Hugo, Solitude is Bliss and The Isan Project ft. Richie & Mariam.

No, I shan’t be rambling about press freedom or whining about government transparency this month. I am going to be shamelessly promoting my company, so please bear with me and don’t worry, I am sure next month I will be back on my soapbox!

We can’t get enough of excellent breakfasts around here, so to follow up on last year’s listing of Big Breakfasts in Chiang Mai, here are seven more excellent places to eat well on a lazy Sunday (this time we’re calling it brunch)!

Citylife were taken around Mae Rim and shown some of the less known eateries and secret locations by resident expert and artist, Sudaporn “Som” Teja.

An old church on Soi 5 Nimmanhaemin has been lovingly converted into the new Tengoku+Yaki Restaurant, run by the successful restaurateurs of Tengoku de Cuisine (six time winner of Thailand Tatler’s Best Restaurants). But what is turning this restaurant into the latest buzz are the other offerings which surround its charming little courtyard bar in the restaurant compound.

These three new Chiang Mai eateries offer not only fabulous food, but also a beautiful place in which to eat it. You’ll never have to sacrifice atmosphere for flavour again!

A kitted out condo, a tranquil cottage or a unique hotel? Whatever your ideal abode, we’ve got a cosy place for you to catch some ZZZs.

As I slowly unbent my frozen limbs, curled up tight all night long under the hotel’s duvet, to slip into a pair of thick wool slippers, put on a comfy coat, and perch my glasses onto what I think was my nose (all feelings had left me), I was ready to be impressed. We had arrived late the night before at the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat, an hour’s drive from Guilin, China, and being the dead of a foggy winter with no illuminations to be found in the sky, I had yet to step onto my balcony. With a flourish I pulled open the curtains, took a deep breath and braced myself. And, cold be damned, spent the good part of the next half hour gazing in awe at the incredible sight before me…

By now, I think it’s safe to assume that most of you know about kombucha, the fermented tea that hipsters and health fanatics are drinking by the gallon. But what could have been merely a passing fad seems to have staying power, thanks perhaps to its ancient legacy and uniquely addictive flavour.

Chiang Mai’s latest star is 22-year-old Aorawee “Ping Pong” Singdaeng, a humble pork vendor who set up shop on a roadside in Santitham no more than a few months ago. She’s certainly not the first vendor I have seen sporting a university uniform. So what makes her special? Why is she such a hit?

Fancy yourself a bit of a philosopher? You are not alone. If pontificating on the existence of reality, the language of religion or the historical context of will is how you while away much of your time, you have company.