Chaing Rai
 

Is there anything worth seeing in the above resort

Not too much in actual town - intersting, small night market.

There are some excellent value luxury / 1st class hotels around and there are plenty of soft adventure day trips you can do to hill tribes / laos / burma etc

Well worth 3-4 days of your time.

I've stayed at the dusit island resort - very good and the Anantara Resort (When it was a Le Meridien) and that was excellent - its supposed to be even better now!

you did not name the resort that i could see...

anantara is fantastic....i did not find the surrounding area all that interesting however...you need a car or a driver...there is not good infastructure there as far as hiring cars etc like the rest of thailand

Depends on what you consider "worth seeing." If you're interested in learning about and seeing the various cultures of ethnic minorities; gorgeous gardens and programs that have been set up to help people be self sufficient without losing their culture or resorting to growing opium-- in other words if you are interested in learning about the people of thailand, yes. If you want temples, archeology and shopping -- in other words, "sights" -- no.

In other words, it all depends on your interests. I could spent months in northern thailand but barely make it through half a day in southern thailand. Other people are the exact opposite.

gloria is absolutely correct...there are things to do there but they are spread out over a very large area...the towns are interesting but mostly small in the golden triangle..chiang saen being the most interesting one that i visited...crossing over to laos and myanmar interests some people but these are really artificial oasis...the doi tung estate is very interesting and honestly with the exception of the opium mus. near to the anantara these are the only places that held my interest...i gather that there are hill tribes to visit but i believe that the good ones are very issolated i believe...

Re: hilltribes. The non touristy hilltribe villages are not isolated (i.e. you don't have to trek to get there) but you do need to do some homework and know which ones to avoid etc. Generally you need someone to take you who can also serve as an interpreter. And isn't with one of the commercial tour operations that go to the same villages all the time. I've generally gone by talking to some of the local ngos in the area -- but when I first went I started that communication long before arrival. But it's a huge interest of mine so is well worth it. I certainly recognize that that is not true for a lot of people.

We are staying at the Anatara at the Golden Triangle

anantara is fantastic...not worth $425 which someone quoted above however...

wonderful pool, good restaurants...great location...very relaxing....elephants on site....great cooking school....opium museum right across the street....very issolated however...nothing but museum to walk to from hotel...you need a car or a driver...i rented a car at chiang rai airport...driving very easy...no traffic at all...

Chaing Rai + recouperation after knee surgery = bad idea. I would stick to swimming in a shallow pool.

Funny you've asked about Samui, Hua Hin(playing golf after knee surgery) and now Chiang Rai - a mountainous area of Thailand. You must have a very good doctor!

Hanuman, I booked my trip in july 2004 to go in Jan 2005, then I had to have a knee operation necesitating puting the trip back 1 year, knee operation was unsuccessful so I have to have knee replacement this october, the travel company will not allow me to change dates again so I have to make final decision on paying balance on 1st December so trying to get as much info on areas before then, full trip is Bankok, Koi Samui, Golden Triangle and Hau Hin the info on Golf was probably day Dreaming as that is my interest, who knows with a golf cart I hope to play again one day !

Hi john44 I am doing a similar trip in mid January, desperate for info on Anatara Golden Triangle, does anybody know if it is possible to get a car and driver for a day, possibly by asking members of staff if they know anyone.

Yes, you can get a car and driver for the day. The hotel staff will set you up if you'd like.

unlike other places in thailand the infastructure is not developed in the golden triangle...there are not free lance taxis or drivers available in the town....the hotel will assist but at a steep price....about one year ago there was a post about a group from CR who did driving in the northern area...maybe you can do a search and find it or someone will have book marked it and mention it here for you???