Monique Lindner spent more than seven years as a full-time traveller before settling in one city that she says has a mixture of ‘local charm’ and ‘big city vibes’
A woman who has visited more than 40 countries says there is only one city where she would want to live. Monique Lindner has been to stunning locations in the likes of Australia, Latin America, and Asia.
She says she was the first of her family to leave their home country, Germany, and even spent more than seven years travelling the world. But eventually she found she needed somewhere that she could settle down.
Writing in BusinessInsider , Monique says there was one destination that stood out above the rest. After some careful consideration she found herself setting up home in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
She says the city is the perfect mix of “local charm” and “big city vibes”. Located a few hundred miles north of Bangkok, Chiang Mai is home to around a million people and boasts an array of Buddhist temples and ruins.
Monique said: “My first visit was about a decade ago, when the city felt more like a backpacker’s paradise with cheap beer on every corner, $5 hostel beds, and loads of young people driving around with their gear on rented scooters.”
She says she “loves” that the city is home to both shopping malls as well as smaller “mama shops” owned by local families. It has local tea and fresh food markets as well as chains like Starbucks.
Monique admits she would “never get bored” visiting the Buddhist temples and attending musical performances and local art galleries. But says she still “loves to travel”, regularly finding herself on daytrips by car and boat.
A 25 minute drive from the city would find Monique in the middle of an “amazing” national park while an hour gets her into the historic town of Lamphun. When she first settled in Chiang Mai, Monique found herself living in a gated community with a garden, tennis court, and pool, all on a “modest budget”.
She added: “Although my neighborhood felt quiet, it was still convenient, with car-repair joints, fresh food markets, and numerous shops nearby. Building a community and making friends in the area has also been easy for me.”
Monique says she has attended events advertised on Facebook and even connected with other “digital nomads” during her time in Thailand. She says it feels like there are “activities and gatherings for everyone” ranging from yoga classes to drumming workshops.
She however admits there is no “perfect” place to settle down, and struggles during the traditional “burning season” where crop fields and forest debris are burned.
She says she has embarked on road trips during the last couple of burning seasons, but admits she finds herself “missing” Chiang Mai.
Monique concluded: “Falling in love with this city was easy for me, and it was wonderful having a home base there for several years. Though I’ve still got a few logistics to work out, I hope to call this piece of Thailand my permanent place of residence in the future.”
