Chiang Mai It Is

[josephdeka]

Hi,

Well, I've talked around and researched enough, and have decided that chiang mai is the place I want to stay to study and train. I've been recommended an incredible muay thai academy personally by a guy who travels all over asia, and writes for different magazines and books about traveling.

Now, I need to know a little more. My flight lands in BKK on May 26, and it appears the best way from BKK to Chiang Mai is via air conditioned train compartment. Any advice on that, should I just go to train station and purchase ticket directly after arriving in BKK?

OK, after I arrive in Chiang Mai train station, does anyone suggest a very cheap place to stay? I want a place where my property will be locked, not a hostel, but a guest house would be nice. Or a cheap motel, with cheap traditional massage (after 40 hours in coach on plane and 15 hours by train, I will need massage).

Also, does anyone need a roommate? If you don't, what is the cheapest, and I mean CHEAPEST lodging you know of that will supply me with air conditioning, refrigerator, stove, and hot water? I'm a college student seeing the world on financial aid excess funds, so cost is important. I plan to study in Thailand for a couple of years.

Thats all I need to know upon arrival, I suppose everything else will come up in conversations with people directly, one one one. I'm looking for friends when I come, especially others interested in MMA, BJJ, and Muay Thai.

Thanks in advance for your help! I look forward to this adventure, meeting ex-pats from all over the world.

[BossHogg]

Not sure i agree that taking the train up here is the best option.Its one hel_l of long slow journey and you dont really see any stunning scenery.If you are going buy train because its a cheap option i can understand.Flights from bkk to cnx are readily available and big discounts are avaiable if your ticket is booked wellin advance.Check out Air Asia, they are pretty cheap for pre-booked tickets. You pay a few dollars more to go by air but save yourself some 12 hours travellin time.

[Bananaman]

Hi,

Well, I've talked around and researched enough, and have decided that chiang mai is the place I want to stay to study and train. I've been recommended an incredible muay thai academy personally by a guy who travels all over asia, and writes for different magazines and books about traveling.

Now, I need to know a little more. My flight lands in BKK on May 26, and it appears the best way from BKK to Chiang Mai is via air conditioned train compartment. Any advice on that, should I just go to train station and purchase ticket directly after arriving in BKK?

OK, after I arrive in Chiang Mai train station, does anyone suggest a very cheap place to stay? I want a place where my property will be locked, not a hostel, but a guest house would be nice. Or a cheap motel, with cheap traditional massage (after 40 hours in coach on plane and 15 hours by train, I will need massage).

Also, does anyone need a roommate? If you don't, what is the cheapest, and I mean CHEAPEST lodging you know of that will supply me with air conditioning, refrigerator, stove, and hot water? I'm a college student seeing the world on financial aid excess funds, so cost is important. I plan to study in Thailand for a couple of years.

Thats all I need to know upon arrival, I suppose everything else will come up in conversations with people directly, one one one. I'm looking for friends when I come, especially others interested in MMA, BJJ, and Muay Thai.

Thanks in advance for your help! I look forward to this adventure, meeting ex-pats from all over the world.

Chiang Mai is full of cheap places to stay and it'd be hard for someone to give you a firm recommendation without knowing your budget and expectations. Just ask to be dropped off on Moon Muang road and try heading down the sois around there. If you start at the beginning then you'll find well known places such as the Top North Guest House while at the far end if you head down soi 9 then there's a whole heap of places (OK Guest House, Grace House etc).

Take a look at this for more suggestions (ok mods?):

http://www.1stopchiangmai.com/hospitality/guesthouses/

With regards digs after that; if you want "air conditioning, refrigerator, stove, and hot water" (stove ain't happening I'm afraid, you'l have to buy an electric wok or electric plate of your own, apartments rarely let you have gas in them), then you're looking at paying B3000 per month at least for something that won't really resemble a palace. You don't say which Muay Thai camp you'll be training at, obviously where it is located will have some sway on where you choose to live. If it's the Lanna camp in Chiang Khian then you'll find plenty of cheap apartment blocks in the area and most of the guys who train there are living in them so just ask around.

The train is cheaper than flying even if you manage to get a heavily discounted AirAsia flight and ain't all that bad really, kinduva adventure even if it is painfully slow.

[chanchao]

If it's Lanna Camp then the absolute cheapest in that area would be Isra Guesthouse. Google it. It's seriously cheap, nice and doesn't have things like aircon.. honestly... Then again it's mostly likely a case of your idea of 'cheap' being pretty mid range in Thailand.. But when you say cheap then I give you cheap.

[JimsKnight]

Seeing the world on financial aid excess funds!!??:/ Sounds like a freebie hand-out to me, you lucky so and so, wish I could get one of those little tinkers!

I guess the offshore groove is my lot in life!

Anyway heres some info that may help.

For all what your looking for I think about 3500 - 4500 baht per month (not including electric, gas and water) which may add an extra 200 - 400 baht) and you may have to lease an apartment for 3 months minimum to get that rate. If you get a cheap motor bike rented and live on the outskirts then its do-able.

I agree with banana man, the train journeys (despite what lonely planet may rave on about) really suck if your in 3rd class (which is ULTRA cheap!). They are slow, unreliable and some real low-lives can give you hassle on them.

Take a sleeper train and it should be ok. The air-con bus cost me about 450 baht one way fron northern bus terminal, journey time is about 6 - 7 hours. Be aware though to take some earplugs as the thais have a strong tendency to play music and crap kareoke videos and occasionally films at full blast for most of the journey! (possibly to calm passengers nerves?)

Until you get the cooking setup going or feel like a change keep to thai only / frugal farang places like the outdoor vendors, these places are often open from 1830 right through til 0300 hrs and the prices are about 20 - 35 baht depending on the place. Depending on how big you are and your appitite you may need to eat something more substantial at more farang orientated restaurants or not.

Easy to cook foods that are available and cheap is pasta and tuna with mayonaise. With vitamins and some vegetables you now have all you need to survive and be healthy. Consider varying your diet every week or so before switching back to the stable pasta groove!

I spend about 20,000 - 25,000 baht per month all-in. You sound even more frugal than me, and with you eating in I reckon about 16,000 to 20,000 baht per month would see you right.

If you include alcholol, smokes and women your monthly expenditure rocket! So be ready for that!

Hope this helps!

Edited April 25, 2007 by JimsKnight

[misterme]

Don't take the train. Fly!

(if you really need financial numbers to have it make sense, think about... taxi from airport to Hua Lumpong train station, cost of food and drink on the 10-14 hour journey to Chiang Mai)

Rooms with Air Con will run you about 3500-5000 and up a month. Be prepared to pay 3 months minimum. Best advice is to assume you WON'T get your deposit back (but I always have).

You're best to come up, guest house hop for a few days (lots of places for 150ish/night) looking for a place that suits your style... area, budget, cleanliness, etc.

[princealbert]

Now, I need to know a little more. My flight lands in BKK on May 26, and it appears the best way from BKK to Chiang Mai is via air conditioned train compartment. Any advice on that, should I just go to train station and purchase ticket directly after arriving in BKK?

Can you first decide if it is this Thursday 26th April as said in your " I'd like to be your room mate thread" or as above ??????

I look forward to this adventure, meeting ex-pats from all over the world

And maybe we can arrange to have a really big for you at the train station

T

his really has got to be a wind up hasn't it ???

Edited April 25, 2007 by princealbert

[eek]

Um..i suspect that it is a wind up.... I received a pm from josephdeka which i took time to reply to in detail and then received a reply. (I wont disclose what it was about for incase it is not a wind up..and would be wrong for me to post personal information). Needless to say it involved something that costs quite a bit of money. After reading his threads about wishing to be frugal etc..it doesnt seem to make much sense to be honest...

[Octaviousbp]

If it's Lanna Camp then the absolute cheapest in that area would be Isra Guesthouse. Google it. It's seriously cheap, nice and doesn't have things like aircon.. honestly... Then again it's mostly likely a case of your idea of 'cheap' being pretty mid range in Thailand.. But when you say cheap then I give you cheap.

For some reason, I think it is Pedro Villalobos place, which is off of Suandok Rd, near Suthep.

[princealbert]

Um..i suspect that it is a wind up.... I received a pm from josephdeka which i took time to reply to in detail and then received a reply. (I wont disclose what it was about for incase it is not a wind up..and would be wrong for me to post personal information). Needless to say it involved something that costs quite a bit of money. After reading his threads about wishing to be frugal etc..it doesnt seem to make much sense to be honest...

Got to be a wind up the Liposuction in Thailand thread

Liposuction in Thailand

confirmed it for me

[eek]

Well..liposuction is what he pmed me about! (not that i have any knowledge of lipo or intend on having it.)

I had posted a thread about wishing to find a doc in chiang mai that can offer some minor non-surgical cosmetic treatments. (Also mainly because i have some acne scarring on the sides of my face ..well anyway..no point in wallowing in self pity.) This seems like the land of beautiful ppl to me...and I would like to try look as best i can lolz.

Anyway..he pmed me asking if i found out any info that could help him. ..then i realised after that this was the guy who wants to come to CM on a tight budget. Doesnt comput...

_____

hmm..i have a habit of typing too much crap.....

[mcgriffith]

Can't believe it took you guys this long to catch on.....

[eek]

gah..me stoopid

[cm-happy]

What?? There's something fishy about this guy josephdeka? Shocking !

[chiang mai]

What a sad character - I would guess this was the highpoint of his day.

[p1p]

I'm closing this thread now. and going nowhere fast.