"One of my friends who live in Chiangmai called me and told me that this year the weather in March is better than last year in the same month. And as during this week I do not have much work so I can take leave. Then I start calling my friends"

I and some friends available (not easy to get all of them during weekday as everyone always busy). We booked TG this time because the airfare become very special. Actually, the situation during COVID-19 from people outside look into Thailand look so risky to go around. But we here are not agree because we know how to protect ourselves from this virus and we trusted in our airline hygiene system. So, we booked the ticket and plan for this trip for 2 nights in Chiang mai and we will continue for one night in Lampang to visit our friend and stay one night there then go back to Bangkok from there so the airline we booked for Bangkok is PG.

9^th March

We departed from Bangkok quite early because the first stop is one of the famous temples to visit temple in the morning as Thai way to make merit and make a wish to the Buddha image to make the trip safe and smoothly.

Wat Phra That Doi Kam where there is “Luang Pho Than Jai” the famous buddha image which famous for Thai people come to pray and make a wish and many of them return with jasmine garlands after they got what they wish. There is a local people told us that this temple is older than Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep.

Temple is located on the top of forested mountain featuring ornate gold carvings and a 17 m. sitting Buddha statue with another well-known with the meaning “Temple of the Golden Mountain” as there is a legend that long time ago there were lots of gold on the top of the mountain. 

The temple surrounded by beautiful mountainous landscapes. This ancient temple has more than 1,300 years of history believed to be built in circa 687 to enshrine Buddha’s relics. 

We all make a wish but keep it as secret then wait and see who will come to Chiangmai with lots of jasmine garlands.

It was 12.00pm and it is lunch time so we voted “Khaomao Khafang Restaurant” for this time because it is only 20 minutes from the temple and we heard a lot of review about this restaurant.

We arrived restaurant and started order food before enjoy taking photos around the restaurant. This is very beautiful surrounding and decoration restaurant. 

This is open air restaurant but the weather is so good.

Food are ready and here are what we ordered (we are 5 persons only).

Starter dish call “Miang” which we put all ingredient on the green leaf and then topping with sugar palm sauce. The ingredients are ginger, lemon, red chili, peanut, dried shrimp, red onion. We ate all in one bite, so delicious.

Another menu is fried vegetable.

Spice salad (my favorite one).

And we ordered steamed fresh water fish with spicy and sour soup.

And one of friend who love seafood ordered fried squid with yellow curry.

Food are so good with taste and quality. And the prices is reasonable. We are so full.

After lunch we continued to visit the temple which I visit last year but none of my friend have been here. 

Wat Ton Kwen is look like museum as there are no monk stay in the temple these day but there are always visitors come to see beautiful architecture and listen history.

Wat Ton Kwen “Wat Inthrawat” was built since 1858 now there are no monk stay in the temple. The location is in Hang Dong district. In the past this temple was built to be a camp for the procession of the Phra That Sri Chomthong in the tradition of the Lord of the Gods in Wiang Wat Ton Kwen has a complete Lanna traditional art and is very valuable. This temple was announced by the Association of Siamese Architects as an Outstanding Conservation Building in 1990.

The highlight of the temple is Lanna-style viharn with impressively carved woodwork. The temple still in the good condition even it was built since 162 years ago. And now this temple was featured as one of the country’s most beautiful and original temples in Chiangmai.

We spent time around 30 minutes but because it noon and the weather quite hot so we left temple more early than I plan.

We decided to check in at hotel and refresh as we already plan for dinner.

The hotel that we booked for this trip is “Chala Number 6” this is new hotel only 2 years (I chose this hotel). 

Hotel located opposite to the famous temple of Chiang mai “Wat Chedi Luang” in the old quarter of Chiangmai city. 

I love this area, I stayed in this area many times in the hotel like U Chiangmai, Tamarind Village, Villa Duang Champa and now Chala Number 6. Almost hotels in this area are boutique and beautiful hotel showing decoration and architecture style of Lanna.

We all stayed in single room because we got very special promotion. I like their room, full facilities but not too much. Clean room and comfortable bed. Bathroom is big separate shower booth and bathtub. 

I like their shower set and body lotion. The products they provided are organic product which is very good. 

They also have souvenir shop selling their spa product call “Waya”. And I bought shower gel and lotion for my sister.

In overall I like this hotel. They have nice swimming pool next to the restaurant for all day dining. 

And I think their selling point is free minibar (non-alcohol) and snack in room and daily afternoon tea for all guests without supplement.

Just at the lobby is quite small. The area is not that small but I think they put too many furniture and decoration and it took space for sitting especially during check in and check out. 

If they remove some furniture and put more chair and sofa to make guest feel more comfortable like home should be better. But this is my personal opinion.

They have their own spa and it look nice but we do not have much time to do spa even they offer very good discount. We might try next time.

We all ready at lobby at 6pm and prepare to go out for dinner. The dinner today will be at “Ginger Restaurant” which located in Nimman Road close to U Nimman Hotel. This community mall look nice with the empty area in the middle where you can sit and listen free live music with dinner or just sitting for relax.

My friend take care this dinner, she ordered base on our favorite.

Fried vegetable.

Pork salad in Lanna-style.

Grilled fresh water fish with seafood sauce.

Deep fried pork belly.

And before main dish serve to our table. They served starter menu which we all really like “Miang” but the ingredient is a bit difference from the one we had at lunch.

We all enjoy eating and so full. But we still order the signature dessert of this restaurant “Steamed taro top with coconut milk and eat with passion fruit sorbet ice-cream. I like passion fruit so I like this menu as well.

We do not want to go anywhere tonight but want to go back to hotel and lay down on the bed. So, first day of the trip finished.

10^th March

We all woke up quite early as we want to have more time at breakfast. And today we will move to stay in another hotel as we got very good deal as well and one of our friends want to stay at hotel near the river “Rati Lanna Resort” is the one she really wants.

Their breakfast start from 06.30am and plenty of international food and what I like is their hot green tea is so nice.

And some lite meal.

Compare with my friend.

The taste of the food is not bad and variety of menu made all of us full. After finished breakfast we checkout from hotel and get the luggage in the van. 

Today will be full day and we will check in at Rati Lanna in the evening.

First stop is a local village call “Muang Kham Village” the village with concept “Zero waste Zero Carbon Village” I think they have good concept. I visit Koh Maak which have similar concept and there did quite well. 

We arrived to the village around 10.30am and get off at the temple on the south of village. 

And then changed to be local truck as the minivan can not climb up to the mountain.

The truck took us around the village where the local people grow organic vegetable and fruits (some family still use chemical).

Driver stopped at some house where grow organic vegetable for salad. But the one which made all of us excited is organic tomato farm. 

All of my friends like tomato so they enjoy pick tomato and eat them fresh except me as I hate smell of tomato (but if it in soup, papaya salad, salad, fried-rice I can eat). I’m a picky people sometimes.

Before we left the driver took us to the view point on the mountain. And we got this shot. After enjoy farm tour then we left for quick lunch at local restaurant before continue to the “PooPoo Paper Park”. The park where we can try making paper from elephant’s poo poo.

The instructors explained us about how to make the paper from elephant’s poo poo and show us how they do.

All process are look interesting and some of my friends tried to do it by themselves.

We all were fun. And the highlight of visiting here is to do unique and limited-edition poo poo fan (DIY).

We picked a plan paper fan. I chose light blue-green color and then we all picked accessories to decorate our fan on our own design.

I finished as the first as I put very less decoration (less is more). And I like my fan so much. 

We were enjoying the activity at the park till around 4pm and when everyone finishes their fan making. Then we all left to hotel. I think this place is so nice for group of friends, family with kids or even retirement who want to recall their kid memories.

The van took around 1 hour from the park to the hotel. We all checked in and get in to the room for refreshment. 

The day is not finish yet as we will go out to have dinner with Lanna style “Khantoke” There are 2 of them visit Chiangmai for the first time so we want to take them try this food.

“Khum Khan Toke” is the place we chose this time as recommendation from hotel. This place is around 30 minutes away from hotel. They serve food with classical dances shows.

We were enjoying dinner especially 2 of friends who never came to Chiangmai before. 

Meanwhile, the show also nice but 2 of them who never came to Chiangmai also want to complete this trip with shopping at Night Bazaar. Then we left the restaurant around 8.30pm to keep at least 1 hour for them to shop.

Both of them were very enjoy shopping and bought many items. We finished shopping and go back to hotel by tuk tuk with price THB 100/car. Not bad.

Reached to hotel and separate for sleep. Tomorrow will be long day as we will depart from Chiang mai and move to Lampang.

We completed Chiangmai trip smoothly and happily especially 2 of friends who almost refuse for this trip but I convince them to come.

Myself, even I came to Chiang mai on last January but this time I come and visit difference places made me happy again. I like Chiangmai and start thinking if I will move to stay here. The temple, the food, the people are nice and I’m more and more familiar with the road, area. So, this will be the first option when I have final decision to move out from Bangkok. Till that time, I will come to this province again and again.

I love Chiangmai, as this province is where you can fall in love every day.