we have a week in northern thailand planned in october. 2 nites at tamarind village, then no plans for the remaining 4 nites. we are wishing to experience thailand off the beaten path. mae hong son sounds great as does the golden triangle area. tribe villages, elephants, river (especially the mekong) areas are intriguing.
any recommendations or suggestions will be much appreciated.

ttt

I stayed at the new Anantara resort in the Golden Triangle in November right after they opened. I posted a report on my stay you'll find with a search. Bob also stayed there recently. It gets rave reviews. Consider that as an potion.

anantara is very nice....i'm not sure what you would do on the river....it is not too attractive...the area is relaxing but has very few tourist conveniences...that's why i suggest the anantara....
there are things to do however...you can also cross over to myanmar and laos but i think that is quite limited in scope..

hi all....
i dont think you read my post correctly...
not looking for hotels...we want experiences.

which area has the most to offer....hill tribes,
scenery...authentic thai living...not just resorts.

CFW :::: what is ttt ?
to the top?

yes. Wanted to put your message back up to the top because I am interested in the same thing. While the Anatara sounds like a lovely resort, I think that the area around Mae Hong Son may have more interest and more natural beauty. We've pretty much decided on MHS, and the Fern Resort there, which has a beautiful setting and seems like a very Thai experience, but wanted to get more opinions. Look at posts from Lyndie on this site. Make sure to let us all know what yo decide & also post when you get back.

I think Fern resort would probably suit you, try this link to get an idea of what's available in Chiang rai and also Mae Hong Son areas.
http://www.chiang-mai-hotels.itgo.co...ai_hotels.html

Experiences at the Anantara: fabulous cooking classes; working with the elephants (on-site); day trip to Doi Tung; boat rides on the Mekong (can stop in Laos or go to Burma, but not really a sample of the country); world-class opium museum (walking distance); interesting temples and temple ruins in Chaing Sean. The Anantara is quite luxurious, with a wonderful spa.

Lyndie has described the Fern Resort elsewhere.

PS - There are more adventuresome treks that can be arranged from the Anantara as well as full day trips on the Mekong. I did not try these, however.

I haven't stayed at either hotel but have spent time in both areas and loved them both. Plenty to do in both areas.

Glorialf, Can you describe some of the differences between the two areas & some of the things you did in & around Mae Hong Son in particular? Thanks!

Kathie. I have a question for you. Bob hss suggeted that we rent a car in Chang rai to drive to the Anatar anad around. Did you do the same? If not what was your experince?

DianaS, I did not rent a car. I had the Anantara provide transport to and from the airport. We engaged a car and driver for one day while at the Anantara to do the things we wanted to do away from the resort (Doi Tung, temples in Chiang Sean, etc.) I prefer not to drive on my vacations and let someone who knows their way around do the driving. That way I am able to just enjoy the scenery.

KAthie:
Thanks for your comment. Sometimes we drive but we are kind of clueless regarding Thailand since it is our first time and also about getting lost in an strange language.
Shall we contact the hotel for pick up or do we hire it at the Shang Rain airport?
Thanks for all your words.

Diana

Contact the hotel for transport.

DIANAS- In Thailand all major traffic signs etc are in Thai & in English. We used maps in Chiang Mai, Pai, MHS with no problems. It is the roads in the north that are the problem! Have a great trip.

it is almost impossible to get lost in the golden triangle because there are so few roads...

has anyone spent any time in tha ton? anyone done the river trip to chiang rai from tha ton? are there any padaung villages in the area or are they only in mae hong son?