wkwb42a

We will be spending 3 full days in CM, in addition to the day we arrive early in the morn from the U.S. We will be staying at Le Meridien, in the end of Jan. (very soon).

We would like to visit Doi Suthep one morning, and also have an elephant experience. What are the other must-sees in CM? What are the recommended wats?

Do you recommend a guide; is that easier and more efficient? Do we need to organize our plans now, prior to our trip, or is this easily done in CM? Any recommended tour guides?

Thank you very much for your advice. I have always received such excellent and greatly appreciated help from Fodor's in planning our journeys.

FromDC

Jermsak was our guide in 2008 in Chiang Rai and we LOVED him....he also works in Chiang Mai, other Fodorites have used him also. He now has a website
http://chiangraitravelplanner.blogsp.../05/about.html
We were in CM a few years before that and didn't have a great experience. We had booked with Seargent ?? who provided us with a guide and a car that were barely acceptable. Be careful about the elephant experience because the one this guide took us to was very sketchy. I would trust Jermsak to arrange one, wish I had known about him for CM.

wkwb42a

Thanks so much, FromDC. I was just re-reading your wonderful TR on Myanmar, for last minute tips on restaurants, etc. Our itinerary is all set. I will check with Jermsak.

Kathie

If you want an elephant experience, take a look at the Elephant Nature Park. (Note that you must make reservations in advance.) Most of the places (and all of the places pushed by agents) do not care for their elephants well. The one that is top-rated on TA uses hooks on the elephants and many have reported seeing fresh gashes on the animals.

In general, you don't need guide for CM. If you want to go farther afield, you might want a guide. I just use taxis in town, and I hire a taxi for the day or half day for out of town locations (like Doi Suthep). All taxis have a fee schedule for Doi Suthep and for hiring the car by the hour, half day or day.

You will want to wander around inside the city walls, there are a number of wats there.

FromDC

WKW...we leave for India in 10 days and your TR has been most helpful...C&K have made arrangements for us as well. For me, the highlight of CM was Doi Inthanon. Hope you get there.

wkwb42a

FromDC, I am happy to hear that my India TR was helpful. Our guide was Rashon, and our driver was Krishna, both excellent and both from C & K. (It is so very important to have an expert and calm driver in India - crazy traffic conditions). Perhaps you could consider requesting Krishna, and if you do get him (or them), please tell them that Carole says "hi"! Have a wonderful journey!! BTW, we had some clothes made in Udaipur, which I really enjoy and always get compliments on. They were made overnight, and they fit perfectly.
Rashon knows where the shop is, plus it's in my TR. Enjoy....

Is Doi Suthep in the same location as Doi Inthanon? Is it the same? Or, did you go to both? Thanks.

Kathie, many thanks for your advice. I think that I now understand that we won't need a guide for the wats in CM. We can wander around and just enjoy them in a casual manner.
I also re-read your excellent TR's on Myanmar; your info was very helpful during our planning process.

kmkrnn

One is close and one is far...inthanon is a national park.

Pls let us know how you like meridien...

wkwb42a

I will post a TR upon our return, as always, and I will be happy to let you know how we like that hotel. (This will be toward the end of Feb).

Doi Suthep is the closer one? About how long a ride from CM? Did you go there and like it?

FromDC

Yes, when we asked for Krishna, Arvind said he would be our driver so I hope he comes through. Promise to send regards (and also from Bob and Karen).

Doi Inthanon was a longer trip but we really enjoyed it. It was about 10 years ago, not sure what things are like now in the area. But again, we thought Jermsak was one of our best guides ever.

funkmonkey

I totally agree with Kathie - no guide needed in Chiang Mai. Walk - if you can - to explore the old town to see the temples and museums. Doi Suthep was a 40 min ride from our B&B - which was right next to the river and the Nakorn bridge (close to Wat Ket Karam). I'd suggest bargain for everything. We abandoned the idea of using the tour companies (who all deal with the same few providers). We got a wonderful tuk-tuk guy for our movement withing CM and asked him to recommend someone to take us to Doi Suthep on a Sun. So, a friend or a friend agreed for 4 of us for ThB 1000 (tour companies would take us for ThB 2400). Even our hotel manager coudn't have beaten that price.
Walking 5-6 miles a day afforded us with a firm mental geography. We discovered shopping venues that have not been mentioned by anyone by asking the tuk-tuk guy and friendly shopkeepers about what we wanted - fabrics, handicrafts, art, etc. I now have a reserve of about a dozen sites that I will hit on during my next trip.

funkmonkey

wkwb42a,

CM is still very fresh in my mind. We didn't do much outside town (other than Doi Suthep) because we decided to concentrate on CM itself. Do mention if you have anything specific in your plans - eats, shopping (silk, cotton, carvings, masks) etc. Perhaps I can give clues.

Do visit Wat Ket Karam and Lok Molee (on the northern side). The former is wonderful as there are evening services that you can drop in on. The Night Bazaar and the Sun. walking market are good hunting grounds for gifts. And, always shop around for best exchange rate in case you're travelling with cash.

wkwb42a

Funkmonkey,

Welcome home! Glad that you had a wonderful trip! (How long were you in CM)?

Do you have the contact info for the driver who brought you to Doi Suthep? If so, who should I say recommended us? We plan also to have an elephant experience.

Yes, if you have any restaurants to recommend, we'd love that. I'd appreciate any shopping tips you might have too.

Thanks so much for your advice!

internetwiz

Doi Inthanon is maybe an hour or two away from CM. We really enjoyed going there, visiting the Queen and King pagodas and stopping at the roadside fruit markets enroute. It is a pretty ride to get there, but it depends on how much time you have in CM.

I second Kathie's comment about Elephant Nature Park. It's a magical place. Be sure to make your reservations to go there. They will pick you up from your hotel.

funkmonkey

wkwb42a,
I have the phone numbers of both the tuk-tuk guy (he charged us ThB for the 2 of us for a 5-hour stop-and-go shopping trip down the highway that leads to the Umbrella Village) and the taxi gentleman. What are you looking for? Garments, silk-fabric, art, carvings and Buddha statues, mask-replicas of Hindu and Thai mythological figures, folk-artifacts, bronze/copper figurines, small or large, wall-hangings, ..... I could go on. Then there's massage - oh man!
Do you handle Thai food well? We went local except for a meal at the Gallery and Riverside.
What is the best way to communicate this - email?

funkmonkey

BTW, your hotel is at a splendid location. Will you be there on a Sunday - everything (almost) shuts down?

wkwb42a

Funkmonkey,

Thanks very much again. BTW, what is Lok Molee? We do like to walk.

Yes, we'll be in CM on a Sunday. I'm now thinking that perhaps we should schedule our excursion to Doi Suthep and an elephant experience for that Sunday morning, since you mentioned that almost everything (else) is closed on Sundays.

I am interested in clothing, scarves, folk handicrafts, anything else that's unusual.

We enjoy Thai food, as long as it's not spicy or fried, also French food, and seafood.

My email is: wkwb42a(at)comcast(dot)net

Thank you very much.

wkwb42a

internetwiz,

We definitely plan on visiting Doi Suthep. We'll have 3 full days in CM, plus the day which we arrive early in the morn from BKK. I'm trying to figure out how to maximize our time. We also want to spend time just wandering around. Thank you very much for your advice.

Cattail

Allow a full day or even overnight for the Elephant Nature Park. You can book it yourself on-line, and the price includes tour, transportation and lunch. They offer different experiences, so research them. Isn't the Night Market on Sunday?

internetwiz

The Walking Street is on Sunday, which is different (and better) than the Night Market. I've always arrived on Sunday afternoon, so I can't comment on what's open.

You can always have a massage by the women ex-prisoners.

My favorite areas for shopping are on Charonrat and Nimmanhaemin Rd. Some people like going to Baan Twai and the other craft villages. I spent about a half hour in Baan Twai after going to Doi In. I think you're better off at the Sunday Walking Street, but that's my opinion.

wkwb42a

I have 2 questions. What/where is Lok Molee?
Is the Sunday Walking Street the same as the Sunday Night Market?
Thanks very much.