Chiang Mai Thailand much more than I expected – Part 1
Chiang Mai Thailand was not what I expected it was a big surprise.
This is part 1 of all the posts about Chiang Mai.
You will find in this post: the hotels we stayed in, some of the activities we did, the places we visited and the restaurants you shouldn’t miss In part 2&3
As I started to plan this vacation I understood I have made a mistake and that 6 days would not be enough.
Most of the people I know who visit chiang mai do a lot of extreme sports and enjoy the wild nature. While planning and organizing our vacation I found art galleries, concept stores, interesting markets, restaurants and much more.
But it was a family trip and kids stuff were a must 🙂 so I managed to plan an itinerary that maximized our time there and the truth was that we didnt get to see half of the things that I was aiming for. ( a very good reason to come back again)
Family trip to Chiang Mai – Part 1
The Hotels:
Sibsan Resort & Spa Meataeng, Chiangmai
Most of the activities we did where in the Maetaeng area of Chiang mai so I decided to take a resort near this area and found this beautiful resort.
We took 2 rooms ( a family of 6 ) and they gave us a very nice area of 2 rooms with a small pool near the river. it was stunning.
The room had everything we needed and much more. a lot of space, a great bathroom. everything felt perfect.
Taking breakfast by the pool you get a feeling of being in the wild and the food was great.
My recommendation is to stay at least 3 nights here.
Thai Akara
After doing all the attractions in the north part of chiang mai we wanted to go to the center of town.
Thai Akara was perfect for us, rooms where Big and the hotel was small and intimate. actually we needed more time because we did not get to spend too much time in the hotel. we didnt even go into the pool.
rooms where great with everything we needed and more. the breakfast was superb and the staff were very friendly.
What you should do while visiting Chiang Mai
There are so many things to do in Chiang Mai But when I was planning the vacation I tried to take the best ones. so here are my recommendations of what you should and should not do.
For Great Experience in Chaing Mai try Withlocals ( you will earn 15 euro from this link) I use this App all the time.
ZIP LINE – OMEGA
If you ask Amit ( my small boy) what did he love the most in Thailand he will tell you the “OMEGA” and he will mean our zipline experience in north chiang mai . We arrived there at noon and took the shorter ride because I felt it will be enough for us. it was exactly what we needed. The place was well organized and we felt safe. we had 3 instructors joining us and we all had a great time ( from age 5 to 49 ).
Put on your to do list.
Elephant camp
It was very important for me that the children will not ride the elephants and only take care of them and this place was perfect for our short time ( I would recommend staying longer it was very nice there ).
We arrived and got dressed in the blue uniforms so that the elephants will not be afraid from us ( it’s the local villages uniform) we got to understand what the elephants eat and how to feed them, walk with them and bath them ( which was a funny experience)
Definitely a must do.
Traditional bamboo rafting
Traditional bamboo rafts were how locals traveled and carried goods for trade in the past.
Many tourist go to chiang mai and do regular rafting that can be a lot of fun too but in my group ( 3 girls and a 5 year old boy ) the traditional bamboo rafting is enough.
I must say it looked very touristic and we went in a big crowded place in order to get there But the ride was very calm and relaxing and we all enjoyed it.
Not a must but if you are already in the area and have time – why not:)
Long Necks’ villages attraction
Ok, Its very hard for me to write this part. when I was planning our trip to chiang mai I read many articles about this attraction and it was a big dilemma. should I support this attraction? in the end I decided to go and see.
When we visited the small village ( near our hotel ) it didnt feel that the vibe there was bad. and I wanted to give them money and shop without arguing. we stayed there a very short time and my dilemmas where and are still remain. if they are in this situation then they need the money and it will help them, but if we will support this it will never stop.
I guess for this attraction its every person to his own. – not a must do.
LOOKS AMAZING!
thanks! it was fantastic and its a must!