Our daily schedule in Chaing Mai closely resembled that of hobbits. In between our busy days of second lunch and pre-dinner we explored museums and beautiful temples.
We could tell right away that we liked Chiang Mai. It is far less hectic than Bangkok, is walkable, and we really enjoyed the vibe. We danced to live country music on the plaza, took an amazing yoga class, visited night markets, splurged on $9/hour massages, and strolled around the old city.
The old capital city is dotted with temples. Some are unassuming brick stupas, hiding along the street, while some are large and elaborate with several structures. We also paid the Lanna folklife museum a visit, it was an informative museum that does a great job of showing and preserving the heritage of the local people.
Chiang Mai easily takes the cake for our favorite food destination so far. We ate the best green curry ever, some incredible Kao Soy (local egg noodle curry dish), and fun fusion food. Unfortunately the nearby climbing area was closed, but that just gives us an excuse to go back when it reopens (and eat more of that green curry!).
Our bus to Chiang Rai dropped us off in town a couple hours before the weekly street fair, which was far grander than we could have imagined. It seemed like everyone in town (locals and tourists) was there. We sampled a handful of snacks from vendors as live music played in the distance.
The next day we borrowed a bike and took a picturesque tour of the surrounding temples. Chiang Rai has several modern temples, which was a fun change from seeing super traditional buildings.
Cover photo: The White Temple at Chiang Rai
