Chiang Mai condo or Phuket villa by the sea?

Posted by admin on April 22nd, 2010 filed in Living here, tourist tips

Those looking to buy land in Thailand normally want to find their ideal spot of paradise next to a tropical palm-fringed beach. But with prices in coastal areas sometimes high enough to rival mainland Europe, many people are opting against buying Phuket villas and choosing to reside in the northern Lanna capital instead.

Few people can argue that Phuket and the Andaman coast has the hospitality business sewn up, with fantastic nightlife and restaurants featuring the best international celebrity chefs. But buying property in Phuket suffers from this ‘elite’ tag with prices considerably higher as a result. And Chiang Mai can certainly rival Phuket for standard of food, and without pushy restaurateurs hassling passers-by into their establishments.

Of course, Chiang Mai may not have any of the gorgeous beaches that bejewel Phuket’s western extreme, but it does have attractions of its own. When the weather gets too hot there are a plethora of soothing swimming pools to dive into without irritating sand getting into every nook and cranny.

Plus Huay Tang Tao reservoir is just a few minutes drive away and a picturesque spot to while away an afternoon with its own, if modest, beach of sorts. And with standards of accommodation in the north able to rival any Phuket property, how much would you really miss that stretch of golden sand?