Bamboo rafting

Bamboo rafting sounds really cool. Is it worth doing? How far it is from Chiang Mai? Do I have to go with a guide or can we do by ourselves? Can we combine it with other activities in the area?

Thank you for the information!

Bamboo rafting

Someone else will probably be able to advise you more specifically - it is my understanding that most of the bamboo rafting places are attached to elephant camps.

We%26#39;ve been bamboo rafting three times and each time this was in conjunction with an elephant camp visit.

It is usually about 45 mins and down a calm river. Each raft has a guide who pushes you along in the right direction. They offer you the chance to get up and %26#39;drive%26#39; for a while.

Sometimes there are ladies in the river with a floating tyer selling cold drinks. It can get hot, so take a hat and sun screen.

I%26#39;m sure there would be somewhere you could just do the bamboo rafting - but these places are along the Mae Rim Rd. If you are going to go there, you may as well do a few other things as well. It%26#39;s about an hour from central Chiang Mai.

Most drivers in town will take you there. You could also hire a guide - Paul Collins is a tuk tuk driver mentioned a lot on the forums. You could also just walk into one of the many road side travel agents around Chiang Mai and easily organise this.

Make sure you get all the costs up front, so you have enough cash on you to cover the admissions.

Caroline.

Bamboo rafting

Bamboo rafting is only available as guided package, there is no place to simply hire a raft and do it yourself. And I don%26#39;t know of a place that offers the rafting by itself, usually as part of a package deal at elephant camps (though it maybe possible to organize).

While some folks enjoy it, it is basically a slow float down a shallow river usually sitting in the full sun. Unlike whitewater rafting, the only exciting bits are seeing the concrete alligator and watching another raft getting stuck on a sandbar.