White-water rafting in Chiang Mai

If you love to experience exciting adventurous outdoor activities, pack your bags and head to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand! Some of the country’s most exhilarating white-water rafting is provided by the Mae Tang River.

A river rafting trip can navigate the gamut from a serene, tranquil floating trip, which gives participants the option to fully enjoy the jaw-dropping scenery to an adrenaline-pumping ride that you won’t easily forget. Just one ride is all it takes. No matter what kind of trip you choose, you are bound to get seriously hooked.

Like any adventurous outdoor activity, rafting has its risky moments. However, the commercial rafting organisers follow strict safety regulations and are very experienced in terms of safety measures on the water. Severe accidents are incredibly rare. The skilled guides enjoyed comprehensive water safety and first aid training.

Most dangerous is not following your experienced guide’s instructions on the river. The professional guide is familiar with all the obstacles that need to be tackled. He also has the skills to safely navigate every rapid. As long as the instructions are followed, rafters will experience a safe and rewarding trip.

Siam River Adventures

Bring along comfortably-fitting trousers and a T-shirt. Also advisable are sandals, which strap on fully. A towel may be handy if you wish to take a refreshing shower after the trip. The outfitter will provide all the essential safety gear.

The village of Bor Sang

Located within less than seven miles from Chiang Mai, Bor Sang is also known as the “Umbrella Village” and the many, just hand-painted, brightly coloured umbrellas that are drying in front of the numerous shops create a nice scenery.

The houses in the village are shops as well and besides umbrellas they sell many more handicraft products such as wind chimes, woodcarvings, handbags, jewellery, furniture and antiques.

The famous umbrellas are made from bamboo and Sa paper. It is truly rewarding to see how the skilled locals along the village’s tiny lanes create the country’s most famous umbrellas. For more than two centuries Bor Sang has been associated with the making of Sa paper umbrellas. Sa paper is made from mulberry tree bark.

At first the production of umbrellas was nothing more than a hobby that kept villagers busy after the annual rice crop. However, they also earned some extra income selling the umbrellas. More and more people wanted to buy the decorative umbrellas and in 1941 the villagers founded a handicraft cooperative.  

Thai handicrafts wholesale

Northern Thailand trekking tips

Popular trekking adventures usually last between two and seven days, taking participants on a rewarding trip through meadows, cool high valleys and lush forested mountains, and include visiting several remote and high-altitude hill-tribe villages for staying overnight.

Treks in general include a combination of transportation on foot, by river raft, by horse, by elephant and 4W drive truck. The Tourist Police, for the participants’ protection, should register every trekking. Avoid trekking and travel agencies that don’t abide this regulation. You should wear sensible clothes to protect limbs and sleeping under a mosquito net is essential.

The hill-tribe people’s religion, structures and symbols should always be respected and it is highly recommended to dress politely as inappropriate clothing might offend the villagers. Before making pictures of hill-tribe people, you should first ask for their permission. Some people don’t permit taking photos.

Avoid trading western clothes and medicines. Gifts such as textile, thread, needles, papers, pens and products that can be used for embroidery will contribute to the villages’ welfare and therefore are perfectly acceptable. 

Trekking can be really adventurous! 

Discovering Chiang Rai

Thailand’s northernmost province is Chiang Rai where the Mekong River creates a natural border with both Burma and Laos. The area where the three nations meet is known as the world-famous Golden Triangle. Chiang Rai boasts many mountainous regions that are covered largely with tropic rainforests.

Chiang Rai province is blessed with rich cultural diversity while the scenery here ranks among Thailand’s most stunning. Several hill-tribes and ethnic communities live in Chiang Rai such as the Mon, Akha, Shan, Karen and Lawa. Golden Triangle online guide

Additionally, Chiang Rai offers scenic boat tours on the Kok River as well as on the Mekong River, great sightseeing trips, hill trekking and elephant rides. Combine all these recreational activities and you’ll understand why Chiang Rai has become a popular and rewarding travel destination.

The provincial capital is a modestly-sized, laid-back and friendly city, with several fascinating Buddhist temples, lively markets, and interesting museums. Lodging options range from budget-friendly guesthouses to luxurious four-star rated hotels.

Northern Thailand’s climate

The weather conditions in Northern Thailand are influenced by the monsoon, creating three distinct seasons. Usually arriving from India in the last week of May, the south-west monsoon lasts until November. During September rainfall is in general reaches the highest levels with an average 250 mm precipitation. However, the wet season doesn’t mean drizzling for days on end.

Over the last three years the common pattern has been: bright mornings (with better visibility than in the dry season and mountain panoramas), cloudy afternoons and subsequent rainfall, dry evenings, now and then rainfall at night. Still, weather conditions are ruled by chaotic principles so it is possible that there are rainy days and cloudy skies for, mostly short and continuous periods.

Lasting from mid-November until the beginning of May, cool air from northern China and Vietnam arrives with the north-east monsoon but no rain. Only occasional showers of rain take place in Central and Northern Thailand in this season. The heat lasts from March to May with maximum daytime temperatures often reaching 40°C. Still, it remains quite cool at night and also the early morning hours can be enjoyable, while the evenings are balmy.

Northern Thailand’s air is less humid than in Thailand’s other regions year-round. This is the most significant reason why the northern air seems more enjoyable. Moreover, the difference between daily and nightly temperatures and between the different seasons is higher than in other provinces. Make sure to bring some warm clothing along if you’re planning to visit Chiang Mai during the winter season, particularly in December and January it can get chilly. In Mae Hong Son and Chiang Rai it will be even colder!

Frost in Northern Thailand

Thailand weather guide

An adrenaline-pumping attraction in Chiang Mai

Treetops and zip wires but strangely, no monkeys-await adventurers in the high-altitude experience known as Flight of the Gibbon. Unlike the thrill of bungee jumping that is sudden but short, the zip wire has participants for three hours hanging in the air. The adrenaline rush is endless!

Since its introduction, this unique attraction remains a huge success among adventurous travellers. Flight of the Gibbon features 15 lofty platforms connected by “sky bridges” and nearly 1.5 mile of zip wire across varied layers of the rainforest landscape. Gravity works overtime zipping travellers across the woods along the wires, to which they’re hooked with pulleys and harnesses.

If you visited the museums in Chiang Mai City, relaxed at Wat Phra Singh and explored the historic old town on foot, then it should be time for a reward by going wild in the pristine rainforest!

Flight of the Gibbon
 

Pai, a great backpackers’ destination in Northern Thailand

Pai in Mae Hong Son province offers a wide and varied range of recreational pursuits, which include:  motorbike trips, bamboo rafting, elephant back trekking and countryside walks. The mountainous landscapes and its location within close range to the border with Myanmar has resulted in several ethnic minority communities settle in this region and these hill-tribe villages may be explored by trekking adventures that often  strike out from the town of Pai.

In addition, several of the surrounding waterfalls are worthwhile to visit as well. White-water rafting has become increasingly popular and there’s the option to navigate on a raft nearly all of the way to the town of Mae Hong Son.

Mae Hong Son & Pai online guide

Pai retains a very active and vibrant Thai scene. Many people from Bangkok have purchased land here and constructed either resort facilities or private houses, trying to recreate what isn’t available anymore in Thailand’s bigger urban centres, creating an eclectic atmosphere.

Despite this development, Pai remains its small town feel but during the high season it can get very crowded with visiting tourists coming from every part of the world. So, if possible you should visit the town at the right time, trying to avoid the crowds in the peak season. 

In town you can find two ATM services. One is positioned opposite the bus terminal in front of Duang’s, while the other is available at Krung Thai Bank on Rungsiyon Road. The bank provides full currency exchange services and is open every working day from 08:30am until 16:30pm. Exchange services are also available at many guesthouses.

Chiang Mai general travel information

Nicknamed the “Rose of the North” because of the wide range of exotic flowers that grow in the mountainous region’s cooler climate, the provincial capital of Chiang Mai boasts many sites featuring unbeatable natural beauty.

For those wishing to get away from hectic Bangkok, Chiang Mai City and its surrounding area offers a historically fascinating and much calmer retreat. Thailand’s second most significant city offers a wide and varied range of historical, natural, cultural and gastronomic attractions along with many adrenaline-pumping outdoor activities, while there’s also plenty of entertainment for the children available.

Chiang Mai is truly one of Thailand’s most rewarding travel destinations and it is not surprising that thousands of international expatriates and retirees made it their home. The hospitable locals are friendly, helpful and famous for producing beautiful handicrafts, souvenirs, woodcrafts, jewellery, silk clothing and many more cheaply priced goods. The city attracts huge crowds of shoppers from all over the world, year-round. 

The city isn’t short of lodging establishments and every type of traveller will find suitable accommodation that suits his budget and needs. There’s a wide range of luxurious five-star hotels, tranquil resorts and budget-friendly guesthouses to be found here, making Chiang Mai one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations.  

Probably the most ideal thing about Chiang Mai for visiting tourists is that with limited effort and research it isn’t very difficult to find rewarding localities, which are easy accessible and located within just a short drive from the downtown area. Northern Thailand boasts superb landscapes and rural areas that make some unforgettable trekking and sightseeing tours.

Several must-see locations within a short distance of the city include: Doi Saket with its stunning mountain temple, the bohemian town of Pai in Mae Hong Son province, Chiang Dao, Soppong, Mae Salong and the world-famous and the mysterious Golden Triangle in Chiang Rai province.

Should I travel by bus or train to experience the scenic Bangkok to Chiang Mai route?

Today, it is rare to hear of a visitor who wishes to enjoy the drive, rather than hurrying to the destination. But if you stay on the ground and travel like most locals, there are huge savings to be made as well! You can pay only 518 baht for a first-class air-conditioned VIP bus versus 2,000 baht for a one-way flight ticket.

Bus or coach remains the most favoured way of transportation as they’re fairly regular, reliable and safe, taking approximately nine hours to reach Chiang Mai. There are a number of coach companies that operate routes between the Mor Chit 2 terminal in Bangkok and the Arcade bus terminal in Chiang Mai.

If you wish to travel during daytime, there are VIP services (spacious legroom but also pricier) and first-class coaches to choose from. Most of the coaches offer hostess services with a wet towel, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. In addition, the majority of the coaches feature DVD movies. However, the lavatory may start to smell after being on the road for several hours and therefore you should try to get a seat that isn’t placed near the toilet.

You should also bear in mind that the coach’s air-conditioning is normally set to “arctic”, so bring a sweater or light jacket along. Online you can conveniently make a ticket reservation in advance or via the call centre, 30 to 60 minutes before departure you should then pay at the counter.

From the main Hua Lampong Railway Station in Bangkok there are six daily trains leaving between 08:30 and 22:00 to the rail station in Chiang Mai on Charoen Muang Road. There are four different trains operating this route: the Sprinter, the Nakornping Special Express, the Express and the Rapid. You can choose between air-conditioning or fan, sleepers and seats. Also available is first-class, with two travellers to a sleeper cabin.

Depending on the type of coach, the voyage takes between 12 to 15 hours. At www.Railway.co.th you can find up-to-date timetables and ticket fees. Overnight sleepers are more popular but passengers on day services make a ride through some stunning scenery, much more spectacular than the roadside panoramas you get from the bus. Though the journey is longer, the train does give you the option stretching your legs with a stroll to the restaurant coach. You should a 30-minute stop at Kamphaeng Phet for lunch.

Chiang Mai travel tips for backpackers

The capital of the province with the same name, Chiang Mai located in the northern part of the country ranks as the second most popular destination in Thailand. However, regarding size the city doesn’t remotely compare to the national capital of Bangkok. Less populated and smaller sized, Chiang Mai offers plenty of things to do and see for tourists, with the lively downtown area crammed with golden temples, yummy restaurants and a great choice of markets, which are all smoothly accessible on foot.

If you love exploring Thai Buddhist temples, then Chiang Mai is the place to go to. The appealing and sacred mountain temple, Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep is the colourful collection of religious structures’ highlight and perhaps the city’s absolute star attraction.

Housing the acclaimed Chiang Mai University (CMU), the provincial capital has quite a cosmopolitan ambience with a vibrant entertainment district and some of the most delicious cuisine in northern Thailand. You won’t have a chance developing the slightest feeling of being hungry!

But most holidaymakers aren’t visiting Chiang Mai for the food, temples and not even for the pulsating nightlife scene. They are more likely attracted by the hill-tribe trekking options. For many years Chiang Mai has provided Northern Thailand’s ultimate trekking base - and while some outstanding tour agencies can be found mainly in the city centre, there remain several dodgy operators as well. Before venturing into the hinterland, doing some research is highly recommended.

Today, an increasing number of adventurers are opting to start their treks at farther destinations, such as Soppong and Pai in Mae Hong Son province, where the tourist crowds are more limited offering “authentic” travel experiences.