camping locations?

[cnxvegan]

hey all, i am leaving chiang mai in 2 weeks, and i want to take my girlfriend camping before i go.

 

can anyone recommend anywhere, or anywhere i should look?

 

i think we would like to camp in nature, and near somewhere we can swim, either renting a tent, or bringing our own

 

any suggestions?

 

thanks

[swissie]

 

Thailand is not "Camper-Country".
Years ago, I wanted to go camping with my wife in the sticks. She declared me as crazy!

"Bad people would come visit in the night, looking for the Farang with money". So we never went camping.
Instead we went to remote Guest Houses or we asked if we could stay with a Thai-Family overnight. This can be as adventurous and interesting as camping.
Cheers.

 

[pgrahmm]

Camping in Thailand is very big and trendy....Many FB groups with over 100,000 members, get togethers, & recommendations with pics....We're going to Doi Inthanon next week for 3-4 days....Any National Park has facilities but unsure about tents....Coleman is king & many use Coleman Aus + Japan developed products as well from the USA....

 

Fang Hot Springs ticks all your boxes. ...Tents for rent, food, ice, small store with restaurant near a small suspension bridge & river to dip in.....100 m or less from the tent area....

 

Massages, hot springs, & a good sized geyser for photo ops....About 3-4 more places to eat at the Springs area....

It's an easy drive.....

[junglechef]

We go camping every winter

 

We are self-sufficient with own tents, build a fire to cook on .. you know camping 

 

The reason I point this out as one year we wanted to see the Cherry Blossoms and went to one of the government camping site, had 100's of ppl, tents pitched 1 mt from ours and we could only have a fire in the designated fire pit etc.

 

This year we plan on just driving up towards Pai and just finding a nice quiet secluded spot and set-up our camp.

 

 

 

[cnxvegan]

9 hours ago, swissie said:

Instead we went to remote Guest Houses or we asked if we could stay with a Thai-Family overnight. This can be as adventurous and interesting as camping.

Yeah, this would be good too, but we would want some basic, simple sort of building vs a modern constructed cabin or something, we have visited another place where we got a wooden room, with bamboo frame and flooring

 

fang looks nice, potentially a litttle overdeveloped/busy, i think i will go there tomorrow and see what its like

[pgrahmm]

15 minutes ago, cnxvegan said:

Yeah, this would be good too, but we would want some basic, simple sort of building vs a modern constructed cabin or something, we have visited another place where we got a wooden room, with bamboo frame and flooring

 

fang looks nice, potentially a litttle overdeveloped/busy, i think i will go there tomorrow and see what its like

Go to the Hot Spring park - not over developed...Campground is situated away from the springs....15 minute walk...

[passingas]

10 hours ago, swissie said:

 

Thailand is not "Camper-Country".
Years ago, I wanted to go camping with my wife in the sticks. She declared me as crazy!

"Bad people would come visit in the night, looking for the Farang with money". So we never went camping.
Instead we went to remote Guest Houses or we asked if we could stay with a Thai-Family overnight. This can be as adventurous and interesting as camping.
Cheers.

 

I got the same thing from my wife....but it's really all about the ghosts! That's why Thais will only do it in huge numbers. They love to amass in mass at places like Puu Chii Fha (and others) on New Years, 100,000 strong. You can go to any really nice reservoir (places in the rough, not developed campgrounds such as National Parks) and not see a soul, ever....not even on weekend holidays. Unthinkable stateside.

 

But winter is time to go out camping here. We live in Phayao and hit the unfinished (therefore, no fees) Lam Nam Kok National Park, just west of Chiangrai on the Kok River, at least several times a year. Sunny days are warm enough to go swimming, even in Jan. However, one must be self-contained. Luckily I brought over, all my camping gear and cookware (real cast iron dutch ovens) with me when I moved here. Enjoy....pe

[pgrahmm]

Yeah - the cast iron Dutch oven is one other thing I should have brought.....

The one I found here has no bail or lid....

[thaibeachlovers]

12 hours ago, swissie said:

 

Thailand is not "Camper-Country".
Years ago, I wanted to go camping with my wife in the sticks. She declared me as crazy!

"Bad people would come visit in the night, looking for the Farang with money". So we never went camping.
Instead we went to remote Guest Houses or we asked if we could stay with a Thai-Family overnight. This can be as adventurous and interesting as camping.
Cheers.

 

National parks have camping facilities. Some rent tents.

 

The ones on the islands are nice, but need to book ahead.

[pgrahmm]

5 hours ago, junglechef said:

We go camping every winter

 

We are self-sufficient with own tents, build a fire to cook on .. you know camping 

 

The reason I point this out as one year we wanted to see the Cherry Blossoms and went to one of the government camping site, had 100's of ppl, tents pitched 1 mt from ours and we could only have a fire in the designated fire pit etc.

 

This year we plan on just driving up towards Pai and just finding a nice quiet secluded spot and set-up our camp.

 

 

 

There's a Nat Park on the right just as you crest to start decent....Has camping areas & facilities but no local food - ice - vendors.....Only a few tents spread over acres & acres of camping area....

 

Almost too solitary....Empty...

[cnxvegan]

i have also seen a place called ob khan park, looks very beautiful, its closer too, i might go see what that one is like 

[elektrified]

14 hours ago, swissie said:

 

Thailand is not "Camper-Country".
Years ago, I wanted to go camping with my wife in the sticks. She declared me as crazy!

"Bad people would come visit in the night, looking for the Farang with money". So we never went camping.
Instead we went to remote Guest Houses or we asked if we could stay with a Thai-Family overnight. This can be as adventurous and interesting as camping.
Cheers.

 

Things have changed. Camping is a huge fad now. Many wealthy families from Bangkok come to go camping. There have been many articles recently.

[Johpa]

6 hours ago, elektrified said:

Things have changed. Camping is a huge fad now. Many wealthy families from Bangkok come to go camping. There have been many articles recently.

 

Yes, you can find them in droves up around Mon Jaem, where it is a sea of bright tents (thalae tent) where many families go as well as young couples trying not to make too much noise at night so as not to teach the younger children of the families too much about nature.  Mon Jaem has replaced the nearby old Erawan Resort as the Bangkok Chinese definition of communing with nature.  During the high season it is 500 baht per night but includes restrooms and showers.

 

For that money you can buy your own tent and go up to the far less crowded campgrounds lacking Bangkok folks at places like Pha Hom Pok north and high above Fang, or a bit closer Khun Khan National park west of Samoeng. The Forestry Department also has some very basic cabins for rent around the north, really not much difference from tent camping.  Ask about Phu Chi Pheu off the 4009 northeast of Khun Yuam, perhaps the most spectacular view in all of Lanna Land.

[junglechef]

14 hours ago, pgrahmm said:

There's a Nat Park on the right just as you crest to start decent....Has camping areas & facilities but no local food - ice - vendors.....Only a few tents spread over acres & acres of camping area....

 

Almost too solitary....Empty...

Thanks, we stopped there one year and thought it would be good for camping and thought that's the area we'd head for this year 

[junglechef]

13 hours ago, cnxvegan said:

i have also seen a place called ob khan park, looks very beautiful, its closer too, i might go see what that one is like 

Probably not too quiet in the high camping season (winter)

[thaibeachlovers]

22 hours ago, elektrified said:

Things have changed. Camping is a huge fad now. Many wealthy families from Bangkok come to go camping. There have been many articles recently.

Point is that they go in groups for security. I very much doubt you'd see any Thais camping alone, or just a couple.

[Teak]

Years ago....there was a tourist who stopped off at that nice stretch of forest near the elephant camp on the way up to Chiang Dao.

He went into the bush where he set up his tent for the night. Unfortunately, this was an area where the elephant camp had turned out a bull in musth. Apparently the camper's light inside the tent set it aglow, which enraged the bull and he literally stomped the light out. The tourist died.

[junglechef]

1 hour ago, Teak said:

Years ago....there was a tourist who stopped off at that nice stretch of forest near the elephant camp on the way up to Chiang Dao.

He went into the bush where he set up his tent for the night. Unfortunately, this was an area where the elephant camp had turned out a bull in musth. Apparently the camper's light inside the tent set it aglow, which enraged the bull and he literally stomped the light out. The tourist died.

And the lesson is don’t pitch your tent on a pile of elephant dung??

[Dante99]

1 hour ago, junglechef said:

And the lesson is don’t pitch your tent on a pile of elephant dung??

No the lesson is don't try to bull shit yourself about turkeys and the massacure of American Indians.

[junglechef]

5 hours ago, Dante99 said:

No the lesson is don't try to bull shit yourself about turkeys and the massacure of American Indians.

Point taken, don’t set up camp where there is bull, elephant or turkey droppings. 

[pgrahmm]

7 minutes ago, junglechef said:

Point taken, don’t set up camp where there is bull, elephant or turkey droppings. 

 

[Trujillo]

It's a shame that dogs are not allowed to be taken along camping. 

[pgrahmm]

23 minutes ago, Trujillo said:

It's a shame that dogs are not allowed to be taken along camping. 

Most campers that don't have dogs would not agree with that.....Huge problems in the states with that....I'm in some RV/camping groups & it's almost a daily discussion/topic....

 

Coupled with the fact that most parks have resident soi/park dogs - some aggressive.....

 

Others keep rabbits or deer in & around the campers....

[sharktooth]

On 10/15/2017 at 2:20 PM, Dante99 said:

No the lesson is don't try to bull shit yourself about turkeys and the massacure of American Indians.

Hahahaha

[passingas]

2 hours ago, Trujillo said:

It's a shame that dogs are not allowed to be taken along camping. 

We used to take our dog with us all the time....a well behaved black lab. Mind you, he wasn't a dildog and was a pleasure to be around. Again...the opened but unfinished Lam Nam Kok National Park just to the west of Chiangrai, right on the Kok River. Free camping, a river to play in and dogs are more than welcome. pg

[pgrahmm]

1 hour ago, passingas said:

We used to take our dog with us all the time....a well behaved black lab. Mind you, he wasn't a dildog and was a pleasure to be around. Again...the opened but unfinished Lam Nam Kok National Park just to the west of Chiangrai, right on the Kok River. Free camping, a river to play in and dogs are more than welcome. pg

Yes - sometimes I see Thais with dogs in a couple of the FB groups, very seldom though....

[Johpa]

3 hours ago, Trujillo said:

It's a shame that dogs are not allowed to be taken along camping. 

Most Thais who would (1) go camping and (2) own a dog tend to own little yappers that would make and excellent meal for an alpha male mountain soi dog.

[passingas]

15 hours ago, Johpa said:

Most Thais who would (1) go camping and (2) own a dog tend to own little yappers that would make and excellent meal for an alpha male mountain soi dog.

Or....for football (soccer) practice. Some good friends joined us the last time we went to our favorite free campground outside of Chiangrai and they brought their (big) dog as well. Both enjoyed the water, immensely. pg

[Trujillo]

Quote

Most campers that don't have dogs would not agree with that.....Huge problems in the states with that.

I don't know where you are referring to, but in my experience, this is not a problem at all. Even a lot of hotels these days have welcome dog policies and even places for them to do their business. 

This is not to say that some owners have dogs that are ill-trained, but I could say the same thing of most Thais and their kids. 

 

[pgrahmm]

45 minutes ago, Trujillo said:

I don't know where you are referring to, but in my experience, this is not a problem at all. Even a lot of hotels these days have welcome dog policies and even places for them to do their business. 

This is not to say that some owners have dogs that are ill-trained, but I could say the same thing of most Thais and their kids. 

 

It's been unchecked barking at all hours, coupled with other incidents, bites, aggression....

Part of the problem is you have no way of controlling who sets up next to you....A lot of the full timers/dirt tramps/etc. animals are protective & people like nurses, drillers (professions that follow work - growing trend) leave the dogs alone & they bark, yip, howl.....

The campground hosts are ill equipped to regulate....

 

Truthfully - if everything were to fall apart here I'd probably go back & get a big 5th wheel & roam the country for a few years....

We have a RV there now but would want something grander.... 

 

When my American daughter was small I had an Airstream & at one stop some clown had an ill mannered loose pit bull that bit her.....

Took a sheriff on that one - he got aggressive rushing up to me & I pushed him back with 2 fingers to his heart = he called it in wanting me arrested for assault - they took his dog instead....God that was almost 30 years ago...That's my dog story....