Chiang Mai is a cool town, way more low key than Bangkok. The Old City is jam packed with tourists. It’s a bit much. There are a few temples, but even more markets and little shops lining the streets where you can by elephant pants, elephant shorts, elephant dresses, elephant skirts – the same ones you see everyone wearing in their SE Asia, nomad traveler-type photos. I prefer the area to the west of the Old City, between Nimmanahaeminda Rd. and Siri Mangkalajarn Rd. Way fewer tourists, and you can actually see locals in their element, eating at cafes, listening to live music, grabbing beers, etc. It was definitely the Williamsburg, NY of Chiang Mai. It has the cutest coffee shots, ice cream parlors (where they make homemade waffle cones!!), wine bars, you could stay there for weeks and try a new place each time. Side note – whoever is curating the music here in Thailand is doing an amazing job. There hasn’t been a single café, shop, taxi cab, or bar where the music hasn’t been on point. Whether you like Soul, R&B, Alternative, Soft Rock, etc. Its all good.