Chang Mai or bust

[2psquared]

Did the massage with my wife, room for two. Great massage place above the McDonalds believe it or not. Go down after and have a happy meal. Starbucks is across the street. Almost a perfect corner of the world. Happy ending was reserved for later. One of the cool part of the city is that we felt safe to walk and the small cabs, I think they were called TUT TUT, not sure are $1.50 to ride anywhere in the city. Tip them a dollar and they will be yours for the day. Wonderful place

 

[scubaju]

hey susie,
you've got to see the elephants.
i know it's a bit 'touristy', but i had a great time there!
i think i spend all my money buying the sugar cane and bananas for the lovely giants!
got a great picture of my friend with a muddy crotch on his trousers!
one of the elephants grabbed the 'wrong banana'!
would love to post it here, but he will kill me!
it was a great 2 hours!

 

[scubaju]

on the caution side
we had 3 massages, and one place (incedentally the most expensive) was dirty and the massages were really bad..
like why would i pay for someone to touch and tickle me for an hour!
i can't remember the name of that place, will ask my friends, if i find out, i will mail you the place to avoid

 

[scubaju]

Also, i wasn't impressed with the night market.
the stalls on the streets were selling typical touristy fake t-shirts and penknives.
there was like an acade on the right hand side about 1/3 way down the market, if you go with the one way traffic that had some more interesting crafts stuff.

if you like to venture into more 'local' feel, i would recommend you go to the day market which is very near to the night bazzar, (vaguely-top of the night market street, turn left down a little , cross the road and turn right). VERY local, but i found the local good very interesting and took lots of nice pictures there.

 

[Luko]

As usual, you ScubaBoarders always have such great info!
We will have about 4 days in Chaing Mai. Definitely will get a few massages....just not into the "happy endings" I have heard about! The hillside tribes sound fun. Isn't there a river near there that you can bike next to? Really scenic? Mekong or something like that? I think I saw it in a Lonely Planet Guide. Tell me more about this Snake Show...and where is it? Sounds funky!
Thanks again,
Susie

Even in four days, you can both do the Mae Hong Son/Pai loop from Chiang Mai and stay half a day near Chiang Dao on the return to get to see the hill tribes... I advise north star tours in Chiang Mai, it's located on ThaePae road, facing the entrance gates of old Chiang Mai, almost in front of Ratana's Kitchen. they have good drivers/guides and can arrange you two days tour to Mae Hong Son for something like 60-70USD per day for an individual comfortable aircon car with driver/guide (ie. no bus and tourist traps). Then you ask them for hotels.

As for the snake show, it's located near the orchid, crocodile, elephant, butterfly or anything farms you have north of Chiang Mai. You'll learn how to catch a cobra with your mouth ...

Someone mentioned the golden triangle : I think that's complete waste of time, very very touristy, and Mae Sae is only good if you want to follow onwards to Burma and Kyaing Tong.
Another very pleasant spot is Mae Salong a chinese kuomintang origin village famous for tea picking, very nive to spend a night there, cool atmosphere.

As for food, don't miss in Chiang Mai the restaurant called Heuan Phen, quite difficult to find at night, in a very dark road inside old Chiang Mai, but outstanding when you come inside, both for the premises and typical northern food. Many mid/upper class locals eat there, and it's about 5 times cheaper and classier than the flashy restaurants on the river... that you can easily bypass.

Looking for a not-quite-cheap but lovely hotel, typical from Chiang Mai classy furniture taste, it's a walking distance from the better temples : go to Tamarind village

 

[bubblemonkey]

It is possible to do a day trip to Chiangrai

you could go to Chiang Rai but its just a smaller Chiang Mai which is just a big dirty city, if you want to chill out for a couple of days get a jeep to Pai and chill by the river.

 

[Scuba Susie]

Some great replies gang~~~~~many thanks!

Has anyone rented motorbikes/scooters and driven up Doi Suthep to the top? Is it scarry? Is it hard? And is it expensive? We wanted to stop and see the waterfalls along the way too! Any worries of leaving our scooters at the falls and walking away to see the sights? Do they come with locks or anything? Lonely Planet says we should take a picture of our scooters at the rental place before we drive them away so they can't claim we damaged them or anything. Any other info would be appreciated!
I think we will be staying in Chiang Mai and doing day trips from there. I still want more info on where this "Snake Show" is and how you pick up a cobra with your mouth! WILD!
Is there a place where you can ride elephants...let me re-phrase that. Is there anyplace where they allow you to DRIVE elephants? Not sit in those little baskets up top but get right behind the ears and yell, "Hut Hut"?
Thanks again,
Susie

 

[jiveturkey]

If you're going to be up north in the dry season with limited time, you might want to give the waterfalls a miss and do one of the many other things available. You might find that the beautiful fall is just a trickle.