Chiang Mai and Doi Inthanon, Thailand
Sep 26-30, 2024
Deb and I spent the next few days walking to many sights within the city, and booked a one-day tour to Doi Inthanon National Park. We ate at a variety of restaurants, street stalls, and at the famous Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market. Every single meal was spectacular! I could go on and on about the food, but I think we will write a separate post about that. It definitely deserves it’s own highlight.
We also visited the City Plaza near the airport for lunch one day, and took a quick look around at the shopping area. We both indulged in a Thai massage at a massage studio that provides training and work opportunities for female offenders released from prison. It is good to see this type of rehabilitation program, and I can honestly say it was a really great massage.
L-R: Wat Chedi Luang. Wat Phra Singh, 3-Kings Monument (Chiang Mai)
L-R: Hmong Tribe rice terraces, King and Queen’s Pagodas, wild bees 🐝at the Karen Hill Tribe village
Our tour to Doi Inthanon National Park was just excellent. Our tour guide - nicknamed ‘Roti’ - is a member of the White Karen Hill Tribe and knows the area in and around the park well. We had sufficient time at each stop which included the Wachirathan Waterfall, a spectacular walk through the rice fields of the Hmong where we also had lunch. In the afternoon we visited the peak of Doi Inthanon (at 2,565 meters above sea level), which is the highest point in Thailand, and walked around the King and Queen’s pagodas, before descending to see the Sirithan waterfall and travel back to our hotels. We were a small group that included two women from Slovenia, a couple from Saudi Arabia, another couple from Israel, an American man traveling on his own, and Deb and I as the Canadian contingent, and of course our Thai tour guide and the driver.
At the rice terraces high in the winding back roads of Doi Inthanon I felt a peace that I had been missing for a long time. The stresses of work and personal family crises can take a toll. I honestly could see me living there, doing photography and painting, helping with the harvest and giving talks to the occasional tourist. I said I wanted to stay - and part of me really did! The lush green hills really held me in thrall.
Some of the flora and fauna we saw included: L-R: a bright yellow and black caterpillar (at Wachirathan waterfall); a Giant Golden Orbweaver Nephila pilipes high in a tree at the rice fields, and many honeybees and butterflies; Coffea arabica growing at the Hill Tribe village.
We also saw a woman at the village weaving traditional cloth. I bought a beautiful hand-made scarf for 250 baht (CAD $11).
We had a really wonderful time in northern Thailand! The people were so friendly and it is indeed the ‘Land of Smiles’.
