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6 days for Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son and Pai???
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vickyaj
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Hi!!!
After getting amazing suggetions here and reading some older posts that were really helpfull, Ive decided to head to Chiang Mai on my next and first trip to Thailand. Still, Im on a tight schedule and I was planning to spend only 6 days in Chiang Main, visiting the area and also heading to Mae Hong Son and Pai . But I still have a few questions:
1-Is 6 days too short of a time to check those places?
2-Can I go to Pai and Mae Hong Son for the day and then head back to CM or should I stay 2 days in each city??
3-What´s the best mean of transportation from one place to the other? (Avoiding by all means motorcycles!!!)
4-How long do trekking trips last? I wanted to mix up some nature with visiting local´s villages.
Thank you all sooo much in advance, you´re all helping me lots to make this trip come true!
#1 Posted: 15/5/2012 - 11:09
Captain_Bob
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Pai and MHS are not doable as daytrips from Chiang Mai. Bus or minvan to Pai takes 3-4 hours and to MHS more like 5-6 hours one way. Six days is pretty tight for trying to visit all three towns with the distances and roller coaster road in between. You can fly to MHS on Kan Air or Nok Air then maybe get a bus/van back or vise versa. Between Pai and MHS the town of Soppong and nearby Lod Cave (and Cave Lodge) is worth a visit. Or maybe visit Chiang Dao or Thaton which are nice small towns with great scenery north of CM.
#2 Posted: 16/5/2012 - 02:05
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MADMAC
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You need nine days to do what you want in anything other than very hectic, rough, fashion. So either you dig up three extra days or cut Pai or MHS.
#3 Posted: 16/5/2012 - 04:00
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vickyaj
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Yeah, I thouhght trying to do all that in just six days would be too much. So if I had to choose, (cause I really want to go to Mae Hon Son, Ive heard trekking spots over there are awesome!) Should I skip Chiang Mai or Pai??
Im flying to Chiang mai from Bangkok, so maybe I could just get there and hop on a mini van straight to Mae Hon Son. Btw, where can you find these mini vans?
Thank you so much for your help!
#4 Posted: 16/5/2012 - 07:33
vickyaj
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Yeah, people tend to say here int he forums that Pai maybe more touristy and perhaps could be put out of the equation.
Thanks for the tip about the minivan company!! So, 4 days in the Mae Hong Son area and the final 2 in Chiang Mai .. is it doable? is Chiang Mai worth the visit or people just use it as a "connecting" city?
#5 Posted: 16/5/2012 - 07:48
Captain_Bob
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Given the choice I would skip Pai and go to MHS. From the airport you'll need to grab a tuk tuk or taxi to the Arcade bus station. Platform 13 is where you find Prempracha Transport Co., Ltd which runs minivans out to MHS. There are buses too but the vans are quicker. Hopefully you'll be arriving on a morning flight as I believe the last van for MHS leaves at 11:30am (first one is at 6:30 then every hour).
#6 Posted: 16/5/2012 - 07:50
longbeach
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6 days is plenty to visit Chiang Mai and Pai . 2 nights in CM, 2 nights in Pai and 1 back at CM at the end. You can hire a car and drive there in 3 hours. Lot cave is 1 hour north of Pai and easy to find on your own. The road is a bit hilly but easy to drive with little traffic.
If you wanted to do MHS instead best to fly one way at least.
#7 Posted: 16/5/2012 - 20:04