Chiang Dow

**RandomChances** · 18-08-2006, 11:20 AM

About a year ago, we went on a trip up to Chiang Dow, north of Chiang Mai. Stayed at the Chiang Dow nest, which is a great little guest house with some of the best "falang" food I've come across in Thailand and reasonable prices as well.
We booked a 3 night trek doing all the touristy things and had a great time. The next couple of post are going to have lots of pics so bear with me a bit while I try to load them. Unfortunatly a lot of the really good pics I had from there I've lost..well my misses delete accidently but there you are. Here some pics of the Nest to start

The huts are clean and basic. Nice bathrooms, but no air con, not that you really need it up there anyway, can't remember the exact price only about 500 bhat or so a night

Heres a shot I managed to get of the inside of one, luckly I got out before the bloke woke up

This is the resteraunt, with some slightly chubby girl in it. The food there is really excelent.

Part 2 to follow

**RandomChances** · 18-08-2006, 11:28 AM

There are quite a few parks and places of intrest around the area, and the owners are really helpful if you need any ideas, maps ect

These two shots were taken in one of the parks, I think one of the ones with the hot springs. You probaly need some sort of transport to get around to some of the sites. I'm not sure wether they can arange this at the Nest, or mabye it would be nice on a nice little touring bike

We did quite a lot of touristy stuff on the first day as part of the trek package, rafting, elephant, trip around a few different villages. I've probably been here too long to of fully apreciated it, but if your on hoildays it gets you doing a lot of things

**ChiangMai noon** · 18-08-2006, 11:32 AM

Nice thread RC.
I love the nest, i'm glad they have made such a success of the place from humble beginnings.

You probaly need some sort of transport to get around to some of the sites. I'm not sure wether they can arange this at the Nest, or mabye it would be nice on a nice little touring bike

You can rent scooters from the nest at about 400 baht a day, or you can get them from me for a lot less.

**RandomChances** · 18-08-2006, 11:35 AM

After that it was up to the mountains, for a bit of treking and staying over night in two diferent hilltribe villages. We were joined by two girls from Singapore.

The accomadation is very basic but clean,food included

heres our hut in the first village

A view of the inside, you all just share the room, sleeping bags and tourches are provided.

Heres some cute little pigs, dont they look tasty. I wanted to buy a couple to bring home and fatten up but the wife would'nt let me

This is what they would grow into.

Part 3 to follow after my breakfast

**RandomChances** · 18-08-2006, 11:53 AM

Oh thats better, bacon and eggs

. Right where was I ?

After the first night at the village, you get to go on some fairly easy trek's. One we followed a strem you to a water fall, you don't need to be very fit but basic levels of fitnes and agility are required.

Coming up to the waterfall

Here's the bloke from that room again, the waters frezing but very refreshing.

Oh forgot to mention the guide, Nata I think his name was, was excelent. We got on really great, with offers that if ever I'm back you that way not to pay for a trek but go and stay with him for free. I'd like to think it was due to my sparkling personality and my ability to convers whit him fluently in Thai, but it was probaly due to the copious ammounts of Sang saom I was carring in my back pack

onto Part 4

**Marmite the Dog** · 18-08-2006, 11:56 AM

Nice pics.

Originally Posted by RandomChances

well my misses delete accidently but there you are.

Rule #1 - Don't let women anywhere near your computer.

I thought that was common knowledge!?

**RandomChances** · 18-08-2006, 12:18 PM

So onto the next village, this is closer to town than the first one and much more acsessible. You can drive to it as it just off the road theough the mountains. The firat village was about a 2-3 km walk, unless you have a 4wd or motor bike, and then only if it has'nt been raining.

The accomadation at the second village was a bit less basic then the first, and I can't describe how beautiful the views were from it. Unfortunatly I've lost most of the pics from there so these will have to do.

There a sutnning flat seating area built overlooking the mountains, great for sitting down andchilling out with a bottle and some friends.

We really enjoyed it at this village, so much so that, we canceled the next 2 night back at the Nest and stayed there. I went down and explained to the owner that we would'nt be staying but I'd pay for the nights anyway, but he did'nt want me to pay as I was'nt staying, now you dont get people like that often here.

While we were down in town we bought a load of pork and stuff and I stocked up on essencial supplies of Sang Som and some beers. My misses did a bbq there for everyone in the night, while I sat around with the men doing my usuall drinking stuff

They would'nt take anything off us for the accomadation for the last two nights and the poo yai gave me a gift of a couple of liters of their local Yaa Dong (Lao Khow with herb's'n'stuff) and his wife gave my misses some hilltribe jewelry. We left again with offers from them that if I go back to come and stay with them for free.

You can arrange the accomadation and guides your self, I think the villages it was something like 100-200 bhat a night for the room, supply your own food. I'd just go back to the second village if I was going again, but would certainly go down to the Nest to eat, but then again, for most people I'd recomend them going through the Nest as most wont have their own transport or speak Thai. It's not expensive according to my wife the treck part was about 2400 each which is all in and dam good value.

The end

**RandomChances** · 18-08-2006, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Rule #1 - Don't let women anywhere near your computer.

They were on her computer, we have His'n'her's mainly due to rule #1

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

I love the nest, i'm glad they have made such a success of the place from humble beginnings.

Yea it's a great place, I dont really know how they got started, but seem like nice people, good luck to them I hope they do well

**ChiangMai noon** · 18-08-2006, 12:29 PM

Just noticed that the nest is a sponsored link on this thread.
Cool.

**buadhai** · 18-08-2006, 12:50 PM

Spectacularly beautiful. Thanks.

Sorry you lost some shots....

**ChiangMai noon** · 18-08-2006, 12:53 PM

The pool outside the cave.

**ChiangMai noon** · 18-08-2006, 12:55 PM

The temple in the mountains...

lady Hawk's bloke with my nephew in chiang Dao cave.

**RandomChances** · 18-08-2006, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by buadhai

Sorry you lost some shots...

They are all there when I view it, any one else not see them all ?

**buadhai** · 18-08-2006, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by RandomChances

Originally Posted by buadhai

Sorry you lost some shots...

They are all there when I view it, any one else not see them all ?

This is what I meant:

Originally Posted by RandomChances

Unfortunatly a lot of the really good pics I had from there I've lost..well my misses delete accidently but there you are.

**Lily** · 18-08-2006, 02:04 PM

Very, very nice and nicely presented. Well done.

**Itchy** · 18-08-2006, 03:08 PM

Thanks for the shots, I'm planning to visit Chiang Doa later this year to review it as a family destination. It gets lots of good reports, but I'd like to see for myself.

**Thetyim** · 18-08-2006, 03:18 PM

I think they have two places now

Nest1 and, strangely enough, Nest2

**stroller** · 18-08-2006, 05:40 PM

Still not sure where exactly it is, looks like a worthwhile trip out, that does!

**dirtydog** · 18-08-2006, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by RandomChances

A view of the inside, you all just share the room, sleeping bags and tourches are provided.

I am not that keen on sharing a room with a load of strange people, do they have treks which are female only apart from one male farang, I mean what if the guy next to you rolls up against you and then thinks you are his wife/galfriend?

**Thetyim** · 18-08-2006, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by stroller

Still not sure where exactly it is,

Look here Chiang Dao Nest Mini-Resort, Tours and Trekking

There do have two places 1 & 2

Chiang Dao & Chiang Mai Travel Guide & Web Directory belongs to the bloke that owns the nest so the opinion is very biased

**daveboy** · 18-08-2006, 07:26 PM

Nice pics

**RandomChances** · 18-08-2006, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

I am not that keen on sharing a room with a load of strange people, do they have treks which are female only apart from one male farang, I mean what if the guy next to you rolls up against you and then thinks you are his wife/galfriend?

You don't really have to do a trek, but we fancied one.You could probably see most things using the Nest as a base and ataking day trips. You can book private treks as well but they are more expensive. Oh it's bloody cold up there in the nights so your all in sleeping bags anyway, take warm clothes if you go and want to stay in the mountains

**Frankenstein** · 05-08-2008, 12:39 PM

Breathtaking setting, decent prices, nicely designed, very good Western food at reasonable prices.

Just don't suggest that maybe their fresh coffee is served too weak, no matter how politely or gently. A woman who I assume was the owner got in a complete huff over this trivial matter which really should have just been a matter of saying, thanks for letting us know, we can change it for you.

To her credit she did change it, but in a strained voice told us how 'we've been serving it like this for 5 years' and after the fact was extremely curt to everybody in our group. A bit of a shame as the place otherwise looks great and deserving of their success.

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