We will be taking a two-week trip to Thailand this coming May. This is our first trip in that part of the world, so we are very excited, and at the same time a little concerned as we are not so familiar with the way things go. In the readings I have been doing, and the couple trip reports I read, it seems like hiring a driver is the way to go to explore Northern Thailand, specifically around Chiang Mai, the Golden Triangle, and the Hill tribes. I am having hard times however locating such drivers, can anyone here recommend an individual or a company? We are also interested in visiting Kanchamabari and the Tiger Temple, any ideas on hiring drivers from Bangkok for these destinations? Also, any recommendations for specific tours of the temples and palaces in Bangkok? Wow, I really do have many questions. Our plan is to spend most of our time in Northern Thailand, and three or four days in Bangkok. Any suggestions, recommendations are welcome and appreciated.
I have been to Thailand many times and have not needed to hire a private driver. I found that there are plenty of taxis and pedicabs around all the monuments in town and near the towns. Once I wanted to do a very special itinerary, and I just went to the travel agency attached to the hotel, specified that I wanted to have a private tour and a private guide. I got exactly what I wanted the next day. I don't remember the exact fee but it was reasonable even for budget-conscious me. (For your info, the travel agent was the one attached to the Golden Triangle Inn in Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. I recommend this nice hotel with traditional architecture bungalows. The well-reputed travel agency is not its only attachment. It also has a nice restaurant where Laotian musicians play during wkend dinners.)
I loved the visit of the hilltribes. It was fascinating and moving.
Some were quite poor. I remember one rather well-off one, with a school that has a yard, and some kind of health clinic. Turns out it was, well, controlled by Khun Sa. O yes, you will be passing by patches of opium fields. The villages are allowed to cultivate no more than their own consumption.
This is travelling at its greatest. Each tribe's costumes are astoundingly different. And the customs too. Some worship an animistic religion, while others are buddhist, and the Karen are Christian. A Meo guide once pointed out an old CIA secret air field. The jungle has pretty much swallowed that now, as nature swallows everything in the tropics.
The landscape - at least what I saw around Changmai and Chianrai - was beautiful, with terraced rice fields and a tropical green so green it is sort of blue. That is why I recommend walking, and not driving, in it. I hate to sound … racist (?), but I find the hilltribe people - who live a none too easy life - physically very attractive.
Yes I recommend a hike, if only for a day, to see the rice fields and poppy fields close up, and to walk into a village walking, not in a car. -- I know I know it is time-consuming, but maybe we slowtravellers like time-consuming stuff…
The things to bear in mind: - avoid visit in large groups, like an outing to the zoo. - maybe avoid the Akka tribes. They are reputedly very hospitable and are supposed to make a rat soup. - always ask your guide if it is ok to take photos. Some tribes do not want their pics take, for cultural or other reasons, and one should respect that. - if you feel like giving a donation in a village, give it to the person in charge of the school, or give common medicine like aspirin to the headman telling him it is for the village. I avoid giving money, fearing it is the start of corruption (am I wrong?). - May is the start of the rain season. Be prepared and remember: a good rain in the tropics feels wonderful. - In case you wonder, those places are extremely safe.
Wow, thanks Americana. I am getting even more excited(if that is possible)! We have never hired drivers before, but thought it would be more efficient than taking buses and such. We do love walking and hiking. Any specific regions your recommend for hiking? And have you been to the Elephant Conservatory Center in Lampang(?) outside of Chiang Mai?
I loved walking-hiking in the north, in the Golden Triangle region. I recommend one sort of touristy visit: the waterfalls, if only because a swim there is a great way to cool off.
I have been to Lampang but have not been to the elephant camp, but I have visited an elephant camp further north. Loved it. O if you ride an elephant, remember: - we are nothing, nothing to an elephant. We on its back is like a fly on our head. So if the elephant crashes into the forest, and they do, - it's no children's books' cliché, - you have to anticipate and duck and shield your head. The elephant does not say "excuse me" before demolishing trees or taking a 5-foot upward step with you staying on (or toppling off) its back.
Other than that, the Chiangmai-Lampang area is great landscape-wise and food-wise. A fascinating and very comfortable night train leaves in late afternoon from Bangkok and arrives Changmai in the morning. It is light years more fun than flying. Even train food is good. Or you can buy food from food vendors who rush to your window at every stop.
Lastly, local transport vs private driver. It should not surprise you that a slowtraveller would recommend … slow travel ! I have been to Thailand several times and have toured the same northern regions in a private car, and also in local buses and flatbed trucks and elephant-back. Taking local transport is so much more fun. En route to the village of Mae Salong, I was once on a truck sandwiched between some ducks and hilltribe children who had obviously never ridden a bus before and were getting sick, and I was trying my politest to avoid their getting sick over my luggage. In fact, slow travel, as usual, offers you a much more interesting glimpse of how the locals live. Also, fast travel does not make sense in certain Asian context. I was once on a expensive high speed boat zipping on the Mekong. Another time I was on a boat so slow that when we realized the river was too dried, we just hopped off and the water came to our knees, and the men picked up the boat and carried it to another part and we hopped on again. (Actually we could have abandoned boat and waded into Loas right there.) Guess which way was less polluting, less deafening, more fun? Lastly, the Thais are mainly buddhist and are extremely hospitable and helpful, so even if you can't read most signs, travelling is made very user-friendly and non-stressful. You'll have gobs of fun.
I came across Travelfish Asia site again today. They just published an article on 10 other treks besides Chiang Mai. I came across it researching Malaysia but they have no content for Malaysia yet so I didn't use it for planning our trip. It does look like a good resource for other SE Asian countries.
Among the 10 treks cited by the article, I highly recommend Chiang Rai and Mae Salong. Chiang Rai is not the most interesting town, but is geographically a good base to the Golden Triangle. Mae Salong is an enchanting hilltown. It is one of those towns where it is best to stay overnight in order to enjoy the town when it rebecomes itself in the evening and early morning, when all the daytrippers are gone. In fact the trekking experience that I had recounted was all from Chiang Rai and Mae Salong. One curio about Mae salong: the villagers have been encouraged to grow tea instead of youknowwhat. I had tried this green tea and thought it excellent. The tea has now become much sought after. Don't miss it.
Candi: my wife and I just returned from a three week trip to Thailand. The middle week portion of our trip involved taking the 'Old Kingdom Tour', which originated in Bangkok and was five nights in duration--one night each in Sukhothai, Chiang Rai, Golden Triangle, and two nights in China Mai, and included the flight back to Bangkok. A fantastic trip, arranged through World Travel Service, Ltd, www.wts.thailand.com These are small group tours, in fact the two of us were the only ones on this tour!
