Trip Report - Thailand
Our Trip & Itinerary
Having already visited Phuket as our first destination on this trip, we decided to spend our second stint in Thailand in the north. We originally planned to spend at least another two weeks in the country, but we ended up only spending seven days, taking some of that time to visit Lao instead. In our remaining week, we visited Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, then flew down to Bangkok for a quick trip to see the Thai capital. While I’m sure there were many amazing activities and neighborhoods we missed out on in Bangkok, we were happy with just the couple of days we had there and felt ready to move on to Malaysia when we did.
Chiang Mai
Arriving in Thailand from Lao was quite a jolt to our system. While both are southeast Asian countries, Thailand is very different to what we had become accustomed to in Lao, Cambodia, and rural Vietnam. All of a sudden the mopeds and tuk tuks that dominated the streets were replaced with regular cars and plain-old western style traffic jams. Slowly arriving into the Old City, we were greeted with hoards of people flocking towards Wat Chedi Luang for the Inthakin Festival. This vibrant festival happens in early June each year and allows locals to pay respect to the city pillar that represents the city’s spirit and therefore, the people that live in it. The festival also represents a chance for the locals to bring offerings to the different images of Buddha, based on their prayers. This year, the special festival also happened to overlap with Queen Suthida’s birthday, meaning gold and white banners were draped over the temple’s walls adding more colorful layers to the day's celebrations. Venturing into the temple’s grounds we were immediately overwhelmed with the thousands and thousands of flower bouquets given as offerings to the city pillar and to Buddha. Everywhere we turned there were more huge, ornamental vases filled to the brim with offerings given in just the previous hour or two. While we were mostly silent observers at the festival, we felt lucky to participate by asking the monks for bracelets made of blessed string. These bracelets are quite simple, but having a dedicated monk, wrapped in a bright saffron kasaya (robes for ordained monks) tying it around your wrist makes you wonder if there is some truth to the blessing.
Having met up with one of Jackson’s friends from back home when we arrived in Chiang Mai, the boys decided to spend the next day riding mopeds out to the Sticky Waterfall about an hour north of the city. The limestone and mineral deposits that have been built up here over the millennia are unique and allow visitors to climb right up the waterfall, a truly unique experience making up for the long trek out to it. While the boys were out at the waterfall I decided to explore the city at my own pace – it can be refreshing to spend some time alone, no matter how much I love Jackson. So, without a real plan in mind, I decided to wander the perfectly square perimeter of Chiang Mai’s old town. The path was partially lined with the city’s canal that represented the barrier to the more modern part of town. On my walk, I stopped for a coffee or two, taking the time to watch passersby as rain showers passed. Later, I stopped for grilled cheese at a cute spot called Bowls&Breads along the canal, happy I could finally eat cheese again! Towards the top of town, I noticed a collection of vintage shops on Google Maps and decided to check them out. There, I found massive warehouses of secondhand clothing, as well as a very well-organized and color-coded t-shirt shop, where I took my time examining every silly slogan and design. I met the boys back in town, where we regrouped and cooled off at the pool at our hotel. Feeling ready to once again tackle the heat, we headed out to Zoe in Yellow, a fun collection of bars, to play beer pong and some pool.
Later that evening, we decided to try something new and got last minute tickets to a local Muay Thai boxing fight. We weren’t sure it would be for us, but from the moment the first fighters walked out, we were hooked. The tradition and systematic fighting is mesmerizing. The ceremonial ring walk (Wai Kru), the boxing dance (Ram Muay), and the ceremonial headbands called Mongkon all add a sense of sacred spirituality that boxing fights in the west do not have. We watched a full card of seven fights our first night, ranging in age and weight class from 15/16 year olds fighting at 45 kilos up to early 20 year olds fighting at 60 kilos. Two of the seven fights we watched were female boxers as well, who weren’t afraid to throw quick punches and score early rounds knockouts. We were so entranced by the whole thing that we came back on our final night in Chiang Mai and upgraded to ringside seats so we could get an even better view of all the action. On our second encounter with Muay Thai, the fighters were older, bigger, and the knockouts all seemed to happen in our corner – the best possible combination. If you’re ever in Thailand we highly recommend spending an evening immersed in the beautiful and brutal tradition of Muay Thai.
Apart from wandering the streets of the Old City and watching traditional Thai boxing, we also spent our time in Chiang Mai doing what most tourists do: visiting many of the numerous stunning Buddhist temples. Apart from Wat Chedi Luang, which we visited three times during its festival, we also visited Wat Chiang Man, Wat Phra Singh, and took a songthaew (essentially a pick-up modified to be an open taxi) an hour out of town to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. The drive up to the last temple can feel a bit harrowing and the road’s tight turns and steep incline almost made it a very miserable day for Jackson, but we all survived. At the end of the drive, we were rewarded with Wat Phra That, an impressive temple up high in the hills above Chiang Mai with many different levels to explore and great views of the city. On our way back to town, we stopped at Wat Pha Lat, a smaller, out of the way temple complex lacking any grand hall or ornate wat. Yet this simple temple, built directly into the limestone with a stream flowing through its center, quickly became one of our favorites. Here, it's easy to understand the peaceful appeal of Buddhism, as you take in the sacred walls and silent statues amongst the jungle greenery. While it won’t be at the top of the usual travel blogs you read, or lists of can’t-miss places in Thailand, we can’t recommend it enough.
Chiang Rai
After three days in Chiang Mai we took a quick three-hour bus ride up to Chiang Rai. We only had about 30 hours in Chiang Rai, so we immediately went out to see the sights. Chiang Rai is also famous for its Buddhist temples, but here they come in many different styles ranging from Classic Thai and Lanna architecture to newer Neo-Traditional, or Psychedelic designs. Our first encounter with the more recent psychedelic Buddhism was at Wat Rong Suea Ten, better known as the Blue Temple. Here, local artist Phuttha Kabkaew employed neo-traditional Buddhist principles to create a wholly unique environment, complete with sculptures of tortured souls, demons, and an incredibly ornate blue tapestry inside the main structure. The whole thing really feels like someone took a bunch of acid and decided to design a temple. The neo-traditional architecture is not just limited to temples around town – Chiang Rai’s central clock tower, a feature highlighted on tourist maps of the town, is also made in this style. Each evening at 7, 8, and 9 pm it plays a 10 minute light and music show, which includes statues of the Buddha and pictures of the King and Queen rising through the clock tower throughout the performance. Don’t worry, you won’t miss the golden, gleaming tower peaking over the rooftops. While it is a top attraction in Chiang Rai, we don’t believe it's worth rushing over to see it!
On our final day in northern Thailand we rented mopeds again to more easily complete a tour through some of the outer temples of Chiang Rai. Our first stop was the White Temple, another neo-traditional Buddhist temple, this one self-financed and built by Chalermchai Kositpipat. The architect and artist believes he will be granted immortal life for completing the structure. If you can believe it, the statues here were even stranger and more twisted than those that we’d found at the Blue Temple! The complex is also much larger, including strange art galleries and a massive Hindu shrine dedicated to Ganesha alongside all of the Buddhist buildings. From there we rode our mopeds up to Wat Phrathat Doi Khao Kwai, a Classic-Thai style temple with a terrific view over Chiang Rai and the surrounding valley. This temple doesn’t seem to be frequented by many tourists, but it’s in a beautiful spot and only a short distance from central Chiang Mai. To round off our architectural tour, we made a final stop at Wat Huay Pla Kang, a Thai-Chinese fusion style temple built around a massive statue of the Bodhisattva Guan Yin, the goddess of compassion and mercy. One of the temples emulates the White Temple, but has a much simpler, less psychedelic appearance. Just as we were leaving, a large group of monks climbed the stairs for a group photo, adding a splash of tangerine to the gleaming ivory temple. Seeing these three temples in such quick succession, and thinking back to what the Buddhist temples looked like in Japan and Korea, was an interesting experience. They show just how much one religion can change and adapt to each new region it expands to, while still holding onto the core principles that unite each faction.
Before we left Chiang Rai, we had one more stop to make at Barrab, an old-school, family-run Thai-Burmese restaurant near the center of town. The owner speaks great English and is hilarious, taking the time to explain all of their signature dishes. Each of our meals was better than the last, with new flavors and different ingredients to what we had experienced before in Thailand. If we had had more time in Chiang Rai, I think we would’ve gone back as many times as we could to try as many items on their menu as possible.
Bangkok
From Chiang Rai we took a short evening flight to Bangkok, arriving in the city after many of the shops and restaurants were closed. This made for an interesting first impression when we arrived at our hotel near Khao San Road. When I envisioned Bangkok before our arrival, I thought of bright lights, stifling crowds, and lively streets, but somehow didn’t consider more run-down areas. Despite our hotel being perfectly located near the trendy bars and artsy restaurants of Khao San road, the benches in front of our hotel entrance were fully occupied by homeless individuals, their items strewn all over the ground and a significant smell wafting in our direction. Even though the permanent residents outside of our accommodation weren’t ideal, we made do with the situation and figured we would be out of the room most of the time anyway. While Jackson had been to Bangkok a few years ago, he had a bad case of food poisoning during his last visit so it was almost like a new experience for both of us. From our hotel’s location in Banglamphu, we were able to easily reach the royal palace, many of the central temples, Khao San road, and the river with other neighborhoods like Talat Noi only a short tuk tuk ride away.
We started our first day with some delicious croffles at Tales – technically a hostel, but also a great spot for a quick breakfast, especially when their resident street puppy is around. We decided to spend our day exploring many of the grand temples near the royal palace with our first stop at Wat Maha That. The temples here are a little more basic than many of the other grand complexes nearby, but the grounds are home to a massive village of monks and samanera. It’s a fascinating complex to visit if you want to see more of how monks live and study outside of their time in the main temple halls. Our second temple stop was to Wat Phra Chetuphon, the home of the huge reclining Buddha statue. This temple is like many others in historic Bangkok - huge, ornate, and with a long history associated with the royal family. With all the wealth that this temple has accumulated over time, it’s easy to spend hours walking through its many buildings, exploring the intricate details of the mosaics and interior murals. Across the river, Wat Arun is also beautiful and ornate, but was built in a completely different style. Its focal point is the big five-tower Wat at the center of the complex, covered in tile with small statues dotting its four diamond sides. This temple is one of Jackson’s favorites, he gaped in awe at the beauty of the tiles, especially when the afternoon light caught them just right.
Apart from temples, Bangkok is also famous for its nightlife at Khao San road, which is featured prominently in Hangover 2, so that should tell you exactly what to expect! With our hotel so close by, we couldn’t help but pop over and check it out. We visited on a Saturday night, and we’re happy to report that Bangkok knows how to party! Bars were full of new friends, the music was loud and energetic, go-go dancers were plentiful, and any vice you can imagine is well and truly alive here. While Khao San road is the main attraction, many of the other streets nearby have great bars and (tastier) restaurants, plus you’ll skip some of the crowd if it's not your scene. A short grab ride away you’ll find Chinatown, another great spot to go for nightlife and abundant snacking opportunities.
The next day, we took some time to wander Talat Noi – the Brooklyn of Bangkok. The buildings here are completely plastered in stunning street art and the maze of alleys leads to unique nooks of the city and tasty cafes. While the neighborhood has welcomed a Western influence over the years, it remains a great spot to experience locals in their element – a rare moment when old Bangkok overlaps with the new. One of the key spots to visit is the So Heng Thai Mansion, which was constructed in the Hokkien architectural style in the early 19th century. It claims to be the oldest private residence in all of Bangkok and now continues to thrive as a converted scuba academy. That day, we also explored the Chatuchak Weekend Market. While a little outside of central Bangkok, the market sells anything your heart desires – from clothing, to curated art, to kitchenware, to skincare. We had a great time zooming through the maze of booths and shops for a few hours until we encountered the animal and pet section. This area suddenly darkened the whole experience, as there are thousands of animals locked up by the dozens in tiny cages. You may think that these cages simply contain chickens or other farm animals, but they house puppies, kittens, and an array of exotic creatures like sugar gliders, meerkats, raccoons, and even fennec foxes. These animals yelp in fear, as they’re not built for close human contact or tight spaces, and pace nervously from one corner of their small enclosures to the other. It pained me so much to see little puppies and other stressed animals that I began to cry, frustrated that I couldn’t save them all. Just a day after our departure, the market experienced a severe fire outbreak, killing over 1,000 innocent animals that couldn’t escape their prisons. While simply walking around was a tough experience, I found that seeing the brutal reality put things into perspective for me. Treatment of animals in Thailand was suddenly a stark contrast to how they are handled in other Buddhist nations.
Before leaving Bangkok we wanted to check out the Royal Palace and Prasat Phra Thep Bidon, the home of the Emerald Buddha. As soon as we entered Prasat Phra Thep Bidon we could tell it took the beautiful detailing we’d seen in other temples and turned it up to 11. The entire inner wall of the Phra Rabiang, several hundred meters of wall, was hand-painted in scenes depicting stories from the Ramakien epic. Each surface of the temple buildings was elaborately crafted, with tiles and gold sparkling in the sunlight, and surrounded by golden Buddha statues. Inside the main temple, high on a pedestal rests the Emerald Buddha statue, seated in the meditative posture of Gautama Buddha. Pro Tip: Unlike other temples in Thailand using a scarf to cover your shoulders is not enough here, everyone must wear at least a t-shirt and long pants that cover you down to the ankle. As you exit this sanctum, you step onto the perfectly groomed grounds of the Royal Palace. Suddenly the architecture here transports you from Southeast Asia and straight to central London. Built in 1782 by Rama I, it was designed to help cement the Kingdom of Thailand as a monarchy to be taken seriously, and not another land a European power could colonize. While you’re unable to enter the palace’s buildings, you can go into the Wat Phra Kaew Museum and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles which provide some interesting insights into life in the royal circle.
Our last stop in Thailand was K. Panich Sticky Rice, a small storefront near Khao San road with a simple window to place your order and only four child-sized stools set up for a quick meal. Walking by you’d never guess that this small spot has been given a Michelin star six years in a row, yet a portion of their finest mango sticky rice costs just USD$ 3. You might ask, what makes this sticky rice so special? Truly, it’s the whole experience. Panee Chiabchalard, daughter-in-law to the original founders, is still running the shop at over 80 years old. The shop itself has been operating for nearly a century and prides itself in still using the same suppliers from the time of the shop’s origin. Propped on your small stool outside the shop, you’ll wait for the family to scoop a healthy portion of perfectly gooey, slightly salty rice and pair it with a little packet of hand-kneaded coconut cream. You’ll watch the grumpy, yet earnest-looking woman outside the shop guard her pile of delicious mangoes, one of which will be neatly sliced and added to your rice. You’ll be handed a simple to-go package with your sweet treat and watch passers-by from your stool as you dig in. I swear, this mango was out of this world and will forever remain the best specimen of the fruit I’ve ever eaten. The whole experience was just perfect, we just wished we had an extra day or two to go back for more!
Recommendations
Where We Stayed:
Some of Our Other Favorite Restaurants: