“It’s not what we have in life that is important, but who we have in life that matters.”
This trip, I am very lucky to travel with my group of 9 which consisted of my MR, my parents (Mr. & Mrs. Lee), My sister and brother-in-law (Ms Piggy & Mr. Dane), my parents in law (Mr. & Mrs. Ng) & sister-in-law - Cindy.
We have 4 senior citizens here where my two mums have similar issues on their legs, so this trip is considered quite slow and relax but stressed.
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| Sonny sent us to airport on the travel day. |
The trip will be based on 5 nights which included 3 nights in the town of Chiang Mai, 2 nights in the mountain of Mon Jam, 1 tour in Mae Rim and 1 tour to Chiang Rai.
Chiang Mai is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in Thailand. It is 700 km north of Bangkok, in a mountainous region called the Thai highlands and has a population of about 1.2 million people, which is more than 66 percent of the total population of Chiang Mai province of estimated population of 1.8 million.
Chiang Mai (meaning "new city" in Thai) was founded in 1296 as the new capital of Lan Na kingdom (13th - 17th century), succeeding the former capital, Chiang Rai.
The 500 years of Lan Na's history in Chiang Mai can still be observed today in the form of language, architecture, traditions and cuisine in many parts of northern Thailand.
Our Van
We booked a van for 60% of the trip especially we need transfers to the mountain and the 2 days trips.
This is also the same agent that I used on the trip in Mae Hong Son (Travel with Blueginger: Ban Rak Thai @ Mae Hong Son Thailand).
My agent is very nice, he went to the extra effort to arrange the same driver come all the way from Mae Hong Son to Chiang Mai for me. I am delighted to know that as the driver Khun Chai was well liked by us during our previous trip to Mae Hong Son.
Van is well cleaned, leather seats are well polished and maintained, the recliners are in good conditions too. Most importantly, the aircon was very powerful too!
Khun Chai is very reliable, responsible, accommodating and is well liked by all of us.
He went to extra mile further to take extra attention on the 4 seniors I have in the group.
Price quoted is reasonable too, it is the best price we compared so far.
Do email to Khun Panot at "tourmerngtai@gmail.com" - please do give him few days to reply as he could be out to fields or etc.
PS: I do not benefit from any monetary by promoting this agent., it is purely to share as this agent is really good & reliable.
Duangtawan Hotel Chiang Mai
Long heard about this hotel since I was in hotels wholesaling line.
This hotel was always in demand from customers whether on business or leisure.
Though it is no longer a new hotel now, the last major renovation was in 2018, I still felt that this hotel is ideal for my group as the reputation is good, the location is great as it is exactly at the night market.
The lobby is located on level L which is a floor right infront the ground floor which is known as entrance.
Rooms are spacious and clean.
Bedsheets are not bad; they are quite smooth, but bed is overused as we can feel the pocket spring is right on our backs. Anyway, we just accept it, and we were too tired to make a fuss.
Toilet come with amenities of what a standard hotel should supply so quite happy with it too.
There is a standing shower area along with a bathtub.
Here is the swimming pool area, which look spacious and clean.
Chiang Mai Old Town (Old City)
The Chiang Mai Old Town has a rich history dating back to the 13th century when it was founded as the capital of the Lanna Kingdom. Within its compact streets and moated walls, you will find faces of over a dozen of ancient temples, busy markets, cheerful cafes and restaurants. The old city wall which surrounds the town to protect against potential invaders has been around for more than 700 years!
Here to see where the points that we visited in the old town:
Tha Phae Gate
It is a highly intact city gate that belong to the part of the eastern wall of Chiang Mai's old town.
The gate is made of brick and stucco cement and is decorated with intricate carvings and sculptures. This beautiful ancient gate is an example of traditional Thai architecture and is a must see for anyone visiting Chiang Mai.
Khum Cafe
Located within the compound of Khum Museum which is about Lanna Architecture. We are here for a break as my seniors are tired, so we did not enter the museum.
It's a hidden gem where you can sit back, sip coffee, and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. The café is set next to a beautiful Lanna-colonial style building, offering a glimpse into Chiang Mai's past.
Wat Phantao
No entry fee for this beautiful temple and we were attracted to this black colored timbered temple.
The image is seated in the Maravijaya attitude, which depicts Buddha's victory over Mara, the demon who tried to prevent Buddha from attaining enlightenment. The statue was cast in 1498 and is a significant cultural and religious icon in Chiang Mai
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| Got this photo from google. |
Round the corner, there is a shrine for this super famous monk who is fondly respected by the local.
Just next to Wat Phantao is a big compound that are filled with sacred temples that are very famous here and the main attraction for our visit is Wat Chedi Luang.
Entrance Fee THB40 and we were being greeted by this giant rubber tree that was planted since the 1800s.
Be respectful when entering the temples in Thailand, dress code is observed. All bottoms must below knees level and no sleeveless top.
This small white temple is strictly prohibited female visitors, it is purely for male devotees only.
We quicky get our guys to go in to pay some respect.
This golden roofed temple is located right in the center of the compound, and this is also the place we seek our blessings from a monk as well as to "power up" our amulets. This is a bonus temple for us, and we are glad to visit.
When we were seeking blessings...
Wat Chedi Luang - this temple is actually the reason we came.
This ancient temple is one of Chiang Mai's most striking attraction as well as one of the most important temples in the city.
"Luang" is the meaning of "huge" in local language, it was built in the late 14th centuries and was the most spectacular temple in Chiang Mai. It was recorded that the chedi was at a height of near 90 meters in the air.
Due to a large earthquake, the chedi was damaged and now it is measures at the height of around 60 meters.
Thanks for the large conservation work, it is well stabilized for further damage thus is safe to visit.
How I wish to know how the top of chedi looks like before the destruction.
My seniors are tired, and the weather was hot, we decided to skip the rest of attractions in the Old City (I will visit them next time) and go for lunch at Carp Cafe (see below).
***** Extra information from the internet: Aerial View of Chiang Mai's Historic Moat
Check out this incredible aerial shot of Chiang Mai's ancient moat! This man-made moat, known as Khu Mueang, was once essential for defending the city from invaders and served as a water source for fishing and daily use in the old Lanna Kingdom. The water originally flowed from Doi Suthep mountain, providing the city with much-needed resources.
Today, although most of the ancient walls are gone, the moat remains a defining landmark, simply called Koo Meuang or the "Chiang Mai Moat." It stretches about 13 meters wide (it was once as wide as 25 meters!), with a maximum depth of around 4 meters. Traffic around the moat follows a one-way system: clockwise on the outer road and counterclockwise on the inner road.
Scattered along the moat, you’ll find fountains and U-turn points, giving the area both functionality and beauty. Despite being in the heart of modern Chiang Mai, the moat still reflects the city’s deep history and remains central to its daily life.
Gekko Garden
A well-known place for a great meal with reasonable price.
The restaurant is very lovely, the owner took pride and effort decorating the place.
It is more like a beer garden, where the lights are dim.
Extensive menu of Thai and Western food that were served fast and tasted good.
The service staff are very chatty and nice too.
Lemongrass Thai Restaurant
This restaurant is located near to our hotel which is just few minutes' walk away.
This restaurant received high ratings on reviews on various platforms, with many praising the quality and taste of the food.
Lemongrass Thai Restaurant in Chiang Mai is a popular dining spot known for its authentic Thai cuisine.
The restaurant offers a wide range of Thai dishes, it's a favorite among both locals and tourist
The atmosphere is cozy and bustling, with a mix of indoor and outdoor seating.
Hard Rock Cafe
Located right next to Lemongrass Restaurant, this place is a must visit by my mum.
She is a fan of the t-shirts and has a big collection of them from different cities.
Roummit 2 Restaurant
It's just right within the night market, we were hungry and saw a decent looking restaurant right opposite our views, so we just went in for a meal. Upon seated, we then realised that this is a halal restaurant as the diners were mostly Muslims. I was delighted to have such a chance to try Muslim food in Thailand.
The food we ordered were really good, love the fact that the spices they used were very fragrance!
Carp Cafe
We came by this interesting cafe is because the setting of this place is sure to thrill everyone! The name of this cafe said it all - it is a carp cafe that is surrounded with thousands of carp fishes that is known as Koi.
We made the extra effort to take a taxi of 26 minutes ride to here.
The whole place was built on wooden platforms, some parts are already corroded and might trip too.
Steps were found at various points, so be careful when you walk.
Happily, seated, happily flirting with the fishes, so far everyone is feeling good.
The drinks we had took a little long to serve but we were hot and thirsty and happily drank them, not knowing the worst is yet to come.
My whole group is very unhappy with the taste of the food, firstly it took a long time to serve and secondly it doesn't taste Thai to us. I will never come here again and not keen to post any photos of the food and we did not take any more photos after consumption as we just want to get out of this place.
Floating Krathongs on sales - for the most important festival of the year: Loy Krathong
Both Mrs Lee & Mrs Ng are happily posed here after paying for their purchases at Naraya outlet in Maya Lifestyle Mall.
Cindy and her blind boxes.
Happy Mrs Lee is proudly poses in front of Loy Krathong banner.
Lastly, the moon view I captured in the plane is the best closure for this trip.
The blog on Chiang Mai has come to an end, and I will come back again as this awesome city deserves a deeper exploration.
Coming up next is Muar Getaway with my Mr, Ms Piggy and Mr Dane.
Here are the links to our trip in Chiang Mai:
2024 is a blessed year for us that we travelled quite a bit, here to share some of the links of the blogs:
Between 2022 to 2023, we visited The Netherlands & Belgium, here to share : Amsterdam, The Hague , Rotterdam , Kinderdijk , Naarden ,Muiden , Haarlem , Nijmegan, Brussel, Bruges
and Antwerp.
We even moved to stay in Denmark during the peak of Covid : Relocation from Singapore to Aalborg, Denmark
Feel free, you are most welcome to browse through my other blogs to France, Japan, China, Thailand, Malaysia and cruises etc.
Please stay tune by liking my Facebook page: followblueginger, Instagram page : followblueginger , TikTok page: bluegingerkaren and Tumblr page :followblueginger.
Thanks, and Cheers
"I travel because seeing photos in books and brochures was not good enough for me, To be there, that was everything"
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