Chiang Rai and extra pics

  Chiang Rai, Thailand
Friday, December 29, 2006

Kanchana, the kids (including Khun Yai) came up to Chiang Mai after I finished my volunteer work.  We spent some time in Chiang Rai and then looked at the floral exhibition in Chiang Mai before flying home.  That was the first time for the kids to go on a plane.

I will add more pics over the next few days.

009 Kanchana at Wat Phra Keow in Chiang Rai

Trip details:
You can get to Chiang Rai by plane or bus (or combination of plane or train to Chiang Mai with then a bus or plane trip to Chiang Rai).  I like the overnight train trip to Chiang Mai which from Bangkok costs about 800 Baht and takes about 12 hours.  A bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai takes 3.5 hours and costs between about 80 - 250 Baht depending on the class you take.  You just go to the bus station and get a ticket there, buses leave pretty much every hour.  Plane trips - look up: Thai airways : http://www.thaiairways.com/
Air Asia : http://www.airasia.com/site/en/home.jsp
Orient Thai : http://www.fly12go.com/en/main.shtml

In Chiang Rai town I styed in Orchid Guesthouse (1012/3 Jedyod Rd, Tel/Fax 053 718361, mob 0815951994) which was cheap (350 Baht for fan room) and neat, clean and comfortable.  It is close to Jed Yod temple on Jed Yod Rd, a 5 minute walk from the Night Bazaar and Bus stop.  Only disadvantage is that that rd has many bars and massage shops at night, and so you need to be prepared to be asked hundreds of times whether you would like a massage as you walk from the guesthouse.

003 Wat Jed Yod

Outside of Chiang Rai town we stayed in some really nice huts that you can see in the photos.  They are next to a Huai Mae Sai waterfall and Baan Jalae, which is a predominantly Lahu village that has a hilltribe museum and a video explaining the current situation of the hill tribes.  The huts cost 400 Baht per night and you could also conduct elephants riding from there for about 300 Baht an hour.  The phone number for these huts is 053607467 and 0861153547 for the elephant owner.  There is a couple of places to buy food next to the huts.  There isn't a lot of English spoken in this area, but you'll get by. 

021 We stayed in these for 1 night

For motorbike rental most guesthouses seem to be able to arrange that.  For car rental I used Polsak car rent run by Somnuek Polsak mobile 0895601851, 0865869139 or phone 053711586, www.tourismchiangrai.com/cutomer/ps-car-rent/  email:ps_carrent@hotmail.com
The costs obviously depend on the type of car, but I initiall made a costly mistake of hiring from another more well known company name, who charge me a lot extra and then sent me across the road to pick up the car from Polsak car rent, where they were renting it from.  He is on Phaholiothin Rd opposite the Wiang Inn Hotel.

Oh and in Chiang Mai I stayed at Lanna Thai Guesthouse as usual which is close to the night bazaar, cheap and OK, and with good staff and good food.  It prices change depending on the season.  www.lannathaiguesthouse.com, at Soi 6 Loi Kroh Rd, Chiang Mai, telephone 053 275563, email Lannathai_GH@hotmail.com, fax 053 820391