Famed explorer Sir Edmund Hillary racked up a fair amount of frequent flyer miles in his life of adventuring. He was the first man to stand atop Mount Everest, and the first to score the hat-trick of doing Everest and both the North and South Poles. His 1953 expedition to conquer the world's highest mountain was done wearing just a thin cotton and nylon jacket and carrying a scant 20 kilograms of supplies.
Judging by the arrivals hall at its airport, the average visitor to Chiang Mai is better prepared than Hillary. These brave weekend adventurers steel themselves against the cold with heavy jackets and an array of wooly hats as they drag their allowance-busting amounts of luggage out to the taxi stand. These scenes suggest the plane has landed inside the Arctic Circle, rather than a city a couple of degrees colder than the one they just left.
Sir Hillary was also a pioneer of another adventure activity. On reaching the Everest summit, Hillary and his fellow climber Tenzing Norgay paused to take a couple of photos, thereby inventing the selfie. Tragically, Hillary failed to upload them to Facebook or Instagram, and died never knowing how many likes he would have got.
Spoiler: it's not that cold in Chiang Mai. The daytime sunshine still tries to melt the tarmac but the mornings and evenings are very pleasant indeed. A scarf or sweater is a good idea for your nightly stroll from the Night Bazaar to the luxury of the Shangri-La Hotel Chiang Mai.
While the nearby night bazaar is still a tourist magnet, it pays to explore the city before retiring to the luxury of your room. Two wheels are a better idea than four, so you can zip along the lanes of the old city or ride the road that zigzags up the mountain to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. These are great ideas, and that's why every other tourist will be doing it the same day that you are. Luckily, the new generation of Chiang Mai citizens have decided to transform the city into their own hip and laid back town filled with lazy alternatives to a hard day's tourism.
If Chiang Mai didn't invent lazing around in coffeeshops and taking selfies then it certainly leads the field. It seems that every soi has a little indie barista perfecting their latte art, and customers photographing their coffee rather than drinking it. Ristr8to in Nimmanhaemin is packed throughout the day, but a good tip is to head through the old Wat Umong neighbourhood to a new place opposite Wat Rampeung. Baan Kang Wat is a cool collection of coffee, food, and artsy little shops in a well-designed area with super mountain views. Later in the day Think Park, on the corner of Nimmanhaemin and Huay Kaew roads, boasts a crafty chunk of artisanal shops, bars and burger vans.
Or you could just laze around your resort. Younger sister to its famed Bangkok sibling, the northern Shangri-La Hotel has that Lanna-luxe style, from the ochre and reds of the lobby to the greenery of the expansive gardens. The hotel has four dining options, such as the Chinese cuisine of Shang Garden whose bar has a sensuous den-like feel, or the poolside treats of Dhala. Their Lobby Lounge is the ideal spot for an afternoon tea or for Dad to sneak away to watch the Premiere League games in the evening.
The hotel's big draw this season, however, is the buffet at its Kad Kafé. This grand teak-lined space hosts what it calls "culinary theatre" daily, but Friday is when the seafood appears in abundance. You can kick off your meal with a seafood chowder, but the more intrepid diners will head for the base camp of the central ice mountain.
The summit of ice rises from its base of mussels and through the foothills of giant prawns. Visible at the peak is an avalanche of crabs which can be airlifted directly to your plate or resuscitated on the outdoor barbecue.
There's a sushi and sashimi station but if you're feeling the winter cold you can stand by the authentic pizza oven and warm your bones while the chef cooks their signature pizza. The Norwegian Pizza, or Pizza Normandie, is delicious, its smoked salmon flavoured with capers and red onion sitting on a bed of crème fraîche. Or, when in Rome, try the local flavours of the Tom Yum pizza.
There are plenty of other local options at the Asian Delight corner, as well as pastas and dishes like salmon wrapped in filo and dill cream. But, like any good buffet, there's a problem.
Every visit to fill your savoury plate involves passing the dessert station. How long can you continue with the mains when these treats are so enticing? The signature dessert is a salaciously sweet tiramisu, but there's also Drambuie-soaked crêpe suzettes and chunks of bread and butter pudding. For the health-conscious or fun-averse there are seasonal fruits, but I was too busy loading up on sugar to pay them any attention.
Should you be in Chiang Mai over the new year (and you should, it's the perfect time to visit) the Shangri-La is hosting a Gatsby-themed countdown shindig by the pool. What better what to toast your 2014 adventures and plan your 2015 expeditions.
SHANGRI-LA CHIANG MAI. 89/8 Changklan Rd. Tel. 053 253 888
