Family Friendly Things To Do In Cm

[Niranut]

I did live in CM about 6 years ago, but back then I didn't have any kids. Fast forward to now, and we're planning a bit of a road trip with CM as our final destination.

There will be 3 adults & 5 children (aged 5yo, 4yo, 3yo, and 5mo old). I've looked around a bit and have put together this as a list of possible things to do while we're there:

* Chiang Mai Zoo

* Doi Suthep Temple

* Umbrella Village and/or Cotton & Silk Weaving Village and/or Furniture District

* Night Bazaar

* Queen's Botanical Gardens

* Mae Sa Elephant Camp

Am I missing any must-see attraction for families with small children?

Any favorite family-friendly hotels that come in at less than 2,000 baht/night?

Also, are there any special festivals going on in early December? We'll probably be there sometime between the 3rd-8th.

And any suggestions for places to stop at during the drive up there? We'll be starting in Lopburi and working our way up. Am curious if there are any fun things along any of the smaller roads on the way up there? In the past, I've always just taken the main roads, which don't have much in the way of must-see things.

TIA

[Fishenough]

Cheers

Think you'd have a better time at the Thai Elephant Conservation Center near Lampang then the rougher Mae Sa elephant camp.

Maybe stops at Sam Ngao, Bumibol damm, and Doi Toi may be nice diversions on route. Near Doi Toa be sure to stop at 17.997100°, 98.677500° and enjoy the nice views of the lake, it's a very short side trip. Coming north of Lampang consider taking the 1184 into Chiang Mai, it offers nice scenery and little traffic.

A lunch and a splash in the water is nice at Hauy Tung Tao. Otherwise not sure of the best entertainment for youngens' in CM. Night Safari?

[msg362]

San Kamphaeng hot spring and maybe the Mae On cave if they can manage the steps

[SantiSuk]

San Kamphaeng hot spring and maybe the Mae On cave if they can manage the steps

My 2 year old and a 7 year old loved the San Kampanghaeng hot spring when we went 2 days ago - it's well worth the 40kish trip. Doi Suthep was pretty well liked on a previous visit with an extended family of 1 year old to 12 year olds (the mini bazaar, the funicular ride, the 3 times round the chedi and the hot oil ministrations inside). Chiang Mai Zoo - too expensive if they are going to insist on seeing the pandas. Shopping in Narratiwat market for the girls! Avoid the night market or you'll end up buying too much interesting rubbish that you don't need (But you know that as an ex-resident).

Most important hotel feature for the kids is a good size pool which not many of the budget/mid range central CM hotels have. Most important for the adults is two bathrooms in any large multi-bed family room. Avoid anything that says 'boutique' (= small and inappropriate for budget family occupation) and go for the older larger roomed hotels that have genuine family rooms. Look for a hotel that can supply a DVD player or take your own + cartoons for the little ones. Sorry - I'm probably teaching grandmothers to suck eggs here. I have stayed en famille at a large nondescript hotel on the South side of Ratchamanka Road inside the moat, sorry cannot trawl the name out of my memory and it doesn't pop out at me when I look back at Agoda or Asia Rooms. Rooms were always available there at the last minute (!) and they had a big pool and big family rooms, some with two bathrooms. We paid 2,000 baht ish for enough room to house 8, but that was off season. The kids loved it. I reckon you will struggle in central areas to accommodate 3 adults and 5 kids for that price but since you have a car you should have less problem in the resorts out of town.

I'm in CM now and it's pretty well touristed but still plenty of choice on the likes of Agoda.com

With that size of family you will need cheap places to eat too! Favourites with ours are Aroon something (it's well known) on the southbound side of the moat just south of Tha Pae gate a few doors down from Pop Car Rental and the Chinese herbal chicken noodle soup place (kway suay or whatever they call it) on the inside lane of the moat road at the south west corner. The old ladies in the former love kids running around whereas the chinese thais at the noodle place are a bit po faced - bloody typical - but the noodle soup is too good to miss. Both are listed in Lonely Planet (or were 3 years ago)

Edited November 23, 2011 by SantiSuk

[OldeBellPedr]

Take out the Umbrella village and the Botanical Gardens and put in the San Khampaeng hot Springs as suggested above and possibly the Tiger Kingdom if you want great photos and don't mind drugged animals.

We took our 4 year old to the Zoo yesterday and he loved it!! Which Elephant park you choose (and of course, you must take the kids to one of them!) is a matter of huge debate and depends on how strict your views

on Elephant conservation are. Personally, our son loved the Mae Sa camp and its close to town. The Monkey show, further down the Samoeng road from the Tiger Kingdom also got the thumbs up from the son and heir.

By the way, if you left Chiang Mai 6 years ago and now have 4 kids, you've been a busy bee. N'est Pas?

[hellodolly]

Take out the Umbrella village and the Botanical Gardens and put in the San Khampaeng hot Springs as suggested above and possibly the Tiger Kingdom if you want great photos and don't mind drugged animals.

We took our 4 year old to the Zoo yesterday and he loved it!! Which Elephant park you choose (and of course, you must take the kids to one of them!) is a matter of huge debate and depends on how strict your views

on Elephant conservation are. Personally, our son loved the Mae Sa camp and its close to town. The Monkey show, further down the Samoeng road from the Tiger Kingdom also got the thumbs up from the son and heir.

By the way, if you left Chiang Mai 6 years ago and now have 4 kids, you've been a busy bee. N'est Pas?

Well I would leave the botanical gardens in but I certainly agree with adding the other suggestions. I definitely agree with dropping the umbrella factory

I would like to mention a ride on the Ping River in a long tailed boat and for the kids there is a nice park in side the moat on the South West corner.

A few years ago we were in Chiang Rai and took a ride on a long tailed boat. They went to the trinkets for tourists spots. On one of the stops they had a elephant you could ride and a huge Python they would take your picture with. To big for your kids but they did have a smaller one.

As for housing there is a booming tourism business going now along with a lot of people escaping from Bangkok. It might not be that easy in your price range.

[Mapguy]

The Tiger park bit is really nasty, when you think about it. Why, indeed, is it allowed to exist! (And there was a mauling there a while back.) botanical gardens would be boring for children.

Otherwise, if you avoid bunji jumps and that sort of thing, there is plenty to do. The zoo is really, really nice. To do it right, you truly need a couple of half-days. There is LOTS to enjoy and do. It should not be rushed! The kids will want to go back.

[Fishenough]

As tourist in Chiang Mai the only hotels we used in the old city were Top North 2 and Karenthip village; simple, cheap and clean hotels with pools near Thapae gate.

Feeding your kids to a python, I mean getting there picture taken with one, sounds like a good idea....

[scotinsiam]

As tourist in Chiang Mai the only hotels we used in the old city were Top North 2 and Karenthip village; simple, cheap and clean hotels with pools near Thapae gate.

Feeding your kids to a python, I mean getting there picture taken with one, sounds like a good idea....

Just got back from Wangburapa hotel also very near Thae Pae gate - nice and clean with pool around 750 per night through agoda -

let the kids drive round in a tuk tuk while you drink in the bars in Loi kroi road -

[Gladiator]

If you are driving up Highway 1 -

Approximately 50 Kilometres north of Nakhon Sawan, before you get to Kampaeng Phet, on the right had side of the road is

Khao No-Khao Kaeo - Ghost Mountain

You can google ths to get some back ground information but it is a startling geographical feature which is totally alien to th flat suroruding country side. A bit the New Zealand country side where they filmed 'Lord of the Rings'. You can see it appear on the horizon long before you actually reach it. I am sure that you may wish to fabricate some stories for the kids.

If you have your own transport while you are here you may wish to take the kids to Nugent Watersde Fish Lake and have lunch or evenng meal at the Resort. The hundreds of Mekong Cat Fish Bplahduk in the lake are up to 30 Kilo and over and go into a feeding frenzy, rather like sharks, when you throw in the food pellets. It is quite a sight. Map on

www.nugentwaterside.com

Have a great time!

[CMMCB]

Taweechol Botanic gardens on the Doi Saket Rd is usually a hit with young kids. The maze is one highlight. For more info, see...

http://www.chiangmainews.com/ecmn/viewfa.php?id=1647

and

CMMCB

[LarryBird]

San Kamphaeng hot spring and maybe the Mae On cave if they can manage the steps

+1. Make sure you go to the gov't hot springs.. There is a private run place before you get there.. The gov't park is a good time. It's a VERY THAI place. Hard to explain what that means, you have to see it for yourself.

Tam Muan On, the Mae on Cave, is a hidden gem in Chiang mai as well. Very fun experience. Make sure you look for the monkeys around where the few vendors are.

[junglechef]

I like to drive w/the kids up to the temple on top of Doi Saket, very few ppl. and there is a playground almost at the top and a mini-zoo on top. No charge, close to town with a few good pizza places on the way. If you go to Khao No try to get there at 6pm. You'll get to see one of the most amazing things I've seen anywhere. The bats come out of the caves to feed and there are thousands if not millions, it looks like solid blacks fumes that keep coming and coming!

[muchogra]

This is a good thread with great contributors. I now know many places I have never been. Great!

My family visited CM Zoo and we all loved it. We saw big turtles fighting trying to flip each other over and making funny noises. Another unforgettable event was the lone otter we saw. He was so elated to see us that he came rushing out of his hole, looked at us and then jumped into the water like performing for us. He came back out, stared at us then into the water again. When we were leaving he looked so sad. I walked back to see him after having left for 15 minutes since that imagery was in my head. He was again so elated. If it wasn't for the last bus that I needed to catch before it's closed I would have stayed longer. It's been 9 months since, I still can't forget the sight of that otter. That poor thing. So lonely he seems.

[Niranut]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, everyone! Our guests will be arriving tonight and we're going to work out the details for where we would like to go.

Will post once again after we've completed our adventure for anyone else who may be planning something similar.

Thanks!

And Oldebellpedr, only 3 of the kids are mine-- I have been busy, but I'm not superwoman