I never thought I would admit to becoming too accustomed to seeing pretty beaches however, after 3 blissful weeks on the beautiful Thai island’s, it was time to travel to the foothills of Northern Thailand to reach the amazing city of Chiang Mai – Thailand’s 2nd biggest and most culturally significant city. It was great to actually be away from the beach (shock I know) and finish off our Thailand tour in this wonderful place.
Our choice of accommodation was one of my favourite hotel’s to date. We arrived mid-afternoon and were greeted by the wonderful family who run the Yindee Stylish Guesthouse, located in the old city area of Chiang Mai. Our room was not quite ready for us, so we sat in the cosy reception area and spoke to one of the sons, who gave us many recommendations of what to do during our stay. They had fresh coffee and bananas for us plus their two adorable cats (who also live in the house) sat with us as we waited. The family were just so humble and welcoming which made our stay here extra special.
Our Yindee Guesthouse was perfectly nestled in the heart of the old city, situated down a one lane cobblestone path with twinkling lanterns hanging low, decorating the surrounding criss-cross streets. Sweet aromas from independent cafes and coffee houses filled our senses every step we took. Small family-run businesses are clustered together in perfect little rows. We did not feel as if we were in a city whatsoever. On that first day walking around, Chiang Mai became one of my all time favourite places ever visited. The laid back atmosphere is a world away from Bangkok and as you walk around the sacred area, your eyes are spoiled with all of the artistic and historical charm the city has to offer.
We stopped off and had some lunch at a little garden restaurant, after being drawn inside through the smell of freshly made baked goods. It really was difficult trying to decide where to eat, as previously mentioned, every second store is a cafe. This place was pretty much a winner for us though. The pancakes were incredible although they were huge and both of us actually left food (unheard of by Gary standards). You could buy quirky little souvenirs too or pick up some home-made cookies. It all felt very British really.
Our non-Thai theme continued into the evening (you do get sick of noodles from time-to-time) and we chose to have dinner at an amazing burrito restaurant right by the moat river that runs around the old city. Built over 700 years ago, the old city was formally just a walled square city, surrounded by a moat. Some of the old walled brick remains in the city which is really cool to see.
We both literally had the BIGGEST grilled chicken burrito i’ve ever had in my life. It was amazing! Again, we were both defeated by the end of it.
The old city perimeter still has the original 4 gates in each corner. Some areas had been re-built with new bricks to show us how the city would have once looked. Below is Thapae, which is the main gate on the eastern side, facing the river ping. It’s fun to have access to the old and new city and you get a chance to see how much Chiang Mai has been developed over the years. The moat has been re-made to attract tourists – the polar opposite to it’s original task to repel unwanted visitors.
We walked along North side of the perimeter where there are many stunning temples to look at. The abundance of historical sites highlight the city’s significant history and made our visit a truly unique experience.
This is Wat Pha Singh (below), built in the 14th century and is one of the biggest temples to explore in Chiang Mai. We visited the temple which you must pay to enter and be adequately dressed (they provide sarongs if need be). The atmosphere was so surreal and it was pretty strange to see a real monk, who had dedicated himself to a life of silence. The architecture was pretty spectacular inside too. The detailing is just so delicate and ornate, not to mention the gigantic buddhas are exactly what you envision before travelling to Thailand.
Later that day, we checked out the famous Wat Chedi Luang, which is now largely a ruin (a result of an earthquake in 1545) The building is one of the most culturally significant temples in Chiang Mai as it used to hold one the most important religious treasures in Thailand – the Emerald Buddha, which has now been placed in the Wat Phra Kaew (Grand Palace) in Bangkok. The construction of the building began in 1391 in order to hold the ashes of a man named Ku Na, who was the father of King Saen Muang Ma (1385-1401).
The whole area surrounding the temple was really interesting to see. Monks freely stroll around who are willing to listen to anything you wish to talk to them about. It’s pretty obvious to catch the ‘apprentice’ monks (as I call them) after spying a few of the younger males on phones… not very monk like if you ask me.
Next to Wat Chedi Luang lies the reclining buddha, alongside other giant monuments. Unfortunately my knowledge of Buddhism is not so sharp but hopefully these signs will give some more information. Despite our lack of knowledge on the subject, the sacred areas are still pretty incredible to see. It’s amazing what you can find in the midst of a city – such peaceful and precious locations.
The grounds are also home to the city pillar (Lak Mueang), which has been here since 1800. These buildings are typical of Thai cities usually housed near a shrine.
The next day, we jumped in a taxi and made our way out of the city to visit the famous Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. The road leading up to the temple was so steep and twisty and it took about an hour to get there. Doi Suthep is actually the name of the mountain where the temple sits on the top, providing the most spectacular views over the city. The road to the temple was built in 1935 and apparently no one actually knows exactly how the temple came about.
To my delight, there were many markets and dogs as we reached the bottom of the temple to feed and amuse ourselves. We had a wander around before preparing ourselves to climb the whopping 309 steps to reach the top of the Wat… Extremely tiring work in such blistering temperatures.
We reached the top after walking around, observing all that Doi Suthep had to offer. The grounds are pretty insane and the vast gold structure is one of the prettiest temples we have seen so far. The views were the icing on the cake after our hike up the steep staircase. Trying to beat the storm clouds, we took some great pictures and stood to admire the scenery. You could practically see the whole of Chiang Mai from the mountain top – pretty special!
We finished off the tour exploring the gardens that lay within the temple and then made our way back down the intense staircase. Thankfully, it’s much easier going down than up!
Night time is when Chiang Mai comes alive. Each night we stayed here, we made our way to the famous night bazaar – located in the old city, which starts every evening at around 7pm. The shopping here is just never ending and the market is actually enormous, you can easily get lost. Ploen Ruedee night market is the best area to get food – we ended up eating here our last few nights as there was just so much choice. Every type of cuisine was on offer however, the pizza counter was our favourite. Also you could try the most insane ice-cream I have ever seen. Google Thailand ice-cream and you will see what I mean. They make this stuff from scratch in front of you on a cold plate (much like a crepe maker) You get the choice of hundreds of ingredients and can get it made any way you wish.
Chiang Mai really has been amazing so far. We are both quite sad that we only booked a few nights as you can definitely spend a lot longer here.
This post concludes our Thailand diaries and what an adventure it has been. It’s very easy to lose yourself in all of the gorgeous beach islands the country has however, the cities are really where you will find that sense of culture – so should not be missed.
Be sure to keep up to date with us as we embark on the next part of our adventure – in Vietnam.
Thanks so much for reading.
Lots of love,
Xx
