Going bamboo rafting in Chiang Mai is a great family adventure!
This is a favourite family day trip in Chiang Mai of mine. We love bamboo rafting so much we do it every year! Bamboo rafting in Chiang Mai take place in Mae Wang which is a subdistrict of Chiang Mai located not far from the city. It’s very easy to get to.
The Wang river which you raft on runs through largely untouched lands and you will see beautiful scenery on your drive there and while floating down the river. You’ll love it so much that you’ll want to go again immediately after the day trip is over.
What is bamboo rafting and why you should try it
Bamboo rafting is the perfect family adventure for those looking to get out into nature. It takes place on a calm river where there are barely any rapids. Essentially, you sit on the raft and float down the river. Up to 4 adults can fit onto a single raft, as can 2 adults and 2 children. It is even a perfect adventure for kids as young as 2. I’ve brought both of my children rafting at that age and they loved it!
Each raft comes with a river guide who will take charge and guide you down the river safely. Those families who are a bit more adventurous, can opt to go it alone and steer yourselves down the river.
The river itself (according to the guides) remains about the same depth all year round. It is generally quite shallow with very few deep parts. The chances of falling into the river are next to nil, unless of course you do it on purpose! The guide knows the river extremely well and will keep everyone safe.
In northern Thailand, rafts made out of bamboo were traditionally used to transport goods or to cross rivers. Nowadays rafts have become part of the tourism landscape where you can ride on a bamboo raft down a local river and experience a rustic way of life. Along with Mae Wang, you can also traverse the rivers in Mae Taeng and Mae Sa although we have yet to try either experience.
The bamboo rafts are around 4 to 5 metres long made from about 9 pieces of locally grown bamboo stalks. The rafts are held together by rubber strips tied around the bamboo and nails. They float, but as you can see in the photos, you are guaranteed to get at least a wet bottom as the water will seep up between the bamboo slats.
The ride itself is so relaxing at points and yet so exciting at the same time. What will be around the bend? Will we make it over the rapids? Watch out for the bush!
You’ll also get a glimpse into local country life in Thailand as you pass farmland and amazing hanging bridges and walkways that are somehow safe for motorbikes to cross. You may even be lucky enough to see elephants in the river too!
It is an adventure you’ll find yourself wanting to do again immediately after it is over.
How much does bamboo rafting in Chiang Mai cost?
There are private tours that offer a chance to go bamboo rafting and those generally start in the 1,200 baht range. Private tours are great, especially if you don’t have your own mode of transportation. In fact, here is a bamboo rafting tour from TakeMeTour in Mae Wang that we recommend:
Here are some other activities you may like:
There are also bamboo rafting tours in Mae Taeng and Mae Sa which are north of Chiang Mai which you could inquire about in town with tour operators.
However, we recommend taking your own transport to Mae Wang as that will save you lots of money and allow you to be flexible in your choices. In this case, rafting will only cost 400 baht. That’s not per person, that’s per raft! It’s such a great deal as that price includes a river guide. Taking the guide with you is optional but the price will remain the same. We recommend taking the guide if this is your first time on this river and if you are traveling with young children.
How long does bamboo rafting in Chiang Mai take?
The timing for this particular rafting trip in Mae Wang takes about an hour from pick up to drop off. This is assuming you have driven yourself to the destination or have hired a driver and are not on a private tour. You would also have to factor in driving time to get here and back which would be about another hour and a half or so each way. So in total it would be about 4 hours. However, there is much to do before and after the rafting is over to easily turn this into a full day trip. More details are below.
If you are on a tour, expect the entire duration of the trip to take between 5 – 7 hours.
Is bamboo rafting safe for little kids?
For the most part, yes! As mentioned we have taken our 2 year olds on this trip and we do it annually. Things to be mindful of would be making sure they are not putting their hands or fingers between the bamboo stalks as they tend to squeeze or snap together once in a while. You wouldn’t want any pinched fingers! The other thing to check for are nails that are sticking out of the bamboo which can be sharp and pull on clothing or skin.
If you choose to go with a guide (which we recommend with small children), there is a portion of the river where they will ask the children and at least one adult to get off the raft. The guide will then take the raft over some rapids and you will walk down to meet the raft again a bit downstream and get back on to continue your journey down the river.
How to get to Mae Wang bamboo rafting?
There are many bamboo rafting outfits along the 1013 Road which leads to Mae Wang. The majority of them are located along the same stretch of road and can be difficult to differentiate from one another, however you will know them once you see them. They will be the first signs of civilization after a long stretch of greenery and jungle.
To get to the Mae Wang bamboo rafting spot there are two possible routes to take from Chiang Mai. You may take the 108 south to the 1013 and turn right, or you can take the 121/3035 south to the 1013 and turn right. Personally, we always take the 121/3035 because it’s faster and the road has just been widened.
Once you get about about 20 minutes or 20 km up the 1013, you’ll start to see shops along the left hand side and parking spaces along the right hand side of the road. This means you are here!
All of the shops can arrange bamboo rafting for you, however we have always used Maewang Rafting (089-835-5629 or 081-998-7110) as their prices are very reasonable and they have child size life jackets.
Here is what their rafting shop looks- like from the street:
Bamboo rafting in Mae Wang day trip – what to expect
(This is what to expect if you are driving yourself there and back or you have hired a private driver)
Start the day with a nice breakfast in town and then head out on the road with the aim to arrive around 10:30, or earlier if that suits you. The drive out toward Mae Wang can be absolutely stunning and we always take it a bit slower to enjoy the sights. Nearly as soon as you turn onto the 1013 you are surrounded by greenery.
Once you get to the part along the 1013 where Maewang Rafting company is, park your car under one of the canopies and approach the people running the shop. Explain that you would like to go rafting. They speak little English, but will know what you are implying. The price is normally 400 baht per raft and you will be asked to pay in cash. You will then be asked to pick out life jackets while you wait for pick up to the raft put-in point.
A pickup truck will pull up and you’ll be asked to hop into the bed of the truck. This alone is quite an adventure! The trip in the back of the pickup truck is not long. It’s a smooth ride until they pull off the main road and head down dirt roads towards the river. The ride to the rafts takes between 5 – 10 minutes.
Once there they will indicate to come towards the river where your guide will be ready waiting with the raft in the water. You’ll climb down a somewhat steep embankment and be helped onto the raft. Children may sit in between your legs or if they are older sit on their own. Adults are asked to spread out to keep balance on the raft. Everyone will be in a straight line and you won’t be allowed to sit side by side. Some rafts will have cushions or tires to sit on, but sitting on the bamboo is actually quite comfortable!
Then off you head down the river! Your guide will use a bamboo pole to steer you through the waterway. There will be a few bumps into the riverbanks along the way and some fun bumpy rides over rocks and small rapids.
If you are lucky, you may even get to see some elephants! There are a few elephant camps in Mae Wang and many bring their elephants for walks by the river. It’s quite a sight to see and the kids will love seeing the giant grey wonders up close.
About three quarters of the way, you’ll see larger rapids and a small waterfall ahead. Not to worry as if you have children with you, the guide will pull over and drop you off on the side and ask you to meet him further downstream. Adults can stay on the raft and go down the rapids if you want. It’s a thrill!
You may also see locals swimming in the river at the deepest parts along the way. These are fun swimming holes that you can access via one of the coffee cafes if you wish later to go for a swim as well.
Soon you will see the river huts begin to appear on the left side of the river (photo taken after we got off the raft) and this unfortunately means that your rafting journey is nearly over. You raft guide will drop you off at Maewang Rafting which has lovely huts along the river.
We highly recommend you enjoy lunch here at their riverside restaurant where you can experience authentic Thai food and local beers. The kids can play in the water and watch other bamboo rafters go by.
From here you could drive further up the road to find one of the coffee shops that has access to the river to go for a proper swim, or you can take a very short drive, about one to two minutes up the road and feed some elephants!
Just up the 1013 from Maewang Rafting is The Chai Lai Orchid elephant camp. Now I realize elephant camps can cause contentious conversations, and personally I don’t recommend riding elephants. However, there is an opportunity here to get up close and personal with elephants, touch them, and even feed them if you wish. Most children just can’t get over being so close to an elephant! The mahouts (the people who look after the elephants) will offer you bananas to feed them. A small donation can be made, although it is not expected.
Once you have fed the elephants or simply spent some time with them, cross over the suspension bridge which goes over the river you just rafted down, to see elephants bathing in the water and tourists spending time with the wise animals.
The Chai Lai Orchid has a restaurant where you can enjoy a cold drink or meal while watching unchained elephants roam past and other bamboo rafting folk float on by. Sometimes there is a little old lady whose job is to collect the elephant poop that floats down stream. Elephant poop is sold to local farmers as incredibly rich fertilizer, or it is sold to the Elephant PooPooPaper Park.
This brings you to the end of your bamboo rafting day trip adventure in Chiang Mai!
Things to bring with you
While you can get food and snacks and drinks there, here are some items to consider bringing with you:
- Sunscreen
- Hats
- Sunglasses
- A set of dry clothes
- Extra shoes (or just wear sandals as your feet will get wet)
- Swim suits
- Your own child sized life jackets (just in case)
- A waterproof phone holder or camera holder
- Cash (no ATM’s around)
- Towels
What else is there to do in Mae Wang?
Actually, the Mae Wang National Park right nearby. It is home to an incredible geological site, the Pha Chor Canyon.
If you have older children and are looking for a longer day trip in the Mae Wang area, we highly recommend heading out to Pha Chor Canyon before doing the bamboo rafting. In fact, there is a local tour company that can arrange this exact tour for you if you don’t have access to transportation. It’s called ‘Phar Chor National Park & Bamboo Rafting’ by TakeMeTour.
Mornings are best as there is a lot of hiking involved and the sunlight is perfect in the mornings to get beautiful shots of the canyon. It will also get you all hot and sweaty and eager to get wet in the river! Alternatively, you could enjoy the hike through in incredible Pha Chor Canyon on a separate day trip.
