Chiang Mai / Rai

[ch1ldofthemoon]

I had a week in Chiang Mai last December and had a great time.
I will probably visit again,this December.
I was also thinking of heading to Chiang Rai,but i`m getting conflicting info on it. Some people are telling me it`s not worth a visit,Chiang Mai`s much better... other`s say it`s better than Chiang Mai
I`m not really into trekking round the jungle, although i dont mind trekking round the bars/clubs
Has anyone got any useful info on Chiang Rai....?

[Thetyim]

Personally I think ChiangRai is a lot better than ChiangMai.
It depends what you like. I'm not into trekking I stay in the city.
It's got most things you will need but it is smaller and I think more friendly than CM

[DrAndy]

totally different type of places

the only thing they have in common is the fact that they are in the north and...

the only two things they have in common is they are in the north and their names are almost the same

CM is a cosmopolitan city, surrounded by lots of rice fields and some mountains in the distance, lots of bars

CR is much smaller, very few bars and beautiful countryside nearby.

[friscofrankie]

I always enjoy and evening driking beer and eating thai food at the Night Bazarre I like Chiangrai, but I prefer living in Chiangmai

[ch1ldofthemoon]

thanx for that....looks like I`ll be giving chiang rai a miss then.....

[tayto]

thanx for that....looks like I`ll be giving chiang rai a miss then.....

O.K
We'll miss you in Chiang Rai..........not.

[stroller]

I`m not really into trekking round the jungle, although i dont mind trekking round the bars/clubs

Not many sex-tourists there, and no, you won't be missed.

[Curious George]

I love Chiang Rai! It is about the only place I've been in Thailand where I think I could possibly move to and live.

As stated earlier, it isn't "tourist busy" like Chiang Mai. Because of this, it is calmer, locals are friendlier and you can get about with little hassle. That's where Thai Wife and I have celebrated two Loy Krathong festivals. We now know some of the locals, and they are very generous people.

I found few Farangs in Chiang Rai. So if your a party animal and want to be hassled by every passing songthaew, go to Chiang Mai.

[Begbie]

I love Chiang Rai! It is about the only place I've been in Thailand where I think I could possibly move to and live.

As stated earlier, it isn't "tourist busy" like Chiang Mai. Because of this, it is calmer, locals are friendlier and you can get about with little hassle. That's where Thai Wife and I have celebrated two Loy Krathong festivals. We now know some of the locals, and they are very generous people.

I found few Farangs in Chiang Rai. So if your a party animal and want to be hassled by every passing songthaew, go to Chiang Mai.

You're describing Chiang Mai pre 1986.

[slimboyfat]

Well I have bought and paid for my flights to Chiang Mai in March. My wifes friend is picking us up from the airport so I hope that she will be involved as much as possible with the wife and kids entertainment, leaving me to get plastered every now and then.

[DrAndy]

March is a good month for plastering

[medallion]

Chiang Mai is exactly like Bangkok, with 8 million fewer people, but with mountains, no subway, no skytrain, and..different dialect of Thai, closer to Burma, cooler winter, quieter....exactly like Bangkok tho.

[stroller]

Yes, that makes it exactly like Bangkok...

[havnfun]

Here are some pics of northern Chiang Mai.

[havnfun]

I decided to post here because it was the first Chiang Mai thread I could find, And look how old it is, (Before the Muttpack) just joking OK, Here are some more pics from that place, the bungalows are for rent of you want to stay.

[cyrille]

Some people might be caught out by how cold they'll be over the next six months, though.

[havnfun]

Some people might be caught out by how cold they'll be over the next six months, though.

Yep ,true now is not the time to stay in a mountain bungalow in Chiang Mai people.

[katie23]

^hmm, I dunno. For me, it may be good for a few days vacay (the mountain bungalow). A nice respite if you're used to 25-30 degrees temps.

But then, I've been to Baguio city in January. It's a similar area, high altitude at 1,000 km+ ASL. My friends and I just had light jackets and we strolled around the city freezing (not literally). Then in the house we stayed at (aunt of a friend), they had no hot shower. You had to boil water if you wanted hot water. Took cold showers then. Fond memories, but next time I'll choose a hotel with hot showers! (I was a broke ass student then.)

@havnfun - thanks for the pics. The bungalows look nice & quaint.

Btw, how many hours from CM to CR?

And how many hours (if on motorbike) from CR to the Golden Triamgle? Is CR to Golden Triangle & back doable for a day trip?

TIA

[havnfun]

And how many hours (if on motorbike) from CR to the Golden Triamgle? Is CR to Golden Triangle & back doable for a day trip?

I did that once, never again, Jumped in the car as the driver (with the Thai family)and off we went, It was a full on 12-18 hours of driving and it nearly killed me, got some nice pics of the golden triangle and that place on the river, but it will kill you, take your time and go one place at a time.

Never plan a trip in hours up north, You will be exhausted, Plan on a day there and a day back. There is too much to stop and see, even for me living in Lampang, have often had stay overs and we are only 130 ks from Chiang Mai Mueng.
My best plan has grown to be the Thai plan, just go and whatever happens happens.

[katie23]

^thanks!

I live in PH and when I travel abroad, I do it when I have leave credits, so my trips usually have a set itinerary and have limited days (1-2 weeks only). Like: Day 1, arrive in BKK. Day 2, travel to Ayutthaya, stay 2N in Ayutthaya, etc.

From CR to Golden Triangle, which town or city would make an ideal resting point/ midpoint or to stay the night?

TIA... Not planning to travel there anytime soon, but the info will be handy. I've been to CM but I want to go to CR and the Golden Triangle in the future.

Edit: I've seen vids by CB Media when he did went to the Golden Triangle by motorbike but I've forgotten how many days his trip was.

[havnfun]

Well lets hope that a member from CR can chime in here and give you solid advice K23 because I don't live in that neck of the woods, I'm sure there is someone who can give you a suggestion, or even done the trip, I hope someone from the forum posts for you but as you can see, this thread was almost 15 years old since the last post, so don't count on it. Best of luck mate.

[aging one]

From CR to Golden Triangle, which town or city would make an ideal resting point/ midpoint or to stay the night?

That is a short trip say 2 hours by car, 2.5 at the most. There is a nice loop you can go either way. Chiang Rai, Phu Chee Fah mountain, Phu Chee Fah to Chiang Khong, then to the Golden Triangle and Mae Sai, then back down into Chiang Rai. No drive really longer than say 3.5 hours. Most are shorter.

[reinvented]

Katie,
went up December last year.
from Chaing Rai, we travelled to Chiang Saen and stayed at Doi Sa Ngo, which overlooks the Golden Triangle. You can camp or stay in the resort, Fabulous views over Laos, Myanmar and Chiang Rai, and seas of mist in the early morning.
i'd put some pictures up but i cant be arsed fiddling with teh system.

swe stayed at a place called Star Dao because a family friend owns it.

also consider Pha Mii near Mae Chan/ Mae Sai as staying point. Akha village, food is great

[katie23]

Thanks havnfun & AO.

@reinvented - I Googled the places that you mentioned. Will consider them if ever I make the trip - depends on time & budget. I'll probably do CM, CR, GT & maybe another town/ city up north.

Cheers all.

[david44]

It's freezing

No hi-sos
Roads terrible wriggly wiggly , may require sober skilled manual shift drivers lest runover Ajarns
Sex n rugs and cocks and roll and thats just the boat trip, a have of dodgy dopes, no hope.
Mountains full of folks in fancy dress, pajamas with bananas, free range organic animlas and vver the top OTOP, tea coffe avocados , worse than Siambury's
One place even has a falang village idiot so all the neighbours say, as I am the only whitey I think it may be TAT promo as I have never seen him.

Just fresh food, gentle mountan breezes, no trippy pavements or Suck em Fit fumes as fag substitute, seem at present to be only 2 sexes until reporpoised imports arrive.
Totally lacking in Malls, tourists ,hot air or sense
To give an example of why to stay away there is a nearby Opium Musem with no samples, compare that to the porn, brewery or coffee schoops of Hamsterdamaged.
Waterford Gold course crstal clear attracting punters.

If anyone seeks a gentle Nirvana PM, Once Neverna detoxed my wife may be offering her famous weasily absorbed double entry coffee enemas, the ultimate fappacino for the double poxxed.

Accordng to our Poo Yai ban the village idiot post filled tho CrackerJJ-McRobTheRich PBOH proudly held the lower level Mekongsde title unchallenged for over a yonk and a half, I prefer the higher perches above the low life,where you can see em coming as the many voyeurs at our lofty panorami aver.

Oh ad P.S it'll be full by the time you arrive.
Nada nowt to see , move along, please really, only 2 parking slots and my wife overflows into both.

You still here, please you've been warned....

Rain mist , quiet lil fellas chasing snakes and lasses up Mts, old crones puffing pipes, acres of grass, baccy, pie and schmugglin, hardly a tatoo parlour, nail bar, flop house or Pub open.No Ozone, sunshine or Skytrain

Boats hijaxed illegal dodgy interfaeces of northern 451 yellow gang versus brown gang agloaming gannambat, My drone writer's pad, my pal is a retired Singapore Cop and suggest you stay away please, just send cheese and fresh women please, sorry no comediennes, canadians or poms.


Damp , soft almost like the boglands of the Pale, with more old sods per km2 pissed on home made Yadong yer bong and Lao Lhao Khao with chilli

Sqaulid staff digs barely 2 routers


Those with get up and go have got up and gone or are planning to, the bag pacjers have packed their rags and the gap hole gals evaporated.

Wheelbarrow position available for pushy people
2nd pool wont clean itself



Stop think twice it's just another day in paraquat.

Unlike the fine foods of England Jeddah Moscow fresh herbs and plants are smothered over local fish , free mange animals and served my smiling little feral minxes who want to drain you in every way imagineable, sometimes thrice nightly,bloody organic herbs, and you can stick those longan, lamya and Pomelos, well you know where, Gullivars ravel in the land of the mind the mormon is bling.

The chief of he local /schmugglas/pooyai/man in big badge boss suit says KEEP OUT we have a crazed drunk farang, enuff already, Sodom amd Gomorrah are now open on the sandedcox scheme.