Things to do in and arond Chiang Mai?
Traveling by train bangkok to chiang mai?>>
Could anyone suggest somewhere to go that’s a little bit out of Chiang Mai. I’ve been up the mountains already, I’ve got a car and have am with a family of 5 and want to spend tha day out.
Any ideas?
Take a ride – probably have to follow a tour bus – to Mae Hong Son. Yes, it’s a real place. Where they used to capture and train the royal elephants. The place is fast getting into the tourist business, so if you’re going to see it, do it now…before it gets overrun. The "city" is small, but beautiful. Very clean. And it’s a walking place…easy to get around. Lovely temples beside the lake in the valley of the three mists. If this sounds overly poetic, please make the journey – maybe 4 to 6 hours by car – and I think you’ll agree.
Take a ride – probably have to follow a tour bus – to Mae Hong Son. Yes, it’s a real place. Where they used to capture and train the royal elephants. The place is fast getting into the tourist business, so if you’re going to see it, do it now…before it gets overrun. The "city" is small, but beautiful. Very clean. And it’s a walking place…easy to get around. Lovely temples beside the lake in the valley of the three mists. If this sounds overly poetic, please make the journey – maybe 4 to 6 hours by car – and I think you’ll agree.
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Been there. You can see it by searching Mae Hong son and just following the links.
You can do Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle area in a day outing.
Travel agents have day tours to Chiang Rai with a stop at some local villages and a short visit to the Golden Triangle and they do it all in one day!
Good luck.
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Some links that the tour agencies use:
http://www.viator.com/Chiang-Mai-and-Chiang-Rai/d752-ttd
You can drive your car to Chiang Rai and see the Wat Rong Khun.
You can also see the Royal Gardens and Palace at Doi Tung. This is the former home of the Kings Mother and a wonderful thing to see. The gardens are perhaps some of the most beautiful you will ever see in the whole world.
Continue driving north to Mai Sai, which is the northern-most town in Thailand on the Myanmar border, stop and walk across into Myanmar and do some shopping.
Then grab lunch and drive another 28 km over to the Golden Triangle which is the point where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar all come together on the Mekong River.
You can take a cool speed boat ride on the Mekong River which is highly recommended.
The drive from Chaing Mai to Mai Sai is beautiful as it is all mountains and natural. You will also pass the hot springs and other nice things to see.
This can all be done in one day if you leave Chiang Mai around 7:00 AM and spend adequate time with all activities as mentioned and return around 10:00 PM at the latest.
I do not recommend tour groups if you can drive yourself.
The drive itself is worth it.
Please visit http://www.visualthailand.com and look at the photos posted from a few days ago for the Golden Triangle, Wat Rong Khun and Doi Tung Royal Garden.
These photos are worth a 1000 words and once you see the actual photos you will really understand what a great way it is to spend a day and get to see all these things.
Hope you enjoy this drive. I just did the same drive from Chiang Mai 2 days ago and posted all the photos.
Have fun. There are some really memorable experiences that you will never forget.
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Live in Thailand for years
Mae Sa area in Maerim about 50 km north of Chiang Mai.
There is much to see on the area.
For example:
- Mae Sa Waterfall Park
(some pictures: http://peopleofchiangmai.blogspot.com )
- Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden
- Mae Sa Elephant Camp
- Art Museum, Bungee Jump, & Monkey Center
- and many others
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Mae Hong Song and Mae Rim are excellent, but I would use extreme caution, as the road to to both are very dangerous and sometimes unlit. There a lot of steep hills and curves, and the roads are sometime not well paved, I have driven it before and would not recommend driving if you are not a local, let on a tourist.
I would go to Chaing Rai or the Golden Triangle instead.
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You should go to Pai a bit north (trips from Chiang mai) and ryde an elephant, best place to do it as they take you on their back not on stupid bench and they take you in the river too. Also do a cooking course called Ban Thai cook school, it was wicked, free cook book and the best thai curry i have ever had, and cooked it myself!
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