Justin Yip, 27
Teacher, American
“I have one place in Chiang Mai I like to walk around and think. There’s a small garden to the right of Wat Phra Singh with lots of quotes, sayings and phrases nailed to the trees. It’s a great place to escape and reflect.”
Cody Gohl, 23
Citylife Intern, American
“My secret spot is definitely Street Pizza, a small artisanal pizza restaurant off Tha Pae Road. It’s without a doubt the best pizza I’ve found in Chiang Mai and probably in all of Thailand. I know, big claim, but take one bite of their venison sausage or chicken pesto pizzas and you’ll be sold. With their superb food, trendy décor and friendly staff, I bet this place won’t be a secret for much longer—but at least you can say you found it first!”
Kamonchanok Kunkaew, 23
Graphic Designer, Thai
“If you want a quick escape from the city to the forest for a while, take a 30 minute drive toward the Royal Flora. There you’ll find the Praw and Plean Café, a food and coffee shop at the base of Doi Kham in Mae Hia with a very nice atmosphere, situated in the middle of trees and nature.”
Maggie Nentwig, 28
Kindergarten Teacher, British
“My secret: an adorable coffee shop and bakery is very appropriately called My Secret Café. It’s in an oasis of green and a great place to relax.”
Julian Kossmann, 17
Student, German
“I really enjoy hanging out around the Aang Kaew Lake on the Chiang Mai University campus. It’s always bustling with energy, and watching all the students take photos of themselves just never gets old.”
Kayla Gill, 29
Volunteer, American
“There’s a Japanese hip hop clothing store in Jed Yod across from the first 7-Eleven off of Canal Road. They have fly allover-print sweatshirts, Japanese graphic print tees, and adorable two-piece hoodie and short sets. Don’t be shy, get your haggle on.”
Tanja Trautwein, 30
Online English Teacher, German/Thai
“There are several restaurants I really enjoy: Cat House, Ai Sushi, Salsa Kitchen and Funan. My favourite Italian restaurant is La Fontana and for mouth-watering pizza at reasonable prices then Pizza 99 is the place to be.”
Tanapat Dangmeon, 31
Editorial Assistant, Thai
“Here’s a helpful secret: when you order food from street carts or made-to-order restaurants, tell the server ‘pi-set’ (?), which translates to ‘special’ for an extra large portion. They will only charge you an extra 5 or 10 baht.”
Niklas Schneider, 20
Volunteer, Austrian
“Skill Barber is my Chiang Mai secret. It’s a barbershop with a great hip hop vibe. They can also give you the craziest haircuts: from leopard print hair colouring to shaving cool designs in your hair. Not only do they give the best haircuts and play the best hip hop and trap music in the city.”
Todd Cikraji, 35
Director Friends For Asia, American
“I love this little coffee shop called Mosaic Coffee. They have good, cheap coffee and it’s unique because it’s owned by a mosaic artist who frequently puts up his artworks in his café.”