As A Resident, Do You Visit Tourist Venues?

[chanchao]

In a recent topic someone made an excellent point about separating tourist-needs from resident's needs. I don't remember who it was (cause it wasn't me ) but I pondered this a little further and wondered if there's people who lived here a couple years and still embrace (some of) the things that were established primarily with tourists in mind, or that there's people who consciously avoid the tourist circus.

Personally I consciously avoid the Night Bazar area, but still embrace certain bars that are established with a focus on tourists, such as some bars on Loi Kroh and some bars in the backpacker 'reggae' area behind the Irish Pub. I recognize of course that some places blur the lines, probably intentionally, to get BOTH the tourist trade as well as residents. (Say, a place like Mad Dog).

I'm asking this specifically to people who've been here a couple years (or who feel 'established' otherwise, ) not people on their first 6 months in the city who are still exploring the lot of it.

How about yourself?

Edited December 7, 2007 by chanchao

[Ulysses G.]

I tried living outside the tourist areas for a while, but was bored as heck. Now I live in a nice hotel right in the middle of the tourist zone and am happy as can be with a maid every day and good food and lovely maidens all around.

[uptheos]

The OP asks; as a resident do you visit tourist venues?

I'm not quite sure what you mean. If you mean do I go to The Night Safari, The Spotlight and the Umbrella factories then the answer is no. However, if you mean do I go to Anusarn Market, Walking Street, Doi Suthep and some bars, then yes, sometimes. I think it's hard to define what is and is not a tourist venue - all of Chiangmai has something to offer for both locals and tourists. All the downtown area and the old town can be classified as 'tourist area' but I find these areas of great interest and quite entertaining, that's why I decided to live just 5-10 minutes away. I even like the night bazaar at times, it's an interesting people watch, but I certainly won't buy anything there....not even a wooden frog.

[sabaijai]

The Sunday Walking Street is full of tourists, so is Nimanhemin Road. I frequent both ...

[chanchao]

The OP asks; as a resident do you visit tourist venues?

I'm not quite sure what you mean. If you mean do I go to The Night Safari, The Spotlight and the Umbrella factories then the answer is no. However, if you mean do I go to Anusarn Market, Walking Street, Doi Suthep and some bars, then yes, sometimes.

That's cool. I don't mean to learn who visits what venue, that can never be concluded from any poll. I'm trying to explore if among the things that attract people to Chiang Mai are indeed tourist-aimed places, or that perhaps the opposite is true for some: they like Chiang Mai *in spite of* the tourist stuff.

I consciously did not include sights that are part of Chiang Mai's heritage and as important (or more important) to locals as they are to tourists. So I did not include things like Doi Suthep, other temples or sights: I'm assuming locals and expats alike do visit those. Also these are things that would exist in ANY Thai town. Say one opts to go live in Phrae. Loads of temples and nature to visit, but little in the way of artificial tourist entertainment that's set up mainly to cater to tourists.

So in deciding if something is an artificial tourist venue, you can do a check "does XYZ exist in Phrae/Lampang/Udon/any-other-not-heavily-touristed-province?" and if it does then it's not the focus of this poll.

So for example, Phrae doesn't have the Hofbrauhaus restaurant. It doesn't have Kantoke dinners shows, or a tourist souvenir market. It doesn't have bungee jumping or monkey schools. It doesn't have Spotlight. All of those things exist in Chiang Mai SPECIFICALLY because Chiang Mai gets a good number of tourists, and I'm exploring to what extent these things are either appreciated OR avoided by residents.

I think it's hard to define what is and is not a tourist venue - all of Chiangmai has something to offer for both locals and tourists. All the downtown area and the old town can be classified as 'tourist area' but I find these areas of great interest and quite entertaining, that's why I decided to live just 5-10 minutes away.

I completely agree. I'm sorry for rambling on above but trying to hit the distinction between something that's native to the area and of interest to locals and tourists alike, and things that are established specifically with tourism in mind.

Edited December 7, 2007 by chanchao

[chanchao]

The Sunday Walking Street is full of tourists, so is Nimanhemin Road. I frequent both ...

Walking Street is a bit of a gray area, so I did mention in specifically in the poll. It's about equally aimed at and visited by locals, Thai tourists and foreign tourists.

Nimmanhaemin Road I dare say does not have places that chose to be there to catch the tourist trade with the exception of a couple shops directly arond the Rincome hotel. For sure some longer staying expats live/go there and there's plenty that caters to them, but it's not a tourist area IMHO in the same way that the Night Bazar area or the Thapae Gate area is.

Edited December 7, 2007 by chanchao

[uptheos]

OK - understood

[anonymouse]

On occassion I'll visit the tourist venues but usually for something specific like dvd's at the night bazaar.

My wife likes the food at the big German restaurant in the night bazaar so I'll tag along and hide in the back where nobody I know can see me

When I have male visitors from the UK I'll take them down Loi kroh and to Spotlight - if they want to go or not

[Ulysses G.]

Nimmanhaemin Road I dare say does not have places that chose to be there to catch the tourist trade with the exception of a couple shops directly arond the Rincome hotel. For sure some longer staying expats live/go there and there's plenty that caters to them, but it's not a tourist area IMHO in the same way that the Night Bazar area or the Thapae Gate area is.

How about Thai tourists?

[Ulysses G.]

When I have male visitors from the UK I'll take them down Loi kroh and to Spotlight - if they want to go or not

[chanchao]

Nimmanhaemin Road I dare say does not have places that chose to be there to catch the tourist trade with the exception of a couple shops directly arond the Rincome hotel. For sure some longer staying expats live/go there and there's plenty that caters to them, but it's not a tourist area IMHO in the same way that the Night Bazar area or the Thapae Gate area is.

How about Thai tourists?

Ummmmmmmmm.. depends. If they're young and have friends in Chiang Mai or are otherwise familiar with the area then very likely will they will go out in areas like Nimmanhaemin at night.

If they're families driving up for Songkran, Loi Krathong, New Years, A Flower Show etc then Nimmanhaemin doesn't have the hotels where they'd stay, so the answer most likely would be 'no'. (Except those staying at the Rincome).

They DO however do the Kantoke thing and may visit elephant camps, the Night Safari and the like. And the Night Bazar of course, then they wonder "What the <deleted>?!", but do at least get their opportunity to buy fried pork skin, oranges, strawberries and Assorted Weird Khanom.

So yes, Thai tourists are also very much a target group for many of the more artificial tourism businesses.

Edited December 7, 2007 by chanchao

[KhunDave]

I drive into the city to pick up a box of BeerLao when the previous box is empty, but apart from that I find country life much more appealing.

[chanchao]

Some pretty surprising poll results so far.. Well for me anyways.. I'm amazed so many people visit the Night Bazar.. Question: Do you then actually buy stuff there? Or is there something I'm missing, like do the rock climbing wall, the food center there..?

Or maybe I'm interpreting it wrong.. Like another result is that many people very rarely visit tourist venues including the Night Bazar, however when for example playing tourguide for visiting friends, a prime place to go would then of course be the Night Bazar.. Perhaps that explains the result.

Edited December 8, 2007 by chanchao

[PeaceBlondie]

I haven't been going out enough. Last night I was invited to tag along to a great place near my home, that I've passed on Canal Road a thousand times and didn't know about. I enjoyed it immensely. So, I'm going to make an effort to check out more places, whether they're touristy or expattish or whatever. I found the Bake n Bite annex, and the Triumph dealership yesterday, both on Neimenheiman. Soon I'll go to the Sunday buffet at the Grandview Hotel.

I don't consciously avoid tourist areas, or hang out there purposely. I don't have the same interests as most tourists. But I'm realizing that Chiang Mai has a lot more to offer than a box of BeerLao (which I also enjoy, one bottle at a time at Tusker's).

[gobs]

Hey Chanchao, my friend!

Why the Night Bazaar? I think only because everybody coming visiting me here have heard about it, and want to go back home with his lot of stuff from there!.. Many little gifts, cheap and easy to put somewhere in the suitcase... And in one evening, thank's God, you've done the whole tour of the Night Bazaar: no need to go elsewhere for more stuff

And well, tourists are tourists, no? So in one week of stay, OK: let's go to Night Bazaar... but only one time, please!

But for my part, I never go by myself... I do appreciate better to meet my thai neighbours and friends, and for sure the country life style!

But no problem for me to go to muang and its tourists areas if I need to go to look for something I know I can find there... Tourists have their lives, I have mine

Further more, if I travel to Laos or Japan or Nepal for a few days, am I not a tourist then? Sure I am!

So welcome to the tourists in CNX!.. But as a resident, I like to have a quiet life... in this so nice and so peace place Chiang Mai is...

Cheers

[tijnebijn]

I do not consider the nightbar as a tourist attraction .

Now I think your question was about venues , yes from time to time I

do cross one of those venues , lately I do again sometimes .

I must agree that rural life is much better then city life , but after 8 years

spending time in a rural area where our home is ( which is great ) , I must

also say that city life does appeal more lately since the opening of my wife's new

business , so from both some does the deal for me .

By the way I think attractions like Doi Suthep or Inthanon are more suitable

then for example the night bazaar to ask for a regular visit , which I do not ,

and yes a big part of that is the double pricing which I refuse to pay or bargain

for a local price , anyway different same same story .

[Foggy Bottom]

Some weeks I'm in the Night Bazaar every night, other weeks maybe only once or twice.

The double pricing there doesn't bother me since I discovered the treble-pricing about 5 years ago.

As my wife has discovered - there's prices for farangs, prices for Thais, and cheaper than either, there's prices for established, regular, volume customers. If you want to buy like a tourist (one of this, one of that) then sure, you'll pay too much. But if you buy like me (50 tonight, 100 on Friday, another 50 on Monday, then 250 next Wednesday) you will get genuine wholesale pricing. And if you're in there week-in, week-out, 52 weeks a year, you'll get better pricing than the ultra-big-order Bangkok buyers. I've even had night bazaar traders buy stock from me that I had bought at the night bazaar, because it was cheaper for them to do it that way.

Loi Kroh I might go to once every 18 months, Mad Dog once a month, Night Safari (never have, never will), Doi Suthep & the zoo - once in a while when we have visitors etc. Much prefer places like Huay Tung Tao and bar-restaurants run by friends that have an "expats corner". Now and then I'll try something different like dinner on a river boat, or on the roof of a big hotel, or out of town - but those are for a night out with friends for a celebration.

[tigerbeer]

Much prefer places like Huay Tung Tao and bar-restaurants run by friends that have an "expats corner".

what does one do at Huay Tung Tao? i have been there only once which was after 5pm and merely had a peek at the lake. well its obvious its a lake thing and heard some people talk about massages, etc. but what do you guys mostly do when you are there? just wondering if it should be a family outing kinda thing or just a one man relaxation thing.

[Foggy Bottom]

Huay Tung Tao is is for sanuk sabai - relaxing fun - eat drink with friends, a nice stroll to aid digestion afterwards, look at the scenery, maybe do a spot of fishing, or feed the fish round by the big buddha (make some merit)

Overall it's not much different to going and sitting on a beach all day, except it's inland beside a lake, and you don't need to lug a picnic hamper with you.

A complete tonic for living in the middle of the city.

[tigerbeer]

Huay Tung Tao is is for sanuk sabai - relaxing fun - eat drink with friends, a nice stroll to aid digestion afterwards, look at the scenery, maybe do a spot of fishing, or feed the fish round by the big buddha (make some merit)

Overall it's not much different to going and sitting on a beach all day, except it's inland beside a lake, and you don't need to lug a picnic hamper with you.

A complete tonic for living in the middle of the city.

thanks will give it a shot next time i have the day off!.

[Nienke]

Much prefer places like Huay Tung Tao and bar-restaurants run by friends that have an "expats corner".

what does one do at Huay Tung Tao? i have been there only once which was after 5pm and merely had a peek at the lake. well its obvious its a lake thing and heard some people talk about massages, etc. but what do you guys mostly do when you are there? just wondering if it should be a family outing kinda thing or just a one man relaxation thing.

Huay Tung Tao is a great place to go with your dogs. You can sit at the lake and let them swim, or walk up the mountain. I went there with my Afghan male just before he died of bone cancer, just him and me. He loved it!

Nienke

[chanchao]

Much prefer places like Huay Tung Tao and bar-restaurants run by friends that have an "expats corner".

what does one do at Huay Tung Tao? i have been there only once which was after 5pm and merely had a peek at the lake. well its obvious its a lake thing and heard some people talk about massages, etc. but what do you guys mostly do when you are there? just wondering if it should be a family outing kinda thing or just a one man relaxation thing.

Well, by yourself it would be a little pointless.. But if you bring some friends and buy some food & beer and/or whisky, it can be very enjoyable.

One side of the lake has swimming, too, though it'd be quite cold this time of year.

Also consider Ob Khan Gorge National Park for a day trip. No (or few) vendors around though, so there you'd have to bring food & drinks yourself.

[Foggy Bottom]

Also consider Ob Khan Gorge National Park for a day trip. No (or few) vendors around though, so there you'd have to bring food & drinks yourself.

Must force myself to go visit there some day

Have to admit to being a little put off it (superstitiously) after a girl I knew was killed there while sheltering under a tree in a thunder storm - the tree took a direct lightning hit, and huge branch fell off striking her on the head and killing her. That was around 4 years ago so maybe it's time I went and did some tamboon then took a trip there?

[meadish_sweetball]

Now and then I'll try something different like dinner on a river boat, or on the roof of a big hotel, or out of town - but those are for a night out with friends for a celebration.

Sorry to do a minor thread hijack, but are there any hotels apart from Porn Ping that have a rooftop restaurant?

[Ulysses G.]

The Duangtawan has an indoor rooftop restaurant with a lovely view.