Chiang Mai - Thailand

We flew up from Bangkok with Air Asia and spent the arrival night in the city.

I had been to the original Night Market before, but it now seems there are numerous night markets dotted around, giving lots of options for al fresco dining whilst enjoying some live music.

The city, a previous Capital, is still centred around the ancient, square, city perimeter walls, so you never need to walk too far.

Chiang Mai offers you easy access to the north and it is possible to book day tours, excursions and jungle treks, but our plan was to travel independently.

The following morning, we headed back to the airport, which is very close to the main hotel area and only takes about 5 minutes.

We picked up our rental car and were planning to take the GPS Sat Nav, but the lady at the desk advised that Google Maps on the phone is better, when in the mountains and to rely on that.

One of the most famous and sacred temples in Chiang Mai province is just outside of the city, high up in the mountain at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.

For the Thai people themselves, a visit to this temple is on most people’s bucket lists. The monastery was first established 1383 to enshrine a relic reputed to be a piece of bone from the shoulder of The Lord Buddha.

The drive up is fairly steep and winding, so a bit of concentration is required.

About half-way up the mountain there is a small temple connected to the main temple, which gives some information and history as to the significance and building of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.

Continuing up the mountain, you eventually come to a car park with some shops close by and some small eateries.

Here, people with mobility issues can take a funicular lift up to the top where the temple is, but most people walk the 306 steps, as the ascent is intended to help devotees attain merit, the accumulation of good deeds in Buddhism.

There is the temple at the top and numerous Buddha images, but the relic, the shoulder bone, is housed in the Chedi, which is the tall, gold structure in the middle of the site.

Most people like to have a perfect photo here and to facilitate this, there are some photographers at the top, who will take your perfect photos, which you can collect when you have descended the steps back down to the bottom.

After paying our respects, we set off for our destination, which was a couple of hours drive away, again, requiring lots of mountain driving, in a place called Chai Prakan near Fang in Chiang Mai province.

This is off the beaten track a bit and not many tourists come here.

Whilst there, we went to another temple in a village called Ban Tham near Chai Prakan.

The temple is called Wat Ban Tham Tap Tao and is an ancient temple built in the caves with a large seated golden Buddha statue and a large golden reclining Buddha as well as an abundance of other Buddha statues in attendance and in other parts of the caves.

You can walk, in theory, through the caves to a mountain called Chiang Dao but there are lots of bats, it can be wet and slippery, and not too much oxygen, so that walk is best left to locals and caving experts!

The temple is amazing and it is a shame it is off the beaten track as not many tourists get to see this and I certainly never saw any.

I was surprized to see this a stunning temple in such a small, rural location, but apparently it has been supported by the owners of Orange Farms that are quite common in this mountainous area.

After several days of driving around the mountains, another day was like the day from hell! We drove up Doi Ang Khang near Fang, still in Chiang Mai province.

It was 1 steep climb after another with 180 degree U-bends then another and another. It felt like it was never ending!

My ears were popping like I was flying in a plane.

The poor, inadequate, little Toyota Yaris struggled all the way up.

It was an Automatic and hill gear was going up about 1 mph.

I thought the car would die any minute, before, the inevitable roll backwards to oblivion.

I have never been closer to a panic attack.

I would suggest either avoiding that mountain, or make sure you have a decent car!

Apparently, there are lovely views up Doi Ang Khang, but by the time I got up there, I was past caring!

There is a Royal Agricultural Station up there which was the first research station set up by the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 1969, so it is a bit like our Eden Project, but without the Biomes. Chiang Mai offers so much and is well worth a visit, particularly if you want a contrast from the beaches in the south.