A Week in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is a beautiful city in northern Thailand and definitely worth a visit. Thailand gets a bad rap for being too 'touristy' but Chiang Mai is a beautiful city with bustling markets and surrounded by breathtaking jungle and mountains. There's so much to see and do and it was my favourite place in Thailand.



The first thing we did was visit Doi Suthep Temple which is the most well-known and visited temple in Chiang Mai. It's just a brief tuk-tuk ride up a mountain and a breezy 306 step entrance. It really is beautiful and although it was quite busy it was so peaceful.

We then spent 3 days at the Elephant Nature Park. I could go on and on about this park and think I will do a separate post on it because there is so much to say. You have to be so careful when going in to volunteering in places like Thailand, are they just making out that they look after the animals just to make money or do they actually care?

During the three days at the park we fed, washed and chopped up food for the elephants. We also were taking on guided walks of the park, visited the dog and cat shelters and were informed about the treatment of elephants in Thailand.

I almost forgot the most important part - we had a breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet every day and it was AMAZING!

'dat ass'

(not a green screen)

We then did a 2-day Hill Tribe Trek. And let me tell you: it was a mighty trek.

I am not the fittest person in the world but I wouldn't say I was unfit. This trek was seriously hard and we all struggled! However, when we arrived at the tribe it felt amazing and was definitely worth the hard work. The next day is far more relaxed and far more downhill! You get to stop off at a waterfall for a bit and you float down the river on a raft.

It was a very rewarding experience.

Sunrise

Our accommodation for the night!

After all this activity we needed a few lazy days of wandering around the city, relaxing by waterfalls and eating the delicious food at the markets.

There are lots of other things you can do in Chiang Mai. There are cooking classes and massages, lots of temples and museums and also a night safari.

When we weren't in tribes or elephant parks we stayed in 'WOW! Thailand' Hostel and it was pretty good. Great location, clean and friendly people but very cramped. I would definitely stay there again - it was great value for money.

I also made a quick little video of some clips I took whilst away, it's not amazing but gives you a better view of what we did!

I could write so much more but didn't want to make this post really long and detailed as it might get boring. If you have any questions about anything to do with Chiang Mai then please ask in the comments or @alicewojcik

Thanks!