What To Do In Chiang Rai?

[Ormgard]

I have friends coming in around Jan 10. They want to spend 4-6 days

here. Maybe 1-2 days trekking, 1 day see Chiang Rai town, 1-2 days

see the province. (Not too primitive trekking, province seightseeing

in car with English speaking driver and reasonably comfortable

lodgings but nothing like the major hotels or resorts).

Can members give a reasonably unbiased hand in suggesting what to do?

Joel Barlow, member of this forum, has written the ChiangRai Guide

(2005 edition B 245, available at the bookstore about 100 meters

north on Phaholyothin – i e main street – starting from Bo’s Place

and on the same side, and at other outlets like Lanna Souvenir next

to Gare Garon, also on Phaholyotin).

Joe’s guide is a gold mine of information, but how and where do you

find really up to date info on treks etc, considering how rapidly

things change?

Incidentally, there’s what I think is an entirely new Chiang Rai

colour map out (it’s a ”PN MAP”, bilingual Thai-English, costs B 90,

ISBN number, printed on the cover page, is 974-7745-71-2.) Pretty

good map of Chiang Rai town, very good map of the province. I bought

it at the above-mentioned book store.

A list of ”Chiang Rai City 10 top attractions” usually contains -

apart from wats Phra Kaew, Phra Singh and Doi Thong (with the city

pillars) - Hilltribe Museum, Oub Kham museum, Mae Fah Luang cultural

park, Mae Kok cruise & elephant camp, Khantoke dinner, Morning market

and Night bazaar.

Joe Barlow suggests some more, in the province:

”Don't forget Doi Khao Quai (I failed to mention that you can see the

charcoal-eating, gold-shitting monster's cave) and Doi Klong Khao (rice box

hill, the other is buffalo horn hill - actually crystal buffalo horn...) with

400+ steps up to a Buddha statue and incredible view (also a

hermatige, now with

access blocked off). Good exercize that one!”

”Doi Luang - great cave, just south of Mae Sai, is interesting -

several caves,

actually, with a strange new shrine.

There are some pretty interesting temples near the river Kok by Wiang

Chai, and

the hot-springs and falls behind Ban Du - way behind, called Doi Prabhat, are

nice. So’s the road to the hotsprings opposite the elephant camp, on which I

took the last photos I posted on thaivisa.com.”

Does anyone have any other ideas?

For the planned one day tour of the province a tentative route is

Chiang Rai-Mae Salong-Doi Tung- Mae Sai (lunch)-Chiang Saen-Chiang

Kong-Chiang Rai.

Is this overdoing it, or the wrong approach entirely? You’ll be in a car practically all day…

Again, any better ideas? Grateful for whatever feedback I can get (but please, no

off-topic verbiage).

[chang35baht]

Dear Autocar, If you can drive then I`m sure you will make the perfect guide as you have already answered your own question. You`ve listed just about everywhere there is to go in Chiang Rai. I`m sure your friends will have a great time even if they are in the car for most of the day. It is a sightseeing trip after all.

P.S. nice plug for Joe`s book

Edited January 4, 2006 by chang35baht

[Limbo]

I have friends coming in around Jan 10. They want to spend 4-6 days

here. Maybe 1-2 days trekking, 1 day see Chiang Rai town, 1-2 days

see the province. (Not too primitive trekking, province seightseeing

in car with English speaking driver and reasonably comfortable

lodgings but nothing like the major hotels or resorts).

----- see also the topic 'Interesting Places In and Around Chiang Rai' on page 2 of this forum. And ask yourself if you really need a driver and/or a guide. If you don't drive after dark you shouldn't worry.

And if you choose a guide, be sure it's one of the North. The average level of knowledge of Thai official tourist guides about their country is saddening poor.

Add to this the fact that in most cases they get 10 to 20 % provision of everything you spend during the day. This influences without any doubt the choices they make for you in deciding where to rent the car, where to go, where to eat, where to do the shopping, etc. etc.

(if you asked kids what they wanted to be later, they would answer 'doctor' some years ago, nowadays they answer 'tourist-guide') -----

Joe’s guide is a gold mine of information, but how and where do you

find really up to date info on treks etc, considering how rapidly

things change?

----- Next to bookstore/artgallery Gare Garon is a very little tour-office, almost hidden behind a telephone box. It is run by a certain Mr. Pohn, Porn or Pon. Fluent in English, intelligent and a good feeling for humor. I never heard a bad word about him. On the contrary!

Via the Garden House (the former Ya-house, in the corner close to the Lek-house) you can contact Mr. Fido. A very friendly and well-informed guide. I know that people choose to use his services longer than they actually planned. He is simply good. -----

A list of ”Chiang Rai City 10 top attractions” usually contains -

apart from wats Phra Kaew, Phra Singh and Doi Thong (with the city

pillars) - Hilltribe Museum, Oub Kham museum, Mae Fah Luang cultural

park, Mae Kok cruise & elephant camp, Khantoke dinner, Morning market

and Night bazaar.

?

For the planned one day tour of the province a tentative route is

Chiang Rai-Mae Salong-Doi Tung- Mae Sai (lunch)-Chiang Saen-Chiang

Kong-Chiang Rai.

Is this overdoing it, or the wrong approach entirely? You’ll be in a car practically all day…

----- indeed, you even will have to eat while driving. You are talking about 350 kilometers partly through very mountaineous areas. Your friends might hate you the rest of their lifes for this. Even if you start late afternoon and sleep in HinTaek/Santikiri or Chiang Khong the next day will be murderous.

Good luck!

Limbo.

[chownah]

No visa is needed to pop into Myanmar for a day. If they get a visa for Laos before coming you could cross over into Laos for a day or three.

[flupke]

interesting topic but all is already answered by people who can know , including yourself , still here my contribution :

For basic accomodation i can recommend the very authentic and family-run guesthouse -Mae Hong Son , by Mod and Tom (tel : 053-715367 or 06-9164413 near the police station )

very friendly , good english spoken , with bar and restaurant

Tom does also a sightseeing tour with minivan or car , he is from the north and is building guesthouses at the moment in his birth village ( Karen - Budhist ) , near Chiang Saen on a beautifull location

smart and fun compagnion to be with ( you can adress to him as : mister project )