Maesai Town

[bahnoo]

Maesai Town is 70km north of CR international Airport, It about 45min to 1hrs drive (Take me 30mins to reach there ). It a small town. wang tong Hotel is just next to the custom office.

Across maesai is burma.

One of the hotel good to stay is Wang Thong Hotel it beside the checkpoint if u get the room with a good view u can see burma n the burma big temple in the nite it light up with colors.

There is another place u can stay. cant remember the resort name i will try to find out. it about 400 baht aday very nice resort just 2 to 3km away from maseai town. i drove so not a problem for me. I will post it on maesai photo thread later.

Maesai Hotels

Wang Thong Hotel
www.wangthonghotelmaesai.com/
299 PHAHOLYOTHIN ROAD,
MAE SAI, CHIANGRAI 57130, THAILAND
TEL. [phone] FAX: [phone]

TYPE OF ROOM	Deluxe
01 Jan - 30 Apr	SGL: 950.00 THB/ DBL: 1,000.00 THB/ TPL: 1,300.00 THB
01 May - 30 Sep	SGL: 900.00 THB DBL: 950.00 THB/ TPL: 1,250.00 THB
01 Oct - 31 Dec	SGL: 950.00 THB / DBL: 1,000.00 THB/ TPL: 1,300.00 THB

Pls call and check the rate. it may change from time to time.

[bahnoo]

... where depending on the time of year the bridge across the Mekong tributary could be closed due to fighting with the Wa and Shan armies. Shelling has occurred in Maesai. Not much in terms of partying there but if you're looking for a wonderful 2 or 5 carat stone for your tirak then this is the place.

They will not let you test the stones though so caveat emptor. I once (2 years back) saw a very beautifully cut 2.5+ carat sapphire and it only cost 9000+ THB. But when I ask for a jeweller's pen and a pane of glass to scratch with the sapphire I was refused. FYI, sapphires come in no.2 after diamonds for hardness in terms of natural stones.

Of course there are many roadside stalls that sell 'stones' that look very very real. So unless you have read up a bit on stone spotting its a good idea to have a guide. Even if the shop tells you that they can certify the stone etc.

One can also take a Mekong river tour and do a short hop onto Lao land for a shot of snake or gecko whisky. The low boat allows you to see the gold flakes floating in the Mekong. But the Mekong is entirely owned by Lao. It was a WW2 concession made by Thailand to the Japanese. It has stayed that way ever since.

Closer to Chiangmai then to Chiangrai.

Contributed by peechai from old sawadee forum

[kit]

Hi

I will be going to Changrai from the 1st of Sept to the 5th of Sept. Ive got my air tickets but no lodging yet.
I would like to stay at Maesai area, anyone has any advise how to go from Changrai Airport to Maesai (Taxi? How much roughly?)
Is it ok if i reach there then look for a hotel to stay? Or i really have to book a hotel bfore going there?

First trip there, alone....

Thanks in advance...

[bahnoo]

kit said:

Hi

I will be going to Changrai from the 1st of Sept to the 5th of Sept. Ive got my air tickets but no lodging yet.
I would like to stay at Maesai area, anyone has any advise how to go from Changrai Airport to Maesai (Taxi? How much roughly?)
Is it ok if i reach there then look for a hotel to stay? Or i really have to book a hotel bfore going there?

First trip there, alone....

Thanks in advance...

Hi Kit

Getting a hotel @ this time should not be a problem. 5 yr ago i went there i stay in Wang Tong Hotel. just next to the maesai check point. in fact quite near. take alook on the pic. it on the right side of the checkpoint u cant see it from the pic.

CR airport to maesai is about 70 km plus. about 45min to 1hr drive.

Take a airport taxi to maesai, i think it about 400 to 500 bahts. that was 5 yrs ago.

When u want to come back to CR airport ask the hotel to book a taxi for u.

Previously my girl n me went back to maesai taking a cab n go back to airport by van. she book for me.

The 2nd trip i drove to maesai myself reach there in 30min

it quite ez to drive there u can go take alook @ the map i have posted in the forum. i rent the car for 1200 bahts per day maybe this trip take cab then next trip try driving up to maesai urself. it quite fun

anyway have fun over there. help me check whether the DM disco still there. hehehe pls share some maesai pics with us. i want to see any changes there.

Also some info about the place to go hehehe i believe it should have new fun place.

DM disc was very big when i was there 5 yrs ago. nothing else in the nite. it quiet there. very very quiet after 7pm.

Chokdee na
Bahnoo

[kit]

Korp Kun Mak Krap Bahnoo

Will try to take more pictures.
But cannot guaranty the pics will be good as im lousy at taking pics and furthermore first time going there..... 5 more days and counting....

[vmtech]

bros here im new in this forum but i am going kengtung via maesai in 2 weeks.
i wish to enquire about e weather and if it is safe to go into kengtun ?

[bahnoo]

vmtech said:

bros here im new in this forum but i am going kengtung via maesai in 2 weeks.
i wish to enquire about e weather and if it is safe to go into kengtun ?

Hey bro

from the look of it. it is best to postpone ur trip to a later day. maybe nov or dec. it too risky now. there's lots of flood there now.

it not very safe. i seen thai news showing floods in northen area. so better go another date.

[kit]

Hi all

Iam just back from my 4D 4N trip to Maesai.
Actually ive almost finish typing about my trip there when suddenly my PC REBOOTED!!! Ahhgg!!! All my effort gone.
So i will make a short one..
The weather there is very hot at Maesai during my trip, 1st to 5th sept. Didnt do much, 1st day walk around Maesai, 2nd day went Doi Tung and Golden Triangle. 3rd Day went into burma. 4th day came back.
Actually 1 or 2 days enough liao, but i first time there and didnt do proper planning lead to not so enjoyable trip there.
I should have stayed there 2 days and Bangkok 2 days instead. Maybe next time.

Thanks Bahnoo for your advice, as i stayed in Wang Thong Hotel. Not the best in the world but at least the better ones that i see around there.

will do a detail one later..... ahhh still dont belivev that my PC actually rebooted.

Maybe planning a trip there at the end of Oct again.... ;D

[bahnoo]

welcome back bro kit..

heheh forgot to tell u maesai is just a small town 1 or 2 days is enough unless u wanna go other place then it is still ok

hoping to hear from ur report over there. taken any photo, pls share with us the latest photos.

Cheers
Bahnoo

[kit]

OK here is my trip details (those get bored easily better skip as my trip is rather boring!!!)

Day 1
Travel time from S'pore Changi Airport to Wang Thong Hotel(Maesai) : 3.00pm to 9.45pm (S'pore time).
I took Thai Airways, the transist btw International & domestic flight was very smooth, comming back also. Have anyone took budget flight before? Iam wondering if the transistion is also smooth as when you alight there are personnels and signboards to direct you to the next flight.

While traveling in the domestic flight over Changmai, saw there were lots of thunders within the clouds (i was prepared with umberella & windbreaker in case). But luckly when i arrived in Changrai the weather was OK, the following days were very hot actually.

As i took the hotel van to Maesai the road was very quiet, no activity at all (around 9pm S'pore). In between we drove past 3 road checks was wondering why so much security (bcos of Burma??)

It took about 1 hrs drive &i reached the hotel.Once there even the Hotel seems deserted!! Only the Bell guy, reception guy and me!!! I ask the bell guy why no no one around, and he said usually people will come only in the weekends (i reached on Friday night). But actually throughout my stay there i counted not more than 10 foriegn tourist were moving around the hotel at that time.

Up the hotel, hey i got a double bed ;D(i placed for a single bed actually), but i kept quiet and just took the room. I went down the streets later, but it was damn deserted & i wasnt familar around so just went to a nearby 7eleven to buy mineral water & went straight back to hotel. On the way back saw a MTV lounge (but didnt go in) along the street to Wang Thong.....

Well thats day 1, to be continued.......

These are the pics i took in Changrai, 3rd pic is Loas, 4th pic is Burma(with the casino) the rest are at Doi Tung Village.

[bahnoo]

yo bro nice photo. can i help u to move it to the picture conner hehehe need to make it smaller so other can see better.

need u to lable the photos where are this places.

thanks for the FR of ur trip

Maesai is a small town. in the nite super the quiet nothing much. unless u go to their disco there. but also not alot of pple also the most i can said about 100 pple. that was 5 yrs ago when i was there. not sure the disco still there or not.

wang tong hotel is one of the best when i was there first time. hehehe very quiet hotel also can see myamama from the hotel. if u get the view.

hmm when u going i dont mind going there for a visit. we can drive there this time. can share the rental. my friend also wants to go there n see also

kind of miss maesai it really a quiet town n quite clean. if u go dec it cold n nice hehehehe.

[kit]

Ive actually no fix date, maybe end of the year.... im a very very boring person, thats why end up have to go alone. U & your friend may end up bored to death if i come with you....ha ha ha

[kit]

Day2 In Maesai
At the second day i got sooo bored i joined the hotel's sight seeing for 1600baht to Doi Tung, Golden Traingle and Chiang Saen for 4hours.

At the Doi Tung Royal Villa was the only place that was cooler during my whole trip as it is at a higher ground. (See the pics posted in Maesai photo) I paid around 150baht for all the enterence if i remember correctly.
The Mae fah luang garden was purely scenery viewing. The Princess Mother Commemorative Hall is actually a living house of the princess & many of the rooms were actually out of bounce and you have to take of your shoes when you go in. The plus point is that there is actually a guide that follows you to show you around the house. There were about 4 or 5 of them, a cute guide who is able to speak english showed me around. She's about 20 i think, and kept giggling when i asked a question which she didnt get what i meant. Whole of the trip she gave me the deepest impression... ;D
Golden Triangle was a shopping cum sight seeing area, Chiang Saen.... i didnt mange to go as i spend too long time at the 1st two places. Actually if you want to enjoy slowy the places i think go two places a day would be more appropriate as you have to take account the traveling time.

3rdDay

I went into Burma, and believe it or not, i kept my passport(no VISA) with me throughout. Come to think of it i was very lucky not to have been checked and when i told the officers, they just smiled and chop my passport for me. Otherwise i may be even detained by the Thai or Burma offcers for illegal entry.
I entered around afternoon, when through the Thai custom, and they chop the departure stamp. As i walked in from the left side of the road to burma, a small kid point to me to walk to the right side of the road. So i followed, he then asked for some money in Thai(i think). As he helped directed me, so gave him some coins. Then iam about to go to the burma check point, there were two paths, one along the road another away from the road. I saw many people took the path away from the road so i followed (WRONG!!! Foreigners suppose to go into a room to chop their passport that was at the path along the road). As i walked on i see the people(Thais if im not wrong) showing a guard a piece of paper as they went into burma. When i reached the guard & i showed him my passport he just waved me to go in.... and i blurr blurr went into burma without knowing i didnt chop my passport going into another country.
As i went in many touters came to ask me want to tour around for 100baht. I said no, they then ask if i want lady, i said no also. Throughout my trip there, i kept being asked this 2 questions & also viaegra and porn VCDs. Later a english speaking guy offered to bring me around, so i went along. Afterwhich, i still paid him 100baht after that since he took me around as i wasnt sure around. Near the border have also alot of pasamalam type stalls and many selling Vcds, DVDs amd MP3 musics.
Later in the day when i went back i walked on the right side of the road to Maesai. Then i saw a sign( i cant remember what was written), it directed me to cross the road and into the room (thats right, the custom room that i was suppose to go in before going into Burma!!!) As i went in still very blurr, was asked to show passport then asked to pay 500baht. They then asked me to sit in front of the PC with camera. took my photo and printout together in a pass. They then told me " Your passport we keep, this is your temp pass, enjoy your trip in burma".
WHAT!!! Iam suppose to be going back to Thailand what??
I told them that im actually going back, luckly the officer just simled at me and chop Entry and Departure in my passport, and i proceeded to go to the Thai checkpoint and went back to Hotel safe and sound... a memberable first trip to Burma.
The third day.... i flew back to Singapore....
The end....

[bahnoo]

Apr 07 went to maesai with my girl and stay over night there. wang tong hotel 1 nite is 800baht with breakfast.