In all the times that we have been to thailand we have never been to chang mai and we are thinking of this next year april - may what are the must do things.
please put your fav and why and then we can decide if they are for us.
also any mid range accommodation that is central only must have is pool.

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Kiss
God laughs at people who make plans.

I loved Chiang Mai, much more so than Chiang Rai (although the Golden Triangle an hour or so north of Chiang Rai is one of the best places I have been in Thailand). The market area has a food court where you buy coupons and then exchange for food at the various kiosks; this is much better than the open night market also in Chiang Mai as the open air one is plagued by hawkers. I think the range and quality of things like onyx is better than anywhere else I have seen it. Personally I would spend a few nights in CM (the Queens Park is a good bet in my opinion) and a few nights at the Anantara Resort; I stayed there when it was Le Meridien and was sooooooo very impressed - it is worth paying extra to get the river view rooms, trust me.

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We have not stayed in Chiang Mai as have always headed further north to the Golden Triiangle area as that is now one of my favourite places. However, it sounds as if we should spend a few days here - how many do you need to see the best bits?

Mark - is that the old Anantara in the Golden Triangle or another one? We stayed twice in the GT one and loved it.

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Alison

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It's Better to Burn Out than just to Fade Away!

Jax, bear in mind that if you go to Chiang Mai in April, you're likely to get VERY VERY wet!
Songkran in Chiang Mai lasts for several days and it seemed to us (our first visit there last year) that the whole place was overrun by water throwing - giant water pistols, buckets of water, hoses and people throwing water from 44 gallon drums on the back of trucks.

Great fun for the younger brigade who go there especially with water -throwing in mind.

In Bangkok, the Songkran water throwers seem to leave the rest of us to go about our business with just a sprinkle or small squirt from a gun, but in Chiang Mai nobody is safe from a total bucketing, nor are your watches, cameras and mobile phones.
If you're on the street, or even in a tuktuk, you're a target.

Seriously,what could/should be a bit of fun for everyone, just becomes over the top.
I'd never go back to Chiang Mai during Songkran.

Got on a bit of a roll in my last post and didn't answer the original question about what to do.

There's the nightmarket and the other market on the weekend - a street is closed to traffic and is set up with market stalls - craft and jewellery etc.
There's a famous temple on the outskirts of town - you could hire a car with driver and go there.

Also out of town there's another market with a lot of high-class woodware - furniture and home decoration stuff.
I can't recall the name of it now, but we stayed out of town for a few days and it was not far from our hotel. Perhaps someone here can post its name - definitely worth a visit.

You ask if that is the old Anantara in the Golden Triangle - this makes me feel old as I can call it the old Le Meridien in the Golden Triangle. It is the same place and yes there is only one Anantara in the Golden Triangle to my knowledge. Really, truly, such sweet memories of this place.

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GT Anatara was called the Baan Boraan (?) when we visited in 2002- I remember it as the most spectacular hotel ever, but a couple of nights were enough. Keep an eye on the bar bill, we went a little overboard but it was so much fun in the elephant bar. Very little to do but what a spectacular setting.

In Chiang Mai, walk over to the river Ping and take a relaxing boat trip(room for about 2 couple, sitting in a low boat) goes up the river for about 45 min or so, then a stop at a herb farm with a quick drink, and back. Costs very little, and very relaxing to see all the life along the river. Not sure exactly where departure point is, but a very short walk from royal princess hotel, which is, of course our fav place to stay in chiang mai. I know it sounds crazy, but do eat at least once at Daddy's pizza across the street just skip the pizza, the thai food is great there. last time booked 2 nights at elephant camp in lampang fun communing with your own elephant- husband dropped out of elephant school on day two but found relaxing around the camp fun as well (with another dropout or two!). this time hoping to try Chiang Dao nest resort for one night - see website. also doing cooking lessons in chiang mai, and I'm looking into massage school there too (husband less keen, thinks we should simply get the massages, not take the classes. we'll see. Also stayed 2 nights at Craft village hotel in 2004- you can take half day lessons I did batik and paper making while hubby had a massage. still deciding on phuket hotel. burasari maybe, but seems expensive.

We got the overnight train from Bangkok to Chaing Mai (which was a really fun experience) and then flew to Mae Hong Son, which is nearly at the Burma border. We stayed at the Sang Tong Huts, which is a place I would thoroughly recommend. Also did trips to ride elephants through the jungle and a bit of rafting, which I really enjoyed. I didn't like trip to the Long Neck People village (sorry if this is not the correct term) as I found it a bit staged.

I loved Mae Hong Son too - you can get a 35 minute flight from Chiang Mai although take a chill pill if you are a nervous flyer as the banking spiral descent they have to employ to land amongst the mountains is not like most landings you will experience! The really big buy in Mae Hong Son BTW for me is the Burmese horsehair laquerware (as opposed to the much cheaper kind which is done on coconut shell, etc.). Also the trip to the waterfall makes a nice day out (lovely spray around a picnic area).

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Be warned, as with any forum, picking a fight with the admin guy is not recommended!