Drivers/guides
 

Does anybody know email addresses for good driver/guides at the anatara golden triangle, Hau Hin and Koi Samui, any sugestions on what to visit in these areas would be appreciated

John, we're also looking for a driver from the Anantara Golden triangle. When will you be there? Have heard that the hotel drivers are quite expensive, so am hoping to find some recommendations for other drivers in the area. Someone on fodors posted about booking a driver through People to People, but I did a google search and couldn't find them.

about a year ago there was a posting about a group of driver from CR who serviced anantara area....maybe you can do a search..

TRY: HE IS THE BEST!
Our driver was Sergeant Kai (pronouced Guy) and he speaks excellent English.
He can be reached at:
Phone: (6653) 249045 - 48 Ext. Chiang Mai in Action Tours (Office)
(6601) 7647230 (Mobile)
Fax (6653) 249099
Email: [email protected]
He responded to my email within 12 hours and I also called him on his mobile phone. He charges us 500 Baht per person per day, plus gas (one tank - 1300 baht) and his guest room for staying overnight with us - 300 baht). It turned out he grew up with the General Manager of Yaang Come Village Hotel and was very surprised to see her when he picked us up the next morning.

I think you might be referring to the posting I made about a year ago. I have cut and pasted the text below. Let me know if you have any questions about it.

Before I arrived at the Anantara, I asked them to send me a list of their recommendations of what to see in the area, and also the cost of a car, driver and guide for a private tour. The prices seemed really high so I did some investigating on my own.

I found a company based in Bangkok called People in Touch. I dealth with Vuddy Wannaprasert who can be reached on his mobile at 019803809 or 098516632 or by email at either [email protected] or [email protected]. He came back to me with some identical recommendations as the hotel, but at exactly half the price. He had additional informatioin waiting for me in the room when we checked in.

We ended up doing a whole day tour with a wonderful guide named Waew(female) whose excellent English, knowledge of the history and culture of the area and eagerness to customize the day to our interests were as good as any guide I have had in Asia.

Lindsey, Thanks. I will try him. What places did you visit in the area? Any particular recommendations?

thanks lindsey ....that is the one...

They offer all kinds of tours to see hilltribes (Hmong, Lahu, Karen etc.) and also trips to cross into Burma and see Shan temples, shop etc.
Since we had just done a trip to Sapa (far northern Viet Nam) we had already spent time with some of these same tribes. And we had a whole separate trip to Burma planned for later in the year.

So we focused our day on Doi Tung, , visiting the incredible botanical garden there, the arboretum, the Queen Mother's summer home (in the style of a Swiss chalet) and several of the craft projects she created to help the hilltribes get out of the opium business. We also made some extra stops along the way (photo op at the actual Golden Triangle, a temple in Chiang Saen, quick stop in Mae Sai to look around the shops on the way back, etc.)
Waew picked us up at Anantara around 8:30 and before we started, we spent some time discussing all the options, looking at a map of the area and deciding which route would be the most interesting.
We paid 1900B per adult and the kids (under 12) were half price. that included the whole day (we got back around 5pm) and lunch at a Thai restaurant at Doi Tung, across the road from the gardens.

please let me know if you have any other questions. If you email Vuddy, he will send you the whole list of what they offer.
One thing you do NOT need a guide for is the Opium Museum right across the road from the hotel. Definitely worth a visit.

CFW

We will be their 10th to 14th Feb, please let me know if you find a good driver and how your trip went.

I assume nobody has any recomendations for Hau Hin or Koi Samui

John, How are you doing with arrangements for a driver/guide. We've been in touch with Vuddy as Lindsey suggested, and it seems to be working out. We're also trying to arrange to have him handle transport from the airport in CR to the Anantara, but his prices for that are as high as the whole day trip to Doi Tung and Mae Sai! We're negotiating...

CFW

I have had a look at the hotels own day trip options they are very expensive £50 per person obviously a rip off about as much as a Thai earns in several months.

I would not mind paying if I thought the money helped local people but it goes to the shareholders of a multinational company.

I await a response from Vuddy.

may i suggest that you consider your own self driving car from the CR airport....it gives you total flexibility....driving is very easy with almost no traffic anyplace along the way...as the anantara is remote it gives you the chance to come and go as you please....there are very few roads in the northern area so it is almost impossible to get lost...the cost of a car for 4 days is about equal to one round trip via one of these people for airport to/from hotel...

avis and budget are at airport as i remember...

unless you are going to an out of the way village there really is no need for a guide....the sites are easy to find and touring is about as easy as it gets....

We have transport provided by our tour operator between our hotel and the Airport at Chaing Rai, how would we go about hiring a car fron the hotel area ?

do an on line reservation and ask that the car be delivered to the hotel---i am assuming you mean the chiang rai hotel....i'm sure they would do it....or make an airport reservation and call them upon arrival and ask for it to be delivered to the hotel....

NO we are staying at the Anatara at the Golden Triangle

is you question how would i hire a car from the anantara?? not sure it can be done....the car rental places are at chiang rai over an hour away....write and ask them anyways or ask the hotel...

the way i read your piece was that your tour director was leaving you at CR and you needed to get to anantara in a rental car....how would i get it to the CR hotel...sorry...

Are there no car rental facilities nearer the anantara, other than the hotel ?

i don't believe so but you should ask the hotel directly

the hotel is very issolated and there is not much tourist activity in that area....tourist infastructure i should say

We stayed at the Anantara on the Golden Triangle in April this year. We used a driver called Eric - very highly recommended!! He does homestays at his home near Chiang Rai, and also works as a guide - wonderful!
I can post his website address if you want to contact him.