Chiang Mai--where for massage? What cooking schools?
 

While in Chiang Mai in mid-October we would like to have a massage or two as well as an evening cooking course. I did a forum search for cooking schools, and nothing came up. The search for massage places brought up good recommendations for Oasis, but they date back to 07.

Does anybody have any recent experiences with either of the above that you would recommend? And if you've been someplace you would not recommend, I'd appreciate knowing about that too. We are mid-budget travelers.

Many thanks in advance.

IMO the massage prices at Oasis are now pretty much the same as the massage prices at the top hotels. In the past the massages at Oasis were good and competitively priced and that was how they became famous.

So nowadays for a good massage any of the top hotel spas or Oasis will be OK or good. I would choose a location that is close to where I am staying or perhaps even at the hotel where I am staying.

For a traditional Thai massage I would stay away from any spa as I deem the prices as way over the top. Normally a price of 500 Baht, inc tip, for a 2 hours session is considered normal.

@Hanuman.

Thank you for your input on the spas. I'm not sure if I asked the right question. When in Bangkok last time I had a hotel massage--over $100 US--and I'm not looking for this expensive a massage this time. 500 baht for 2 hours is within our budget.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I did a fantastic cooking class a few years ago at the " Chiang Mai cooking school" there are 2 locations go for the one at Sompons house... It's in a lovely sala slightly out of the city ( they pick you up from your hotel) great day and good fun.

Web for above is www.thaicookeryschool.com
As I said great day out and I think there are several types of cooking class ( although depends which day you want to go)
Hope that helps

Bo,

For a Thai massage try asking the hotel where you are staying and ask for an experience masseur. Ask for the price before hand and if they are asking around 400 - 600 Baht for 2 hours then I think that's fair. A 100 Baht tip is appropriate for a good session.

I second smeagols rec. for http://www.thaicookeryschool.com/ we spent days at the school and stayed at his house. The rooms there are really nice and the breakfasts are amongst the best I have had in twenty odd years of visiting Thailand. Unsurprising I suppose given that he is a chef!! However, I doubt that he does any evening courses

I've stayed at the guesthouse a number of times but Gap's seems to be even better known for the cooking school:

http://www.thai-culinary-arts-cooking-school.com/

Well rated on Trip Advisor:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...hiang_Mai.html

A Lot of Thai (http://alotofthai.com/) is often considered the best in class. I believe Yui has returned from the US, where she was brought over by several Asian restaurants to teach their staff proper Thai cuisine.

Great class and a lot of fun.

Has anyone done the dinner that is offered at Thai Cookery? It sounds good, but didn't see how to reserve on the website.

Yestravel, we did the dinner at Thai Cookery school when we stayed there. It was excellent! One of the best meals we had in Thailand in a long time. I am not sure if it is open to non residents but Ou could try emailing hem. They were very responsive when we

Thanks! Loving your TR in SA

Wow. The Thai Cookery School looks amazing, and if I were a better cook with more time to be in Chiang Mai, I'd be tempted to enroll in a course for sure. Thank you all for your responses.

Since there's so much to do and so little time.....we can devote only an evening session to the cooking school. My hope was (and is) for recommendations for a quality experience from someone who has recently taken such a course. There are many recommendations on Trip Advisor, but Fodors is always my fallback source for information. There's nothing like the back and forth connections that this forum provides. Therefore this post.

Once again, thanks to all who've responded. I appreciate the time you've taken.

@NoFlyZone: A Lot of Thai has a very enticing website and great reviews on TA. That would probably be our school of choice were they to offer an evening course or if we had even one extra day in Chiang Mai. Although I won't be able to act on this particular recommendation, perhaps others who read your post will and I'm sure they'll thank you for it.

I just looked up A Lot of Thai on Travel Advisor. Wow ... I knew from personal experience they were good but never realized they were #1 of 225 in CM! Well deserved!

Hmmm. How about suggestions for a cooking class in BKK.

In Bangkok? Blue Elephant has an excellent one. The Oriental has great cooking classes, but I think they are all a week long.

We had chosen A Lot of Thai for a cooking class years ago, but Yui was pregnant at the time and due about the time we were to be in CM, so was, unfortunately, not available.

NoFly, I find the reviews on TA of little value but the rankings absolutely worthless.

Well we will be there for a well so that's out. I was thinking more of one day, introductory kind of experience. Perhaps this is not possible. Guess iI'll play an extra round of golf!

Thanks, Larry.

We just took a cooking class at Baipai in Bangkok. baipai.com I highly recommend it. It was so well set up and the teachers were wonderful. The school was beautiful. We cooked 5 things and ate them all.

I'm looking on TA for a short course -- have identified 2 that have evening courses (3:30pm/4:00-8:00/8:30. Anyone hear of Galangal Cooking Studio (#4 on Chiang Mai activities) and Siam Rice Thai Cookery (#8)?

A Lot of Thai doesn't fit in with our schedule and these 2 seem to work in our time frame.

Thanks!
Paule