(+) Accomodation - budget to 4 star hotel, wide transport options (-) 10-12 hour train or bus from Bangkok, dirty streets & buildings (*) (On Ciao since: 07/2000)
incl. Breakfast - HRS Rating: /10 - Maninarakorn Hotel is a luxurious 4-Star Hotel. It is centrally located in the bustling city of Chiang Mai. Various...
Postage & Packaging: refer to website Availability: Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
excl. Breakfast - HRS Rating: /10 - The resort is ideally located in the tranquil Mae Rim valley, in northern Thailand. This superb property provides the finest...
Postage & Packaging: refer to website Availability: Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
incl. Breakfast - HRS Rating: /10 - The three-star Chiangmai Gate Hotel is located in the heart of Chiangmai City, within walking distance to the renowned Wua...
Postage & Packaging: refer to website Availability: Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
...Chiang Mai is one of the biggest cities in the North of Thailand and I?m lucky enough to have recently returned from there. I visited Thailand for a fortnight as a break from a trip to Singapore visiting relatives, and although I?ve been to Thailand before, this was my first trip to the North and to Chiang Mai.
I had spent 2 days in Pattaya before we set off on the journey up to Chiang Mai, that took a 2 hour trip to Bangkok and then a 16 hour coach ride to take us to Chiang Mai itself. To be perfectly honest, I was dreading this and would have then preferred to spend some more time in Pattaya but it proved worthwhile! Part of me was also quite looking forward to this leg of the trip too as I?d been told that Chiang Mai was a nice quiet retreat after spending time in the bustling atmosphere of Bangkok and Pattaya.
My first...
Celia86
07.08.2002 (10.09.2004) ·Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Chiang Mai (Thailand)
Advantages: Fitter, Happier, Cleaner. Disadvantages: The Overnight Train.
...Chaing Mai is the capital of the Northern Thailand province of Chaing Mai. With a population of just over 160,000 people it is the perfect urban getaway from the strangling density of Bangkok. The weather is also a little cooler than the capital and its centre is beautifully contained within a square moat.
There are a range of options available in getting to Chaing Mai from the capital. We took an overnight train which left Bangkok at 10 in the evening and arrived in Chaing Mai at 12 noon the next day. You can also bus it which takes around 12 hours. Many of the agencies on the Khao San road offer a VIP bus to Chaing Mai. The last alternative is to fly which would probably be best for those with limited time. Our single train journey cost us 500 Baht each (12 Euro).
ACCOMMODATION
We stayed in 2 guesthouses while in Chaing...
Advantages: Little pollution, friendly people, opportunities to explore the countryside Disadvantages: Not a big nightlife if you like that sort of thing, for some people a limited range of things to do.
...people where ever you go. Depending on your interests, you may actually find that after a few days that you have done all you want because it is a relatively small town but don?t let that sway you. Its still well worth going no matter what interests you have.
There is the usual heat but the air is much cleaner than Bangkok so you don?t notice it as much.
Update - Oct 2002. I managed to pay a quick visit to Chiang Mai coming back from Chiang Rai. The city centre is now as developed as almost every other tourist destination in Thailand and there seems to be even more souvenir shops round the night market area. All the usual suspect shops are now here including Starbucks, McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut and so on. It seems the price of progress is uniformity. It has spoiled the atmosphere of the centre somewhat as it is more more...
ultras67
04.08.2000 (11.07.2003) ·Read review
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Review of Chiang Mai (Thailand)
Advantages: Vibrant capital of the North, Scenery, Choice of activities Disadvantages: none
...Just because it hasn't got a beach, don't whatever you do put off a trip to Chiang Mai if you visit Thailand.
This place is the friendliest and most vibrant place in the whole of the Kingdom.
Its situated about 8 hours from Bangkok be it by train or coach.There are also regular flights direct from most of Thailands major cities. Once here it makes a perfect base for exploring the rest of the North, or to visit other countries such as Burma and Laos.
Places to stay are plentiful, and you'll find prices a lot less than you would pay down south. We stayed in an original thai teak house which had been converted into a medium size hotel. The place was spotless, with a swimming pool, restaurant, and all mod cons. The price was 250Baht a night!
Chang Mai is known as the cultural centre of Thailand.It has over three hundred temples...
Advantages: Great pool and breakfast buffet Disadvantages: Expensive Italian restaurant
...Highly recommend this hotel as a base in Chiang Mai. It is slightly out of town but depending on your interests that can be a bonus. Certainly if you have a family and don't want to be right in the middle of the city or the Night Market it is a great choice as a cheap songthaew ride will take you there in 5 minutes.
We have stayed there a number of times and would recommend you ask for a room overlooking the pool. The pool itself is excellent and the hotel also has a tennis court if you can play in the heat! There is also a Happy Hour at the pool bar (2 drinks for the price of 1) at 4pm.
Watch out for the Italian restaurant in the hotel - the food is good but it is (by Chiang Mai standards) expensive and there are so many great options elsewhere.
The rooms are comfortable rather than luxurious and we have found the staff to...
Advantages: good food, nice nature Disadvantages: -
...I am the one who like Chiang Mai, there are good food, good atmosphere, good sceneries, and good nature. I paid more for the accomodation to stay in the resort, out of the city in order to get close to the nature, I didn't feel sorry at all.
I had rent the bikecycle to go around the city and outside the city because it was so convenient. I certainly visited Pra-That-Doi-Suthep temple which is located on the top of the mountain. It was not easy for me to reach the temple, there were hundreds of steps that I had to climb up, anyway who don't want to experience these steps, there are also cable cars provided. Eventually, I reached the temple, I did not feel disappointed with my attempt. I looked down from the temple to the Chiang Mai landscape.
For the night life, there are bars and shops to spend some money. A famous one is Night...
Naryn
04.12.2000 (05.12.2000) ·Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Chiang Mai (Thailand)
Advantages: Unique world heritage site, species found nowhere else on Earth, love nuts in their natural environment, Garden of Eden??? Disadvantages: Gaggles of European tourists
...Praslin is the second largest of the Seychelles inner islands, a beautiful sleepy isle fringed with white sandy beaches and turquoise waters. What Praslin is most famous for however, is not its award-winning beaches, but the Vallee de Mai.
Situated in the heart of Praslin National Park, the Valle de Mai is one of the smallest natural UNESCO World Heritage sites. As the Seychelles are some of the oldest and most isolated islands in the world, the Vallee has remained a unique remnant of the primeval palm forest which once covered the ancient continent of Gondwanaland. Many plants here are endemic, and the area remained completely virgin forest until the 1930s, when the land was bought and "beautified", and many ornamental trees were added. These were thankfully removed when the government purchased the land in 1948, and the area was...
...Chaing Mai Zoo is located at the bottom of Doi Suthep and as a result is frequently stopped at whilst waiting for taxis taking people up to the far more impressive Doi Suthep Wat. The reason we went is because we had a spare couple of hours after visting the temple and were curious to see what the Zoo would be like.
First impressions are good with a modern entrance surrounded by forests which are the main selling point of the location. As it is set at the bottom of the mountain the whole zoo slopes upwards and is covered by thick vegetation in places. If you don't mind walking then I would certainly recommend going alone and not taking the train around the park as there are many secluded parts of the park which you may miss. The cost of the park is reasonable but there are individual parts of the zoo which require an additional fee...
Advantages: The trekking is the main attraction although Doi Suthep and the shopping are both appealing Disadvantages: More relaxed and less polluted than the Bangkok but still suffers from an abundance of touts and pollution
...Chiang Mai is the second largest city in Thailand and the 'capital' of the north, it was also my destination of choice in seeking to escape the horrendous pollution of the nation's capital. Northern Thailand and Chiang Mai in particular are mostly visited by those that wish to go trekking through the jungle and mountain regions that typify the area. This is not to say that Chiang Mai does not have attractions in its own right but I should mention that much of this opinion will be dedicated to trekking as it was my main reason for visiting.
Getting to Chiang Mai
As most people who travel to Chiang Mai do so from Bangkok I thought it might be useful to briefly discuss the options. Essentially the choice is between bus, train or plane for the 700km (420 mile) trip, with each having advantages and disadvantages. In my case a 13...
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