Chiang Rai: Hidden Gem of Thailand?

[pomchop]

As I read and have experienced more and more complaints of traffic, pricing, hassles, rip-offs, loss of 'sanuk" etc from places like Phuket, Bangkok, and to a lesser degree Chiang Mai, it causes me to reflect on what I experience here in CR.

While no place is perfect I sometimes think that those of us who choose to live in Chiang Rai have in many ways hit the "jackpot" of Thailand living.

Here in the "Rai" life can be very simple and very pleasant with a little planning. If your schedule permits you can plan your trips to town/malls/markets etc to avoid the rush hours which generally enables you to easily find parking right in front or very near to most stores/attractions. Even the rush hour "problems" in Chiang Rai seem mild compared to many other Thai cities.

I have never ever been hit up for one baht by any of the BIB...in fact almost 100% of the time we farangs are generally waived through check points as if we are some kind of VIPs.

It is very easy to find some very delicious meals at very low prices in a wide range of restaurants in Chiang Rai. We have most any kind of food you could want with a bit of looking. It seems rare that farangs get any "tip" pressure in any Rai restaurants as seems more and more common in BKK, Phuket, etc.

Prices at the local markets continue to be exceptionally low and I rarely ever feel that I am charged more than the locals. In fact it seems I am often given free "samples" and maybe even a few extra smiles from the vendors who are amused at the farang's attempts to speak Thai.

Buses and vans leave every few minutes from two pretty efficient bus stations to take you most anywhere you could want to go at rock bottom prices. We have songtaeows, tuk tuks, songlors and even a/c new taxis that seem to have no problem using the meters. We have a user friendly, rarely crowded airport for flights to Bangkok and beyond.

The scenery around Chiang Rai in my opinion is some of the best in all Thailand and you certainly don't have to drive more than a few miles in any direction to be out in the countryside with hardly a car in sight. The roads overall are well maintained and include both paved and dirt tracks as well as untold walking/trekking paths to suit most any desire for adventure. There are mountains, streams, rivers,, waterfalls, lakes, jungles, tea plantations, coffee plantations, untold rice fields and other agriculture everywhere. Within an hour or so you can be at mae sai/Burma border for visa runs or at Chiang Khong for trips into Laos. Temples and wats are everywhere.

We have two active street markets on Friday and Sat nights as well as an afternoon market, the tourist night market with more locals than tourists, and a clock light show every evening. And of course there are all kinds of local festivals and events to include a fantastic annual flower show.

We have a downtown "nightlife" area to include jed yod road tourist bars. There are also all kinds of local Thai bars, clubs etc if you are so inclined. However if you come to CR expecting to find Pattaya or Bangkok style nightlife you will be disappointed.

It seems to me that though there are a LOT of pretty Thai girls in CR that it is a very different scene in that regard. Yes you can meet/date the local gals but I suspect you will find that most of them are more in the market for a long time boyfriend or husband and not a one night stand. Being known as a butterfly in CR is not likely a good thing as it is a small town in many ways and your romantic activities might not be so secret as you think.

All around CR there are hundreds of guest houses, bungalows, hotels etc in all price levels and amenities to suit most any budget.

Personal services like haircuts, massages, manicures and pedicures, are widely available again at rock bottom prices.

Home repairs, construction etc can be difficult to find good quality but via trial and error and word of mouth it is available.

While prices are certainly on the rise you can still rent a decent house for 5-10 k baht a month and have many to choose from. For the real baht pinchers there are dozens of one room apts available for 2000 or so baht a month.

For those looking to buy (via spouse) or long term leases the prices around CR are still generally much less than many other areas of Thailand.

The climate is near perfect from about Sep to March. You can enjoy some nice clear cool weather especially Nov to Feb...cool but never really what most farangs would call COLD. There are a few months from March to about June when it is way too smoky and hot as hell.

And perhaps most important to me the local CR people most all have a life outside of tourism and I often think that if another tourist/farang never set foot in CR it would not make any difference whatsoever to the vast majority of the locals.

CR is certainly not for everyone. Some may be bored to tears. Others may struggle a lot with the lack of English.

Some may well miss the bright lights and non stop action of the big city.

Is Chiang Rai perfect? Of course not and there will always be farangs who can find something to whine about. But overall I continue to think that it is a hidden gem.

My two satang worth.

[Fiddlesticks]

Very well said ! ! !

[villagefarang]

Ponchop, you have a real knack for relating what many feel but lack the ability to express. Your appreciation for life in the Rai is enviable and eloquent. I always look forward to your loving descriptions of Chiang Rai.

[Bosse137]

I think I will mount my bicycle and go there to see for myself!Thanks for the info!

[ccarbaugh]

Last October, I visited Chiang Rai for the first time.

(A friend got a job at an elementary school there

so I went to visit him.) I stayed 4 days- I was supposed

to stay 6. I didn't like it. I didn't find the people at

all friendly and I guess I am too accustomed to

the non-stop "action" of Bangkok. As a "farang"

walking about, I was solicited for every little

"Massage Parlor" - that invariably was staffed

by middle-aged and above employees. Of course,

only "Traditional Thai Massages" were

available.

Granted, outside of town is a quiet, pleasant,

rural setting if you're already "attached" and

just want to settle-in with her.

[chivo]

Like the positivity pomchop! Agree on all points!

[Elfin]

I have been through Chiang Rai many times on my way to Mae Sai, and I really like it (though I have only stopped over for an hour at most). Pomchop sums it up well as a desirable place to live. If I could get a good job there. I would rather move the family there than live in CM.

[brianmarinus]

Thanks for the post -think it exspress what most of us feel and think about our town and province.

Totally agree.

[dighambara]

Last October, I visited Chiang Rai for the first time.

(A friend got a job at an elementary school there

so I went to visit him.) I stayed 4 days- I was supposed

to stay 6. I didn't like it. I didn't find the people at

all friendly and I guess I am too accustomed to

the non-stop "action" of Bangkok. As a "farang"

walking about, I was solicited for every little

"Massage Parlor" - that invariably was staffed

by middle-aged and above employees. Of course,

only "Traditional Thai Massages" were

available.

Granted, outside of town is a quiet, pleasant,

rural setting if you're already "attached" and

just want to settle-in with her.

To each his own...

40 years ago, both Chiang Rai and Mae Chan were quiet little cities that far outclassed Bangkok and the resort towns. Currently, I live in Udon Thani, selected for the same reasons, butevery city suffers growing pains. Yes, the BIB were then quite nice, but that was when the police were boys in Khaki (municipal police) and even Immigration was run locally. In those days, an overstay or extended stay didn't create problems of the magnitude we see today.

[harrry]

Last October, I visited Chiang Rai for the first time.

(A friend got a job at an elementary school there

so I went to visit him.) I stayed 4 days- I was supposed

to stay 6. I didn't like it. I didn't find the people at

all friendly and I guess I am too accustomed to

the non-stop "action" of Bangkok. As a "farang"

walking about, I was solicited for every little

"Massage Parlor" - that invariably was staffed

by middle-aged and above employees. Of course,

only "Traditional Thai Massages" were

available.

Granted, outside of town is a quiet, pleasant,

rural setting if you're already "attached" and

just want to settle-in with her.

Maybwe you would be better in Pattaya....you obviously asked for more....

[villagefarang]

I think I will mount my bicycle and go there to see for myself!Thanks for the info!

Chiang Rai is a great place to ride a bicycle, but don’t take my word for it, by all means come and see for yourself. I prefer a mountain bike on dirt but there are lots of road bike enthusiasts on the roads.

[ogb]

OP forgot to mention the smoke, which makes Chiang Rai and most of the north very undesirable for a few months each year.

[Aftrmidnyt]

Pomchop, very well said!

I find that when I come back to C.R., it takes a while to slow down to the pace.

That's kinda the whole point isn't it.

No, I can't alway's find what I want, when I want it. (If at all!) It takes a while to realize that it is not so important.

No, the quality of what I want done/built/purchased may not be what I am accustomed to, once again, not so important.

Yes, I wake up every day, smile, kiss my wife and slow down just a little bit. That IS so important.

Yes, life in Chiang Rai is NOT life in the city. We all have our "d'ruthers".

I d'ruther be here in the Rai than "back at"!

Cheers to Chiang Rai and it's calming effects.

[pomchop]

OP forgot to mention the smoke, which makes Chiang Rai and most of the north very undesirable for a few months each year.

The climate is near perfect from about Sep to March. You can enjoy some nice clear cool weather especially Nov to Feb...cool but never really what most farangs would call COLD. There are a few months from March to about June when it is way too smoky and hot as hell.

[villagefarang]

OP forgot to mention the smoke, which makes Chiang Rai and most of the north very undesirable for a few months each year.

As I have said elsewhere.

"No snow or blizzards, no tornados, no major earthquakes, no volcanos, no dust storms, no tsunamis, no mega-floods like Bangkok, no wars, no famine, no gang violence, and the list goes on. Yes, we have to deal with a little smoke most years but as far as I am concerned, it could be a whole lot worse. Then again maybe I am just a bit peculiar and don’t have enough outrage in my bones.

Life is good as far as I am concerned, here in the Rai."

[ogb]

OP forgot to mention the smoke, which makes Chiang Rai and most of the north very undesirable for a few months each year.

As I have said elsewhere.

"No snow or blizzards, no tornados, no major earthquakes, no volcanos, no dust storms, no tsunamis, no mega-floods like Bangkok, no wars, no famine, no gang violence, and the list goes on. Yes, we have to deal with a little smoke most years but as far as I am concerned, it could be a whole lot worse. Then again maybe I am just a bit peculiar and don’t have enough outrage in my bones.

Life is good as far as I am concerned, here in the Rai."

You can say that about most places in the world.

Chiang Rai is a great place but I was just trying to keep it real

(now if only I could find where I put those rose colored glasses

[villagefarang]

OP forgot to mention the smoke, which makes Chiang Rai and most of the north very undesirable for a few months each year.

As I have said elsewhere.

"No snow or blizzards, no tornados, no major earthquakes, no volcanos, no dust storms, no tsunamis, no mega-floods like Bangkok, no wars, no famine, no gang violence, and the list goes on. Yes, we have to deal with a little smoke most years but as far as I am concerned, it could be a whole lot worse. Then again maybe I am just a bit peculiar and don’t have enough outrage in my bones.

Life is good as far as I am concerned, here in the Rai."

You can say that about most places in the world.

Chiang Rai is a great place but I was just trying to keep it real

(now if only I could find where I put those rose colored glasses

I have several, you could always borrow one of mine. My eyes have adjusted and I don’t need them anymore.

[pastafarian]

Sure life is good in Thailand but the Thai apologists should take off their glasses once in a while and also see how it could improve! By saying CR suffers from 'a little smoke' is a bit silly, for around 3mnths every year there is a blanket of carcinogenic smoke covering CR and the surrounding area which affects each and every person living there with thousands needing medication!

[pomchop]

Sure life is good in Thailand but the Thai apologists should take off their glasses once in a while and also see how it could improve! By saying CR suffers from 'a little smoke' is a bit silly, for around 3mnths every year there is a blanket of carcinogenic smoke covering CR and the surrounding area which affects each and every person living there with thousands needing medication!

From the OP:

There are a few months from March to about June when it is way too smoky and hot as hell.

Is Chiang Rai perfect? Of course not and there will always be farangs who can find something to whine about. But overall I continue to think that it is a hidden gem.

Not sure I am a "thai apologist"....whatever that is suppose to be. Rather I do get very weary of reading the constant bashing and prefer to focus more on the positives than on the negatives. Nobody is suggesting that the smoke is desirable but it is certainly not limited to the north of Thailand....check out the pics of Singapore TODAY......

[villagefarang]

I don’t think anyone is apologizing for Thais, we just focus on the stuff we like, and find workarounds that make our lives pleasant, independent of what others are doing.

[harrry]

When the smoke gets too bad go inside with a good air filter and talk to friends.

[wolfmuc]

Sure life is good in Thailand but the Thai apologists should take off their glasses once in a while and also see how it could improve! By saying CR suffers from 'a little smoke' is a bit silly, for around 3mnths every year there is a blanket of carcinogenic smoke covering CR and the surrounding area which affects each and every person living there with thousands needing medication!

From the OP:

There are a few months from March to about June when it is way too smoky and hot as hell.

Is Chiang Rai perfect? Of course not and there will always be farangs who can find something to whine about. But overall I continue to think that it is a hidden gem.

Not sure I am a "thai apologist"....whatever that is suppose to be. Rather I do get very weary of reading the constant bashing and prefer to focus more on the positives than on the negatives. Nobody is suggesting that the smoke is desirable but it is certainly not limited to the north of Thailand....check out the pics of Singapore TODAY......

Last week - June 19, 2013 in the morning

morning (Terra MODIS)

and in the afternoon

afternoon (Aqua MODIS)

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=81431&src=eoa-iotd

[Aftrmidnyt]

Given the choice of extolling the virtues or blathering on about the deficiencies of our adopted home (or anything for that matter), I choose the former.

No person/place or thing is absolutely perfect, but the ability to see and appreciate the beauty is up to the individual.

If you choose to look for and only discuss the negative, soon that is all that you see.

In my time "lurking" here on T.V., that propensity to the negative has been something that always surprised and confounded me.

Are there "things" (cultural/political/environmental/etc.) that have me scratching my head here? Many times, everyday!

But I CHOOSE to be here. So it's up to me to make a positive difference in my circle of friends and family.

As the OP said,

"CR is certainly not for everyone. Some may be bored to tears. Others may struggle a lot with the lack of English.
Some may well miss the bright lights and non stop action of the big city.
Is Chiang Rai perfect? Of course not and there will always be farangs who can find something to whine about. But overall I continue to think that it is a hidden gem."

Finding a positive group that choose to discuss the positive aspects of our home in a positive manner is a positive thing.

Of that..............wait for it............"I am positive."

Perhaps another reason to be happy I'm in The Rai

Cheers from here.

[Benmart]

I haven't visited CR in 10-12 years or so. The OPs post brought back some good memories and I will see what the years have brought when I relocate to LOS in August.

[wellred]

Nice post. Is Chiang rai any good for getting out to see some mountainous regions? I'm not wanting to do any trekking so day trips ect.

[villagefarang]

Nice post. Is Chiang rai any good for getting out to see some mountainous regions? I'm not wanting to do any trekking so day trips ect.

Chiang Rai is a great place for getting out to see some mountains, rivers, waterfalls and reservoirs. Take a look at our pinned topic, Images of Chiang Rai at the top of the page and you will get a sampling of what Chiang Rai has to offer. Many day trips on offer and if you are willing to spend a night or two away, you can go as far as Nan or even Pai. Come and enjoy.

[harrry]

Nice post. Is Chiang rai any good for getting out to see some mountainous regions? I'm not wanting to do any trekking so day trips ect.

Just look at Google Maps (including Streetview) ChiangRai has mountains (or more acurately high hills) all around.

Good roads too on the main. Just rent a scooter...fill the tank...check you have 100 baht for a day trips food and drink in your pocket and off you go.

Great people too. Just stop where you see them and even if you do not speak their language they will show how nice Thai people can be.

If you have enough muscles you can even do this on a pushbike.

[villagefarang]

Every time I try ascending one of those “hills” my body screams “mountain”. From the top if feels and looks every bit a mountain. Maybe not the Himalayas but still mountains in my book.

[harrry]

I feel that way each time I step up a curb.

Edited June 30, 2013 by harrry

[Aftrmidnyt]

I love the look of the mountains here.

They are like large foot hills where I grew up, but covered in tropical vegetation that looks like green feathers from the highway.

As we drive north of Chiang Rai I smile and take it all in.

That make's my wife very proud of the landscape that she some times takes for granted.

The first time I brought my wife "across the pond" and she seen the Rocky Mountain's, she cried.

At that moment I was touched and so proud. It was like seeing them again for the first time, but through her eyes.

Mountains can be awe inspiring regardless of size. Just love the beauty.

That being said.........I relate to harrry's comment.