Northwest - Around Chiang Mai Rock Climbing

Overview:

Chiang Mai is a medium-sized but rather developed city in Northern Thailand, up towards the border with Burma and Laos. It is considered Thailand's 'Second City,' second of course to Bangkok. This perhaps owing to its population, and perhaps to its feel and nature. Although there are certainly metropolitan areas much larger than Chiang Mai with its population of perhaps a quarter-million, such as Korat (2 Million people). These larger metro areas are actually clusters of smaller cities. Chiang Mai, as such retains it's title to second largest despite a relatively small-town feel. 

Chiang Mai does however have a large town feel in other ways.

It is similar to Bangkok in it's large markets, including the night market there which is one of the world's largest; I could compare it to the famed Street Bazaar of Cairo. Thailand is famous for it's markets, and this is one of the big ones.

Lodging:

There are hotels and guest houses galore in town. If you want 4-5 star accommodations, stay at a major hotel. If you prefer a guesthouse, then choose more carefully. Typically you choose by environment and neighborhood. The East end of town by the old city walls is where all the nightlife is and might be a little 'seedy' for some people's standards, whereas the west central area inside the old walls is relatively quiet. Within a block of the climbing shop, there are more than 1/2 dozen guesthouses with rates from $10-20 per night. The ones I recall are the TK guesthouse, the Same Same guesthouse, the J&J guesthouse, and the Julie Guesthouse. I stayed at the J&J in an AC room for $15 per night and it was clean and comfortable. The Same Same had the best fast and cheap breakfast on the block, and there were convenience stores and very cheap internet places all over. 

In the last few years, the place called Jira Homestay has become popular. It is only about 150m away from the turnoff to Crazy Horse, and has been well-reviewed. If you intend to spend more time at the crag than in town, perhaps this option is the best and you can save the time and money otherwise spent on transportation.

Eating:

Hawkers are in many places. Watch how food is prepared before ordering something. If it is well cooked and does not mix a lot of sauces (IE: marinades) in after cooking, or add suspect 'fresh' ingredients, it is probably fine. Most Thais are aware of how to cook hygienically and make excellent-tasting and reasonably healthy food. In a few months of working there and eating from street stands, I was never sick.

Restaurants are everywhere and again, mostly safe. Order well-cooked food and of course, bottled water. Better yet, bring your own safe water from a sustainable water source (refer to later note on sustainable water).

Snacks are generally available too. Perhaps one of the reasons that Thais are not fat like Westerners, is that agriculture is cheap and processed foods are expensive. A whole-cut pineapple or an entire bunch of bananas will likely cost 1/2 as much as the bag of Doritos you are thinking about. 

Meals are delivered daily to the crag by the driver of the bus from the climbing shop to the wall. You can arrange for them to bring you a hot meal that is filling, tasty, and safely cooked. The price is very reasonable and you are supporting the local community businesses as well as strongly associating your money spent with climbing- which makes the entire community all the more happy to have the climbers visit.

Amenities:

There are many ways to use the phone in that area. If you'll be there for a while, consider getting an international cell phone, with prepaid minutes. This can be done at any number of stores. Local internet shops also sell phone time. Speaking of internet shops, there are such "cafe's" all around, with fees being pretty cheap- on the order of a dollar an hour. 

Rental Cars are available, like many other places in the world, but for a short visit not very cost effective and worrisome. You have to not only find your way, but adapt to local driving habits, find parking, etc... It is not really recommended when cabs and Tuktuks are so cheap!

Scooters are a somewhat viable alternative. If you are at the point were you are going to be there long enough to know your way around, a scooter can be rented for a few dollars per day, plus extra for insurance. These are more easily parked, but you may be taking your life into your hands riding one in traffic. The local car drivers will presume that you 'know how to drive' in local traffic. If you don't, that will be your loss. I saw a lot of bump-and-wipe-outs in Thailand. Drivers hit and run since the Thai law puts medical treatment costs on the offending driver. Also be aware that they will try to have you taken to the cheapest possible public hospital- which is not a good deal for you. Forewarned is forearmed.

Drinking Water: (SUSTAINABLE Water).

 Josh and the crew at the climbing shop run a sustainable water program. You can fill water bottles at the shop for a small donation of a few Baht per liter. Their suggested donation is considerably cheaper than buying a bottle of water anyway! So consider taking a few bottles or saving a few from your first purchases that are big enough to last a day, and then last a night. You can go into the shop and fill up daily, or fill up at the trailhead of the Crazy Horse Buttress main trail. Please do leave a donation at the shop and keep this program going.

Toilets:

There are primitive flush toilets at the crags. Please read the directions carefully and use them properly. Take hand sanitizer for yourself if you can, as these are not exactly Western toilets. Do NOT use the forest. The man who runs the trucks from the climbing shop to shuttle climbers in and out built these and maintains them. Please consider giving him a tip worthy of his efforts to keep the climbing nice there.