It was Thaime to go back

I don’t want to make you jealous or anything but it’s a Thursday afternoon and I am sat in a cafe by a waterfall in a national park in Thailand. Travelling life ain’t bad you know…

9^th February-10^th February (Chiang Mai)

After a final morning in Laos we journeyed to Chiang Mai (8^th Feb). The flight was short and sweet, with Laos airlines getting a thumbs up. Although we arrived in Chiang Mai in the early afternoon, we ended up spending the rest of the day doing jobs (getting cash out and sorting a SIM took FOREVER) before a Pad Thai, some more planning (for Thailand part 2) and an early night.

The first stop upon waking was the Jing Jai Farmer’s market. The market is only open at weekends and was already busy with locals having breakfast or shopping. It was one of my favourite markets in Asia so far and I got some bananas for our breakfast. We then set out for the monk’s trail, a pilgrimage route up a nearly mountain. To get to the start we had to walk through a University campus and (looking a bit lost) we were scooped up by a lovely Thai man who deposited us at the hike’s entrance!! We then set off, passing Wat Pha Lat on our way. The temple had an Indiana Jones feel, hidden in the forest and beautifully decorated, with an array of stone carvings. Then up some more… it was HOT and soon we were sweating buckets (again). Definite type 2 fun according to Helen!! Why did we bother? The impressive Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. The temple was built in the 14th century by King Kue Na in honour of his white elephant who died on the spot. The golden stupa was the highlight of the complex, but it also featured intricate wooden carvings and an array of small side temples. Worth the 30 Baht (~ 75 p) and three litres of sweat to get there. A detour to Huay Keaw waterfall capped a peaceful walk home. In the evening we explored the Sunday market, which was a healthy mix of food (Helen was happy), clothes and nick-nacks for tourists. It was huge, sprawling throughout the old town. Pad Thai for dinner? G’wan then.

After an atrocious night’s sleep (thanks to snoring roommates and a poor decision to turn off the air conditioning) we set out to explore Chiang Mai old town. We first visited Wat Chiang Mun, which was the first temple built in the ancient city square (1296-1297). The temple contained a crystal Buddha (made ~1800 years ago) and a marble Buddha (made ~2500 years ago) which have been kept in the complex since it was built in the 13th century. Up next was Wat Jed Yod (or Chet Yot) located a short walk from town. Passing more temples en route we joked that with Luang Prabang and Chiang Mai we should design our own ‘Temples of South East Asia’ Top Trumps. The temple was built in 1455-1456 and contained a stupa with seven spires, reflecting the period over which Buddha gained enlightenment. Whilst Helen got her haircut I walked to the Huay Keaw arboretum. Whilst not a scratch on Westonbirt, the park was pleasant and the seedling leaning centre made me think of mum and her allotment (we are both starting to miss home lately). After a break we relaxed for a while in the Buak Hat Park in the old town. We timed our stay with the Chiang Mai flower festival and the park was beautifully flowerful (yes I made that word up) as a consequence. Wat Suan Dok was the obligatory temple of the afternoon. With a pristine golden stupa surrounded by blindingly white tombs the site was also incredible.

11^th February-13^th February (Chiang Mai road trip)

After some successes in Thailand Part 1, we picked up a car from the airport and set out to explore North Thailand. Our main stop for the day was Wat Chaleom Phra Kiat; amazing white pagodas perched atop a mountain (carried up in pieces by a monk and a team of workers around a decade ago). We drove for just under three hours to reach the site and although very long, the drive took us through scenic windy hills. We then paid our entrance fee before taking a tuk-tuk up the first part of the hill. A steep 500 metre walk finished the job. The pagodas were absolutely stunning, set against blue skies and nestled throughout the mountains. The site was a bit smaller than we expected however and didn’t quite fill the day like we hoped (i.e. a great stop but a long time getting there). We set up camp for the night in a town called Lamphun, which had a(nother) nice temple, food market, river complete with floating lanterns and a Mickey Mouse museum (super random I know).

We woke in our homestay after the best night’s sleep we’ve had in ages. The misty sunrise view over the neighbouring rice fields was incredible and we were treated to a brilliant breakfast of rice with a fried egg, corn, tofu soup, mushrooms and a tasty homemade fish sauce. The old couple we stayed with were so friendly and accommodating and we both wished we could have stayed with them for longer. Our first stop on day two was Pha Chor canyon in Mae Wang National Park. The canyon was formed over five million ages ago and was very impressive. We enjoyed walking in the trail of the old Ping river (which has now relocated its water path about 10 km from Pha Chor) but were careful not to pick up any stones, as the punishment was a mind-boggling 5-20 years in prison. The next stop for us was Mae Ya waterfall, just inside Doi Inthanon National Park. At 280 metres it is the highest waterfall in the park and I had a fun 30 mins scrambling up to the top. As we drove into the park we also passed Wachirathan waterfall, which was pretty majestic (although much more touristy). After parking we visited a small market (delicious strawberries) and walked a short way to Mae Klong village, enjoying the temperatures which were a breezy 28 degrees. Glorious. It’s been a great day.

After a night within the national park (in a tent!!) we drove to the highest point in Thailand at 2,565 metres (Doi Inthanon summit) to watch the sunrise. It was bloody freezing. After a break in the car to warm up we did the Ang Ka Luang nature trail, a short walk at the summit. The trail took us through evergreen and cloud forests and detailed plants that adapt to the climates in the dry and wet seasons. We then visited stupas built in the late 20th century by the Royal Thai Air Force in commemoration of the former king and queen’s sixtieth birthdays. More modern than others we have visited, the stupas had carvings of famous landmarks around the world and the history of the Buddha, as well as top gardens and panoramic views. Next up was the Kew Mae Pan trail, which took us through alpine style meadows and more forests. The views from various peaks were phenomenal, with shaded blue skies set against the forest below. We then visited the Royal Inthanon Project, which does research on flowers and crop species, promoting and developing careers for highland farmers. Next to the site the Siriphum waterfall cascades down a mountain in an area surrounded by fern trees and pink blossom (although just out of season for our visit). A final stop at Mae Klang waterfall finished our national park experience. Thailand, yet again you’ve been marvelous.