Walking and hiking in Chiang Rai

[Juri1]

I'm wondering if Chiang Rai is a nice city to walk around in? The central parts? Or is there too much traffic everywhere? 

 

And I've also read that there's some nice hiking available in the surrounding mountains. Is it easy to get to some of these places and back without a car/motorbike? Could one do it spontaneously in the afternoon for example, without planning in advance? 

 

[kevvy]

You will need a car or motorbike for these hiking tracks to get there .

https://www.mapmywalk.com/th/chiang-rai-chiang-rai/

 

Chiang rai city is just like any other city , but a lot less traffic  and a more friendly atmosphere

Try ringing this tour ..I dont know if they are still in business , they pick you up from hotel.

  http://www.akhahill.com/

 

 

[AlexRich]

Chiang Rai is a nice quiet little town. It has a famous clocktower that's worth a visit and around that area you will find some nice cafes, pubs and restaurants, the closest you'll get to night life ... but it's a low key place, not a busy city. The town itself is walkable ... I used to walk from town to the large Mall at the outskirts of town, or around the night market. Or up towards the former airport, where the strip is used for exercise by the locals.

 

There are plenty of places to visit in the surrounding area ... some waterfalls that encompass a decent walk and climb through the woodland. For that you'll need transport ... these places are not walkable from the town. If you hire a car it is a great part of Thailand to explore ... from the Golden Triangle at Mai Sai (where the cave kids live) towards Chiang Khong, tea and coffee plantations, hill tribe and mountainous areas. To the south is an accessible mountain area called Pu Chi Fah ... it's quite a trek by car but once you get to the top, and walk the 500m towards the summit you get a fantastic view of neighbouring Laos. On the way back from a coffee plantation in the hills I saw an enormous snake ... something to look out for if you decide to trek the mountains. 

 

Chiang Rai is a really interesting place to visit and spend time in. Try to avoid the smokey season, the worst time to visit.

 

[Juri1]

Okay, thanks! 

[sceadugenga]

Like most Thai cities it's fairly well spread out,  the most interesting countryside is to the east on both sides of the river.

If you crossed the river at the army base and headed north it's a nice area or you could go south from the main town past the old airport runway (where people jog and exercise in the evenings) and find a hilltop temple and a small lake.

 

Watch out for dogs, they tend to be territorial, a walking stick can be a deterrent.

[My Thai Life]

Hiking? Seriously? The heat and humidity (and rain) would render this most unpleasant (to me anyway), unless you're thinking of hiking on the top of a mountain in the cold season at night! Though a lot of the mountain areas are spectacular.

 

Lethal snakes are also common, and this is no joke.

 

Having said that I've walked up and down some of the waterfall and national park trails and enjoyed them.

Edited August 26, 2018 by My Thai Life

[villagefarang]

Phu Chi Fa is actually East not South of town and is only one of several beautiful Phu's or peaks along that lovely range of mountains.  Below are images I took this last year at Phu Chi Fa, Phu Chi Dao, Phu Chi Duen, Doi Pha Mon and Doi Pha Tang.  Granted the winter months provide the best hiking atmosphere but the morning hours can be quite pleasant much of the year.  There are even cherry blossoms during winter, with one of the best viewing areas located at a school near Pha Tang.

 

Consider yourself lucky if you get so much as a glimpse of a snake slithering off into the brush as they want nothing to do with you and are more afraid of you than you are of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Randell]

Great post villagefarang . I am always awe struck by the quality of your photos and insight, Thanks

ps

In my 10 years or more here I can count one one hand the tail end of snakes I have seen, sure lots of tracks but not one encounter and I ride my MBT and walk daily

[Juri1]

3 hours ago, Randell said:

Great post villagefarang . I am always awe struck by the quality of your photos and insight, Thanks

ps

In my 10 years or more here I can count one one hand the tail end of snakes I have seen, sure lots of tracks but not one encounter and I ride my MBT and walk daily

Oh right, MTB, I forgot about bikes. Do you need to drive first, or can you bike right out of town to get to some good places?

 

And great photos, villagefarang. 

[Juri1]

12 hours ago, My Thai Life said:

Hiking? Seriously? The heat and humidity (and rain) would render this most unpleasant (to me anyway), unless you're thinking of hiking on the top of a mountain in the cold season at night! Though a lot of the mountain areas are spectacular.

 

Lethal snakes are also common, and this is no joke.

 

Having said that I've walked up and down some of the waterfall and national park trails and enjoyed them.

Oh yeah, you might be right. I'm not sure I should call it hiking, what I'm after. I just want to know that I'll have somewhere to move around a bit every day, and preferably get away into some nice nature once in a while. I don't want to be stuck because I don't have a driver's license! 

[My Thai Life]

16 minutes ago, Juri1 said:

Oh yeah, you might be right. I'm not sure I should call it hiking, what I'm after. I just want to know that I'll have somewhere to move around a bit every day, and preferably get away into some nice nature once in a while. I don't want to be stuck because I don't have a driver's license! 

Yeah you will, don't worry ? Apart from Bangkok, and maybe some industrial areas near Rayong,  just about everywhere in Thailand is accessible to some good walking. And people who know Bangkok and Rayong much better than me might be able to offer some much better advice about those places too.

[Randell]

Biking is a great way to get around. I am quite sure that with in an easy ride there are many great places to get in a nice walk