Readme before you journey
TRIP 2 : 08-10 SEP 2016
Chiang Khan
Start : Before departure
This trip began with the intention of backpacking solo. After reviewing many sources, I felt that Chiang Khan was an easy and safe destination for a solo female traveler.
Travel
For this trip, we opted to take a public bus operated by the Transport Co. Ltd. of Thailand (BKS). Our plan was to arrive in Chiang Khan early in the morning.
Therefore, I chose the 8:00 PM bus, which costs 419 baht.
(The ticket is a bit crumpled.)
Fortunately, the bus I boarded was a new one from the Transport Co., Ltd., which was not as bad as I had expected. The ride was very comfortable.
The seat reclines 165 degrees and has a USB port for charging your devices.
As the train departed, the onboard staff distributed small snacks and blankets to passengers.
The bus ran until around 11:30 p.m., when it stopped for a late-night meal break.
You can exchange your ticket for food. We have steamed buns, rice porridge, noodles, and meatballs for you to choose from.
To Chiang Khan
At around 6 am, we arrived in Chiang Khan, where skylabs (tuk-tuks) were waiting to serve us.
If you already have accommodation or do not want to walk, you can use the service.
However, we decided to walk! Because we wanted to walk in and find accommodation that we liked, as we didn't want to spend too much money.
Chiang Khan offers a wide variety of accommodations at various price points. There are numerous options to choose from along both sides of the road.
Spoiled for choice, we wandered through the alleys, in and out, over and over again.
After walking around for a while, we decided to stay at 'Baan Ton Khong' (located between Soi 3-4).
The decor was very pleasing and created a comfortable, homey atmosphere. The price was also reasonable.
And out of sheer laziness to walk around looking for another place, I ended up here.
We booked for 2 nights together for 800 baht. There is a key deposit of 300 baht.
The attached image depicts the shared bathroom located outside the room.
(But honestly, only I use it because everyone else has their own bathroom. TwT)
Balcony atmosphere outside the room zone.
After settling into our accommodation, we set out to find a bicycle rental shop to explore the area and search for a delicious lunch spot.
Upon leaving our accommodation, we unexpectedly encountered the same couple for the second time. (We had previously encountered them while searching for lodging.)
I had the opportunity to chat briefly with two people named Kong and Oi.
After a brief conversation, we discovered that he was on his way to get something to eat and kindly invited us to join him.
We didn't have any plans, so we just followed our friends.
For lunch today, we entrusted our stomachs to 'Siriphan Homestay'. Many reviews recommended it, so we had to try it.
Our top recommendations are the incredibly delicious Stir-fried Climbing Wattle and Spicy Catfish Soup. Both dishes are bursting with flavor and authentic Thai spices.
The total cost was over 500 baht.
After finishing our savory meal, we continued our walk to find a dessert shop.
The journey ended at the 'Two Spouses' shop, which offered a delightful and satisfying atmosphere. Inside, postcards were available for purchase.
A wide variety of beverages are available, including coffee.
This sentence describes a place with a wide variety of unique and unusual dishes, so much so that it is difficult to choose from them. Here is the translation:
The sheer variety of exotic dishes on offer here is enough to leave you spoilt for choice.
Our order consists of a Fuji-san Blended Cocoa and a Peach Tea.
Cat lovers, don't miss out! There are also adorable cats here.
With full stomachs, the three of us decided to plan a trip together.
Accompanied by Kong and Oi, who drove their own car, we joined them for most of the trip.
Our first stop was 'Kaeng Kut Ku', which happened to be during a high tide.
To visit the area and be able to walk down to the water, the dry season (approximately February to April) is recommended.
Current activities include a Mekong River cruise with views of the Laotian side. Since we're already here, let's give it a try.
Price 800 baht / 1 hour. But we can choose just 30 minutes for 400 baht. Enough to satisfy your cravings.
Next, we continued to the 'Phra Phutthabat Phu Kwai Ngern Temple', where the path leading up to the temple was quite steep.
This temple is home to the revered footprint of the Buddha, as well as the majestic Phra Chao Yai Buddhachhappharnrangsi.
Adorned with small pieces of broken glass, this is a must-see for anyone visiting (although we couldn't go in to take photos, we could only look from afar).
In addition, there are adorable rabbits and stunning viewpoints to explore.
Next, we planned to watch the sunset, so we looked for information on where to go.
We then came across 'Wat Phu Chang Noi', which is said to be another beautiful spot, and not too far away.
We wasted no time and drove to the destination. We arrived just in time, around 6 pm.
A large Buddha statue is enshrined here, and you can see it from below before you climb up to the temple.
A panoramic view of Chiang Khan town from the viewpoint of Wat Phu Chang Noi.
After the sun had set, we all went back to our accommodations.
The atmosphere of the accommodation at night is completely different from that during the day. I truly feel like I'm on vacation.
Let's enjoy the breeze and the view on the balcony.
It's almost 7 pm now, but the sun is still faintly visible.
After resting and feeling refreshed, we continued our walk along Chiang Khan Road.
In contrast to its daytime tranquility, Chiang Khan comes alive at night with a vibrant atmosphere.
The sight of wooden houses and brightly lit shops lining the walkway created a warm and inviting atmosphere.
For those who want to relax and enjoy the atmosphere with great music and a chilled-out drink.
There are many restaurants to choose from here. Some are even open late at night.
On the last morning in Chiang Khan, we woke up early to offer sticky rice alms with P'Kong and P'Oi around 6:00 AM.
Before driving to 'Phu Thok', but because I was in a hurry, I didn't have time to take a picture of the alms giving.
After offering food to the monks, I quickly drove to the foot of the mountain to catch a ride up to Phu Thok.
The entrance fee to the mountain is 25 baht per person. If you bring a car, there is an additional parking fee of 20 baht.
It took less than 10 minutes to reach the top of Phu Thok.
The weather is pleasantly humid and cool today, thanks to yesterday's rain.
This breathtaking view of the sea of mist is a result of…
The sun began to rise around 7 am.
The trip ended with a breathtaking view of the sea of mist before heading back. The original plan was to spend two days, from the 10th to the 11th, and then return on the morning of the 12th.
The original plan changed completely because our older siblings, Kong and Oi, took us on a road trip and visited almost all the tourist attractions around Chiang Khan.
It turned out that P'Kong and P'Oi were driving down to Bangkok, so they invited me to come along. I'm easily persuaded, so I ended up going with them.
The accommodation booked for 2 nights had to be canceled for 1 night.
This trip was originally intended to be a solo backpacking adventure, but it turned out to be anything but lonely.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to P'Kong and P'Oi for demonstrating that genuine friendships can blossom during the course of a journey.
Engaging in conversations with strangers during travel.
This sentence translates to: "It also provides a unique and refreshing travel experience."
I now believe that travel can truly open our minds and reveal a new world to us.
This trip has made us brave enough to face the outside world, making us grow up.
And dare to leave our old world to step into another beautiful world, where good friendships await us at the end of the journey.
We hope that our small review of this trip will help everyone discover another beautiful world from your own perspective.
**Total expenses** (excluding food) amounted to 904 baht.
The cost of transportation to Chiang Khan is 419 baht (the return trip was free because I hitched a ride with someone).
Accommodation Fee: 400 Baht
The cost of a ride up the mountain is 25 baht per person.
The cost of a set of food for offering to monks is 60 baht per set.
* For those who come by themselves without a car, you can use the Skylab tour service.
Prices and tourist attractions can be discussed and agreed upon with Skylab.
ploywipa
Friday, September 27, 2024 10:24 AM
