For stop two of six in the Thailand leg of our trip, we headed to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand (not to be confused with Chiang Rai.) The next week would be intense for us. After three nights in Chiang Mai, we planned to catch a bus for a three-hour ride into the mountains to a remote town called Pai. Then, four nights later, we would drive back to Chiang Mai to catch a flight the same day to another island. We had just spent five days recovering from travel fatigue in Koh Lipe, so we felt energized to take this chaotic week on. For our short time in Chiang Mai, we mapped out a loose schedule:
- Climb the famous sticky waterfalls.
- See temples and explore the city.
- Visit an elephant sanctuary.
First up on our agenda were the Bua Tong Sticky Waterfalls. Technically located about an hour and a half outside the city, we had to hire a driver to take us out there. Once we arrived, we changed into our swimsuits and bought tickets to access the four different levels of the falls. These waterfalls get their name thanks to limestone deposits that gather on top of the stones, resulting in a grippy surface. Although the rushing water looks scary at first, as soon you step onto the rock you will feel an adhesive sensation. There is a rope provided to help you climb up while the water gushes down, but it’s still easy to scale up using your bare feet and hands. My friends all know that athleticism is not high up on my list of skills, so they were thoroughly impressed to hear I’d climbed a waterfall without falling (unfortunately, falling *is* one of my skills.)
Chiang Mai itself is quite a large city, so we did not have nearly enough time to explore it all. However, we prioritized a couple temples that we’d heard great things about within the Old City neighborhood. We ended up seeing Wat Chedi Luang (left) and Wat Phra Singh (right.) Wat means monastery in Thai.
Wat Chedi Luang is known for its large Buddhist chedi (temple) decorated with elephant statues. Wat Phra Singh is another Buddhist wat from the 14th century and affectionately referred to as the Golden Temple by tourists. A dress code is enforced at all temples and some only allow males to enter inside. Matt didn’t enter those ones out of solidarity with me. We also saw several large sleeping Buddhas, which depict Buddha about to reach Parinirvana. It was humbling to witness such large structures still intact. It was incredibly hot the day that we went to see these temples, so we ended our tour with banana smoothies. I lament the fact that banana smoothies are not more common in California.
That night, we went out to dine at a fancy restaurant called The House by Ginger in Old Town. It had been a while since we’d really dressed up, so we both put on the fanciest clothes we’d packed for the occasion. All this really meant was that I wore a dress with flip flops. I tried a delicious lamb curry that was supposed to be mild but was so spicy I started tearing up at the table. As a cure, we ordered mango sticky rice (obviously.)
Our final day in Chiang Mai was spent with elephants. There are many elephant sanctuaries in the city and surrounding areas, but it’s key to do your homework and ensure that the one you’re going to is actually ethical in their treatment of the animals. Never go to one that allows riding — these places are usually masquerading as sanctuaries. In contrast, the resident elephants of the ethical preserves have been rescued from abusive environments (think forestry, tourism, and circuses) and it is considered unsafe for them to return to the wild. Visitors thus help the sanctuaries provide a lifestyle for the elephants that is as natural as possible.
The sanctuary we went to had us don shirts provided by them so the elephants were not alarmed by foreign scents. We then prepared snacks for the elephants that aid their digestion. We were also allowed to feed them mini bananas. One of the mothers had just given birth, so there was a four-month-old calf playing in the water and rolling around in the mud in a protected area. I’d heard that elephants are naturally playful animals, but it was interesting to see the different personality traits expressed in each animal. Some elephants were shy, while others were bold and curious. They were all eating nonstop; we learned that elephants feed up to 16 hours total a day. Looking at my own eating habits the last few weeks, I related.
Elephants are such intelligent and social creatures and it was heartwarming to see them play, eat, and live peacefully. The calf was adorable to watch as it played in the water, jumping in repeatedly to make a big splash. It is hard to imagine the abuse that they have endured, but we enjoyed watching these elephants live freely and be treated with respect.
The next day, we had our bus to Pai booked for the afternoon. With some time to spare, we spontaneously decided to see Oppenheimer at a nearby movie theater. This proved to be a unique experience as theaters in Thailand always play the royal anthem before the film starts. This is to pay respects to King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who ascended the throne in 2016. A clip is played while the anthem is sung, depicting various illustrations of the King. It made me chuckle to think of how Americans would react if movie theaters back home were to do this with the President.
Although visiting Chiang Mai meant skipping Bangkok this time around, we had no regrets. While it is one of the biggest cities in Thailand, Chiang Mai manages to retain a more down-to-earth, small town vibe, and its rich history and tasty food don’t disappoint. Seeing the elephants also proved to be one of the biggest highlights of our trip.
Up next in our Thailand adventures, the charming town of Pai!
Postcards Home to Mum 
Leave a comment