This is our 1st time there and we are not sure about the Temp. and humidity in late February and early March. Are we going to sweat perfusely or can we cope alright?

Do we need to pack lightly, wash things out, and buy what we may need there? Or Pack more to change clothes a couple times a day and be prepared for thing not to dry.

It will be considerably cooler than Bangkok - you might want a light sweater for early mornings and evenings. In our experience, laundry services were efficient, fast and inexpensive - not much need to wash things yourself.

OK, I’m sitting here in my study, there is a lovely blue sky and Doi Suthep, the mountain to the West of Chiang Mai, is clear and green. If I moved to the lounge I would be able to see the sun reflecting off the golden pagoda.

Wearing shorts and a t shirt, I’m finding it a little chilly; my thermometer is showing 21º (that’s 70º for those still living in the 19th century). It is coming up to 10:00 and the temperatures will rise, probably to close to 30º by mid afternoon. This evening you might need to wear something warmer if you are going down to the river.

It will be quite hot if you are out in the sun and you will definitely want air conditioning in a car.

We still have a light duvet on the bed and the early mornings can be quite cold.

Humidity is never a problem in Chiang Mai.

It should stay like this for the rest of February and early March, but it will be very hot by the end of March and the bedroom air conditioners will be running again for the first time since the end of October.

You certainly shouldn’t be sweating profusely, unless you try to do too much. As plummie says, laundry is not a problem. Unless you are going somewhere “smart” you probably won’t need to change clothes. You might consider what I do when travelling. After a day out seeing the sites or whatever, I shower back at the hotel and change into fresh clothes for the evening. Then I wear that outfit the next day. As generally we don’t do anything energetic in the evenings, they are still fresh enough to wear.

Any other queries, please feel free to email me at [email protected].

(Hit the old send button too quick) I did wash some things out by hand - including a cotton dress - and even if I put them outside around 5p they were dry in the morning. As for buying clothes - lots to choose from, as long as you don't need large sizes. Which I do - so I brought everything I needed. Enjoy your trip!

Thank you for all your helpful advice. We are total newbies at this and are clueless as to what to expect and pack. We will be there for 15 days. Again, Thank you all VERY MUCH!!!

Your more than welcome, I hope you have a great time here. You have really picked the best time of the year to visit.

Please email me if I can help at all.

Laudry at hotels is overnight and cheap, or you can take to local laundries, but as long as you are not staying 5 star then laundy is quite cheap, bring easy relaxing comfortable clothing.

trvlmnky, Chiang Mai is delightful. For restaurants, try the Whole Earth, and for something really special, the Grand Lanna on San Kampeang Rd. Our best dinner in Thailand, and the decor and gardens are stunning.

We will try as many restaurants as possible. Does the Grand Lanna on San Kampeang, and do many of the other restaurants in town have vegetarian (ovo-lacto, eggs and cheese) options?

I believe what was the Grand Lanna has now become the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi. Their accommodation prices are truly ridiculous; they make THE Oriental look like a doss house.

If the restaurant is serving the same food at the same prices as it was previously, then it is a somewhat overpriced restaurant serving westernised Thai food at inflated prices. However, it is convenient if you are in San Kampaeng, as there are not a lot of alternatives.

There are normally vegetarian dishes available at all Thai restaurants. Sorry, I don’t know how many of them have ovo-lacto, eggs and cheese options, but cheese is not normally found with Thai food.

Tangata, Actually, we learned of the Grand Lanna from one of your postings on this website, so I was surprised by your comments. Yes it is now owned by the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, but while the room prices at the hotel are outrageous (we did not stay there), we did not find the restaurant prices unreasonable, though they were on the high end for Chiang Mai. We thought the food was delicious (actually the best dinner we had in Thailand) with many vegtable and fish options, and the setting is beautiful.

The last time we went there we thought it was very westernized and expensive, although I agree that the setting is very nice and the service excellent.

Hi Tangata-
You are making me miss CM! (well, I missed my chance, didn't I?) I think CFW is confusing you and rhk-it was rhk who recommended the Grand Lanna. I said I hadn't even heard anyone in CM mention that restaurant, in any listing of restaurants, and I believe you had said that the food wasn't particularly good. I'm sure the setting is nice, however.

And trvl-the Whole Earth Restaurant (which is just a 5 min. walk from the Night Market-if that) should meet your criteria-they have an indoor restaurant and an outdoor pavilion eating area, and the menu caters to vegetarians. The food is okay-not great, however.

Hi Spygirl,

I think that I did mention the Grand Lanna once, just after it opened. We went back a couple of weeks after the soft opening of the Hotel and thought it had changed to suit the perceived needs of tourists.

When told the prices of the hotel one of our party asked, “Can I have a short time?” That nearly had us thrown out!

See you next year I hope.

Tangata-I keep trying to post, but, as usual, I can't!

re the Grand Lanna: Amusing! I'm sure they didn't get that remark!

If all goes as planned, I'll be there in Jan. 2006!

This was Tangata's post about the Grand Lanna in answer to a question about whether it was a "tourist trap."

Author: Tangata
Date: 06/15/2004, 11:51 am

Message: It is certainly not a tourist trap. It is quite a nice restaurant, the setting is extremely attractive, I believe that the owner was involved with the design of the Chiangmai Regent, now the Four Seasons, and the surroundings reflect this.

The food tends to be ?westernised? but is still quite good, the prices are high by Chiangmai standard,s but probably justified by the ambiance and the service.

We did not think the food was any more "westernized" than in any of the other places so many posters have recommended in Bangkok & elsewhere. If you haven't been there Spygirl, don't trash it. We also really liked the Whole Earth. Spygirl, what restaurants do you recommend in CM & elsewhere?

Spygirl-- when in January will you be in Chiang Mai? I just booked Baan Orapin for Jan. 1-14. Maybe we an meet.

Yes, maybe we can, Gloria, I should be there sometime in that time period (I can't say for sure yet) but we should be there at about the same time.

And CFW-as far as Whole Earth, I've been there a number of times-simply because it was convenient, and I like the atmosphere, but not because I found the food to be particularly good, it was just okay. Their pad thai was nothing special. I recommend it to people who are looking for a restaurant with a vegetarian emphasis.

I've also said a number of times that I did not find in Bangkok the food I'd been expecting to find-the best Thai restaurant that I've been to is still in Honolulu-Keo's. And Tokyo has a terrific Thai/Vietnamese restaurant in Asakusa that just blew me away. I've been eating Thai/Vietnamese food for well over twenty years now, so I think I've got a pretty good idea of what's good and what isn't. It's the type of place that S510 dined in that I'm looking for in BKK-very local.

As for Chiang Mai, I like the Gallery, and it is generally acknowledged (by talking to locals) to be one of their best restaurants.

I found the Whole Earth very pleasant and with decent food. I had an awful meal at Gallery. The food was ok but the service was the worst I've ever had in Thailand. The atmosphere was lovely but all in all I was not happy. I'd eaten there before and liked it better. Since so many people love it here I'll probably give it another try when I return.