Songkram In Chang Mai

[waza]

Hi The mia and I are spending songkram in Chang Mai, could any locals give me information on where to go, where to stay and when to go?

[Ulysses G.]

My suggestion is to get a hotel right at Thapae Gate as that is where the most action is and there are tons of restaurants, bars, food stalls and such, so you do not have to travel far through the water fight if you need something. Get a room with a fridge and English TV for breaks from the action as 5 days of a constant deluge of water gets tiring. The M Hotel (which has gotten rather expensive), the Top North Hotel (with a swimming pool) and the Imm Hotel are very comfortable and convienient, but there are also several cheaper guesthouses in the area. It is better to make reservations ASAP as all these places will fill up quickly.

Make sure that you get here, before it really starts (usually around 11 April is the first half-hearted day in the city center) and stay until it is over. Going to the airport or train/bus station during the festival can be most unpleasant.

Some people love it. Some people hate it, but if you have never seen it before, it is pretty unique. I have done it for 20 years and am kind of indifferent these days, but found it a lot of fun for quite a few years.

Edited January 21, 2012 by Ulysses G.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I'd like to further qualify the above, based on very enthusiastically celebrating Songkran (with an 'n') in Chiang Mai the past 15 years in a row. (Songkram means something else, though not entirely unrelated. )

* Stay at a hotel INSIDE the old city moat. (The above recommendations fit that bill, but they're also directly on the moat, and in a very Farang-dense area, meaning that even early morning or in the evening you get the full-on treatment. Many Farang tourists lose all common sense very quickly, which is okay part of hte time, but not all of the time especially not in the evening when you want to take a shower, dress into proper clothes and enjoy the evening out somewhere. So I'd pick something just a little bit more back from the moat. Because most of the Songkran action is around the moat, especially the outside roads around the moat. The whole outside moat is jammed solid with people and vehicles celebrating. On the inside however, almsost anywhere insidte the old town, it is remarkably more quiet, without traffic jams. This makes it possible to quickly get to any place in the old city, where most of the temples are (it's also the main religious festival of the year), and to any point on the moat to cross to the outside. I like to call it the 'eye of the storm', where it's remarkably civilized.

* No issues at all getting to the airport in the morning (say before 12) or evening (say after 7pm). Although I have also delivered guests to the airport during the absolute height of the party, on time, and dry. Using the back-sois becomes an art. Also arriving in the morning on a Songkran day is not an issue; get a closed taxi for your luggage, and you're at any hotel in the old town in 10-15 minutes.

* As for places to go, the main deal is of course the big party around the moat; be aware that the area around Thapae gate is very Farang-dense, with also many bars and bargirls. That's fun for a bit, for some, but I wouldn't want to spend all my time there. Do check out the TAT agenda of events, there are a lot of religious and cultural things going on, mostly in the mornings. Another center is the start of Huay Kaew Road near the North-Western corner of the moat. That's party-central for young Thaise with a lot of lous music and stuff.

ENJOY!! I'm looking forward to it.

81 days and counting!!! : http://timeanddate.com/counters/customcounter.html?msg=Countdown+to+Songkran&day=12&month=04&year=2012&hour=13&min=0&sec=0&p0=1955

Edited January 21, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[WinnieTheKhwai]

BTW, how much do you want to spend on your room? If around 1000 baht then look at this one, and book early. (Today; they opened last year but got popular quickly). www.gordchiangmai.com But I can also give recommendations that cost much less, or much more. Crosses all the checkboxes; new, nice, affordable, inside the moat on a quiet soi, near markets and temples and still close enough to the moat. The place is family run by a young local Chiang Mai family. It also hits that sweet-spot of not being too slummy-backpackery, but also not any kind of mass-tourism oriented thing. But if you have a bigger budget then there are several magnificent boutique hotels in the old town too.

Also see if you can join one of the pick-up trucks with big barrels of water in the back; that's quite the experience. Often all you need to do is ask. I may do that myself again this year, though it's not much fun for the driver who doesn't get to join in.

Anyway, below will likely go several posts by grumpy retirees claiming to hole themselves up for the duraton with books and DVDs, or to leave the country entirely. Fair enough, but that's not us.

Edited January 21, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Ulysses G.]

* No issues at all getting to the airport in the morning (say before 12) or evening (say after 7pm).

As someone who lives right at Thapae Gate, I can say that neither of these suggestions are correct for the moat area unless one is in a closed-in car - which are not easy to find during the festivities. Many people end up having to take a tuk tuk or songtaew and getting soaked along with their luggage.

I have seen it many times and it would be pretty common to get attacked at these times outside of the moat area at 10 in the morning or 8 PM at night.

Coming from the airport into town is safe if one takes a "limo". However, once it gets busy on the roads during the holiday, they often stop the "lomo" service and usually there is no way to get into town without getting wet, so that has to be taken into consideration too.

Edited January 21, 2012 by Ulysses G.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

* No issues at all getting to the airport in the morning (say before 12) or evening (say after 7pm).

As someone who lives right at Thapae Gate, I can say that neither of these suggestions are correct for the moat area unless one is in a closed-in car - which are not easy to find during the festivities.

I'm hereby volunteering to drive him to the airport any time during Songkran in my very closed car if he can't book a meter taxi or hotel transport. The statement above was mostly in relation to traffic jams. I agree that those going by tuk tuk do have a good chance getting splashed; especially young children tend to be out early with the hose and buckets.

Coming from the airport into town is safe if one takes a "limo". However, once it gets busy on the roads during the holiday, they often stop the "lomo" service and usually there is no way to get into town without getting wet, so that has to be taken into consideration too.

I agree it's better to arrive earlier in the morning or in the evening when arriving on a Songkran day. Going into town it'd be a little less of an issue if you prepate a large plastic garbage bag for your luggage, as you can either shower when you get to your room, or join in right away. Going to the airport to catch a flight I agree you want to get to the airport dry, of course.

Edited January 21, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Ulysses G.]

I have gotten stuck at the airport during Songkran because they shut down the limos. That is how I know.

[waza]

Thanks for the advice so far, I will shout you a beer when I get there. I cant find the Thapae Gate on the map just the Pae gate, so I am guessing that is near the action as its not far from the night market. We will try to arrive the day before songkram and leave 7 days later. I better book a hotel this week to make sure we get one.

Edited January 21, 2012 by waza

[Ulysses G.]

Google "Thapae Gate Map, Chiang Mai". There are many hits.

http://www.maplandia...es/thapae-gate/

There is not a lot of action near the Night Market compared to Thapae Gate and it is a lot work getting there while being doused with water at every step.

Edited January 21, 2012 by Ulysses G.

[waza]

OMB, now Mia wants to organise everything as she has friends who live 2 hours out of CM.

Tawan Srikasee says

she is glad that will meet both of us

she will take us to Phayow as well

so leave CM songkran trip with me honey

she will give me a call tonight or tomorrow because she was busy for her sister wedding

ok honey??

she will pick us at the airport as well

as will be our guide lol

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Phayow (Phayao) is an incredible for Songkran too. Great place off the beaten track. Be careful on the roads during Songkran though; eveyone is on the move somewhere, and there is a lot of drunk driving too.

Edited January 21, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[limegreenpatato]

make sure to book all your accom early, as chiang mai gets FULL during songkran. Like everyone else said....taphae gate and loi kroh for tourists/farang/hookers and the Chang Pueak gate side of the moat all the way up past kad suen kaew for a more local feel. The most fun is just walking back and forth between the too, stopping at all the stages set up around the way, parting with random groups of people, jumping in random pick up trucks and driving around with thai familys that start to try and pawn their daugthers off on you, etc etc. If you don't want to get wet.....don't leave your room until after 8pm haha Also...don't ride a scooter during songkran...drunk or not. I been directly hit in the face with a full bucket of water....i swear to god not a single drop from that bucket didn't hit me...doing like 80 it's not fun.