Spend some time in Chiangmai and you will soon realize that there is no bus system, metro or sky train that you can jump into to get from Point A to Point B. Here, the two most common options to choose from are tuk-tuks and songthaews. Tuk-tuks are the small, trike-like vehicles that can carry up to three or four people and are a more expensive way to get around town. They are more commonly used by tourists, especially those that don’t feel comfortable climbing into the back of one of the hundreds of songthaews that continually roam the city looking for passengers.
Riding in the back of a songthaew is the most common way to get around Chiangmai. These red pickups are highly visible and very easy to flag down from the side of almost any street in the city. The covered back of each truck consists of two wooden benches facing each other and,other than scooters, these vehicles are the primary means of transportation around the city. Usually, along with the benches, you’ll also find a variety of ads posted inside for the dozens of tourist sites in and around the city. The only problem many newcomers have is getting up the nerve to flag one down and talk to the driver. Read More
