Doi Chaang & Doi Wawee

[grrr]

We have some guests arriving from the US next month who have seen a lot of Chiang Rai province and are interested in new places. Doi Chaang and Doi Wawee sound interesting, though I can't find a whole lot of information online about them. So...to anyone who has been there:

• Are they worth the trip?
  
• Is the road to Doi Chaang accessible with a non 4x4 truck?
  
• Day trip or overnight trip? If overnight, any recommendations? I have heard of Doi Chang Resort and Laolee Resort.
  

Thanks for any first-hand information!

[toybits]

Heavy rain washed out about 100 meters of the road leading up to Doi Wawee (coming from Mae Suai). That was about a month ago. Not sure if the road has already been repaired. Doi Chang is not too different from Mae Salong (only less commercial than Mae Salong). Fairly large town of about 5000 souls. Ban Doi Chang is said to be the first Lisu settlement in Thailand. Doi Wawi is a Koumintang settlement - just like Mae Salong.

[davidgtr]

Some photos & info on GT Rider.

The road in from Huai San to Doi Chang should be bumpy, if not rough.

Wawi's awfully quiet & basic & there must be some grotty guesthouses in Wawi.

Lau Lee Resort is ok, & probably worthwhile if you want a quiet night up in the mountains & away from everything.

Doi Chang to Wawi is "quite a way."

Try Thoed Thai for a night if you're looking for new place & never been there. Wonderful traditional place & my favourite out of the way destination in North Thailand.

[sceadugenga]

I was quite take with WaWi when I went up there this year.

Quite an interesting place.

[siriweith]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJj6L5M27d8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieBUUsBbYd0&feature=related

[siriweith]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITSDuNb7mYA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Lpi6KxmWFc&feature=related

[canuck1941]

I visited Doi Wawee many times over eight years, staying in the Lahu part of Thrung Phrao. I always was surprised at how few people knew about Wawee. It was unspoiled, like Thailand used to be. I think the hotel at the top is probably the only place left to stay. There's plenty to do in the area, caves, four or five ethnic villages, Try to attend local celebrations. Drink local coffee and tea. Chill out. Take the plunge. On a scale of 1 to 10, if you hit an 8, nothing wrong with that.

[grrr]

Thanks everyone for the responses, it sounds like it's worth the trip for sure. Thoed Thai also sounds good, thanks for the tip.

[sunholidaysun1]

The road from Mae Suay to WaWee is full of suprises. From the turn off on the highway , a KM or so up the road you pass a small market, a little further on theres a left turn that takes you to the Dam. You can walk across it.

Further along on that same road there are spectacular views of several lakes , its a really stunning area. There are several small villages on route to WaWee , the main one being Hoi Krai , further on you can take a road / track to Hoi Kra another village that is nestled in the mountains 5 km off the main WaWee road. Plenty of scenes to see, rivers , waterfalls , ethnic tribes, tiered rice fields etc.

I personally think its a beautiful area , but a bit to far out to live but there are several foreigners living in those areas also .

The Road to WaWee does get hit by heavy rainfall like everywhere else and the landslides are common along with the loss of the road at times. They just dig out around the drop in the road so its passable again until the next time it drops. Keep your eyes open for the rocks that fall also .

[sceadugenga]

The road to Wawee.

These were taken at Chinese New Year, probably the worse time of the year in the North photographically speaking. Smoke and dry grass doth not a pretty picture make. (Sometimes).