Recommend: Attraction In Chiangmai

[Sktoo]

Hi guys, I'll be going to Chiangmai on early next month.. This is my first trip to Chiangmai and it will be a budget trip and I'll be going there alone..

It's there any must-visit place that I should go..?

I'm interested in going to the border of myanmar and laos but the distance is pretty far for me and it's not worth it for me to rent the entire taxi just for the trip.. Same goes to the long-neck hill tribe village.. The cost will definitely dry me up..

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[KED]

Besides the Golden Triangle and the hillside tribe, Thapae Gate is a very popular place for restaurants and coffeshops...I know that most people living in Thailand have seen many temples...but Chiang Mai really has some great places -- my top 2 are Doi Suthep and Wat Chedi Luang

are you looking for nature / shopping / nightlife / restaurants / - - what holiday events do you like?

[brotherother]

Yes Doi Suthep is probably the most prolific attraction, certainly for Thai visitors anyway. If your lucky and it's a clear day you'll get great views of the city from up there. If you're confident on a motorcycle / scooter then it's maybe worth hiring one for the day as the drive is pretty pleasant also (cheap 100cc scooter about B150 - B200 per day). Failing that there're plenty of red songtew taxis making the trip (not sure how much). I believe there's also a Hilltribe village a bit further on from Doi Suthep that could be interesting to you, although I have no idea what it's like - how touristy, authentic, etc.

If you want any kind of tour or trek then pretty much every guesthouse will be more than happy to arrange it for you. I guess the classics would be elephant rides, rafting, the night safari, Hilltribes, the tiger place, the jungle thing where you zip though the trees..... To be honest it's a very nice city just to walk around, and if you're there on a Sunday then 'Walking Street' itself is worth a look.

One thing I would definitely suggest is purchasing a 'Groovy Map'. As a map they're great but the really handy thing is they also list any note-worthy attractions / activities such as popular bars, clubs, pubs, restaurants, parks, temples, travel info and just any general stuff to do. You can pick one up in Bangkok or when you arrive in CM (some 7/11, most bookshops).

Enjoy

[Sktoo]

KED: I prefer something more on nature,temple and local culture..

brotherother: I'm planning to visit the hill tribe, but my main concern is the distance and cost..

I'm planning to rent a car if it's possible since some place are better and safer to travel by car rather than motorcycle. And I don't have motorcycle license..

Also another main target is to travel to border between Laos and Myanmar.

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[ripstanley]

If you want to visit the golden triangle why not catch a bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai. The busses are cheap. Check out the Chiang Rai forum. If you do ensure you visit Mae Sai and cross over to Mayanmar. Buses run from Chaing Rai to Mae Sai. Enjoy Chiang Mai then relocate.

[msg362]

The Golden Triangle is very touristy. You may think about getting a bus to Pai , stopping a while and heading up to Soppong/ Pangmapha then MaeHhong Song. Would take several days, but go on the minibus from CM, about 300 baht I think ( the local bus is horribly slow). Lots of mountains, greenery, Pai is a bit overdeveloped now, but the journey is great and MHS is nice. lots of short trips to the Long Necks and other hill tribes. Can't cross into Burma from there tho'

[theblether]

@Sktoo...............tell us how many days you have allocated for Chiang Mai and how much money you want to spend during that period. Tell us the truth about the money, then we can help you work out the perfect itinerary.

[Sktoo]

Ripstanley: thanks, that's certainly helps..

Msg362: great info, will try to have a stopover at these place.. Buses, song toew and those mini vans are my only option now since im low in budget..

theblether: I will be there for only 5days, in which I have to cover from chiangmai to Chiangmai and hopefully the golden triangle and hilltribe and many more.. Budget wise.. Just around 15'000THB... :-(

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[theblether]

Ripstanley: thanks, that's certainly helps..

Msg362: great info, will try to have a stopover at these place.. Buses, song toew and those mini vans are my only option now since im low in budget..

theblether: I will be there for only 5days, in which I have to cover from chiangmai to Chiangmai and hopefully the golden triangle and hilltribe and many more.. Budget wise.. Just around 15'000THB... :-(

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That budget is okay, more than enough. Okay I'll go first then others can stick in their ideas..........

Get into the city and get up to Doi Suthep on day one, you can't not see it, then just do a general tour of the city around the moat, by motorcycle, so you can get an idea of the old City. Get into the Old city as well and wander around. Of the evening wander down to the NIght Market and Night Bazaar and soak up the atmosphere.

You can take a walk up Loi Kroh road and partake of the pleasures of the bar girls or not, up to you, but you should head over to Thaepae Gate, which I regard as being the heart of the city. I use John's Place as a meeting place, it's nice and central, not expensive, and a good place to get your bearings. If you fancy a late night drink Zoe in Yellow is a great bar area and within Walking Distance, if you fancy a bit of late night sleaze and Dancing, Spice is within walking distance too. Don't worry about directions, there will be plenty of people to show you around.

Day 2 I would go for a wander around the city again, there is so much to see without taking on some kind of organized tour, however some one else may suggest a must do for day 2. Kind of repeat the previous evening.

Day 3 Fly to Mae Hong Son with Kan Airways, the flight is superb and unforgettable in a Cessna. You can get a taxi out to the Long Neck village up there, and have a wander around the beautiful Burmese temple and grounds, as well as the buzzing market area.

Day 4 Get a Mini Bus to Pai, the road is one of the most amazing roads you will ever come across in your life, a really stunning journey, get into Pai and of the evening enjoy the area around Walking Street, it's a superbly chilled and beautiful place, Pai

Day 5 Get up to the ethnic Chinese village, have a wander about the waterfall which is just up the hill from that Village, have a look at the Temple at the bottom of the Hill on that same road, if you get a chance go see the Love Zone in Pai, it's a bit schmaltzy and touristy but hey it's a good photo op. Then get the bus back again.

You'll look at that itinerary and wonder what is so special about it, by the time you come back you'll know that was a superb trip, and 15,000 baht is plenty for it.

[David48]

@Sktoo...............tell us how many days you have allocated for Chiang Mai and how much money you want to spend during that period. Tell us the truth about the money, then we can help you work out the perfect itinerary.

NAH ... tell him the story about the bus trip ... much more entertaining!

[theblether]

@Sktoo...............tell us how many days you have allocated for Chiang Mai and how much money you want to spend during that period. Tell us the truth about the money, then we can help you work out the perfect itinerary.

NAH ... tell him the story about the bus trip ... much more entertaining!

Will do......Sktoo......here are a couple of real life experiences from Chiang Mai and the North, I hope you enjoy

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/542459-so-i-was-on-a-bus/page__hl__+bus#entry5173401

[Sktoo]

Theblether: using plane on the day 3..? It's there any cheaper alternative?

While for the rest of it seems great, I love this kind of travel.. Cheer

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[theblether]

Theblether: using plane on the day 3..? It's there any cheaper alternative?

While for the rest of it seems great, I love this kind of travel.. Cheer

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Not expensive Sktoo....hold on a minute

Kan Airways , Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son, 1500 baht

http://www.kanairlin...hp/page/lang/en

I know that is half your daily budget, however it opens up the Mae Hong Son Loop for you. Even taking that 1500 baht into account you won't have any difficulty staying within your 15000 baht budget.

I must say too, I've traveled plenty in my time, I highly recommend that flight as a special experience

Edited June 20, 2012 by theblether

[Sktoo]

The fare is quite reasonable, might worth a try as you said.

Anyway, did you have any experience crossing the border..? Any interesting part or any nearby town around?

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[theblether]

The fare is quite reasonable, might worth a try as you said.

Anyway, did you have any experience crossing the border..? Any interesting part or any nearby town around?

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No........to get to Mae Sot from Chiang Mai is a real journey, people who do it in one day on a mini bus come back wiped out. According to all reports Mae Sot is nothing special, and all you will do by crossing the border is add another country ( in reality another tourist trap market ) to your list.

I've been in Chiang Rai a few times and Mae Sot is striking distance from there, but I still haven't been. I would rather visit a place of substance such as Doi Tung Royal Villa than just add another country visited to my nominal list.

By the way the North of Thailand is compelling and fantastic, you could spend 5 weeks there, never mind 5 days. I think you'll be back at some point in the future.

Edited June 20, 2012 by theblether

[Sktoo]

Rodger that, I have to agree with your point that Mae Sot is a tourist trap. Most of the time the traveller there are from those travel group/package..

While most of the seasonal traveller like you guys will avoid that place. I'm one of those in your group although I'm not a regular traveller like you guys.. I still prefer something off the beaten track..

For me Thailand is a very wonderful country, even now, I'm visiting Thailand on weekly basis... But just on the southern part, since I just work across the border here in Malaysia..

Btw thanks for all your useful guide and advise.. Nice to meet you

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[theblether]

Rodger that, I have to agree with your point that Mae Sot is a tourist trap. Most of the time the traveller there are from those travel group/package..

While most of the seasonal traveller like you guys will avoid that place. I'm one of those in your group although I'm not a regular traveller like you guys.. I still prefer something off the beaten track..

For me Thailand is a very wonderful country, even now, I'm visiting Thailand on weekly basis... But just on the southern part, since I just work across the border here in Malaysia..

Btw thanks for all your useful guide and advise.. Nice to meet you

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My pleasure, there will be a few others along later to give you some further views, welcome to Thaivisa and I hope you love Northern Thailand the same way as I do.

[JAS21]

Pai ... I must admit that I would never go again, infact if I knew what the journey was like I wouldn't have gone in the first place. When we went i drove my 5-series BMW ... go by van 'kinhell.

Here is an extract from wikitravel ..................

By road

Route 1095 which connects Pai with Mae Hong Son (50km as the crow flies, but approx. 110km by road) and Chiang Mai (135km) is a very scenic route through the mountains which takes several hours (but worth it). It's a steep and windy drive, with lots of curves, so take a plastic bag and some motion-sickness pills if you need them.

Don't let me put you off though ... enjoy but don't say that you haven't had pointed out a little drawback. When we went we stayed there two nights. .

Edited June 21, 2012 by JAS21

[TonyGilbert]

A lot of the people on this forum live locally, and when you live anywhere locally you tend to forget why tourists love the place. I visit once a year for 2-4 weeks and still find magic on every visit.

For me, the magic grows the farther north I get. Mae Sai is a dive, but the market under the border bridge has the best bargains in Thailand, by far. Just bargain hard to get them.

The Golden Triangle is a tourist dive, other than the view across the river. But there are some nice towns driving north from there to Mae Sai which are worth visiting like Chiang Khong and Chiang Saen.

Pai is OK, but don't go there by road if you suffer any kind of motion sickness. It's an incredibly steep and bendy road. The town itself is quaint and quirky.

Mae Salong, the Chinese ethnic town, is interesting and there are enough attractions around there like the Royal Villa and the beautiful gardens to spend a whole day in the area.

Chiang Mai is one of the best places in Thailand to experience elephant rides through the jungle. There's an elephant training camp at Mae Rim just outside Chiang Mai that offers a very good experience. The wood carving village at Baan Tawai near Hang Son, just north of the city, is crassly commercial but has such stunning carvings that you barely notice it. Plan to spend most of a day there and spend heaps.

Chiang Rai is one of our favourite places as it's less commercial; more laid back, and thinks a muddy river bank is a beach. But at the same time it's charming, friendly, cheap and a great launching pad for the northern border day trips.

We hired a car on two of our trips and drove up to Chiang Rai, where we based ourselves and drove in a different direction each day. It's very manageable. Just remember to take lots of photos of your car (with the rental guy) when you pick it up so they don't try to pin you for a missing grill that was never there in the first place. Top North is a good place to hire a car, and Queen Bee Tours is OK too. Traffic in the north is relatively light, except in downtown Chiang Mai.

Let me know if I can tell you more, or check out my Thailand travel blog (www.traveltipsthailand.com) for over 300 personal travel stories in Thailand, many in the north.

Above all, have fun! It's hard not to!!

Edited June 21, 2012 by TonyGilbert

[Sktoo]

Thanks TonyGilbert, you're amazing..!! Totally agree with all your point..!! Cheer

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[Semper]

KED: I prefer something more on nature,temple and local culture..

brotherother: I'm planning to visit the hill tribe, but my main concern is the distance and cost..

I'm planning to rent a car if it's possible since some place are better and safer to travel by car rather than motorcycle. And I don't have motorcycle license..

Also another main target is to travel to border between Laos and Myanmar.

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Take a bus to Mae Sai, the border city to Myanmar.