Chiang Mai – A Return to Familiar Surroundings

Chiang Mai has always held a special place in my heart. From my first visit in 2006, I returned every year until the pandemic brought international travel to a halt. A long weekend back in northern Thailand offered the chance to revisit old haunts, reconnect with friends, and see how much had changed.

Tha Phae Gate

I Don’t Like Cricket. I Love It

It took two years before I flew north to Chiang Mai. My previous visits to the Land of Smiles saw me enjoying Bangkok, coastal resorts, and places of historical significance. A conversation over a beer one evening with my mate Steve, who lived in Minburi, and another couple of pals would go on to change my life.

In short, I put together a fledgling business venture, offering teams the opportunity to visit Thailand to play cricket against ex-pat locals. I then found out about the Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes that had been running annually for over 15 years. It was time for me to visit it and see what I was up against.

The answer to that was a lot. The tournament became the reason I would return year after year, but Chiang Mai itself soon became just as much of an attraction.

My First Time in Chiang Mai

It’s strange how often somewhere can be very different when arriving there compared to how you think it might be, having read guidebooks or looked on Google Maps. That was certainly the case with Chiang Mai. It was much bigger than I anticipated.

Despite being Thailand's second-largest city, Chiang Mai felt surprisingly relaxed. Tree-lined streets, ancient temples and the canals surrounding the Old City gave it a completely different atmosphere from Bangkok.

Loi Kroh Road was where we spent much of our visit at night, while the daytime was spent at the Gymkhana Club Grounds where the cricket took place. The moat was across the road from our hotel, meaning we took in plenty of culture around Tha Phae Gate. The visit certainly whetted my appetite.

Doi Suthep

Further Visits

While the cricket was the focus of my returns in the last week of March or the first in April, there were other things to see and do as well. We became friends with a wonderful group from Yarrambat, just outside Melbourne in Australia. They welcomed us, and we ended up as members of their tour party after a couple of years.

Meals were enjoyed in different locations each evening, with one of the banks of the Ping River a particular favourite, while bars were crawled and all-round fun enjoyed. One year, the pair of us looked after a partner of one of our players and her offspring as we used the team minibus to visit the magnificent Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.

The temple on a mountain overlooking the city provided some outstanding views, even accounting for the poor quality at that time of year as farmers across the border in Myanmar burn the stubble in their fields. I returned many years later, taking my own team to a cricket tournament in November, which included a trip to see the marvellous spectacle.

It wasn’t unusual for us to spend time trawling the night bazaar where I ended up taking gifts back for those in the UK. Chiang Mai was never short of options in that direction, as well as places for a relaxing massage. While not being by the sea, it was a city that I loved visiting, even if I didn’t see as much of it as I should.

Committee Man at the Chiang Mai Sixes

As well as the cricket in Chiang Mai, I’d also become a regular at a similar but smaller and more informal tournament in Phuket. I volunteered to assist and do some commentary over the PA system, which I was told I was good at.

Word got back to Chiang Mai. I was nearing the end of playing for Yarrambat. I enjoyed every appearance, but I struggled to match my teammates’ performances. I loved being involved and providing commentary at the big event and was asked within a couple of years to become an international member of the committee.

Increasingly so, as I then advanced to the role of MC at the opening party and the awards dinner. All while enjoying the city every time I visited. I managed to go to the horse racing at the track on the northern outskirts and attend a couple of football matches. It became the highlight of my year very quickly.

The Pandemic Strikes

When COVID-19 struck in March of that year, it put plans on hold and any hopes of foreign holidays to bed. It was a terrible time for millions of people. Regular attendees of the Chiang Mai Sixes from across the globe missed seeing their friends.

The tournament committee had thankfully been financially prudent, meaning that, once things returned to relative normality, it could be staged again. A smaller weekend event had been staged for those in Thailand not hamstrung by restrictions, which I attended a few days after moving to the country in December 2021.

Returning to Chiang Mai

That initial return was for a 3-night stay. It was strange seeing so many businesses closed or gone forever. Bars and restaurants were restricted in their opening hours and how they could operate. We found somewhere that gave us beers in coffee cups to avoid any suspicion.

I never thought I would struggle to buy a snack from a takeaway to take back to my room. It made me grateful for the past and the amazing memories, while vowing to make the most of things when able.

Long Weekend

One of the things I am most proud of is the Thailand Junior Cricket Development Fund. Set up by a couple of colleagues and me, it raises cash to distribute to fully costed bids so that the youngsters who need assistance can receive it.

One of the things we pay for is a day’s cricket each year, when two teams of girls, and then two of young men, play against each other for trophies in honour of a couple no longer with us who did much to help young players in the past. It gave me a great excuse to attend.

Hotel Fiasco

Arriving on Friday morning, I quickly realised that it is wise to check and then double-check if you see what looks like a bargain on a hotel booking app. The receptionist looked at me blankly. There was no booking in my name. I'd accidentally reserved a room at another hotel with a very similar name.

I had hoped to stay in the same hotel as on my initial visit nearly 20 years earlier. However, where I ended up ensured I spent lots of time out and about. We live and learn! Again, some restrictions were still in place, but there was a far greater range of eating and drinking options available.

Stranded in Lamphun!

After a catch-up with a mate, I headed on a minibus to Lamphun to watch their football game against Chiang Mai. After the game finished, I quickly realised that things had a way to go to get back to normal.

I’d done the same trip a couple of times before and walked to the nearby bus terminal to get a ride back to where I was staying. This time I was met with a “no” as the last bus had left some time earlier. I couldn’t find a minibus or songthaew, and neither of the taxi apps offered a solution, no matter how many roads I looked along.

It also looked like all the restaurants had closed for the night too. In the end, I found a hotel on my Google Maps app, booked a room, bought some provisions from 7/11 and had an early night. I felt a bit of a fool when I caught up with my friends on Saturday lunchtime.

Looking back, it wasn't exactly a disaster—but at the time, standing outside a closed bus station wondering where I was going to sleep, it certainly felt like one.

As it worked out, the football fixtures had been kind to me, as I saw another game at Maejo University. An enjoyable Saturday night ensued, seeing old faces and finding out how they were recovering from the pandemic. Chiang Mai was gradually getting back to normal, or so it seemed from what I saw around the city.

The cricket event went like a dream on the Sunday. What a delight it was to see youngsters enjoying themselves and developing their skills. We returned for dinner in our regular bar and restaurant very happy.

Proper Exercise

There was something I always wanted to do in Chiang Mai. Well, two things really, but discovering the old city inside the moat would have to wait this time. I needed some exercise after the excesses of the weekend, so I fulfilled my intentions by walking all the way around the moat.

The circuit around Chiang Mai's famous moat is only about 6.4 kilometres, but it still took me well over two hours. Between stopping for photographs, wandering into temples and regularly seeking shade and cold drinks, there was never any rush.

Traveller's Tip 

If you're planning to walk all the way around Chiang Mai's Old City moat, allow at least two hours rather than relying on a mapping app. Although the circuit is only around 6.4 km, you'll almost certainly want to stop at temples, cafés and historic landmarks along the way. Take water, especially during the hotter months.

A Satisfying Few Days

A committee meeting back at the club and a few drinks in new surroundings rounded off what was a wonderful weekend. We had already decided that our main Sixes event would have to wait until 2023, but things were back on track. It reminded me just how special it would be when the regular participants arrived and then filled the bars each evening after a day’s cricket.

Chiang Mai had changed over the years, just as I had. Some favourite places had disappeared, while others remained exactly as I remembered them. What hadn't changed was the warmth of the people and the friendships that kept drawing me back. As I boarded the train back to Bangkok, I hoped it wouldn't be another long wait before I returned.

Traveller's Tips

Getting around: Chiang Mai's Old City is very walkable, but allow extra time if you plan to visit temples or stop for refreshments.

Burning season: Late March and early April can bring haze from agricultural burning in northern Thailand and neighbouring countries, reducing visibility.

Accommodation: Double-check hotel names before booking—several have very similar names.

Transport: If you're travelling to nearby places such as Lamphun, check the last return bus or minibus before you head out for the evening.

If you enjoyed this story, feel free to check out my YouTube Channel, where I share videos about everyday life in Thailand, local football, and travel across the country.

Thanks for reading.

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