Anybody gone here? Looking for rants and raves? Assume its not a top tier experience and just an add on, if time permits?

From my readings: The Mae Sa Valley - 20km NW of Chiang Mai. Elephant show (including rides), a snake show, bungee jumping and a nature park, as well as orchid nurseries. Most of attractions are packaged by CM tour operators as a half-day trip for 700B ($16).

The Mae Sa valley is an old day-trip destination. There is an elephant camp there where you can see a show and get a ride, plus several orchid / butterfly farms, gardens and other attractions. Most popular with the Thais is Mae Sa waterfalls, which are not particularly spectacular, but good for a short hike amid some nice scenery.

If you get off the main valley road, there are some interesting sights once you get up in the hills, where the royal projects has resulted in some beautiful farmed landscapes.

This is the standard but tourist route and there are far more interesting places in the area. I would NEVER go to that elephant show but would only go to Elephant Coservation Center or Elephant nature Park.

Bottom line-- I'd skip it big time.

Thanks for the inputs. I'll post a proposed schedule for our stay later.

Found some info here:

http://www.1stopchiangmai.com/what_t...mae_sa_valley/

Not sure what Gloriaf has against the elephant camp at Mae Sa. It's one of the few elephant camps I've been to where the elephants seem to be enjoying things as much as the people, despite the hoards of tour buses that can descend on it.

That said, most of the Mae Sa valley attractions have seen better days. Of the many things to see and do in the area, it would be low on my list.