Northern Thailand
- Angus
- Oct 25, 2017
- 3 min read
Northern Thailand may not have the stunning beaches and islands that the south boasts but the mountainous region still has plenty on offer when it comes to tourism. The Golden Triangle, as it is also known, where Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet, does not just produce opium anymore, though we were offered some by hawkers (which we politely declined). Instead think of fresh coffee plantations, jungles, elephants, waterfalls, canyons and big festivals.
Chiang Mai
The first town we reached in the north was Chiang Mai (about 10 hours bus ride from Bangkok). Chiang Mai is known for it's beautiful temples, cooler climate, fabulous food, markets and its proximity to the jungle. We spent a total of around 7 days exploring the markets and sampling the food within the town as well as attending the Light Festival (known as Yee Peng Festival). Yee Peng is celebrated on the full moon of the twelfth lunar month every year, which normally falls in mid-November. During this festival you can see thousands of lit lanterns float into the sky and hundreds of floating kratong (small crafted boats with candles) in the Ping river. We purchased our own lantern and lit it up along the overly crowded bridge making our wish in a hurry in an attempt to evade the masses of tourists that flock to this area. You'd be better off finding a rooftop bar and watching from a distance if you are claustrophobic or simply don't like big crowds.
The highlight of our stay in Chiang Mai, however, was our full day visit to the Happy Elephant Home. A sanctuary for elephants that have been rescued from logging companies, circuses and other activities where they've been mistreated. We left the hostel early in the morning and headed into the jungle north of the town. The tour begins with an introduction to Thai elephant lifestyles after which you are each equipped with a set of traditional Thai farmer attire. Next up we were shown how to cut up sugar cane with machetes into pieces that we would then feed the elephants. Each of us, carrying our own elephant goodie bag, were introduced to the friendly giants and became best friends once the food was revealed.
We walked the elephants to the edge of the river and joined in as they enjoyed a refreshing swim. We were taught how to make lunch the local style and fed the elephants once more before saying goodbye and returning to Chiang Mai after what was one of the most unforgettable experiences of this trip so far. Watch the video below for a better insight into how our day out with these wonderful creatures went.
Pai
A further four hours north and you'll reach a small mountain town called Pai. Chill is the word that comes to mind when talking about this little paradise. The best way to explore Pai and its wonderful surroundings is by hiring a scooter for a few days. About 25 minutes drive away from Pai you'll reach some hotsprings where you can take the day off to relax or if you are feeling more adventurous you can go to any of the numerous waterfalls nearby and slide down some natural slides.
On the third day we headed towards Pai Piranha Fishing Park, which is a restaurant/bed and breakfast in the mountains on the shore of a small pond that the owner has filled with fish from all over the globe. Here you can rent a line, order food and drinks and relax in the sun and catch some fish.
Another memorable trip in this region was to the Pai Canyon. This is a popular destination during sunset, however the canyon is so big and there are hundreds of different paths you can follow. You can even go off trail for a bit more of an adventure and to avoid the tour bus groups. We did just that and enjoyed a little adventure into the bottom of the canyon and looped round back to the start.
Comments