Extra Night In Luang Prabang Or Chiang Mai
 

Hello!

Due to flight schedules, I need to (more like I get to) spend an extra night in either Luang Prabang or Chiang Mai.

I am currently spending 3 nights in each so this would make 4 nights at one location.

I dont really know why but Im leaning towards Chiang Mai-what do you think?

Thank you!

Carrie

No question for me - Luang Prabang.

LP it my vote--100%

We have been to Chiang Mai and Luang Prabang and we would say Luang Prabang ,definitely. There is so much to see and do and a lot of it is within walking distance. We spent eight days there and still could have spent a few more.

Things to do in Luang Prabang:
Waterfall trips with beautiful turquoise pools for swimming (there are changing rooms).
Elephant rides (we did not do this but I saw it advertised).
Lots of boat trips (to caves or to watch the sun set)
Dance Theatre-three performances per week.
Night market-lots and lots of things to buy.
An early morning walk to watch the monks receive rice.
Temples, temples and temples.
Shopping – You can buy weaving, bedspreads, table runners, mats jewellery, bags, scarves,lampshades, pictures, wall hangings, slippers and hand made paper.
Cookery School –
A visit to the main (non tourist) market- a short tuk tuk ride out of the main town (ours was included in the cookery course at Tum Tum Cheng).

Best wishes,

Gill and Tony.

I don't KNOW! We LOVED them both. We had 4 nights in Chiang Mai and 3 in LP. I loved the atmosphere of LP more, but we found much to do in CM to keep us fully occupied. In CM, we spent our first full day wandering the town, seeing wats, just strolling. The second day we hooked up with a guide who works for Sergeant Kai and did a bamboo raft ride, followed by a visit to an interesting market, and then a trek to a non-touristy hill tribe village. That evening we had a cooking class with A Lot of Thai. The next day we went to the Elephant Conservation Center near Lampang, stopped in Lamphun, and finished with Doi Suthep, concluding the day at the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center for dinner/classical and folk dance. Everything was wonderful. In LP, we spent our first day walking around, seeing some temples, and taking an afternoon trip up the Mekong. Our second full day, I saw the morning alms-giving then climbed up Mt. Phousi. We also went to the National Museum (don't miss it) and took a trip to the waterfall. On our final morning, I went bike-riding. I could have EASILY spent more time there, but we also EASILY filled all of our time in Chiang Mai. I think it's a toss-up. CM has tons to do (maybe more than LP), but for atmosphere, the edge definitely goes to LP. You'll have a wonderful time either way.
In case you missed it :-) here's a link to our trip report in February. It provides lots of details and may help you decide...

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34762799

Here are my photos:
http://kbutler8.photosite.com/

You will have a wonderful time!

Karen

No question - Luang Prabang. After 2-1/2 days in Chiang Mai, we were ready to leave. As indicated in postings above, there is plenty to do in LP.

Craig:
What didn't you like about CM? We were planning a trip there and am interested in your opinion.

Aloha!

What a nice decision to have to make! They are both lovely places, but in response to your question.......

No hesitation - Luang Prabang. It is such a lovely laid back place that to really appreciate it, you need to have time just to relax into the pace of the place. The main drag in LP is a place to sit in a cafe or restaurant and people watch. We spent over a week there and could have stayed for much longer.

HT - its not that we didn't like CM - it is definitely worth a couple of days. Wat Doi Su Thep and the handicraft villages on the outskirts of town were highlights not only of Chiang Mai but of our first trip to Thailand as well. We also enjoyed the elephant camp, the orchid farm and several smaller wats but once we were done with that, there wasn't much else to do...

Note that this was in 2000 - things may have changed...

Bottom line... LP is a much more special place today than CM.

If you want to chill out and just absorb the place you are in LP. If you want to shop CM.