What are your Chiang Mai favorites recently?

[Phred]

Hi all,

IтАЩm returning to my favorite city in Thailand later this month. ItтАЩs been six years since my last visit. Just want to ask if anyone has any favorites places to see or do that may have developed since my last visit. I love Chiang Mai for its laid back quality. I can spend days just wandering around the streets seeing the wats, checking out the used book shops and hanging out in the cafes and restaurants. I know all the basics as IтАЩve been there many times in the past (night bizarre, CMU, HOM, Sunday Market, etc.) but if you have anything special and would like to chime in please do.

Based on a posting by PeterUK I plan to stay at the Lux Hotel, new since my last vistit, which seems centrally located and at a good price. I was considering Santitham Guest House until I read PeterUKтАЩs post. Santitham seems good but many of the rooms have shared bathrooms which is a put off for me. Anyone have any experience with either of these places?

One thing I would like to find is a good massage place, though just basic massage, but one that still has nice looking male masseuses, which if someone is going to touch my body I want it to be one of them. But I donтАЩt want to pay the high rates of the gay places just for a happy ending. I really just want a good basic deep tissue massage by a nice looking guy like on the beach at Jomtien.

For eateries, I do plan to try the restaurant at Santitham Guest House as there have been rave reviews for it. That and a dinner at my favorite place The Wok at the old cooking school. IтАЩm not much one for long treks out of the city though I do plan to finally do Doi Suthep which IтАЩve never gotten to in all my visits.

And any updates on bars and nightlife for whatтАЩs happening currently would also be appreciated. In the past I visited the gaggle of bars in the Chang Puek and Santitham area. I read there are some new additions too so it would be good to hear what the bars are like recently. IтАЩm not one for those super late night clubs though.

So thanks in advance to all fellow Chiang Mai lovers for any recommendations (and I know, bring an umbrella this time of year).

Thanks,
Phred

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[lukylok]

I have just spent a month in CM.
I stay at Opium, service flat, which suits me.
Sabaidee Santitham Gest House has a super room in old Lanna style.
I would stay there but there is no tv and the bf objects ! Private bath.
The restaurant is outstanding, with Noland performing Sat evenings.
The friendliest bar is Orion, in Kalare Night Bazar. Mai, the owner and his staff make everything to make you fel welcome.
The transfert of CU and Secrets is a success, with Secrets taking the lead now.
The boys karaoke can be great fun, but you need to go with a group. Not difficult if you open a bottle or buy a tower.
Adam's Apple is my favorite show, because the boys come to talk between their acts.
Enjoy "the Rose of the North" !
Only drawback, I have never seen so much rain in July ! But not really a problem.

[Rainwalker]

Everything you need to know, and I mean everything, about Gay Chiang Mai is at Radchada Cafe's truly comprehensive website.

http://www.radchada.com/

[lukylok]

Rachada is of course very good.
But it is a bit like saying everything you need to know about Pattaya is in Nicky's.
Any site, magazine, is a commercial enterprise, and however good, is bound to put some emphasis on their advertisers.
What is the purpose of this board, and others, if not to have first hand impressions.

If the question had been made about Pattaya, there would have been dozens of answers.
Nobody interested in CM ?

[Phred]

Thanks for your feedback lukylok. I didnтАЩt realize Santitham doesnтАЩt have TVs in the room, quite surprising. IтАЩm not much of a TV person but do like to check the news in the morning. IтАЩll certainly try their restaurant though.

Orion sounds good and IтАЩll check that out as well as he show at AdamтАЩs Apple, sounds like fun. What is a tower that you buy at karaoke? Never been to karaoke in Thailand.

Hope the rain lets up in August.

Thanks also Rainwalker for the link. IтАЩve been through a lot of that site but agree with lukylok, just want to get some personal opinions from readers of this board.

Cheers!

[BonTong]

You will find Chiang Mai has changed a lot in six years. It has become the capital of construction sites, Chinese tourists, coffee shops and traffic jams! The old charm is rapidly disappearing and the place is turning into more of a modern urban metropolis, which has its good and bad points. That said, the touristy bit of town around Thapae gate has changed less than areas like Santitham and Nimmanhaeminda, which in places are unrecognisable from a few years ago.

Lux Hotel is a great location to visit the new Secrets Bar and CU Bar, which are just across the moat (opposite the footbridge). I agree with LukyLok, Secrets is the more popular bar now (Pon of CU bar is now running two karaokes too and CU is missing him). Orion Bar is fun, also Ram Bar and Soho are both popular for the older drinking/socialising crowd.

Garden Bar, which was always popular, is now dead. Perhaps not surprising given the miserable bar tender and ++ pricing which has deterred many regulars. However, Metro Bar across the street (downstairs from AdamтАЩs) has just re-opened and is now being run by a very sweet Thai guy who speaks great English, and has some cute friendly staff. From next week it will be open all day with some food too. HeтАЩs aiming more at a Thai market with Thai prices (Large Leo 69 Baht!) but farangs are clearly welcome. It also has A/C.

I agree with LukyLok that AdamтАЩs has the best show, I also hear good things about The Opium. I like the decadence of Free Guy which has some rougher boys, as long as they donтАЩt all manage to kill each other. :-o

Currently, the two most popular gay places in town are G-Star Vintage and See Man Pub, both packed at weekends with young gay boys. Both have coyote boy shows, darkrooms and are open late (exact time varies in this post-coup era). But, you need to go with a group to really enjoy, and if you donтАЩt like late and loud forget it. Same applies to karaoke; Barocco (run by Pon, CU Bar) is probably the best right now for foreigners.

ItтАЩs worth having a night out in Nimmanhaeminda area, walk around the sois there which are jam packed with restaurants, bars and coffee shops тАУ you will be spoilt for choice. Also, check out the new Maya Mall on the Huay Kaew Nimmanhaeminda intersection and Think Park opposite the mall both have some good eateries.

A nice gay owned Thai food restaurant near CMU is Bird of Paradise, run by Bird who is a veteran of Silom Soi 4 who many on here might know. Sabaidee Santitham gets my vote too.

Last but not least, donтАЩt forget to try the Pizza, or drop in for a coffee at Radchada Garden Caf├й (Downstairs from Bon TongтАЩs boudoir ).

[lukylok]

The tower is of course a beer tower. I think 3,5 liters and not expensive, and guarantee a lot of ambiance !

[christianpfc]

I haven't been to Chiang Mai for 2 years, but plan to go again in the near future. Thanks for bringing up this subject, it will be useful for my trip.

Currently, the two most popular gay places in town are G-Star Vintage and See Man Pub, both packed at weekends with young gay boys. Both have coyote boy shows, darkrooms and are open late (exact time varies in this post-coup era).

Darkrooms in a gay disco? That is new to me, any personal experience what's going on there?

My major concern (that's why I haven't been for 2 years) about Chiang Mai is transport options. Daytime, I have not figured out the songtheo lines (but will make and attempt next time I go and share). At night, you have to negotiate fare with tuktuk/songtheo/taxi/mocy? Are there metered taxis?

[ceejay]

My major concern (that's why I haven't been for 2 years) about Chiang Mai is transport options. Daytime, I have not figured out the songtheo lines (but will make and attempt next time I go and share). At night, you have to negotiate fare with tuktuk/songtheo/taxi/mocy? Are there metered taxis?

The red songthaews have no fixed routes. You flag one down, tell him where you want to go, and he will say if he is willing to take the fare or not, based on the route he is taking to deliver the passengers he already has aboard. Generally, it is not a good idea to ask the price. If no price is agreed, then just give them 20 baht and walk away. That's the going rate. If they want more, they should say so when they pick you up. This will be for long journeys, trips to some specific places like the bus or train stations, Central Festival, etc, and on special occasions like Loi Krathong.
The "coloured" songthaews operate more like buses. They have more or less fixed routes (although they take side trips off them to deliver people to their doors) roughly as follows:
Yellow (from Warorot Market) - Doi Saket
Yellow (from Chiang Mai Gate) South to Hangdong and San Patong
Green (from Warorot Market) Maejo
Blue (from Warorot Market or the Iron Bridge) Lamphun
White (from Warorot Market or Chang Phuak bus station) towards San Kamphaeng
Orange (from Warorot Market) to Fang (but who would want to go all the way to Fang in a Songthaew?)
All of these coloured songthaews have a fixed fare card displayed inside.
Tuk-tuks are a matter of negotiation and luck. Different drivers ask for different amounts. It's better to flag one down on the street. Avoid the ones waiting at prominent places (shopping malls, near Tha Pae gate, etc). They have to pay to wait there, and charge more.
There are meter taxis (blue and yellow) but you rarely see them. The only taxi rank I know of is in the entrance to the Kad Suan Kaew mall car park (tunnel on the right if you are facing KSK from the street). Only ever used one once and he refused to use the meter. That, I gather from others, is standard.

[BonTong]

Darkrooms in a gay disco? That is new to me, any personal experience what's going on there?

I've never ventured inside them, but I have a good imagination and see people coming out smiling 8-|

CeeJay's advice for transport is good. These days I find the room for negotiation with Tuk-tuks is not that great, anything over 120Bt for going across town is excessive and most tuk-tuks won't move their wheels for less than 60Bt. So you are usually talking 80-100Bt to go between most places in town. To make using Tuk-Tuks easier, don't forget to download the Radchada Quick Reference Guide to gay Chiang Maiwhich has addresses for most places in Thai on a single page that you can print and carry.