Chiang Mai - What a Gem

After the hustle and bustle of Bangkok (it's almost the same number of people as New York), Chiang Mai was a very welcome retreat. This town has the smaller beach town vibe.

Staying at the Haus Hostel

We stayed at the best hostel I've stayed in before. I've only stayed in a handful but this was by far the best. The staff were friendly, the whole place was spotless and the common room had glass that overlooked the street. Also, there was breakfast included! We met some very lovely people while there and three of them were southerners.

Sunday Night Market

We happen to arrive in Chiang Mai on Sunday and got to experience their street market. Several streets were lined with little shops and then side streets had food. I was able to purchase a couple of souvenirs and wound my way through some hanging bags down a street where I came across one of the many food areas that are positioned off the market path. I purchased pad thai and a coconut shake. Then I met the guys where they were watching a small cover band. I lead them back to the food area to purchase a bottle of wine. And right as we were paying for it, it started to pour. We took cover near the cover band and drank the wine from the bottle. I really enjoyed this time. It was just a moment to slow down and take in where we were. 

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

The following day we took a red taxi for 400 Baht to Wat Phra Doi Suthep. This temple has more than 300 steps and is supposed to have great views of Chiang Mai. We ended up getting great views on the way to the temple too. We stopped at this little look out for some pictures and street food. I got some watermelon and pineapple. I swear that fruit just tastes better here! Caleb and Brian got some meats and sausages which didn't end up sitting well later on. 

To get to the temple, you can take the stairs or a lift. We chose the stairs and they were no joke. I was huffing and puffing at the top. This is another temple where you have to take off your shoes and there was so much dirt everywhere which was gross. But oh well. When entering the temple, you just see so much gold.

Jungle Ride

For our last day in Chiang Mai, we rented an ATV and a dune buggy for a trek through the jungle. I didn't know how to drive an ATV so I either rode with Brian in the buggy or with Caleb. Both were fun and the buggy definitely got more mud than the ATV. The ride was beautiful!