Chaing Mai-top three things to do
 

Will be spending a few days in Chaing Mai and while I've read both Fodors and Lonely Planet book for things to do,I'd also like to get some personal input from you folks on what you found to be most memorable while in Chaing Mai. Thanks.

We were in Chaing Mai last summer, stayed for a week and really enjoyed it. I found it interesting just to wander around the city, take the tuk tuks and the 'buses', and just experience life in a very different part of the world. Visit the night bazaar for sure and go inside for the more interesting items. Eat at the food court in the night bazaar and in the grocery store food courts, very cheap, very safe and delicious. Visit one of the elephant camps and ride the elephant. We visited one with an elephant nursery and that was the highlight of the visit for everyone in our family. Go to the top of mountain for great views and an insight into buddist life. Travel into the north and stay at the Meridian Bora Bora for absolutely stunning scenery. Lots of things to do. Enjoy!

Chiang Mai is overrated. All the streets look basically the same, lots of shop houses and tin roofed buildings. The best things about Chiang Mai are the low cost food hotels and the mountains outside of town. Lots of air pollution.

I went on 2 all-day tours you can get cheap at any agent in town. Bargain, and if you buy two tours, you'll get a better discount. I can't remember the 1st tour name, but you ride elephants and then go rafting. Lot's of fun, but do be careful when you are rafting as it can be rough. It's very "touristy" but fun, so at least go on this one.<BR><BR>The 2nd day tour was the "golden triangle tour", where you go up to the Thai-Myanmar-Laos border. Honestly, none of the sites were that special or spetacular. But, I did enjoy the ride around and looking at the scenery and villages. I had fun talking with the other people in the mini-van too.<BR><BR>Ron<BR><BR>

1. Wat Doi Su Thep for its architecture and spectacular view of the city.<BR><BR>2. Elephant camp to ride an elephant.<BR><BR>3. Handicraft factories to shop for lacquerware, umbrellas, silk etc. on the outskirts east of Chiang Mai.<BR><BR>Skip the tours and find a tuk-tuk driver who has access to a taxi. You can hire them for a 1/2 day or all day. They know all the places and you'll save money.

We visited Chiang Mai in December with our two teenagers. (1) If you go to one temple, make sure it's Wat Prathat Doi Suthep outside of town. Go early in the morning or late afternoon when it is cooler. (2)Rather than the elephant tours north of Chiang Mai, go to the Elephant Conservation Centre near Lampang. You can feed and ride the elephants there and watch a show too. Before heading back to Chiang Mai, ask your driver to take you to the Forest Market (a little past the Conservation Centre.) It is a fascinating, non-touristy, immense market with really different foods (many types of insects, slabs of wild boar etc). (3) Take a one-day class (more days optional)at the Chiang Mai Thai Cookery school. It is a first class school and lots of fun.

In Chiang Mai:<BR>The umbrella factory<BR>Night Market<BR>Package-elephant ride/show, orchid mueseum, river ride<BR>