CHIANG MAI, Nov 5 — The last time I was in Chiang Mai, I was a bored teenager on a family holiday and forced to go on elephant rides and more temple visits than I cared for. (Sorry Wat Suan Dok, you’re still a sight to behold.)

This time around, however, I was determined to see another side to the city, which is experiencing a creative boom in recent years that hasn’t gone unnoticed. Even the cool hunting bible Monocle deigned it essential to feature the city in the first issue of its travel annual, The Escapist. Galleries, lifestyle stores, third-wave coffee houses and boutique hotels have mushroomed — without seemingly affecting the languid pace that the Rose of the North is so known for.

And when entering the stunning 137 Pillars House, time seemed to slow down. This probably has something to do with architecture of the hotel — an elegant throwback to the Lanna era amid tranquil greens. Its centrepiece is, no doubt, the teak wood building that was constructed in 1889. It was once part of the headquarters of the East Borneo Company, one of the first foreign companies to set up business in Chiang Mai. Yes, there are exactly 137 pillars in the building, which now houses the restaurant The Palette, a library and a bar. It’s where you can enjoy a spot of afternoon tea overlooking the lawn after a dip in what must be Chiang Mai’s most Instagrammed pool, complete with a 50-foot garden wall.

East Borneo Suite at 137 Pillar House. — TODAY pic

The 30 suites are done up in similarly vintage aesthetics with modern comforts. While we oohed and ahhed over the spacious balcony, double sinks (stocked with Thai organic brand Panpuri toiletries, no less), four-poster bed and the free-standing Victorian bath tubs, we were more impressed by the level of warm hospitality. In a happy coincidence, our helpful host was called Charm and charmed we certainly were, as she let us in on the happening spots in the neighbourhood. “Escudo (Supper Club) is good for drinks and music,” she shared. That was how we found ourselves rocking out to the electrifying blues music from Escudo’s live band.

Caffeinated city

Hotels such as 137 Pillars House signal a growing appreciation and demand for style and sophistication in Chiang Mai. Nowhere is it more evident than in the effortless culmination of shopping, dining and art at Woo Cafe Art Gallery and Lifestyle Store, a quick five-minute walk from the hotel, which opened last October. The cafe is an Instagrammer’s dream — stylish furniture and fresh blooms galore complete with photographic dishes. Order the rice salad and you’ll see what I mean.

The coconut tart and apple pie were excellent too — and they run out fast. Equally tough to resist was buying anything from the well-curated selection at the store after getting a bout of inspiration from the cafe’s decor and the gallery above.

You can’t go wrong with coffee from Ristre8to. — TODAY pic

As Chiang Mai is home to four major universities and grows coffee beans in its surrounding region, it has a flourishing cafe culture. In fact, one of the city’s cult fave cafe hangouts, The Barn: Eatery Design, began life as the final-year project of a few architecture students from Chiang Mai University. Meanwhile, the Ang Kaew reservoir nestled in Chiang Mai University has become a pit-stop for eager tourists wanting a taste of java at its coffee joint, The Coffee Man.

Nimmanhaemin Road is dubbed “Coffee Street” for the sheer number of cafes on it. Coffee snobs will find their spiritual home in Ristr8to — where the slogan is “Coffee is our passion & Art is our life” — for its satisfying single-origin brews and award-winning latte art. Farther down the street is the sleek Librarista with floor-to-ceiling windows and shelves of books to peruse through while having your cuppa and cakes. There’s Rustic & Blue that is evidently hipster-inspired in its menu (think soy yoghurt and vegan flourless tart with lemon cashew cream and figs) and even a 24-hour joint, Wake Up Cafe, which also serves as a co-working space. These are merely a few of what you’ll find on one street.

Nimmanhaemin Road is also where the Etsy crowd can browse at little boutiques at Nimman Promenade and along Soi 1. I couldn’t get my hands on the handmade leather shoes at Palmy, but I did end up buying bags made by local craftsmen at Mesimu. For those who can’t make it to Chiang Mai just yet, both Mesimu and Palmy are actually selling their wares on Etsy.

Hipster enclave Baan Kang Wat in Chiang Mai. — TODAY pic

Art and artisanal

Such a craft movement has always been a key feature of Chiang Mai — where traditional craftsmen produce silver jewellery and lacquerware, among others. It gets a modern update at artist village Baan Kang Wat, a brainchild set up a year ago by Thai designer Nattawut Ruckprasit, who is also the guy behind the ceramic shop BooKoo Studio.

Within the traditional teak houses at Baan Kang Wat are independent small businesses such as a Japanese-inspired zakka shop called Tiny Space, a dressmaker studio named Om The Rose, the library cafe Mahasamu and a mum-and-son run eatery aptly called Home dishing out intensely good Northern Thai food that is simply and thoughtfully plated. So delish is the food that I made off with its homemade chilli powder and dried squid. There’s also a community organic farm that these shopkeepers lend a hand in. Film festivals, community gardening and exhibitions are de rigueur and every Saturday, an art market opens up.

This is not the only project of its kind. There’s Penguin Villa — a community centre of sorts for design lovers and architects and where stores such as Linnil and 3.2.6 Studio will have you fishing out your wallet. Head to Hang Dong outside Chiang Mai as well. Famed for its Ban Tawai traditional handicraft market, it’s now home to lifestyle boutiques such as Koch and Ginger Outlet and the impossibly chic Waan Cafe.

The rice salad from Woo Bar. — TODAY pic

Art lovers too will have a field day in Chiang Mai. As I’ve realised, it’s impossible to finish gallery-hopping in this artsy town when you’re on a short trip. Pick up the Chiang Mai Art Map by Chiang Mai Art Conversation for an idea of where to start. One quirky gallery to stop by is 31st Century Museum of Contemporary Spirit where the works are exhibited across seven container trucks.

But there’s nourishment of another sort one needs in Chiang Mai. One that comes in a bowl with curly crunchy egg noodles drenched in aromatic robust curry. The best bowls of khao soi in town apparently boil down to two stores — Lamduon Fahrm Khao Soi and Khao Soi Khun Yai. It was the last day of the trip and I had to have it. I chose the former simply because it was closer to 137 Pillars House. But when the tuk-tuk pulled up, we realised the shop was closed for a week.

I was crushed but undeterred. There was no time to head to Khao Soi Khun Yai, so the tuk tuk driver drove ahead about 500m to what seemed like another restaurant on the map. Here, I found khao soi (yes!). Along with other traditional dishes such as Nam Prig Noum (a green chilli dip) and Nam Prik Ong (minced meat chilli dip).

So what if I’ll never know what the supposedly best bowls of khao soi taste like? There is not another care in the world when you’re sitting in an airy coffee shop, hearing the friendly chatter of Thai ladies around you; I slurped on curry in between chomping on cabbage and carrot sticks smothered with delicious dips.

Rushing back to pack for the return flight can wait. — TODAY

So fiery and so good was the food at Home at Baan Kang Wat. — TODAY pic