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Chiang Mai, an old gated city, has a moat surrounding its walls and could only be entered, or exited, through one of its four gates. Today, it's a large city with 1.8 million registered people. It doesn't quite feel like a large city, psychologically, but rather something smaller scale. I like the neighborhood mentality being on foot within a certain radius, it brings things down to a local scale I like to live in. This region has a large agriculture business, exporting its goods to other parts of the world. Known for the land of temples, and for the land of smiles, such that in the past the government had an unpopular compulsory smile policy. There's a night market, public market for shopping of food, plenty of internet access for the university students, and food carts for an inexpensive sidewalk meal. Its main industry in the region is, agriculture, growing and exporting products worldwide. There are far too many temples here and elsewhere in Thailand, but the most beautiful one is made out of gold, high up on a mountain and none of the tours will take you there. We could see the gold reflecting on the mountain. Go see the giant pandas inside the Chiang Mai Zoo if you can, and there's a Modern Art Museum that we didn't have time to visit, go if you can make the time. Most of the gay venues seems to located north of the city gate, where Novatel, Lotus Hotel, Inthanin Hotel are clustered.

We managed to picked up a a guy who is very good-looking, very accommodating to our needs and desires, quite a beautiful person but we couldn't really talk with each other without an interpreter.

Quick Tips:

Prepare by getting a yourself a copy of Lonely Planet Thailand, or something comparable that you'll like and be comfortable reading. This would help enhance your experience. Pick up a copy of Sticky Rice for useful map of gay places.

The coolest months to visit are December and January. February is the end of the winter season, most of the year gets quite hot, the nights are relatively cooler. Tipping is usually a smile to show satisfaction, perhaps a few small coins of THB 10-20 in restaurants. Large cities, tour companies, and restaurants may add a service charge on the bill and it’s not necessary to give an additional tip. The voltage and plugs are the same 110VAC as US/Canada. Tap water isn't potable, drinking water is dispensed in bottles. Get natural mosquito repellent to roll on and prevent bites and get treatment for the bites.

Resources: Chiang Mai Gay Guide, Dreaded Ned, Chiang Mai Low End Hotels, Dragoncastle.net Chiang Mai, MD Travel Health, Sticky Rice, Utopia-Asia

Best Way To Get Around:

Taxi, săwngthăew (pick-up truck taxis), túk túks (three-wheeled motorised taxis) and săamláw (three-wheeled pedicabs) or on bicycle or motorcycle. Bicycles are cheap to rent.

We booked a suite here at Lotus Hotel, which is somewhat less than meets the eye. There’s a restaurant, bar, and gym here. American breakfast, THB120. The suite is on two levels, with the very large king-size bed, firm but comfortable to sleep in, is upstairs with room only for one bedside stand. There are TVs upstairs and downstairs, dimmer switches and regular on-off rocker light switches, the bathroom has on-demand heating, with a switch to direct the hot water source to either the bathtub with shower or the shower stall with a light dimmer, and there was a small elongated pond outside our window.

We chose their most expensive suite, number 12, for our stay here for THB2600, but the curtains didn't provide complete privacy because someone from the street could see in. The shower stall door is damaged from the hinge and won’t close properly, leading to extensive water leaking onto the floor. Unless you’re aware of this, and strategically aim the shower spray path to just miss a wooden covering in the shower stall so that the water also doesn’t hit on the door directly, minimizes the amount of water that gets onto the bathroom floor. The suspended speakers over the entrance are cheap PC speakers that deliver a colored, non-flat response that is heavy on the base, and with minimal highs from the TV sound source and with three audio channels. A four-digit combination safe, where you select the code, was provided in our room. They inventory and charge for the use of drinks, instant coffee packets, condom convenience package THB250 if opened. Do an inventory check yourself and report discrepancies upon checking-in, else you'll be charge for the difference upon check-out. Charges for every call, THB200 for a car to the airport. Check-in is 1pm, check-out is 12pm.

I think the suite was a nice idea, but I'd rather save the money and get a more economical room. It has been suggested that we go to the Viangbua Mansion, as it's nicer and cheaper.

email lotus@loxinfo.co.th

This is listed in low-end hotels and is located north of the city gate, very close to a public market and gay venues clustered around the area. It has 80 rooms, either with a fan for one person, THB190, or two people, THB230, or air-conditioning for one person, THB290, or two people, THB320.

Viangbua Mansion is marketed as a serviced apartment with 108 rooms available in three different categories: Superior or Deluxe available on a daily to monthly basis, and Grand Deluxe available on a monthly basis, with different price points for your budget and taste, ranging from THB900 to THB3200/day (excludes Grand Deluxe), THB5,600 to THB15,400/week (excludes Grand Deluxe), THB12,000 to THB100,000/month.

The building has a 24-hour security guard, 24-hour front desk, lift, CCTV, restaurant, coffee shop, fitness, spa, sauna, and traditional Thai massage. Rooms have electronic access, cable TV, an electronic lock safe, refrigerator, stove, hot water, wi-fi, hot water, and a separate shower and bathtub. Rooms are cleaned and linens are changed twice weekly. An American breakfast is included.

Email: info@viangbuamansion-chiangmai.com

Novotel Chiang Mai is part of the Accor international hotel chain, with cheaply built hotels like the McDonald's of hotels, clean but devoid of distinct character —you could be anywhere in the world and the room would be similar and cheap. This location has 159 rooms, 2 bars, 5 rooms for meetings/conferences, restaurant, swimming pool, fitness centre, and laundry. Rimping Supermarket is just down the same road a couple of minutes walk. This is another hotel where there's a small cluster of gay venues in the area.

E-mail novotelcnx@cmnet.co.th

Downtown Inn in Chiang Mai is conveniently located next to the Handicraft Center and Night Bazaar with 72 rooms and suites, 35 standard, 35 deluxe, 2 suites, 24-hour restaurant and coffee shop, serving local and international cuisines, a swimming pool with a poolside bar. Continental breakfast is THB168, American breakfast is THB215, lunch THB287, dinner THB335. Low season promotion includes American breakfast. There's air-conditioning, mini-bar, cable TV, telephone, laundry & valet service, baby-sitting, room service, safe deposit box, express checkout, airport transfer, car parking, 10 minutes from the airport, wifi access through the business center available. Credit cards accepted: Amex, Visa, Diners Club.

My partner spotted the building earlier, a little while later I spotted an ad on the back of a tuk tuk for the Queen Victoria Inn that offered a hotel with a traditional English Pub with imported beers and WiFi. We were the only customers there because it's fairly new, and the surrounding neighborhood is dead quiet. We ordered a chicken merango with mashed and veggies, special off-the-board for THB160. It was still too spicy for my tastes. We also ordered some crab meat appetizer that was very good. The WiFi signal advertised wasn't working.

email chiangmai@queenvictoriainnsthailand.com

Chiang Mai Zoo has built a special exhibit inside a cool, air-conditioned climate of 10°C for the comfort of a pair of giant pandas on loan from China for display in Thailand in 2004 started from a conversation in 2001 between Vice-prime Minister and Minister of Defence Chawalit Yongjaiyut with the President and Prime Minister of The People's Republic of China concerning putting on display the giant panda in Thailand. This zoo was selected by the Zoological Park Organization for the care and display of these pandas.

There are special liquid-covered mats you walked through to kill bacteria that may be harmful to the pandas. A moat separates the pandas from the audience. We were initially disappointed as the pandas were farther up and away in their habitat, hard to see even with the digital camera in maximum zoom. Then we were fortunate, a zoo worker started to feed the pandas. First one came down, then the other. The pandas strip the bamboo bark and then they played with each other. Another zoo worker displays a large sign in Thai and English to please be quiet. This is a major public draw for the zoo, go on a weekday if you can as the weekends are packed with crowds of people is what I heard. No flash photography.

General admission to the zoo is THB30 for adults, older child (over 135cm) THB10, younger child (under 135cm) THB5, vehicle THB30, motorcycle THB10.

A separate panda-exhibit-fee is required in addition to the regular zoo entrance fee - for adults: foreigners THB100, Thais THB50; foreigners child THB50, Thai child THB20.

Zoo hours are open 8am to 9pm.

Telephone +66.0.5322.1179, +66.0.5322.2479, +66.0.5322.6194, +66.0.5322.2283, +66.0.5321.0374; Fax. +66.0.5322.2283
e-mail admin@chiangmaizoo.com

Free Guy, Soi 7 Chang-Phuak Rd., a gay/bi men's bar. Look for the illuminated sign off Main street-but can only see it in one direction of the street heading toward the city gate, the sign states two shows: from 10pm to 11pm and 11:30pm to 12:30am, or if any customers show up. Looks like this business has been there for a while. There is a stage area and seating area for the audience and a show was put on for us. These guys have a hard- and rough-edged look on them. Drinks cost THB150.

We came across this place by seeing boys hanging-out in front of the establishment. This gay/bi men's place was a dive, the stage area audience view was obstructed by a support beam. The boys came alive and danced/moved to show themselves off to the audience. Drinks were THB150.

Hours of operation are 9pm to 1am.

Phone 5341-0241

Adam's Apple is on the 3rd floor. It is entertainment for gay/bi men interested in other men, and there are plenty of foreigners here. There are floor shows of boys in underwear with numbered tags at 11pm, directly across from the Lotus Hotel. Get there late, and you may have to select quickly from who's left before closing time. Drink prices are standard THB150.

Hours: 9pm-12:30am

Phone: (053) 220-381-2

Rodio is a restaurant bar full of university students on a Friday night, since they presumably have no school the next day. The kitchen is open till 3am on Friday, with one of the items being an omelet for THB 19, but my partner didn’t realize that the place served food till the kitchen was already closed. My partner got acquainted with a university student, an engineering major 2007, who hopes to immigrate to Australia afterwards for a job. His English skills are quite good, and he offered to trade beers with my partner, as he didn’t like his choice of Leo beer and overheard my partner’s earlier request for Chang beer, but the beer wouldn't be cold enough for another twenty minutes. The student conversed with my partner to practice his English skills and offered some of the food/snack items he ordered, including fried worms and leaves my partner tasted and thought were okay. A little later, another student, intoxicated, pushily insisted on practicing his English speaking skills.

Look for a overhead yellow-and-white sign depicting a cowboy with a rope.

Rimping Supermarket is located on the same road as the Novatel hotel. It is a typical clean, brightly lit, modern, air- conditioned supermarket that sells produce and goods and some items for the local market. Backpacks must be checked and photos aren't allowed. Since our hotel charged for the use of instant coffee, we picked some up here, as well as cold drinks and whatever else we were willing to carry with us. There are Glinter brand soda cans in clear plastic containers like a can of Coke or Pepsi, so I got a lychee and a peach flavor. There's baked French bread available here. Open from 9am to 9pm.

Email rimping@loxinfo.co.th

Circle Club is a gay/bi men's bar with many attractive dancers and a cabaret show every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 10:30pm. Telephone 053 214 996

An open-air (covered to protect from the heat of the sun) Public Market of vendors offering produce, cooked food, drinks for shoppers to browse, buy, and take away. I came along here after my partner told me it was about two blocks north of the Lotus Hotel, or very close to a low -end hotel. The vendors were already in full swing by 8am. I managed to buy a couple of deep-fried chicken-leg quarters and another meat item from the same vendor. The vendor knew enough English to tell me the amount in English, along with the hand signals. Another vendor had different colored fountain drinks, but couldn't find out what they were and didn't speak English... nor did I spoke any Thai, so I passed on it.

Chiang Dao Nest offers tour packages in the Chiang Dao area. We selected a tour which includes hotel pickup in Chiang Mai for an hour ride (60km) to an elephant show with an hour and a half elephant ride to a hill-tribe, and return on the same elephant. Afterwards, lunch is included , but not any drinks, at Chiang Dao Nest 2, a visit to Chiang Dao Cave, an hour ride on rafting, then the return 1 hour, 20 minute ride (75km) back to drop off at our hotel.

My partner arranged the THB 2,295 per person booking, with a deposit of THB 1,500, and was very clear in the email as to where we were staying, with the address and phone number to the hotel. We contacted the tour company after 30 minutes elapsed for the 8am pickup time, got their mobile number, left our mobile number and called the TAT licensed guide on his mobile. The TAT licensed driver went by a second time to the same hotel, called back and found out they went to the wrong hotel, apparently, from the driver's remark, this occurs frequently. The company’s manager sent the guide and driver to another hotel with part of the same name as our hotel. We finally got picked up for an hour ride (60km) to the elephant training camp. Our guide provided a large bottle of drinking water and a package of ice with glasses.

We arrived at the elephant training camp, and crossed a bridge which swayed from side to side depending on the walking frequency. Another new bridge was just completed, but wasn’t used by us. We sat down to watch a group of elephants come by and bathe. Next, we walked to a stage area to be seated for an elephant show, starting with the raising of a flag by one of the elephants, co-coordinated movements, moving of logs, an original painting created by one of the elephants for sale for THB 500, which is done twice a day. Then we walked to a staging area for getting on an elephant with a bench for two, and a seat belt to help prevent you from falling off the bench. Being in balance in the center of the elephant weight load is important. I was off balance, which made the ride rougher and I was pressed against the bench. One of the staff noticed this and instructed me to move over the other side, until the load was centered. We learned eventually that we needed to brace ourselves to the back of the bench when the elephant was descending, as I found myself slipping forward, off the bench, creating the possibility of falling off the chair and knocking the riding elephant guide, and myself off of the elephant. It’s a slow, rough, jerky motion, under a hot sun—a large hat for shade is recommended. We got off the elephants to visit a hills-tribe where they were dressed in costumes selling their handicrafts. My partner purchased a hat with little bells attached, it was large enough to fit his head. The elephant ride was in the same order, I realized this when the people ahead weren’t boarding and the person in charge of boarding people motioned me to come ahead. By now, we trained ourselves to brace the back of the bench to minimize sliding off. The elephants went into the river, part of the way back. When we got off the elephant, we were conveniently next to the toilets. The elephant rides were too long, a 20 minute ride would have been good enough. After crossing the the bridge to leave, another person stood there to present a commemorative photo for THB 200 which we purchased. I presented a THB 1,000 note, but the person couldn’t break the note, fortunately, our guide fronted the money for me.

We left for a drive to Chiang Dao Nest 2, where our lunch was included. However, any drinks we would order we would pay along with the balance of the tour, and a service charge isn’t included in the bill. Cash is preferred, but payment by credit card is accepted with an additional 3% surcharge added. Any dietary needs need to be conveyed in advance, which it was via email. But one of the dishes had garlic sauce which is very salty, and another dish was spicy even though they said it’s not spicy (to them). They had fresh squeezed orange juice THB 55, the smoothie of the day (mango) in this case THB 55, and beer (640ml) THB 85.

After settling the bill, we were taken to the Chiang Dao Cavem. and after ascending some steep and irregular height stairs, we were inside with many lighted limestone formations, along with Buddha images, and statutes. There were vendors selling all sorts of herbal products, which I managed to negotiate the price down, and purchased a sizable amount of pueraria mirifica powder, through the help of our guide interpreter.

We were next taken to a place for our one hour water raft ride. This was completely frivolous, although hard physical labor for the person guiding and pushing the raft along, using a metal tipped bamboo rod. The rafts are made of bamboo with seating for two, one in front of the other. Remove your socks and shoes before boarding, and bring along sunscreen to apply in case you didn’t cover yourselves. The ride was mostly very gentle, with a few rough spots where the water currents were strong. The ride overall was far too long, a 20 minute ride would have been good enough. The sun made the journey hot, and somewhat uncomfortable, a large hat to provide some shade is advisable. Along the way, we saw a family seated by the side, working on making large hats, a small group of children swimming and enjoying themselves, and a person scrub cleaning bamboo rods. The water has clumps of algae, while the bottom is rocky and rough. Make sure to bring your swimming trunks if you want to swim in the water, or at least get wet to cool yourself off from the hot sun. Our guide brought our shoes and socks out to meet us, so we wouldn’t get our feet dirty with mud, a nice touch. There was a convenience stand selling cold drinks, and the vendor was able to break a large bill.

Our 75km ride back would take us back to our hotel, allow about 1 hour and 20 minutes, but we were back about 65 minutes. Along the way, our guide informed us about history, culture, and his background. He was a monk for a number of years and he left to be in the tourist industry to make a living. He learnt English while teaching a course of Buddhism to an English speaking student. He spent 2 months studying and then took the exam to get the TAT license. I felt our guide was knowledgeable, intelligent, kind, and a gentle person. However, while he was fluent in English, it was still a bit hard to understand each other.