 Chiang
Rai Transportation and transfer guide
The journey
from the Bangkok to Chiang Rai takes about one and a
half hours flying time and there are daily flights to/from
both centres. There are also daily flights from Chiang
Mai to Chiang Rai and upon arrival taxis from the airport
into Chiang Rai make access simple.
From Bangkok
it is 785 km to Chiang Rai. There are overnight or day
coaches from the northern Buses Terminal at New Mor
Chit in Bangkok and the journey takes about 12 hours.
From Chiang Mai it is only 182 km to Chiang Rai and
takes about 3 hours by road. There are buses from many
other nearby towns as well so transport to/ from Chiang
Rai is a simple process.
By far one of
the more popular ways to travel to or from Chiang Rai
is by boat along the Mae Kok River. Travelling to/from
the village of Tha Ton the trip lasts three days and
one meanders along the river on sturdy rafts which are
fitted out like small floating hotels. These stop at
various hill tribe villages along the route and one
gets to experience the 'real' jungle at close quarters.
, small mini-vans,
are a common mode of transport. These like the rest
of the public transport in the area, can be hailed anywhere
along a particular route. Within the city fares vary
but are never more than a few Baht and generally there
is a set price from one point to another. Outside the
town, the price is negotiable and it’s a good idea
to agree on the fare before you climb in.
are
everywhere. Easy to find, they hang around most of the
busier intersections and along most roadsides in the
area. Again it is wise to sort out the price before
departure.
is reasonably priced and readily available. It is one
of the best ways to see the area. Check that the vehicle
you are hiring is covered by insurance. Unless hiring
from a reliable source you may find it isn’t and
as it is the driver’s responsibility to pay all
damages if there’s an accident, you may be in for
a nasty surprise.
shops
are easy to find and the bikes cheap to hire. Insurance
cover is not available for motorcycles and any damages
incurred along with medical bills are your responsibility.
Renting a bike in Chiang Mai may cost you your life
rather than a few Baht though as the accident rate in
Thailand is EXTREME to say the least!
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