Chiang Mai Trip During Songkran

[stefan2519]

Hey all,

I need some help from people that have done the trip before or live in Chiang Mai, any comments will be greatly appreciated.

I'm planning to drive from the south, Nakhon Si Thammarat to Chiang Mai, before and after Songkran.

I'm planning on stopping at Ayutthaya for one, maybe two nights, then get to Mai on Fri the 12th for sure, I think it's about 9 hours each way?

I really want to see some sights while I'm there, but I've heard it's grid-lock during the festival?

What I would really like to do is to go to Pai for one, maybe two nights, but I'm unsure if I could drive during the festival?

Also, where would you suggest is the place to stay while in Mai? I've been told to stay away from the canal, but still be in the old city.

Any driving or mapping tips would also be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again!

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Ayudthaya to Chiang Mai is probably 8 hours if you take it fairly easy.

Word of caution though: the Songkran holidays is the main Thai holiday period with everyone seems to be on the road. It's the most high risk time to be driving (also just before and after the holiday). So if you do drive, then try to go well before the festival kicks off, say to arrive in Chiang Mai on the 11th. And then during the festival (12-15 April at least) you get water throwing along all roads in the area, so you really do not want to drive to Pai in the middle of all of that. Really, just don't, and save Pai for a different time. (Also Pai is just super hot and dry, with a Farang contingent large enough be detrimental to the Songkran festival experience, through a complete lack of common sense. You get a bit of that in Chiang Mai too in the tourist areas, but Chiang Mai is a big enough place to avoid the idiots.)

It's worth the effort getting to the North though, Songkran in Chiang Mai is an amazing party, one of the best experience available on this planet.

Do realize that a lot of the celebrations are vehicle-based water throwing, so many roads completely stop moving (or very, very slowly). This makes it important to choose a place to stay with some care. I would recommend you stay inside the old city (but indeed not exactly on the moat itself), which is a relatively quiet area anyway and roads within the old town don't get clogged up. Whatever you do don't stay up Huay Kaew / Nimmanhaemin or towards the university, and also I would avoid being on the Eastern side of the river. Of course when you stay in the old town then getting out and in during the day while the party is on is still a challenge, but it's doable, and you have the benefit of free movement anywhere within the old town. Of course the main gridlock is only in the afternoon, you can still get places in the morning or at night. It's a popular holiday time for Thai tourists as well, so that means also some of the main sights will be too busy to really visit, specifically Doi Suthep.

You will get a lot of negative comments in posts below, by the Songkran haters, with recommendations to rent a stack of DVDs and stay indoors, but you have one BIG advantage: a car. With doors and windows that lock. So that means you can still get about when you feel like skipping a day from the soak-fest.

I can't tell you how much I look forward to the party again this year..! 51 more days to go!

Edited February 19, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[WinnieTheKhwai]

One more thought: A good place from where you have a reasonable entrance/exit from/to town is Chang Klan road, South of the Night Bazar. From there you can access the Aom Muang ring road to the South, and to the North you have a reasonable entry point to the moat area (party-central) using Sridonchai Rd or Ragang (Rakaeng) Rd. I would only recommend that to people with a car though, as you won't be walking to anything interesting from there. But it's fairly sensible during Songkran with a car.

But I would still opt for somewhere inside the old town area within the moat though, and just suck it up that it may take 20 minutes just to get to the outside of the moat during the day. Exiting the moat again is best on the South or South-West side, because Huay Kaew (North-West corner), Chang Phuak (Northern gate), Thapae (Eastern gate) and Suan Dok (Western gate) all become parking lots. But you can get out for example at the south end of Ratchapakinai Road, do a U turn to the outside moat and then East or South on Sridonchai road or any of the small sois. ( Small sois are your friend actually during Songkran. )

[ Small Soi Spaghetti : they are your friends. ]

I usually enter/exit the old town area from that side, using Ragang Road (the yellow diagonal bit that Google Maps wrongly identifies as a main road; it's fairly small). Even if I didn't live South of town I would still enter/exit from that direction. (From Nimmanhaemin for example I'd cut through the airforce base (open to all during Songkran, also without the permit) to hit Aom Muang road, then up Chang Klan.

Edited February 19, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[hellodolly]

To travel all that way to Chiang Mai and not take every opportunity to enjoy the festival seems like a wasted trip to me. I stay in the room a lot but I have enjoyed the party twice here in Chiang Mai and once in Pichet that was a real experience. I found myself in a water fight with two little kids. I had a squirt pistol and they had a barrel of water. Needless to say I lost.

As WTK has pointed out you don't have to partake in it you can sit in your air conditioned vehicle and be a spectator. My belief is every one should experience it at least once if possible. My youngest son (48) was here two years ago for it and is planning on enjoying it in a future trip.

Which is hard to do as getting the right time for his holidays combined with the other attractions here in Thailand is not always that easy. Last year it was Loi Kertong here in Chiang Mai. He tells me it looks like another Loi Kertong this year.

Two years ago the wife's daughter and three grand kids came up from Nakhon Si Thammarat to enjoy the activities. I was a spectator sitting in her brothers air conditioned cab with the kids in the back armed with high powered water rifles I had purchased and a good supply of water. Great fun for all.

[stefan2519]

Thanks for all the comments thus far!

I've found a few hotel in the 1k range and with a pool. All the hotels I seem to like are on that side of the moat, what do you think?

The ones I got my eyes on, in order of popularity are:

MD House, Rajwithee Road, Muang, Old City

Top North hotel, Moonmuang Road, T.Prasing, Old City

Anodard Hotel,Ratchamankha Road T.Phasing A.Muang, Old City

Bp Chiang Mai City Hotel, Ratmankha Road

I'm not expecting you to sleep in it just if you got any comments on them I'd appreciate it.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

All Most of those hotels suck.

Let me PM you one, then you can email them and ask if they have availability during Songkran. It's a small bed & breakfast but very nice.

EDIT: Possible exception of MD house, I think I know it but have never seen it up close. That could be one to keep in mind and is in a good location of course.

Also many small boutiquey places in the old town; like this one. Thought they seem to raise prices for Songkran, bringing it above the 1000 baht level. http://www.chiangmaiboutiquehouse.com

Anyway just have a look around Tripadvisor, shortlist a couple places that look appealing and then let's see what you find.

Edited February 19, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[heybruce]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned the need to reserve a room early. I'm sure you still can choose from many places, but I don't know how long that will last. A friend of mine is a partner in a new guesthouse just north of the old city. The location makes it easy to get to the craziness and not too difficult to get away from it if it's not to your taste. It's also much drier and quieter than any place inside the old city will be. Yes, this is a shameless plug for my friend's business (no, I'm not getting a commission). You can find more information at http://cshousechiangmai.com/

[Celcius]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned the need to reserve a room early. I'm sure you still can choose from many places, but I don't know how long that will last. A friend of mine is a partner in a new guesthouse just north of the old city. The location makes it easy to get to the craziness and not too difficult to get away from it if it's not to your taste. It's also much drier and quieter than any place inside the old city will be. Yes, this is a shameless plug for my friend's business (no, I'm not getting a commission). You can find more information at http://cshousechiangmai.com/

Too bad his prices are in bath instead of baht.

[Choonpon]

What about Hotel De Naga?

[heybruce]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned the need to reserve a room early. I'm sure you still can choose from many places, but I don't know how long that will last. A friend of mine is a partner in a new guesthouse just north of the old city. The location makes it easy to get to the craziness and not too difficult to get away from it if it's not to your taste. It's also much drier and quieter than any place inside the old city will be. Yes, this is a shameless plug for my friend's business (no, I'm not getting a commission). You can find more information at http://cshousechiangmai.com/

Too bad his prices are in bath instead of baht.

Ok, so there's a typo. This is Thailand, if you refuse to do business with anyone with less than perfect English, you won't do a lot of business. After all, Top's Supermarket has use a recorded store closing announcement for years that ends with "...we look forward to servicing you again in the future." That's either a mistake or false advertising; I've never been serviced at Tops Supermarket.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

What about Hotel De Naga?

Fairly spendy.

In the 1000 baht range he's looking at either an old style Thai concrete hotel of the type he listed three of, or a more up-market guesthouse with aircon and some amenities, or a budget hotel.

De Naga want 3000 baht or so these days.

Edited February 20, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[TommoPhysicist]

Every drunk driver is on the roads at Sonkran, more deaths then at any other time.

Good luck.

[eyecatcher]

( Small sois are your friend actually during Songkran. )

Really?........did you offer this advice last year Winnie......to this (gullible )guy

12.bmp

apology for the bitmac, not sure how to convert to jpg

Edited February 20, 2013 by eyecatcher

[WinnieTheKhwai]

( Small sois are your friend actually during Songkran. )

Really?........did you offer this advice last year Winnie......to this (gullible )guy

12.bmp

apology for the bitmac, not sure how to convert to jpg

For CARS of course.. To avoid the gridlock when you feel you had enough. Visitors are often amazed how I manage to drop them exactly at Thapae Gate, using only small sois.

Something like this usually. And then walk through the back entrance of Daret Guesthouse, and you're at Thapae.

Dry.

Edited February 20, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[heybruce]

( Small sois are your friend actually during Songkran. )

Really?........did you offer this advice last year Winnie......to this (gullible )guy

12.bmp

apology for the bitmac, not sure how to convert to jpg

That's pretty mild stuff compared to what will be happening around the moat.

[stefan2519]

Thanks for the comments guys, and the maps are great Winnie.

I've booked up MD Guest House for the 4 nights from the 12th. I couldn't make it any earlier as I had plans down south, the only way I could would be to drive it straight from Nakhon, which I didn't fancy much.

I still haven't booked Ayutthaya up, and I'm still in 2 minds whether to stop there or at Sukhothai. I want to stop at both, one on the way up and the other on the way back. I've got more time on the way back, so I might stop at Hua Hin to break the long journey up from Sukhothai. Are the sights in Sukhothai and Ayutthaya doable in one day? I was also considering seeing the bridge over the river Kwai but that's like 4 hours out my way, has anyone ever been, is it worth it?

Thanks!

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Thanks for the comments guys, and the maps are great Winnie.

I've booked up MD Guest House for the 4 nights from the 12th. I couldn't make it any earlier as I had plans down south, the only way I could would be to drive it straight from Nakhon, which I didn't fancy much.

I still haven't booked Ayutthaya up, and I'm still in 2 minds whether to stop there or at Sukhothai. I want to stop at both, one on the way up and the other on the way back. I've got more time on the way back, so I might stop at Hua Hin to break the long journey up from Sukhothai. Are the sights in Sukhothai and Ayutthaya doable in one day? I was also considering seeing the bridge over the river Kwai but that's like 4 hours out my way, has anyone ever been, is it worth it?

You can get a very good impression of especially Ayudthaya in a single day. Sukhothai you could spend a night and another (half) day, especially if that means visiting Sri Satchanalai.