Visiting Northern Thailand – First Stop Chiang Mai


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This post is part of a larger trip report from my 17 day trip to Thailand (Krabi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Bangkok) and Hong Kong!

  1. Using Miles to Book Flights on American Airlines Home from Hong Kong
  2. Using Miles to Book Flights on Continental to Thailand
  3. Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort Review
  4. Thailand Beaches Day 1: Phi Phi Excursion
  5. Thailand Beaches Day 2 & 4: Railey Beach
  6. Thailand Beaches Day 3: Hong Island
  7. Massages and Dining in Ao Nang, Krabi
  8. Northern Thailand – First Stop Chiang Mai
  9. Three Day Trek and the Golden Triangle
  10. Spending New Years Eve in Chiang Mai
  11. Wandering Around Chiang Mai
  12. Le Meridien Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai Hotel Review
  13. Aloft Bangkok Hotel Review
  14. Temples, Activities, and Dinning in Bangkok
  15. Renaissance Hong Kong Harbour View Hotel Review
  16. Things to do in Hong Kong
  17. A Day in Macau

We left Krabi early in the morning and took a taxi to the Phuket airport. Air Asia has direct flights from Phuket to Chiang Mai and we did not want to have to deal with a layover in Bangkok from Krabi. Also, the flights were about 1/3 the price, which was nice. The drive took an hour and 45 minutes, although if it were raining I can foresee a 3 hour drive. The cost is 2500 baht ($83) which we thought it pretty reasonable for such a long ride – about the same cost of getting from NYC to Newark!

We got to Chiang Mai around noon and took one of the airport taxis to the Le Meridien hotel. We were shocked about the incredibly cheap cost of a taxi – 120 baht per car ($4)! We quickly checked into the Le Meridien, dropped off our bags, and were off to meet our friends. The next six days of the trip we coordinated with our close friends from the US. They were there on their honeymoon in Thailand and we thought Chiang Mai would be the best place to overlap.

We walked around the town a little and the boys were dead set on getting suites made. Through some serious tripadvisor.com reviews, we settled on CM Custom Tailors. They had their initial fitting and then had to go back two more times for a final fitting and then to pick up the items. Mr. Deals opted for a linen blazer and linen shorts. The tailor, David, also threw in a shirt and a tie. The total cost was just shy of $200.

a man measuring his waist

a group of men standing in a roomThe boys getting their measurements.

After the tailor, we got a quick bite to eat and headed to the flower festival. It is a seasonal festival that we heard good things about, so we figured we’d give it a try. It is a little bit outside of town and reminded me of Epcot. While I am not so sure if ‘d recommend running there to see it, it is probably a worthwhile activity if you have kids.

a building with a large picture on the side

After walking around the grounds, we made way back to the city and headed to the night market. It is right outside of the Le Meridien, so very convenient for walking around. This is were you can get any souvenir you so desire and negotiation is a must.

a street market with many people and umbrellas

a table with wood carvings and elephants

We only spent one day in Chiang Mai on the front end – we left for a three day trek and tour of the Golden Triangle the next morning. We came back to Chiang Mai and the Le Meridien for our final three days in the northern part of the country – more on that in some later blog posts!

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Brooks
Brooks
12 years ago

Thanks for these reports! I’m headed to Chiang Mai in a few weeks so I’m really looking forward to the rest of your review, especially of Le Meridien Chiang Mai. Thanks!

dealswelike
dealswelike
12 years ago
Reply to  Brooks

@Brooks – I am hoping to get to the rest of the trip reports soon, but if you have any specific questions, feel free to email me!

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