The Ada House journal

Stories from Chiang Mai

Local culture, hidden corners and practical tips — from the people who actually live here.

Lanna-style illustration of a Sak Yant master applying a sacred geometric tattoo with a long bamboo rod in a quiet temple setting with incense and a shrine

Local culture · June 21, 2026

Sak Yant: Thailand's sacred tattoos, with respect

A Sak Yant is a blessing in ink — protection, luck and a moral commitment, not a holiday souvenir. Here's how to understand and approach the tradition with respect.

Lanna-style illustration of a calm, friendly Chiang Mai clinic entrance with a welcoming nurse, tropical plants and green mountains behind

Health & wellness · June 21, 2026

Healthcare in Chiang Mai: hospitals, pharmacies & dentists

Good hospitals, cheap pharmacies and world-class dental work for a fraction of Western prices — but you still want insurance. Here's the honest rundown.

Lanna-style illustration of a cosy specialty coffee shop in Nimman, Chiang Mai, with a barista pouring latte art and sacks of hill-tribe beans

Food & coffee · June 21, 2026

The best specialty coffee around Nimman

Chiang Mai punches absurdly above its weight for coffee, and the best of it starts right next door. Here's where we go, and what to order.

Lanna-style illustration of Wat Pha Lat, a moss-covered jungle temple with shrines, a naga staircase and a stream, in the forest above Chiang Mai

Things to do · June 20, 2026

Wat Pha Lat: the jungle temple on the Monk's Trail

Most people drive up the mountain. Our favourite way is to walk it — a shaded jungle trail to a moss-covered hidden temple. Here's how.

Lanna-style illustration of a smiling helmeted traveller on a small scooter on a leafy Chiang Mai street, an old temple gate and Doi Suthep behind

Practical tips · June 20, 2026

Renting a scooter in Chiang Mai: the honest guide

A scooter is the cheapest freedom in Chiang Mai — and the single biggest real risk. Here's how to do it legally, safely and without the classic scams.

Lanna-style illustration of an old walled Chiang Mai with a great golden chedi, ancient brick walls and a moat, tiered temple roofs and misty mountains

Local culture · June 20, 2026

A short history of Lanna, the kingdom behind Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai was the capital of its own kingdom long before it was Thai. A little Lanna history changes how you see the moat, the temples and the food.

Lanna-style illustration of people meditating and doing yoga on a wooden open-air sala in a peaceful temple garden with lotus and misty mountains

Health & wellness · June 19, 2026

Yoga & meditation retreats in Chiang Mai

From a drop-in class between work calls to a silent forest-temple retreat, Chiang Mai makes it easy to slow down. Here's the full spectrum of wellness here.

Lanna-style illustration of a bowl of khao soi — golden coconut curry noodle soup topped with crispy noodles, with lime, shallots and pickled greens on the side

Food & coffee · June 19, 2026

Khao soi: Chiang Mai's signature noodle bowl

If you eat one thing in Chiang Mai, make it khao soi. Here's what's in the bowl, how to eat it like a local, and where we send guests for the best.

Lanna-style illustration of a vibrant Chiang Mai fresh market with colourful fruit and vegetable stalls, a friendly vendor and a shopper with a woven basket

Practical tips · June 19, 2026

Grocery shopping in Chiang Mai: markets to supermarkets

From 15-baht bunches of bananas at the morning market to imported cheese at Rimping — here's how to stock your kitchen in Chiang Mai at any budget.

Lanna-style illustration of a leafy Nimman lane in Chiang Mai with a cafe, a scooter and Doi Suthep mountain in the distance

Move here · June 18, 2026

Settling in for a month: SIM, laundry, coworking & gym

The first day of a long stay is mostly admin. Get these four things sorted and the whole month opens up. Here's our settling-in checklist.

Lanna-style illustration of a foreign visitor and a local Thai person smiling over tea, one offering a respectful wai gesture, with temple and mountains behind

Local culture · June 18, 2026

Learn a little Thai: phrases that go a long way

You don't need fluent Thai — just a handful of phrases to transform how you're welcomed. Here's the starter kit, food words first, plus where to learn more.

Lanna-style illustration of fitness in Chiang Mai — a runner by the old city moat at sunrise and a Muay Thai kick on a bag, with Doi Suthep behind

Health & wellness · June 18, 2026

Gyms & staying fit in Chiang Mai

Cheap gyms, world-class Muay Thai and a moat you can run laps around — keeping fit here is genuinely easy. Here's the lay of the land for a long stay.