I recently saw listings for two houses that look quite idyllic in Sarapee and Mae Rim and was just curious what these areas are like to live in, and if they are convenient enough locations to be able to do things in Chiang Mai a few times per week?

Thank you.

I have lived in Mae Rim more than 2 years and really like it. It is quiet and has great scenery.In the smoke season it tends to have better air than the lower lying Chiang Mai although last year it was not too good. There is a new shopping centre being built which promises to have a supermarket but if you want shopping and night-life then you need to make the 20-30 minute trip to Chiang Mai.It is close to Prem school if you need a good but very,very expensive school. Having said all of that where you live is always a matter of personal taste

Mae Rim's very nice IMO. bluweyze. where is the shopping center you mention being constructed? Thanks.

I also like Mae Rim. I don't care for Saraphi. As I recall, it is the low part of the area and prone to flooding more than other areas.

Mae Rim's very nice IMO. bluweyze. where is the shopping center you mention being constructed? Thanks.

The shopping center is going down the soi off the 107 heading to Wawee/ the Four Seasons.

Mae Rim's very nice IMO. bluweyze. where is the shopping center you mention being constructed? Thanks.

The shopping center is going down the soi off the 107 heading to Wawee/ the Four Seasons.

That's nice. It will be better if some of the commercial activity moves off the main Chiang Mai>>Mae Tang road.

I have lived in Mae Rim more than 2 years and really like it. It is quiet and has great scenery.In the smoke season it tends to have better air than the lower lying Chiang Mai although last year it was not too good. There is a new shopping centre being built which promises to have a supermarket but if you want shopping and night-life then you need to make the 20-30 minute trip to Chiang Mai.It is close to Prem school if you need a good but very,very expensive school. Having said all of that where you live is always a matter of personal taste

Thanks everyone for your input.

Just curious -- are you able to get a good Internet connection (good enough for reliable Skype phone calls abroad) in Mae Rim?

Internet connection depends on exactly where you live and which provider you choose i.e how far you are away from the connection point. For instance where I live TTT is useless but TOT business is not bad most of the time

I also like Mae Rim. I don't care for Saraphi. As I recall, it is the low part of the area and prone to flooding more than other areas.

There's been no flooding in the five years i've lived in saraphi.

imho CAT has the best connection in the Mae Rim re: speed and reliability--there is a tower at the intersection of the Mae Rim/Mae Jo road, so the signal doesn't have far to go. I never had luck with TripleT. CAT has a 2/2 package, which includes international bandwidth.

imho CAT has the best connection in the Mae Rim re: speed and reliability--there is a tower at the intersection of the Mae Rim/Mae Jo road, so the signal doesn't have far to go. I never had luck with TripleT. CAT has a 2/2 package, which includes international bandwidth.

Is CAT a DSL/Cable connection? I'm being told the house I'm considering is in the hills and only wireless USB Internet is available there. Not sure if that offers 100% reliable Skype connections or not...

Just curious. Is Sarapee mostly akin to a "US-style suburb"? In other words, houses in a planned community built next one another outside of the city?

Any thoughts on Hang Dong would also be appreciated.

Just curious. Is Sarapee mostly akin to a "US-style suburb"? In other words, houses in a planned community built next one another outside of the city?

Any thoughts on Hang Dong would also be appreciated.

I can not say that any there are any US style suburbs around Chiang Mai. What is common in Thailand is the "MOO BAAN" gated community. These communities have from 12 to 50 homes. Average land size 150' by 150'. The Moo Baan is surrounded by an 8 foot wall with individual houses are enclosed by 4 to 6 foot interior walls. Depending on location these homes can rang in price from as little as 800,000 baht and up. The average westerners homes is in a price range of 2 to 6 million baht in these communities. You will see other home on their separate properties of 2 rai and up that have been built for 15 million baht and up. 30 million baht homes outside of Chiang Mai are common. I live outside of Chiang Mai about 20 kilometers east in Doi Saket off the main highway in a a none westerners moo baan (Thai Village) on 1.2 rai. Rice fields on two sides of the house, great view of Wat Doi Saket.. 30 minutes from Chiang Mai. Trust me I do not have a 5 million baht or up home. Internet..There is no on good ISP in Thailand. What works good for me maybe lousy for you. This just the way it is. You need to do research when you decided on an area and then its a crap shoot. Location, Sarappee, Hang Dong, Mae Rim are great locations along with where I live Doi Saket.. I get the impression you are out of the area and have not been to Chiag Mai. In that case I would suggest that you come to Chiang Mai and stay in a hotel for a time and explore the surrounding communities. This will give you time to talk to realtors and get to know Chiang Mai before you commit yourself to and area. Best of Luck.

Just curious. Is Sarapee mostly akin to a "US-style suburb"? In other words, houses in a planned community built next one another outside of the city?

Any thoughts on Hang Dong would also be appreciated.

i don't like to advertise this much but serapi is really nice.i live off 106 after having moved out of the city and there is everything you need here and it is very well connected over the ring roads. the moo ban i live in is very erratic as far as the planing went which makes it really nice for me. most houses are very different in style and budget from their neighbor's and there are a few small shops and so on. mostly thais btw.

the big road with the tall trees makes for nice driving into cm and there are buses all day.not sure about internet.i have dial up.

i moved here because it was dry here during the big flood a few years ago.

i would never live in a gated community where all the houses look the same or something called" koolpunt village" (<deleted>) but many people do

i guess.

Thank you all for the helpful hints. It does seem like I should focus on a few houses/areas and then rent a flat while I shop around.

Is there a good photo site that might have representative images of these various areas in and around Chiang Mai by any chance?

Thank you all for the helpful hints. It does seem like I should focus on a few houses/areas and then rent a flat while I shop around.

Is there a good photo site that might have representative images of these various areas in and around Chiang Mai by any chance?

http://www.jasminehomes.co.th/ http://www.houseinchiangmai.net/

Check Thai Visa Classified also.

i don't like to advertise this much but serapi is really nice ...

PSSSSSSST!!!

I'm being told the house I'm considering is in the hills and only wireless USB Internet is available there. Not sure if that offers 100% reliable Skype connections or not...

If your house is indeed up in the hills (that would probably be tambon Mae Raem) then expect the occasional power outages and cell phone disruptions. If an uninterrupted Internet connection is critical to your business then best to not do business from a home in the hills.

The good thing about Mae Rim area is that there are some military installations around and that makes the population and traffic down...nice mountain views...can get almost all your shopping done(outlets of Tops,Lotus and now the Macro is building as well),so it is good...the internet is better recently as well...I personally get sick,if must go South of Mae Rim...traffic wise that is...

Check this address:

They are pretty new but they have some stunning houses in Mae Rim. A friend of mine tried their services and they were really helpfull.

Thanks for the SPAM. Nothing new about that website. It has been around since 2006 that I know of. Prices that one only dreams of (seller).

I think you must be a bit confused my friend, Just do a whois on the domain and you'll see that they have been around for only a few months.

Mae Rim rather than Saraphi. Prices will generally reflect this, too. Not that Saraphi is much worse than any other place, but Mae Rim is closer to the Doi Suthep/Pui massif, so is usually cooler than the communities located more in the middle of the valley. For anyone considering Saraphi, I would recommend you check out this study: http://books.google.com/books?id=gvlk2lSvZA0C&pg=PA31&lpg=PA31&dq=saraphi+lung+cancer&source=bl&ots=WeP_-pyG5a&sig=aOPgLJzcLYTFQWQbQ1s_wiNQJi0&hl=en&ei=62HsTeDcD8zHrQfnlJngBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=saraphi%20lung%20cancer&f=false