I couldn’t be more excited to visit Northern Thailand and Southern Thailand for the first time where I have two weeks to explore the wonders of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Bangkok, Phi Phi Islands and more. Initially I had a connecting flight to Hong Kong but the itinerary looked so amazing I decided to cancel my HK flight! I booked my flights to Bangkok via ebookers which got us the cheapest deal to fly out on the 30th Dec until 11th Jan with Emirates Airline. I was very lucky to have a Thai friend to organise this memorable trip for us so I knew it was going to be a stress free holiday.
Flying with Emirates Airline experience:
I booked with Emirates (which includes a stop over to Dubai) because that was the only airline that had a multi-stop flight to Hong Kong at a decent price via Skyscanner. I was bitterly disappointed with the Emirates customer service; I sat in a seat with an uncontrollable-full-blasted air-con from the kitchen/pantry and so I was left shivering throughout the whole flight. Tear! Many times I asked for an extra blanket I was ignored and there was very little care for the passengers on board. The menu was great though; I can’t complain with the food served inflight.
Once landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, I literally ran to the passport controls because the queue…it’s not even a queue, it’s a massive uncontrolled crowd full of Brits, Russians, Americans! The guy I sat next to zoomed passed me when we got off assuming he was late for something, but in fact he was smart to beat the tourist queue! It took about 40 minutes to get out of passport control and it’s not a good wait if you’ve had a 12hr flight.
Health Land Spa and Massage:
Upon arrival, I had an epic 2.5hrs body scrub and massage treatment in Bangkok. It was a fantastic experience and incredibly relaxing, just what I needed after a long, day worth of flying. The experience was about 1,500 Baht (£28) which was very cheap. I definitely suggest to be very careful as some places can charge ridiculous amount that’s more than 2,000 Baht. I really recommend a day spa/massage on the day of arrival, it managed to knock me out at night with no jet lag to spare the next day. See what they have to offer here.
Day 2: Em Courtier new shopping centre in Phong Phrom and Riverside dinner at Eat Sight Story:
we had a lie in before we headed to the newly built Em Courtier shopping centre in Phong Phrom – we didn’t have much to shop but I managed to find couple of nice things in H&M. Ok before you question me; shopping in H&M in Asia is different; the styles and sizes are catered to the Asian market and I found some awesome stuff that would have sold out in London.
The MRT underground train was a little confusing, definitely plan your journey beforehand because without my friend helping me I would have been lost. Not so tourist friendly in my opinion. The other alternative was to catch a ‘taxi’ aka scooter ride. Hop on the back to get to your destination. A mile ride should be approx 30 Baht (under a £1). For dinner we went to Eat Sight Story, a lovely riverside restaurant overlooking the Temple of Dawn. Luckily we got there when the sun was setting so we had the glorious golden view for the evening. The food was also delicious, from pomelo and prawn salad to sweet pad thai. I had mangos with sticky rice for the first time…I didn’t love it love it; I guess it got over-hyped.
Day 3: Domestic Flight from Bangkok to Chiang Rai
An early start to the day with our scheduled flight from Bangkok to Chiang Rai at 11am. The flight was an hour long; alternatively by bus it would have taken 10 hours! There’s no reason to skimp here as the return flight was about 2,000 Baht (£40). Thankfully for this trip, we had our own private van, driver and personal tour guide to take us around (through a travelling agency) – this way we save time from getting lost or conned along the way. They also have good connections so we get a better rate and deals from restaurants and tickets – I would recommend this if you struggle to get around, especially where language barrier was something I experienced.
Wat Rong Khun aka White Temple: Contemporary, unconventional, privately owned art exhibit in the style of a Buddhist a temple. We had to ensure we were dressed appropriately; if you were wearing shorts or a skirt; you will need to hire a long skirt to cover your modesty when entering the temple but don’t worry, when you return the skirt you will get your money back. Another fact I learnt from my friend is that be cautious if you are near a male monk – avoid bumping or touching them as they will have to spend all night praying (or how fast they say their prayers) to ‘cleanse’ their soul.
A couple minutes walk from the White Temple we saw a rooster market where you can “buy” a rooster for a cock fight – this is illegal so I am surprised they displayed their roosters so openly amongst tourists.
Night Bazaar – a street market if you want to buy sterling silver jewellery and handmade crafts and clothing. It was ok, nothing special but my only highlight was that we spotted a very glittery and glamorous Lady Boy! We had to get a picture with her.
Hotel: 5 Star Dulsit Resort Hotel
Overlooking the River Kok, a peaceful, spacious room with a basic fitness/gym room and outdoor pool. You have all the amenities you need but the one thing I didn’t bring and not provided was tooth paste! I don’t know what they classify as 5* but this hotel was 4* in my opinion. The breakfast buffet was standard, offering traditional Thai food as well as Full English Breakfast.
Day 4: Mae Fah Luang Garden in Doi Tung
It was a bright and early start to the Mae Fah Luang Garden, a retreat for the Thai royal granny up in the mountains where we spotted a breathtaking view outside. This was money can’t buy memory; it was my highlight of the week so far.
Golden Triangle aka Non Man’s Land aka Opium Land
Next stop, a short boat ride to Laos; no visas were required but a passport was needed to cross over. We saw The Golden Triangle island that sits between Laos, Myanmar and Thailand which is a no man’s land aka Opium island. We spent an hour on the border of Laos where I saw a couple of elephants there; I didn’t know how to feel as I don’t feel like the welfare for these animals were good! I understand the tourism factor for Laos but animal welfare comes first. The market was full of affordable designer fakes; But apart from that, there’s not much to it than a casino, few markets and elephants. Unfortunately, Laos was not part of our itinerary and I hope I can explore Laos further in the future as I have heard wonderful things. Upon leaving the island, it was funny to see our guys try some cobra whisky, tiger’s dick whisky and gecko whisky shots.
Khaomao-Khaofang Restaurant in Chiang Mai – Recommended via Trip Advisor
A man-made, outdoor tropical rainforest restaurant with a roaring mini waterfall. The bathrooms didn’t disappoint either – but I recommend to spray yourself down with mozzie repellants. The food wasn’t anything fancy or special; a wide range of food selection to share at a very reasonable price, our dinner came to about £65 for 7 people which didn’t break any banks. The overall experience was worth visiting as it’s not everyday you visit a jungle like restaurant. You can check out their website here.
5 Star Hotel Veranda High Resort in Chiang Mai
We booked ourselves a condo which includes a 2 ensuite bedroom, open space living and kitchen room. The master bedroom had a triple sized bed which was unsurprisingly comfortable and relaxing. The pool side view was the showstopper; an infinity pool looking out to the mountain tops and the newly built Pagoda. I felt bad for my friends in the other Condo as there was some kind of temple rave that went on all night celebrating the build of the Pagoda! It was definitely the best hotel I have stayed in by far and shame I couldn’t spend more time and enjoy the facilities…especially the pool (crying inside still). Check out their site here for the full specs.
Day 5: Thai Elephant Home in Chiang Mai and Tiger Sanctuary
We visited the elephant camp where we enjoyed a 45 minute elephant ride in Chiang Mai. I wanted to ensure that a lot of these elephants were rescued from poachers and it looks like they are very happy here. The elephants work at a steady pace with plenty of fun of football and playful showers by the river.
After this we had a rather long bamboo rafting ride which wasn’t very fun and went on too long. If anything we were just getting burnt in the sun – avoid the bamboo rafting activity.
Tiger Kingdom: you can take photos and touch with the tigers of your choice from smallest, small, medium and big cats at around 650 Baht each. I played with the smallest tigers and they were so adorably playful. The smallest tigers were called Mocha, Latte and Cocoa; they were all too cute to choose a favourite. Visit their site here.
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple:
The holiest shrine in Northern Thailand aka Doi Suthep overlooking the city from its mountain throne. One of the oldest monastery, built in 1383 by King Keu Naone to enshrine a piece of bone, said to be from the shoulder of the historical Buddha. Steps lead up to the inner terrace, where a walkway circumnavigates the gleaming golden chedi enshrining the relic. The crowning five-tiered umbrella marks the city’s independence from Burma and its union with Thailand. Pilgrims queue to leave lotus blossoms and other offerings at the shrines surrounding the chedi, which are studded with Buddha statues in an amazing variety of poses and materials – Lonely Planet
khum-khantoke Authentic Lanna Dining & Show:
Preserving the Thai traditional lifestyle with a combination of authentic Thai dancing and dining experience by seating on cushions on the floor. It was an open, out door space serving multiple, simple side dishes which was average and not very filling, but 10/10 for the experience. Apparently, all kids at school would learn traditional Thai dancing which includes daily stretches of the hands by flexing your fingers back…ouch!
It has been a solid 3 days up in North Thailand where temperatures were cooler at 18 degrees with a light breeze at night. Highlights for me in Northern Thailand? The beautiful thick clouds below our feet, the Veranda Resort Hotel, Dulsit Resort Hotel and the view of The Golden Triangle. We flew back from Chiang Mai to Phuket with AirAsia, the only airline offering this 2 hour route at £20 – so cheap! Goodbye Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai and hello Phuket and Bangkok in Part 2 to come.
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