News For Chiang Dao

[kurtgruen]

Just wanted to let everyone know that we are back from Canada and open again. Bigger and better as always. Rental bikes, guest rooms, dorm rooms, beers from around the world and of course Mon's great cooking. Rock and Roll, Blues and occationally, when we have Thai customers we like, Carrabou Music.

Besides us, there is also Chiang Dao Nest and a few other good places to eat and stay. Chiang Dao is the place...be there or be square.

Hmmm....wonder how long it takes for this post to get edited?

Mon and Kurt's Restaurant and Guesthouse

http://www.chiangdao.org

084-173-9975

[mcgriffith]

My biggest regret of my 1200 K loop through northern Thailand a few months ago on my motorsai, was that I didn't stop and spend more time in Chiang Dao. Had left Mae Sai around noon, rain was threatening, so I wanted to get back after 4 days on the road. For a sportbike rider, the road through Chiang Dao was 10 on a scale of 10...very beautiful scenery, with lots of rock escarpments, heavily forested. And I have not seen the caves, and I am a member of the National Speleological Society/Cave Diving Section (a US cave exploration non-profit organisation). I really have no excuse to not go and check it out....so close to CM. Will plan a trip soon.

McG

[kurtgruen]

My biggest regret of my 1200 K loop through northern Thailand a few months ago on my motorsai, was that I didn't stop and spend more time in Chiang Dao. Had left Mae Sai around noon, rain was threatening, so I wanted to get back after 4 days on the road. For a sportbike rider, the road through Chiang Dao was 10 on a scale of 10...very beautiful scenery, with lots of rock escarpments, heavily forested. And I have not seen the caves, and I am a member of the National Speleological Society/Cave Diving Section (a US cave exploration non-profit organisation). I really have no excuse to not go and check it out....so close to CM. Will plan a trip soon.

McG

Aside from the main Cave where everyone goes, I also found a cave entrance about 1/2 hour hike above in the mountain. I have a feeling that it will connect with the rest of the cave system, but haven't explored that far yet. I'd love to have someone to explore it with.

Aside from the numerous caves up here in Chiang Dao, it's also a great place to use for a base when exploring the North of Thailand. There are some beautiful motorcycle day trips from here. For example:

From Chiang Dao, ride up to Doi Angkan, then down the other side over to Fang, then head back on highway 107 towards Chiang Dao. Makes for a great day trip, if you stop for a bite to eat and also to visit the beautiful Gardens on the top of Doi Angkhan.

Another nice trip on a cool winters day is to ride from Chiang Dao towards Phrao. 35km later, at the police box, turn right to Baan Nong Khok. 4.1km after the turnoff, you will see a temple on the right...turn left there and 800 meters past there are some really nice hotsprings. We like going there, because it is not a National Park, so you only pay 20 Baht for one of the Hotspring fed rooms. When you come back out instead of turning right at the temple, turn left and keep following the scenic road past all the orange plantation. It will eventually meet up with highway 107, which will take you back to Chiang Dao.

For an overnight ride, I would suggest Chiang Dao, Mae Ai, Tha Thon, Golden Triangle and from there back to Mae Salong. , have a great meal at Saagura Restaurant (ask for directions when you get there, it's worth it), stay overnight in Mae Salong and in the morning ride down to one of the many tea shops and have a free sample of all their teas. (leave room in your bag, because you will probably end up buying some of their delicious teas. Have breakfast and then ride down towards Mae Ai and Tha Thon again. It's one of the nicests motorcycle roads and well worth seeing twice. On the way back, go up Doi Anghkan and come back to Chiang Dao, coming down the other side of the mountain.

There are now numerous good places to eat in Chiang Dao and lots of good, clean places to spend the night. In fact, you can get a fan room as cheap as 120 Baht up here or you can go as high as 1500 Baht for one of the big resorts.

For the budget backpacker, you can still do Chiang Dao for 200 Baht per day or less, including accommodation and it is a lot less crowded than Pai.

Chiang Dao has a very small expat community and so far has been able to preserve it's Thai athmospere, while providing some great food and services to the local expats and visitors alike. The only place that is a little over commercialized (in my opinion), is Chiang Dao Cave. It's o.k. if you visit it early in the morning, before all the mini buses and tour buses arrive, but after that it is a zoo.

Some other things worth mentioning in the area are...

Doi Luang Chiang Dao, which is great for trekking up the mountain...

The mountain temple, if you continue on the road past the cave and past Chiang Dao Nest, walk up a lot of steps on a beauiful nature trail to visit the temple cave and enjoy the view above it...

Visit local hilltribe villages early in the morning, when the mist rises and the view in the mountain in breathtaking. Do this in the morning before the mini buses with all the terrorists (tourists) arrive.

Dameon at Cafe-Cafe made a really good map of Chiang Dao and Area. Good place to stop, have a good cup of coffee and take a look at the local map. You might even convince him to give you a copy.

Hmmmm...not really sure if I should post this, because us Expats like Chiang Dao the way it is. We don't really want it to turn into another Pai....

Oh well, too much typing to just waste it.

Cheers

Kurt

[lannarebirth]

If it's caves you love, you'll want to include a trip to Pang Mapha (between Pai and Mae Hong Son) on your next tour. Stop by the Cave Lodge and talk to John.

http://www.cavelodge.com/caving.htm