Insider Tips for Exploring Chiang Mai Independently

Chiang Mai stands out as one of Thailand's most alluring destinations today. If you're planning a solo adventure to this charming city, here are some budget-friendly and safe travel tips to enhance your Thai experience.

Chiang Mai is a significant province in Thailand, playing a pivotal role in shaping the modern Kingdom of Thailand. It's also one of the top tourist attractions, captivating visitors with its serene and laid-back atmosphere, unlike bustling cities like Bangkok or Pattaya.

Insider Tips for Exploring Chiang Mai Independently

Chiang Mai is approximately equivalent to the distance between Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. It caters to all types of travelers, from the elderly to the young. If you prefer a leisurely pace, stay in the city center, explore temples, indulge in local cuisine, and wander around by bicycle or on foot. For those seeking adventure, venture into conservation areas offering everything from trekking to river rafting and waterfall rappelling.

Heading to Chiang Mai

Various Ways to Travel to Chiang Mai. One option is to purchase Air Asia tickets with a layover in Bangkok. Two is to fly to Bangkok then buy domestic flight tickets to Chiang Mai. Three is to fly to Bangkok then take a bus or train to Chiang Mai.

When taking the train, one inconvenience is getting from the airport, whether it's Suvarnabhumi or Don Muang, to the train station or bus terminal. However, this isn't too difficult in Thailand as the country has an extensive and affordable electric train system running throughout Bangkok.

Traveling by Electric Train

Passengers can easily obtain the Bangkok electric train map at the airport. At Suvarnabhumi Airport, head to the basement for the Airport Railway Link station. There are two types of trains: the Express Line, which goes directly from the airport to Makasan station without stopping at any intermediate stations.

The other type is the regular railway, which stops at 4 stations before reaching Makasan. The fare from the airport to Makasan is 35 baht per person (1 Thai baht is approximately equal to 700 Vietnamese dong). If you have denominations below 100 baht, you can purchase tickets from the automatic machines. Select English, choose your destination, insert the money, and the machine will automatically return change and issue a ticket.

Tickets are plastic like those in casinos. If you don't have small denominations, you can go to the ticket counter to buy one. To pass through the gate, scan the barcode on your ticket. Note that you must keep this plastic card to insert into the machine to exit the station. Otherwise, you'll be considered to have evaded the fare.

Upon arriving at Makasan station, exit the train, go down one level, and head towards the direction marked Phetchaburi. Follow that path until you reach the second station selling MRT tickets. Purchase tickets automatically like at the first station, select the destination as Hua Lamphong, priced at 29 baht. At the terminal station, head towards platform 2, then turn right to reach Hua Lamphong station.

Inside the station, on the left-hand side, you'll find ticket counters. Passport is required for ticket purchase, so online purchase is not possible. You can check train schedules, seat types, and ticket prices at www.railway.co.th. If you arrive before the train departure time, you can store your luggage at the luggage storage opposite the ticket counter. For regular-sized luggage, the fee is 50 baht per piece per day.

Train travel is a fascinating experience. If you opt for the most expensive ticket priced at 800 baht (without water bottle and cold towel), the sleeper berth comes with air conditioning. The train operates quietly, each sleeper berth equipped with curtains for privacy, including separate carriages for women and children. Note that Thai trains use 'car' to refer to train carriages; for instance, carriage number 3 will be labeled as car number: 3.

Accommodation in Chiang Mai

When traveling independently to Chiang Mai, consider renting guesthouses outside the old town area, just a 10-minute walk away. Guesthouse prices range from 350-800 baht depending on room type with fan or air conditioning. Meanwhile, within the old town area, even budget accommodations start at 1,800 baht.

Within the old town area of Chiang Mai, there are numerous beer bars, cafes, and massage parlors located closely together. However, each establishment has its unique charm and design. In Chiang Mai, there's no aggressive solicitation from staff trying to pull customers in; everything operates in an orderly manner.

Chiang Mai doesn't offer anything particularly extraordinary compared to ancient tourist spots in Vietnam. However, they excel in exploitation and promotion, especially with the entire population demonstrating a high level of professionalism and aesthetic sense in tourism.

As per Zing News

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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour