October 13, 2007
Great day or overnight trip from Chiang Mai
One of the great things about living in Chiang Mai is the road trips. There are a ton of short trips in all directions from Chiang Mai. I'm steadily working my way through the list. For my boyfriend's birthday we decided to head north. Our first stop was Chiang Dao, about an hour to an hour and a half (depending on how you drive or who you get stuck behind) north of Chiang Mai. The drive is as equally scenic as the destination, with a good two-lane road winding its way up through the sleepy mountains that characterise northern Thailand.
Chiang Dao is a lovely little town set next to a spectacular limestone mountain that rises sharply out of the surrounding countryside. It's a sleepy little town and definitely not the place to go if you're looking for full-moon style mayhem. The allure of Chiang Dao rests in the setting and enjoying the quiet lazy atmosphere. There are a few things to do, mostly revolving around nature. There are some caves that you can visit in the mountain, some of which are reputed former homes of famous hermits. There is also a "nature reserve" area where you can walk around and enjoy the scenery. For those more hardcore, there's trekking to be had in the form of scaling the giant limestone rock mountain. Though I seem to remember that there is also the possibility of driving. Like many places in northern Thailand, there is also an elephant camp and conservation centre. I don't know a lot about it, so I can't vouch for it either way.
We stayed in a very local big Thai style resort. It was very reasonable, with our large private bungalow only being B350 a night. The resort was called Rim Doi and is just past Chiang Dao on a road off to the left. There were signs leading there, so not too much of a hassle. As I said, the resort is very Thai, so most of the people that work there don't speak English. A bit of basic Thai language goes a long way at places like this.
The next day before we went on to our next destination, Mae Salong, we stopped for lunch at the famous Chiang Mai Nest. This is a great little locally-owned resort, but a little more upmarket. I believe about B800-1000 for a room. Maybe more in high season. The owner is a Thai woman who worked as a chef in London for some time. And it shows. The food is AMAZING! It's a bit expensive, but you definitely get what you pay for. This may not be as alluring if you're just passing through and Thai food is still a novelty. But if you've been here a while and have a hankering for things with pesto, goat cheese, rocket, prosciutto and other yummy stuff, then this is a definite must-eat place. For those travelling on a higher budget or if you want to treat yourself to something reasonable, then the Chiang Mai Nest is a great choice. Everyone I know in Chiang Mai "escapes" to the Chiang Mai Nest once in a while and highly recommends it. In addition to the delicious food and hospitable owner, the setting is breathtaking, with a first row view of the limestone mountains and an abundance of beautiful old trees.
Chiang Dao is a lovely little town set next to a spectacular limestone mountain that rises sharply out of the surrounding countryside. It's a sleepy little town and definitely not the place to go if you're looking for full-moon style mayhem. The allure of Chiang Dao rests in the setting and enjoying the quiet lazy atmosphere. There are a few things to do, mostly revolving around nature. There are some caves that you can visit in the mountain, some of which are reputed former homes of famous hermits. There is also a "nature reserve" area where you can walk around and enjoy the scenery. For those more hardcore, there's trekking to be had in the form of scaling the giant limestone rock mountain. Though I seem to remember that there is also the possibility of driving. Like many places in northern Thailand, there is also an elephant camp and conservation centre. I don't know a lot about it, so I can't vouch for it either way.
We stayed in a very local big Thai style resort. It was very reasonable, with our large private bungalow only being B350 a night. The resort was called Rim Doi and is just past Chiang Dao on a road off to the left. There were signs leading there, so not too much of a hassle. As I said, the resort is very Thai, so most of the people that work there don't speak English. A bit of basic Thai language goes a long way at places like this.
The next day before we went on to our next destination, Mae Salong, we stopped for lunch at the famous Chiang Mai Nest. This is a great little locally-owned resort, but a little more upmarket. I believe about B800-1000 for a room. Maybe more in high season. The owner is a Thai woman who worked as a chef in London for some time. And it shows. The food is AMAZING! It's a bit expensive, but you definitely get what you pay for. This may not be as alluring if you're just passing through and Thai food is still a novelty. But if you've been here a while and have a hankering for things with pesto, goat cheese, rocket, prosciutto and other yummy stuff, then this is a definite must-eat place. For those travelling on a higher budget or if you want to treat yourself to something reasonable, then the Chiang Mai Nest is a great choice. Everyone I know in Chiang Mai "escapes" to the Chiang Mai Nest once in a while and highly recommends it. In addition to the delicious food and hospitable owner, the setting is breathtaking, with a first row view of the limestone mountains and an abundance of beautiful old trees.
Bucolic beauty
The road north of Chiang Dao
Our wheels
Mountain scene with rolling fog
Mountain scene with rolling fog
Mountain scene with rolling fog
On the road
The Chiang Dao Nest resort
Country view
Spirit houses by the roadside
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