Adventures in Chiang Mai
22 Jun 2016
If you’re the adventurous type who still wants a bit of relaxation thrown in, Chiang Mai is your go-to place.
Known as the culture capital of Thailand, this 700-year old town is famous for sightseeing, adventure, shopping and mountain resorts.
Hang out with the elephants
You have to be very careful with how you go about this, as many places are known for abusing their elephants. While the tourist guidebooks will say that you can ride the elephants, it’s so much better to head to a sanctuary where you can feed and bathe them and walk among them. We headed to Elephant Nature Park. If you want, you can even stay there for a few days, or an extended period of time and work with the elephants.
At most rehabilitation parks, you can feed the elephants their morning tea before heading out for a walk. Several tend to wander around and the rangers will tell you each individual story as you pass them by. Occasionally they’ll stop to give you the opportunity to say hello and give the elephants a little pat.
Then, if you’re game, you can head into the water and help bathe them. The elephants love it and will play along with you as you throw buckets of fresh water to wash them down. Just watch out for their trunks - they tend to fill those with water and splash it around!
Zipline through the trees
Not for the faint-hearted, but definitely for the thrill-seekers, ziplining through the trees isn’t an experience to miss. I’m a tad scared of heights and while I had a few moments, generally speaking, it was an unbelievable experience. It’s exceptionally safe – you’re completely strapped in and attached to the very strong lines at all times – but it’s also absolutely amazing to look around and see nothing but tree tops.
We were recommended the 'flight of the glibbon', which also has Asia’s longest ‘flight’ at 800m. There are at least two sky rangers with each group and if you’re lucky, you’ll see some gibbons as you fly by.
Shop 'til you drop
You can’t go to Thailand without a bit of shopping. We were lucky enough to be staying in the heart of downtown, very conveniently placed right next door to the night bazaar. The bazaar and the surrounding streets were filled to the brim with people trying to find goods at bargain prices. Market stalls cover everything from clothing and jewellery right through to local Thai goods. There’s also delicious food around so you don’t even have to take a break for dinner. It’s a lively place and well worth a visit, even if you’re not looking to buy anything.
The temples
And of course, there are the stunning temples. There are dozens of them scattered around the city, and more than 200 in and around Chiang Mai, but without a doubt, the most atmospheric is Wat Phan Tao, situated in the Old City. The enormous prayer hall is lined with teak pillars and dark teak panels and as you sit down to contemplate life, you’re overlooked by a giant graceful Buddha. The most famous temple in the area is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep at the top of Mount Suthep, where a replica of the famous Emerald Buddha is kept. It’s not easy to get there, but definitely worth it. Just be aware, there are 300 steps to walk up. Alternatively, take the lift for a very small fee.
No matter how you choose to spend your time in Chiang Mai, you’re bound to have an all-rounded, cultural, enlightening and overall thrilling experience.
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