gilawi01

For some reason my previous post of Thailand's must see's and do's disappear from the Fodor's site. So I'm trying to recall recommendations by Kathie, Bob, Hobbes and other helpful fellows who gave their opinions. I'm planning my first trip to Thailand on January or February 2006. From what I remember, Kathie recommended The Anantara Resort in Chiang Rai. How many days will I need for an elephant trip, Golden Triangle and some Hill tribes trekking? After staying at Chiang Rai, is it a must to go to Chiang Mai, or is it more of the same? How many days will I need for Angkor Wat in Cambodia? Is it to hot in February? Which hotel for around $100-125?
In Bangkok I will spend around 7 days (4 nights at some River Hotel and 2 or 3 nights at any good city center hotel near shopping areas. To this date the itinerary will look like this:

4 days in Bangkok.
3 or 4 days (depending on your suggestons in Angkor Wat area - need hotel recommendation.
4 to 6 days in Northern Thailand (could be divided in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, depending on your recommendations.)
4 days in Bangkok at city center hotel or apartment. (end of trip). Total trip - not including flights from US - will be 18 days. I plan to do the trip on my own but for Northern Thailand I will prefer an agent to organize the logistics of flights and transfers in that region. Need your recommendations on this too. Thanks again for all the help you can give.

KimJapan

Not disappeared...click on your name and all the posts you've contributed to will come up in the list. Your post of must see's was last added to May 18, 2005 so it's way down the list.

gilawi01

Thanks KimJapan, I've found it. Anyway I'm updating my trip, and have some new questions.

Kathie

I'd say to choose either Chaing Mai or Chaing Rai. Do you really want an elephant trip, or do you want to spend time with elephants at a conservation camp? The Anantara has it's own small elephant camp on the grounds and you can do mahout training there! Do you want an overnight trek or do you want to visit some villages? The answers to those questions will help you figure out how many days in Northern Thailand.

You'll need three full days to see the major temples at Angkor. If you are really interested in the temples, spend more time.

Your trip sounds great. I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

glorialf

I would spend 3 days in Angkor Wat. I would definitely include Chiang Mai. maybe 3 days in Chiang Rai area and 2 or 3 days in Chiang Mai area.

Gpanda

I suggest that you not get overly ambitious about an elephant trip. The rides are lots of fun, but don't spend more than two hours. The problem is that the platform on which you will be perched gets pretty uncomfortable. It's wooden and parallel to the ground. That means that when you go up a hill, you have a tendency to slide to the back. You end up holding on to the front to maintain balance. It's worse when you go down a hill because you need to twist to hold on to the back. It's amusing for a couple of hours, but that will seem like plenty.

gilawi01

Kathie: The mahout sounds interesting but my wife wants to ride an elephant too. Can it be done from the Anantara? When I mentioned trekking I was really thinking of visit the most interesting village in the area (if that's the right term to express it.) Regarding the temples in Angkor...are they so different from one another that requires all that time, or there are more things to do in Siam Reap?

glorialf: Can you elaborate why are you recommending a visit to Chiang Mai after visiting Chiang Rai?

glorialf

Chiang Mai is a city and has a fun night market, great cooking classes, lovely temples, good restaurants and fabulous crafts which you can watch being made. It's very different than the Chiang Rai area. I love both of them.

If you're not into temples you may find that 2 days in Angkor Wat is enough although I would recommend 3.l However there is not a lot else to do there that is better than what you can find in Thailand.

For elephants -- go to the Elephant Conservation Center in Lampang which is outside of Chiang Mai. You can spend as little as half a day there or as much as a week depending on your level of interest. If elephants interest you, this is the place to go.

Kathie

Sure, she can ride an elephant an the Anantara, but not do an elephant trek (over night trip).

Do some research on the temples at Angkor to decide what you want to do. I've very interested in the temples, spent a week there and could have spent more time. There are others who get "templed out." The consensus of the experts is if you want to see most of the mejor temples, you can do it in three full days. I loved visiting the so-called minor temples where we were often the only visitors. By the way, you can do an elephant ride at Angkor - we did and very much enjoyed it.

I recommend Dawn Rooney's book, Angkor as an excellent introduction to teh temples. You can also look at photos of my trip at www.marlandc.com

hobbes

I would second 4 days in Camb. Unless you take the early Am flight Bkk-Siem reap (which is really a killer) you will only get half the first day. Also, on the way back book a flight no later than 6 PM SR - Bkk. The temples all close then. The airport is closer to Angkor Wat . the main temple than to the hotel district so what we did is when we went back for lunch we packed up and loaded our bags into the hire car. We did our last viewing of Angkor Wat and the balloon ride (which is a MUST do to my mind) that afternoon then went directly to the airport. Works with check out times too. Hotels in SR - take a look at www.sanctuaryresorts.com - they have 2 properties, The Shinta Mani and Le Paix. I do not know rates for the latter. The Foreign Correspondents Club which opened recently is getting good reviews. We went to SR in Feb - pver Valentines day weekend actually. I have also been there in Aug. It is ALWAYS hot but Feb was better than Aug. Don't let the hear deter you - it is an experience of a lifetime!

gilawi01

Thanks to all of you. Kathie: I went to the marlandcd.com site you mentioned and that display of photographs of the Angkor Wat area is amazing. Thanks for sharing. I really want to spend a few days there but will be travelling with two older parents in their 70's and need to consider their interests too. Gpanda: thanks for your advice on the elephant trip. glorialf: thanks for sharing the Elephant camp info. I'm sure my wife will love it. Hobbes: thanks for your valuable information, will take in account when making plans for the trip.

Is not this the best travel forum of all? Thanks to all of you it is.

CFW

I think a stop in Chiang Mai is well worth at least two or three days. We were there at the end of January this year and the weather was perfect -- much cooler and less humid than BKK. I agree with Gloria about the Thai Elephant Conservation Center. It is about an hour south of Chiang Maiand definitely worth a day if you like elephants. Do a google search and you will find the web site. Also, Doi Suthep on a hilltop just outside of Chiang Mai was one of the loviest wats we visited. And the shopping in Chiang Mai is great. We bought beautiful celadon, carved elephants and a carved teak spirit house. We also enjoyed several restaurants in Chiang Mai. Based on recommendations of Kathie & Bob we plan to visit the Anantara near Chiang Rai next trip. Just didn't have time to do it all.

gilawi01

Looking for options on how to organize the North Thailand portion of my trip, I came across and 8 days tour prepare by a Chiangmai tour operator that look like this:

Day 1-Departing from Bangkok in the morning-arriving at Chiangmai (Khantoke dinner and hilltribe music & dances show at the hotel).
Day 2- Visit to Wat Doi Suthep and Handcrafit village.
Day 3- trip along the Kok River to Shan Hilltribe village, then visit Akha, Lisu and Lahu villages. Arrive at Chiangrai.
Day 4- Excursion to Golden Triangle and Maesai Border and return to Chiangmai.
Day 5- Chiangmai to Maehongson. Visit ethnic hilltribes of Lisu and Lahu villages, then visit to Lod Cave.
Day 6- Two hours elephant ride in Maehongson. Boat trip along Pai River and visit to Giraffe Women. Overnight
Day 7- Visit to Pra Thad Doi Kong Moo,Wat Phra Thad Kong Kam and Jong Klang, Fly to Chiangmai.
Day 8- Free day at Chiangmai, then fly to Bangkok.
Price p/p is around $750 to 875, depending on hotels chosen. What do you think of this itinerary? Too much hilltribes? Is the price ok? The tour will include plane tickets to and from Bangkok and Chiangmai-Maehongson, transers and entrance fees.

chicago999

I'm also in the throes of planning a trip of about the same length. We decided to go to Chiang Rai (anantara) for four nights, then spend one night at Angkhang Nature Reserve, then fly out of Chiang Mai the next day, obviously mostly skipping Chiang Mai. I prefer the countryside to shopping/citylife.

I was planning to get a guide from the Anantara for day trips in that area. Haven't figured out transportation to Angkhang and on to Chiang Mai yet.

Seems like it would be more efficient if you could fly into Chiang Rai and out of Chiang Mai or the other way around, rather than do the round trip on your tour. But I'll leave that to others to comment on...

gilawi01

Thanks Chicago999. What's interesting about the Angkhang Nature Reserve? Is Is it near Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai?

chicago999

It's north of Chiang Mai, near the border with Myanmar, from what I understand (but I haven't studied a map yet.) You can check it out at http://www.amari.com/angkhang/

We want to see the "countryside" and this seems to fit the bill, though we're only staying one night.
In an earlier post asking about my own itinerary I got a "yes it's worth a night" from Bob and another one or two people. It was recommended to me by a local (Chiang Mai) tour company called Wanna Tours. I heard about them through my own travel agent here in Chicago but don't know how to contact them directly, which is why I didn't give you their name before. Maybe you can find them if you are still searching for a local guide.

chicago999

Also fyi on another post Guenmai recommended getting a map from this source www.nancychandler.net You might want one too.