In 1904 the great photographer and traveler J. Antonia made the journey to Chiang Mai. J. Antonia wrote one of the first guidebooks about Siam. This is how he describes the journey from Bangkok to Chiang Mai in the pre-railway times. 

“Travel in the north of Siam depends greatly upon the season of the year, the amount of water in the rivers etc. There are various places of interest but the difficulties in reaching them are such as to practically preclude their being visited by the ordinary traveler or tourist unless business draws him thither“.  

“When it is explained that a trip to Chiengmai takes as a journey to Europe, and costs even more, it will readily be seen that something more than a desire to view the jungle is necessary to attract the average sight-seer. Fevers, too, are not unknown; there are perils to be encountered in the swirling rapids of the river, which number about 30, and in some places even there are impassable, and tedious portages have to be made. Boat travel to the far north may cost a single individual anything from 15 to 20 ticals per day, whilst a journey on elephant will come to as much or more”.

The railway to Chiang Mai was completed in 1917.

^PS