stevehaigh Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 i'm thinking of alternate places to live and in another thread Chiang Dao was mentioned as a good location. i've been there before for a day trip and it was without doubt very beautiful, but no idea what it would be like living there year round. what's the weather like in march/april/may? i know chaing mai is unbearable with the heat and smoke but is chiang dao better? what are schools like? internet, etc. thx steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artamus Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 I doubt overall if the smoke is any different. The times I have driven through Chiang Dao when it has been smokey in Chiang Mai it has actually been worse in Chiang Dao - probably due to the nearness of many fields. so it's likely worse on some days and better on others. Overall I would say definitely not an improvement on the smoke aspects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJW Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 I love Chiang Dao and I spend a lot of time there. Weather wise, it is more rainy and beautiful than Chiang Mai, But during the smoke month, it is not better than Chiang Mai. The farangs are few and far between in my experience, the schools Prathom and Mathayom are good quality. If I could fine a nice Home with a mountain view, I would certainly be a resident of Chiang Dao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybrewer2000 Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 Chiang Dao is a great place to live. No night life, we only have one bar and a few good restaurants and a lot of resorts and guest houses. There are no Moo Bahns here. You either buy and build on property, or live in the village. I have been in Chiang Dao off and on for over 30 years. My wife owns 7 1/2 rai and we are currently building an American/Thai Style Resort here in Chiang Dao. I was live no where else in Thailand but Chiang Dao. Very quiet and only 1 hour to Chiangmai and 4 hours to Chiang Rai. The weather is about the same as Chinagmai and the smoke is about the same in April & May. I have currently been live here for 3 years and will remain here. It is very hard to find a place to rent here, but many places are for sale. Living up here is a lot cheeper than Chiangmai. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatouthruthefog Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 I love Chiang Dao and I spend a lot of time there. Weather wise, it is more rainy and beautiful than Chiang Mai, But during the smoke month, it is not better than Chiang Mai. The farangs are few and far between in my experience, the schools Prathom and Mathayom are good quality. If I could fine a nice Home with a mountain view, I would certainly be a resident of Chiang Dao Here here! With the river, the mountain, the cave and gorgeous views, it's quite a natural paradise. Try Malee's Nature Bungalows, very close to the mountain, to suss the place out for a long weekend. Khun Malee, a cheerful eco-friendly person, has great English and German language, excellent Thai cuisine and very good value chalets to rent. A fount of useful local info. 50m farther along is Chang Dao Nest with more sophisticated, expensive chalets and excellent western cuisine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiterussian Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 What'S Chiang Dao Like? Bloody lovely! Best approched on a big motorbike at high speeds through lush gorges and tropical vistas. enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackr Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 Town's crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJW Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 What'S Chiang Dao Like? Bloody lovely! Best approched on a big motorbike at high speeds through lush gorges and tropical vistas. enjoy! With the current road conditions leading into town, I would suggest a sainer approach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttler Posted August 15, 2010 Share Posted August 15, 2010 Hi Steve, Chiang Dao ist very very crowded and have many Farangs living there. International ones. Every year the number of them increases. Some have the endeavor to show how much money they have. Therefore the landprices are extremly high - too high - for my opinion crazy high. In the first moment and if you are on holiday it looks all quite good, but living there for a long time you will see all the negative sides of CDao. After several month it is very boring there - at least for me, beliefe me. I love nature and I love the silent but espacially the last I couldnt get there. Also the problem of smoke isnt much better than in CNX area, for me a big dissapointment. I was living sereral years but at the end I left C Dao again and move more nearly towards CNX (Mae Rim area). I am really more happy now, cause now I have silent nature and I easily can go to CNX with all its cultural and social advantages.... but at the end everybody themself must know what they will do. Edy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackr Posted August 15, 2010 Share Posted August 15, 2010 Never known Chiang Mai Airport ('CNX') to be cultural or socially active... prefer the town myself. Btw, what are international farangs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tijnebijn Posted August 15, 2010 Share Posted August 15, 2010 Never known Chiang Mai Airport ('CNX') to be cultural or socially active... prefer the town myself. Btw, what are international farangs? Farangs who are international ? Anyway I disagree with this poster , he doesn't understand life in Chiangdao , when you keep yourself private and keep friendly contact with the locals it is a great place to live . Although I do understand its not for all . I agree that land prices have gone up , in the town it is , outer its still rats cheap , not that we can buy any of that anyway .... To make a business here , I agree , don't .And I do see some new foreigners coming all opening resorts me guess , some new places look very nice though . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicog Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 The caves are great. I think there's Japanese loot in them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midnighttiger Posted August 16, 2010 Share Posted August 16, 2010 (edited) I don't suppose there's a fitness gym (running machines, weights) in/near Ching Dao? How's the broadband Internet situation over there? Edited August 16, 2010 by midnighttiger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayfarer108 Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 (edited) The smoke, in smoke season, is a bit worse in Chiang Dao as the valley is narrower so it holds it in noticeably longer. Another side effect of the valley's shape and size is that in many areas you lose the sun earlier in the day than in Chiang Mai, which means cooler afternoons; some might find it a bit gloomy though. On the positive side, the scenery around Chiang Dao is first rate, and up in the hills the climate is noticeably cooler than Chiang Mai most of the year. Edited August 17, 2010 by wayfarer108 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FMFK86 Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 i was driving around today and was looking for a road/dirtraod, and most likely a hiking trail to go up doi chiang dao, but i couldnt find anything. i followed the signs to the caves, even though i must have missed the last one as i never saw a cave, i followed the small road till i got to the stairs leading up to a temple, ehich was a very nice walk, the i followed the road where i turned to the temple, until i came to a barrier where they told me to turn around as i need special permition. does anyone know how to get up the mountain? maybe not the peak, but i just want to walk as high as i can get. thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackr Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 There's a steep route near the caves. Surprised you missed them as they're at the large market area about a click before that temple. There's also a path between the bend (that forks off to Chiang Dao Nest) and the mountain temple car park... if you're driving you'll miss it. Suggest you slow down a bit or have a look in the daytime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lannarebirth Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 i was driving around today and was looking for a road/dirtraod, and most likely a hiking trail to go up doi chiang dao, but i couldnt find anything. i followed the signs to the caves, even though i must have missed the last one as i never saw a cave, i followed the small road till i got to the stairs leading up to a temple, ehich was a very nice walk, the i followed the road where i turned to the temple, until i came to a barrier where they told me to turn around as i need special permition. does anyone know how to get up the mountain? maybe not the peak, but i just want to walk as high as i can get. thanks!! I believe there is a limited number of persons allowed on the mountain on a given day and also a rule for what months anyone may climb it. There may also be a requirement to employ a local guide. Some of the local guesthouses would likely know the facts or chiangdao.com/.net etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackr Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 If you head for the caves you can pick up a guide/porter there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizard2010 Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 Sounds like and interesting place for a couple of days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybrewer2000 Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 Chiang Dao nest provides tours up the mountain. I believe that the mountain is closed during the rain season, it is quite dangerous at this time of the year due to rain run off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackr Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 Yep, just don't get caught out paying for a ridiculously priced (for Chiang Dao) dish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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