Good Private Taxi Driver ? Recent Experience With Chiang Dao Elephant Training Camp ?

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, TV CM Friends,

The Thai man with private taxi, I've known well, and trusted, for years, I normally call on to take visitors here on various day-trips, has moved to another province. If you know of a reliable person with a newer, clean, air-con private taxi, or minivan. I'd very much appreciate a PM with their name and phone number (I can speak Thai).

Some American friends of a friend are coming over for Loy Krathong, and have picked out the

The Elephant Training Center Chiang Dao

108/1 Moo 9, T. Intakhin, A. Mae Tang,

Chiang Mai 50150, Thailand

Whose website is "chiangdaoelephantcamp" + "com" ... for their "Elephant experience."

I am curious if you, or any recent visitors you've known, have had a positive experience with this camp. The camp is asking for a direct deposit of 50% of the total fee for four people direct to their Thai bank account ... I find that a bit strange ... that they can't take credit cards ... on a kind of tour-package that includes the usual visit to the "hilltribe village," etc.

This "tour package" was my visitors' choice.

I did search this forum on the the Camp, and did not find any specific review of this particular camp.

Appreciate hearing from you.

thanks, ~o:37;

[hellodolly]

No help here with the taxi. But have found one tuk tuk made bigger for westerners you can sight see as you travel.

But the main reason for posting is I have no experience with that elephant camp and have no intention of it with those requirements. I will book tours and pay for them on the spot. That is standard practice. At least it has been for me. Never yet been on a tour where you paid after the tour or in the morning when they would pick you up.

My opinion is run.

[TommoPhysicist]

@Orang

If you register your business with the Elephant Camp/Show at Mae Rim, I believe you can buy tickets for your customers at half price. 200bht instead of 400bht. What you charge your customers is up to you.

Edited November 18, 2012 by TommoPhysicist

[orang37]

@Orang

If you register your business with the Elephant Camp/Show at Mae Rim, I believe you can buy tickets for your customers at half price. 200bht instead of 400bht. What you charge your customers is up to you.

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Tommo,

Thanks for your response; I am a retired expat, and have no "business," fyi. I sent the coming visitors links to every Elephant visit web-site in northern Thailand some months ago, and they studied the sites, consulted Trip Advisor, and Lonely Planet reviews, and, this camp was their choice.

thanks, ~o:37;

[PoorSucker]

While in Chiang Dao, take them to the caves.

[TommoPhysicist]

If they are making a trip to Mae Tang, they might be interested in lunch at the Eakachai House boat.

A floating restaurant in the SriLanna National Park Reservoir just outside Mae Tang.

The trip to the restaurant is 500bht return on a long tailed boat, you can fit up to 10 on the boat.

The price of the boat trip is just added to the restaurant bill, you can also rent huts overnight 300-500bht per night depending on if you want your own raft and bar or not.

Great swimming, diving platform, clean reservoir. A great trip not advertised anywhere.

http://www.eakachaihouseboat.com/index.php?lang=en

Edited November 18, 2012 by TommoPhysicist

[orang37]

While in Chiang Dao, take them to the caves.

Sawasdee Khun PoorSucker,

Indeed ! I have encouraged the visitors strongly to skip the "tour," but enjoy the elephants, and then enjoy tham (the cave of) Chiang Dao. I love Chiang Dao myself, and have been there so many times; every time any visitor went there, on my recommendation, later, they would comment that it was a highlight of their northern-Thailand adventures.

Personally, I consider the tham Tub Thao, further north from Chiang Mai, getting up near Chai Prakan, the ultimate Wat with cave in Lanna, and its over five-hundred year old, perhaps twenty meter high, Buddha image (stucco over fired brick, I believe) in a gigantic cavern, in the old "Chieng Rung" style, where the torso is quite rectilinear in proportion, to be extremely compelling. But, imho, going up to that area requires more of a full-day trip; perhaps less suitable for tourists here for only a limited time, who want more of a half-day excursion, and then to get back to Chiang Mai to collapse, shop, or whatever.

best, ~o:37;

[Chicog]

No help here with the taxi. But have found one tuk tuk made bigger for westerners you can sight see as you travel.

Probably a great idea for going around town (we get the tops removed, Tuk Tuk convertible!), but you wouldn't want to try and get to Chiang Dao in a tuk tuk!

[harrry]

Orang. You would be much better sending them to the Elephant Conservaqtion Centre on the road to Lampung. There the quality is very very high and there is no double charging with entry round 90 baht. There is NO double charging.

THe 69 km there is a nice trip and gives a chance to see the hills too.

[MESmith]

Orang. You would be much better sending them to the Elephant Conservaqtion Centre on the road to Lampung. There the quality is very very high and there is no double charging with entry round 90 baht. There is NO double charging.

THe 69 km there is a nice trip and gives a chance to see the hills too.

Double pricing when we went there in February.

We were frequent visitors & this was new.

Edited November 19, 2012 by MESmith

[weary]

I like the Chiang Dao elephant camp better than the others because it tends to have fewer visitors than the elephant camp on the Samoeng loop, and is surrounded by fantastic nature. Sitting on the back of an elephant wading through the river is a great experience.

When we went, the Thai person in our group was offered by the ticket salesman at the entrance to share the mark-up on the price for us farang. I guess he could have handled that one a bit more smoothly.

So in terms of the overall experience I'd recommend Chiang Dao over the others, but if fair pricing is a big concern it's probably better to pick another location.