Golden Triangle/Chaing mai
 

We are flying into Chaing Mai for 7 days. Interested in seeing the Golden Triangle. Anyone have suggestions for tour guides? We are interested in outdoor activities. Hiking, ATV's, walking etc. Want to explore more than Chaing Mai.

Take a look at ChiangMaiTours.com. We have used Sergeant Kai's guide services on two separate trips and were pleased both times.

The Goilden triangle is a 3 1/2 hour ride from Chinag mai. You might want to consider staying in Chiang Rai for 2 or 3 days. There's plenty to do up there.

thanks gpanda for you reply.

We too used Sgt Kai for our 5 day trip to the Golden Triangle. He was a wonderful guide and arranged all our hotels etc. Not sure of his E-mail address but i 2nd reccomendation. If you do use him please say hi from Chris

its easy to plan on your own... just rent a car for self drive---all very easy..

I don't want to steal from this thread, but I'm still working on the same question as the origal above -- only for 6 nights. I'm still unsure of the car thing. A week will seemingly cost me $250 minimum including the taxes and required insurance, and not including gas. So it's not cheap. How many taxis or even full day drivers can you get for that amount? Meanwhile not everyone agrees that driving there is carefree OR easy, especially for someone who has NEVER driven on the left. Are the cars right hand drive there? Or are you driving on the left with a left hand drive car?

But I'm still tempted. Maybe fly into Chiang Mai and then immediately take a bus to Chiang Rai for two nights. Perhaps rent a car there for four days and go to the Golden Triangle for two nights, then drive back to Chiang Mai and dump the car for the final two nights? Or should I rent a car on arrival in Chiang Mai and drive to Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle then back to Chiang Mai? What do you think? (The flights are already set in and out of Chiang Mai.)

Neo, Bob likes renting cars. Not everyone does. I wouldn't do it because I just want to relax and enjoy, spend my time looking at the scenery rather than navigating. I don't know current rates for a car and driver, but I would guess it's in the vicinity of US$50 a day in that area. So using a combination of buses and car and drivers would less costly than renting a self-drive car.

I have done some research and I think we have decided to base ourselves in Chaing Mai for the the entire time and take day tours. Yes, I know they will be very long days but don't like moving from hotel to hotel and unpacking many times. Now to find a place to stay in Chaing Mai.

We're flying BKK/CEI, then a weekly rental, economy car, from AVIS using Costco for 6,300 Bhat (US$30./day) all in, except petrol.

After, we will likely take the bus to Chiang Mai and later, a flight to HKT.

For our way of traveling, in the majority of situations, alway, ALWAYS, go with your own transportation (or some combination) whenever possible.

Great Thailand GPS maps at http://rotweilermaps.com/maps.cfm

both the car rental and car with driver should be way under $50 per day...

neo---- look at budget thailand car rentals or some other major car companies...

how about rat's sister?? people loved her??

Personally I think you should split your time between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. There is an inexpensive bus you can take between the two cities and then you can hire a guide from each, or in the alternative, hire a guide and car to take you between both cities and to show you the sights. You cannot do Chaing Rai from Chaing Mai as a day trip.

I highly recommend that you stop in the sometimes missed White Temple just outside of Chiang Rai. It is very unique.

Also, try to plan on being in Chaing Mai on a Sunday as the weekend night market is incredible. I have never seen such throngs of people in my life.

rhkkmk, yes you're right. Under $50 a day --about $42 with taxes to be exact seems to be the best I can find -- that's how I got the $250 for a week I mentioned above (plus gas of course).

dgunbug, I definitely plan to stay in both Chaing Rai and Chaing Mai. I was thinking of also staying a night or two right up in the triangle like maybe at Maekek River Resort.

Gpanda - which trips did you do with Sargeant Kai and did you find all those services to be needed? Or is it possible to just take a bus between the two cities?

When we went to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai two years ago, we used Tony, a wonderful guide we found through another guide (Jermsack - who had been recommended to us by others, but who was busy). Tony had previously been Jersack's driver, but has gone out on his own as a guide. His English was fabulous and his personality charming. To us, he was as endearing as Tong was when we spent time with her in the Bangkok area. We only used Tony in Chiang Rai, but he indicated that he is available for touring throughout the region, including Chiang Mai. I would not hesitate to recommend him as a wonderful guide. He was wonderful in his interactions with the local tribal people and had a warmth to him that makes him very special. The email address I was given at the time was [email protected]. His tel/fax number is 053-744762 and his mobile phone is 081-9985769.

a_traveler99.

Check out Doi Mae Salong. It's beautiful up there, we thought. And peaceful around the temple.

Neo,

<i>Maybe fly into Chiang Mai and then immediately take a bus to Chiang Rai for two nights. Perhaps rent a car there for four days and go to the Golden Triangle for two nights</i>

If you're still thinking of a self-drive, you could just fly to Chiang Rai, rent the car and drive it to Chiang Mai to leave it. That's what we did. Saved backtracking.

The driving in that area actually seemed to be fairly easy, although it is also inexpensive to hire a car and guide.

Clifton, thanks for the suggestion, but I'm flying into the area from Luang Prabang, so flying into Chaing Rai wasn't an option. The flights are set to fly into AND out of Chaing Mai.

I guess my main question is still should I spend two nights each in Chaing Mai and Chaing Rai plus 2 nights elsewhere further up -- maybe Doi Mae Salong? Or should I just make in three nights each in the two more major cities (Mai and Rai)?

My husband and I were just in Thailand and used Smiling Albino tour company - www.smilingalbino.com

We found it very affordable, and flexible since it was a private tour just for us. The guides were knowledgeable and very nice and we had a great time. I know they have tours for both Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai (and probably in between).

We stayed at the Ratilanna hotel close to the city, and we really liked it. But, in terms of accomodation, it depends on your budget.

a_traveler, I just found the Vieng Mantra Hotel -- a Superior Room with balcony is only $50 a night on Agoda (about half of the hotel's website. This is a very new hotel of only 20 rooms built around a pool and looks fantastic, with only great reviews on TripAdvisor.
Check it out. It's in the city walls where I would want to be. I'm planning on it, if I can just decide to do three nights each in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, or if I'll only do two each, and then do two nights somewhere else in the Golden Triangle.

NeoPatrick, Looks like a great little hotel. Thanks will check out the price for the dates we are looking at. Are you driving between the cities or are you hiring a driver?