Focus: Chiang Mai

[PeteC]

With the cool season and holiday season approaching, thought this subject may be of interest to anyone with ideas of escaping our seaside locations to experience something completely different while remaining in-country.

I've never been there, although being strongly urged by the wife to plan a visit as she's never been up there either.

Anyone who has resided there or a frequent visitor, please contribute some photos and comments on what to do, where to stay, attractions, costs, nightlife, did you enjoy the place etc. Thanks. Pete

PS: Wearing a sweater at Christmas and possibly seeing a fireplace in use in a hotel lobby would be tops!

[chelsea]

Pete, there is one thing that you are correct in and that is that you will need to have some warm clothes at xmas time as it does get a bit cold up there at that time as it is their winter.
In the city it get quite cold, but if u go out of town and up the mountains gets much colder again. I do not think it gets to the extreme where you may have log fires in the hotels.
I will see what I can find out for you as I have a friend who lives in Chiang Mai

[stgrhe]

I been to Chiang Mai a few times and apart from the obvious tourist attraction Doi Sutep, I would recommend a tour up in the mountains by elephant to visit some of the hilltriebs, e.g. the Aka people. The ride takes a couple of hours each way.

[Randy Cornhole]

I flew up there a couple of years ago. It was great, a real eye opener. I even felt cold a few times...

I will post some photo's if you wish...

[PeteC]

I flew up there a couple of years ago. It was great, a real eye opener. I even felt cold a few times...

I will post some photo's if you wish...

Thanks, yes please do Randy. I'm sure of interest to many readers. Pete

[VincentD]

Pete,

I lived there for almost a year when my wife worked there, but that was almost twenty years ago!

Having said that, the attractions would be the hill resorts, they have wonderfully landscaped grounds, though some do charge an entrance fee for non-residents.

There are many handicraft places where you can see the umbrellas being made, silkworm farms, silver, ceramic factories etc out towards the San Kamphaeng area.

Doi Inthanon is also a place you may want to go to, but beware of the tourist pricing!

The best thing to to is to hire a driver for a day, I used to use the red sonthaews back then but I'm sure you can get a minibus these days.

[elem]

I visited CM for a week a few years back and found it very nice. The landscape is quite different from HH. We were a gang that toured the ceramics, wood-carvers, lacker-factories, silk and other handicraft places. There are also trips/treks to the mountains as others mentionned, and quite some beautiful temples to visit. We had some fabulous dinners down by the river, and people brought back a lot of nicnacs for their homes. The nightmarket is big and has beautiful items which I haven't seen anywhere else. We stayed at a small guesthouse 5 min walk from the nightmarket, with a restaurant on an outdoor deck. The owner and staff were extremely helpful (which was really appreciated, since some of the members of the group lost credit-cards, plane-tickets, luggage and God knows what ..) Check www.chiangmaithaihouse.com . Oh yes, do bring a sweater for the evenings if you go in Nov/Dec...

[BaaBaa.]

Check www.chiangmaithaihouse.com . Oh yes, do bring a sweater for the evenings if you go in Nov/Dec...

I stayed there around two years ago, nice place.

I've stayed in Chiang Mai in Dec and I was only wearing T-Shirts, it was like an English summer.

[elem]

...oh, and I forgot; those visiting Chiang Mai ( or BKK for that matter ) should check out www.nancychandler.net and go to their 'updates' of the city. Anything from food & accommodation, events, tours, special places for children, shopping, nightlife etc etc

[margaretcarnes]

My first ever trip to CM was last November and I loved it. Can't imagine why I'd never been there before but will definitely go again next trip, and hopefully for more than a few days next time.
Markets brilliant. Wide variety of restaurants at very reasonable prices. Stacks of farang book shops! And very easy access to the airport. I had a wander round the old temple in the city but unfortunately no time for trips.
My only complaint would be the quite early closing of some very pleasant small bars off the main drag, but to be fair they were very quiet and theres only so long a bar will stay open for a handful of punters. No problem sitting outside the small hotel with a beer (and a woolly) as long as you wanted.

[BaaBaa.]

Make sure you go here http://www.theriversidechiangmai.com/

Possibly my favourite restaurant in Thailand.

[Big Boy]

I've restored this thread back to the point where Nereus was having upload difficulties. I hope I have not upset anybody in doing so. Please continue with the thread as intended.