna heritage and a new generation’s eye-catching talent for mixing traditional styles with modern amenities, there’s no shortage of beautiful hotels in Chiang Mai. Over the past 8+ years I’ve lived here, the number of hotels has seemed to quadruple and new ones are still going up all around, especially in the Old City and around the Nimmanhaemin neighborhood. Since there are always more options, I’ve updated this post, originally published in 2018, with some of my newest recommendations. Phra Singh Village ..read more

At the risk of sounding cliché, a travel quote made me move to Thailand. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” While it may seem tired and overused now, the first time I read this quote it stopped me in my tracks. I had been thinking in circles for months about making a move, knowing wholeheartedly that I wanted to quit my job and move abroad but also not knowing where I would begin or when wou ..read more

Want to make real Thai food at home? Then you need these Thai cookbooks. Tasty (authentic) recipes, dishes that go beyond phad thai, and gorgeous food photography – these are the best Thai cookbooks around. Pok Pok: Food and Stories from the Streets, Homes, and Roadside Restaurants of Thailand Andy Ricker opened a small restaurant called Pok Pok in a Portland neighborhood in 2005 after spending years traveling and eating around Thailand. The shop soon became a national phenomenon (and now has more locations in Portland and New York) and in Pok Pok: Food and Stories from the Streets, Homes, a ..read more

I know I may be in the minority now, but I still like guide books. Whatever arguments people make that they’re outdated as soon as they’re published and blogs or websites have more up-to-date is not necessarily true – I have plenty of posts on this site that haven’t been updated in years – and often bloggers or writers who haven’t spent significant time in a place don’t share any true insight into a destination’s history, culture and lifestyle. Unlike a blogger writing their list of “best restaurants” in a place they just spent five days (the amount of times I’ve seen posts like these for C ..read more