Chiang Mai Recommendations Please

[forky123]

For my next trip to LOS, in October/November, I'm thinking of wandering a bit further than my usual haunts of Pattaya and Bangkok. I'm currently thinking of spending a couple of weeks in Chiang Mai. Anyone with experience there, can you recommend gay friendly hotels or resorts? Also, is two weeks too much? Would appreciate any recent experiences. Thanks.

[Guest abang1961]

OVer the years of travelling to Thailand, I had the opportunity to visit Chiangmai and beyond.

This charming city is definitely worth the trouble of taking the one-hour  domestic flight from Bangkok.

 

Besides the usual temples and old palaces, the charm in Chiangmai lies in its simplicity.  

The folks there lead pretty "slow" lives and it is possible to walk around without touts hanging next to me.

A morning walk within the moat and the old city area can be very edifying.

There is so much to see beyond Chiangmai - the hill tribes and the Golden Triangle.

 

It would be best to stay near the Night Bazaar area cos some of the gay bars are there.

Walking back at night can be a breeze.

When I was there in June last year, I;ve met a forummer Mr. D for lunch at a local Chinese restaurant.

We had 2 different dim sum set for about THB 600...well worth the money.

 

There is of course, the mandatory gay sauna in the slightly outskirts (like 5 km) away from the Night Bazaar.

The House of Male is housed in a really nice Lanna-looking building and the admission is less than THB 150.

Souvenirs and Christmas presents are much, much cheaper...I bought spices there.

Overall if Bangkok gets a 6/10 score for me, Chiangmai gets a higher 8/10. 

[traveller123]

December 2017 my partner and I are going North with my straight cousin and his wife when they come over to Thailand on holiday.

 

I can't comment if they are gay friendly but I like the look of Bed Phrasingh Hotel in Chiang Mai for 3 nights.

I'm looking at also spending 3 nights in Pai and 3 nights in Chiang Rai if anyone has hotel or good guest house recommendations.

[ChristianPFC]

...taking the one-hour  domestic flight from Bangkok.

 

Or the overnight train (schedule 12 hours, in reality often 14 hours).

 

CM is definitely worth a visit. If it's your first time, one or two weeks should be enough.

If you are interested in temples, there are a lot in and around CM.

Boy-wise, I always liked what I saw at Adam's apple.

 

Getting around by public transport can be tricky, details of public transport in CM see here:

http://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2016/07/buses-in-chiang-mai.html

There were positive reports about booking taxis with uber (no personal experience).

 

 

recommend gay friendly hotels or resorts?

 

Gay friendly, joiner friendly, or to put it bland: you want to take prostitutes back to your room, has never been a problem in any of the hotels I stayed in. The only thing to watch out for is a "joiner fee".

[Londoner]

My boyfriend and I visit CM regularly; we both love it.

The only gay-scene venues we visit are massage joints. Our favourite is Paradise which is within walking distance of Thapae.

However, even fifteen years ago when I was single, I found the gay scene diasppointing compared to Bangkok and Pattaya. Its venues are spread-out, for one thing, and usually don't get going until 2230 or  later.

I used to stay at Lotus (the one near Adam's Apple, not the huge one near the shopping mall).  Adam's Apple was, by the way, the place to be in the late 90s with sixty or so dancers and a full house of punters regularly. Students from CMU would come , resulting in the audience being as cute as the performers!

We love CM for its laid -back atmosphere, its beautiful and ancient temples its markets (Anusarn is our favourite) and its excursions to mountains, forests and rivers. 

[eurasian]

Chiang Mai is a lovely city particularly the historical old city  . Last week I was there for the second time .

 

To see the old city by walking will take at least two days . Many attractions nearby ... zoo , snake farm , elephant riding , mountain tribes etc .

 

Chiang Mai has many night markets . The most famous one is the Sunday Market which is held in the Old City attracts thousands of people and because of the crowd sometimes walking becomes very difficult , you just stand ) . You can shop , eat ( lots of delicious food ) and when you get tired have a foot massage ...  

 

For accommodation I recommend either Nimman Road area or the Old City . PJ's Place is owned by a very nice gay couple , Peter and Jiab , and their 6 room guesthouse is very clean and conveniently located . You should book in advance as being a popular place for gay customers . 

 

For gay massage I usually prefer outcalls to my room but have been to three gay massage places in Chiang Mai ... Common Massage , 333 and 69 ... and my pick will be Common massage for gay massage . For normal massage I recommend Miracle Spa-Massage .  

 

Nightlife ... 3 main clubs ... Circle and My New Way has shows and the boys are muscular handsome boys , majority of them are tops . If you like twinks then you should go to Adams Apple . Price range is between 260 to 280 B for a drink . 

 

Although I like Chiang Mai a lot , second week may be boring . 

[Guest ryanasia]

Night life in Chiang Mai resembles purgatory, whether it is gay or straight. Don't go for that.

[Guest]

Or the overnight train (schedule 12 hours, in reality often 14 hours).

 

Personally, I would have 3 reasons not to use the overnight train:

1  It's wasting a night that could be spent having sex in a hotel.  Perhaps not a concern for long term residents, but on a short holiday it can be a factor.

2  Sleeping on a train is noisier & less comfortable than sleeping in a hotel.

3  Overnight, I cannot see anything out of the window, which is the whole point of taking a slow land based trip.

 

Subject to the timetable, I would be more inclined to take the train by day and break the trip up with a couple of 2 night stops at Sukothai (Phitsanulok station) & Ayutthaya.

[Guest hunkster]

http://pjs-place.com

 

Recommend it highly.

 

Super nice host(s)....good location; nice accommodations.

[Guest rainwalker]

You can not talk about the gay scene in Chiang Mai without mentioning the most comprehensive online resource to the goings on in The Rose of the North.

 

Regularly updated and with a downloadable Quick Guide, Gay in Chiang Mai has it all - places to stay, restaurants and bars, massage and spa spots - and should be your first, and only, guide.

 

http://www.gayinchiangmai.com/

[ChristianPFC]

Personally, I would have 3 reasons not to use the overnight train:

1  It's wasting a night that could be spent having sex in a hotel.  Perhaps not a concern for long term residents, but on a short holiday it can be a factor.

2  Sleeping on a train is noisier & less comfortable than sleeping in a hotel.

3  Overnight, I cannot see anything out of the window, which is the whole point of taking a slow land based trip.

 

Subject to the timetable, I would be more inclined to take the train by day and break the trip up with a couple of 2 night stops at Sukothai (Phitsanulok station) & Ayutthaya.

 

1 Or saving a night in a hotel. Going by train is between 600 and 1000 Baht (depending on class), similar to a mid-range hotel, and the following morning you wake up at your destination.

2 That I agree with. I have taken many over night trains, and usually don't sleep well. But SRT recently bought new sleeper trains, will arrange my next over night train trip to take one of these.

3 There is not that much to see. I once took a bus CM-BKK during day, just road and cars. I take the overnight train on purpose, I would quickly get bored on such a long trip if I were awake.

[Guest abang1961]

Christian,

Unlike you, most of us travelling through Thailand have limited time and spending our precious time on a slow train just does not make sense.  The last time in 2016, my Air Asia ticket was SGD32 each way or in other ways, USD 50 for the return journey.  If that does not justify why I flew, nothing will.  

 

I dislike sleeping overnight in the train cos I am paranoid of thieves and Hmm, rapists/molesters.  One can never be too careful...Losing cash is fine but not the passport and credit cards!

[ChristianPFC]

I know a few who would be delighted at the prospect of getting raped/molested on the overnight train.

 

Joke aside, where did you get these ideas from?

 

In addition, arriving at a railway station is a completely feeling (in a positive way) than at an airport. And I don't like security search and check-in at an airport.

[spoon]

Ive taken one overnight train from hanoi to cao lai station to get to sa pa before. The train ride going there is surprisingly very comfortable. The bed and pillow is great and the toilets were very clean. We arrived around 6 am, got to our hotel around 7.30, had breakfast and straight to our morning hike to the tribe village at 9. We save on the hotel, and travel time as we have the whole day to explore the next day. Granted we dont really have local flight option like bangkok to chiang mai, i could understand why one would opt for an overnight train. But only if your activities are day acivities, and the bunk bed is comfortable for a good night sleep, meaning take at least a 2nd class ticket.

[Guest Promsak]

 

It would be best to stay near the Night Bazaar area cos some of the gay bars are there.

 

I was there a couple of months ago and 'sleaze alley'  behind the night bazaar has gone. Maybe the bars have dispersed.

The only one we found was SECRETS (open till 5 0r 6) and of course ADAM'S APPLE which has been refurbished since I was last there ----- but 200 Baht in a Tuk Tuk from the Night Bazaar area!

 

[Guest abang1961]

I would have to furnish new info about Chiangmai when I am there in March.

Sorry no "Sex-related" reports unlike the hugely-applauded writers like N, B and many others.

Mine will more be the simplicity of walking within the walls of the Old City.

And probably, my one and only escapade - House of Male...

 

**I somewhat prefers a sauna/pool/beach rather than bars and shows..

I survive better under darkness and not disco lights..

[Moses]

Just a reminder: for people who in new in Chiang Mai as well for returning visitors Siamroads.com has a guide in Chiang Mai - Woody. Woody is local guide, driver and masseur. You can find many positive feedbacks on this forum about his service.

 

http://siamroads.com/woody-chiang-mai/

 

 

 

 

 

[forky123]

Booked into PJ's Place for 8 days. Won't be getting the train, though I did look at the sleeper and was very tempted, if only to experience it. I've decided to go at the start of my holiday so will fly into Bangkok and then simply get a flight to Chiang Mai. Not a big fan of the bar scene, much more into massages, so the lack of bars won't affect me that much. The only problem is how long it is before I go. Shame I can't get another holiday in but it's not an option this year.

 

Anyone have any information on how bad the mozzies are in November in Chiang Mai?

[Bob]

Don't worry about the mosquitos at all unless you're hanging around outside the city or near a lot of vegetation.  Just not any issue for a long time up here (think I had a mosquito bite a few years back but nothing since; then again, I live on the west side of town, not all that far from PJ's Place).  There is more-than-average vegetation around PJ's Place and possibly it's a minor issue there (I don't really know...I didn't have any problem the few times I've visited there...but I'm sure its owners, Peter and Jeap, will advise and have some spray for use if it's a problem at all). But I wouldn't be worried about it (and, yes, you'll like PJ's Place....good choice).

 

With respect to gay bars, there are four on Soi 6, Charoen Pratet (which is the soi just south of the Galare Food Center on Chang Klan...the main night market street).  Pandee Bar and Orion Bar are on the west (mountain) side of the that soi and Ram Bar and Secrets are next to each other on the very east (river) side of that soi.  Ram Bar, by far, is the most popular bar due to the friendliness (that doesn't mean the guys are "offable") of the six guys who work there and their nightly 10PM show (which, if you want to attend, you need to be there by about 9:30PM or so as you won't find a seat after that).  Their show is quite entertaining (lip synching lady boys typically surrounded by some really good male dancers).  Secrets has also been more active since they moved next to Ram Bar and there typically are a few guys at Secrets that one can off.  Pandee Bar is strictly a small drinking bar run by a couple of guys who used to work at Soho (which was permanently closed a month or two back).  Orion bar is a bit more active but still not much happening there from what I can see when I walk by.

 

Can't offer much advice about the gogo bars as I rarely go there.  Did go to Adam's Apple a couple of Saturdays ago and can report that, while their show was rather boring and no where near as explicit as a few years back, they do seem to have a fairly nice selection of boys there.  In the past, I would describe most of the boys as a bit rough looking but that's no longer the case.

 

You'll pretty much need transportation just about anywhere you go up here but you can grab a songteaw or tuk tuk along Huay Gaew which is maybe a 150 yard walk from PJ's.  Alternatively, I'm sure Peter and Jeap can get you a driver, taxi, or tuk tuk just by asking. Oh, a lot of friends have been using Uber the last few months and are very happy with that service (decent cars, fairly quick pick-up times, and low prices).

[Joeblack]

Woody looks good... wonder what the rates are...

[Moses]

Woody looks good... wonder what the rates are...

 

did you saw link to site?

 

guiding $50 / 8 hours at day time, $30 / 6 hours at evening, or $70 / 14 hours full day. If you will need car - add some money for fuel by agreement - depends on distance, some tips for massage (again by agreement)

 

Woody doesn't provide any sexual service.

[Joeblack]

Apparently the price for Woody was quoted full day

50 usd

Transport by car cost another 1500 baht

And fuel charge approximately cost 300-400 baht

 

So a full day was quoted at 3600 baht...

[forky123]

Thank you Bob and others for the information, it is much appreciated. I didn't see any mosquito nets on the pictures for PJ's place but a couple of other places (generally on the river) had nets on beds so was just making sure. Other places rely on the air con to keep them at bay so you can never tell. If there are 10 people sleeping in a room the mozzies always zero on me !!

 

Very much looking forward to my visit but it is so long before I go

[Guest hunkster]

Woody is great.

 

I hired him last year when in Chiang Mai for 2 days.  Excellent investment of time and money.

 

Got to see everything that I wanted to see. He speaks very good English and has a new A/C car.

 

He'd a sweet, easy to spend time with guy.

 

He works as a masseur at one of the local places - which I think you can arrange for at the end of the day.

[Guest Sugargrandpa]

Thank you for the interesting updates on Chiang Mai which I'm planning  to visit again soon.  I have a one question regarding ID cards of boys.  If the boys in the bars are mostly from across the border as people say and do not have Thai ID cards, how do you ascertain their ages?