We cruised down the river on an original scorpion tailed boat that was very smooth and had no stinky fumes which was a plus. Our guide was an older man who spoke good english and had a good sense of humour. He had a microphone pack so everyone could hear even though there were only about 6 ppl on the boat. We cruised for a short time before pulling in along the riverside for refreshments at a little fruit garden/guesthouse retreat called "Scorpion tailed boat village". He gave us a guided tour of the unique fruit trees there and showed us inside a cute mud house (which you can rent quite cheap)and explained how it was made etc. Apart from renting a mudhouse, there was nothing to buy so it wasn't "one of those stops" if you get my drift. We sat in a small cafe style area and enjoyed free mango with sticky rice and a fresh lychee juice while our guide showed us many interesting contraptions for catching snakes etc from the past. We got back on the boat and cruised some more. As we went along he held up photos of past images to compare with Chiang Mai today. We were free to ask any questions along the way also.All in all, a good way to spend a couple of hours and see Chiang Mai in a different light.
The operators really care for the environment, using eco-friendly fuels, and low-noise engines. Food cannot be taken on board to reduce the risk of pollutants from reaching the river. Please note that the Scorpion cruise boats do NOT have toilet facilities.Chiang Mai: Scorpion-Tailed River Cruise - TripAdvisor
