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<\/a>Onboard the sleeper train to Chiang Mai<\/p><\/div>\n
Home comforts<\/h3>\n
Chiang Mai is Thailand\u2019s second city. It\u2019s my kind of place \u2013 bustling and lively enough to keep me occupied but without the chaos of a capital city. The weather is a touch cooler and the city much greener than Bangkok. While there were still numerous shrines dedicated to the late King, I found there was less visible grief amongst the public.<\/p>\n
As with Bangkok, Chiang Mai has dozens (if not hundreds) of temples dotted around the city. Most are located within the old city, a square mile which was the historic fort (the walls are still standing). Many are magnificent in stature, especially Wat Phra That Doi Suthep located on a nearby hill, with an incredible view over the town.\u00a0 After sunset, Chiang Mai’s enormous night market provides plenty of shopping opportunities for little handicrafts.<\/p>\n
<\/a>The expansive night market<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Wat Phra That Doi Suthep<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Looking out over Chiang Mai from Wat Phra That Doi Suthep<\/p><\/div>\n
This being Thailand, massages aren’t hard to find (rather, the masseuses come after you).\u00a0 I decided to try out a foot massage by an ex-inmate at the female correctional institution. She seemed friendly enough, but I didn’t ask what she had served time for (awkward!). It’s an excellent cause to support the development of inmates to return to society.<\/p>\n
<\/a>A surprisingly enjoyable foot massage at the Chiang Mai Female Correctional Institution<\/p><\/div>\n
The hostel I stayed at was Green Tiger Vegetarian House, which, as you might have guessed is a pure veggie hostel (music to my ears!). Aside from the awesome food, the hostel\u2019s location in the Old city is superb and close to many key sights. The staff are wonderful and the rustic construction make for a tranquil stay. They do have private rooms too, so I\u2019d recommend it to anyone staying in Chiang Mai. It\u2019s definitely one of the best hostels I\u2019ve ever stayed at.<\/p>\n
In my search for food elsewhere – and find something a little more substantial than pad Thai – I stumbled across a restaurant called \u2018By Hand Caf\u00e9\u2019. This is a gem of a restaurant. Here I gorged on the most delicious pizza I\u2019ve ever eaten, anywhere. And remarkably, it had no cheese on it \u2013 I went for the vegan option. It\u2019s the combination of the freshest ingredients and perfectly well-done crust in the wood stove that makes it a treat. I\u2019m quite looking forward to heading back to Chiang Mai just to eat another \u2013 three of them wasn\u2019t enough the first time! The city is perhaps the most vegan friendly I\u2019ve ever been to, it felt like paradise after so long living off nuts and bread.<\/p>\n
<\/a>A scrumptious, cheese-less pizza at By Hand Cafe<\/p><\/div>\n
For a change I actually enjoyed getting around the city. Songathews are red pickup trucks that form the ridesharing system in various towns in Thailand. The whole system forms the basis of city transportation and works brilliantly. How it works is: wave down one of the many red pickup trucks; tell the driver where to go, negotiate a price, jump in the back of the truck on a bench to join some fellow passengers, then pay at the end. Often the driver would shake his head if he\u2019s heading in another direction, but the songathews pass by frequently so it\u2019s not a problem. I had to get my haggling cap on as the prices would vary wildly, especially if I was the only passenger. It was good fun to negotiate and I developed an eye for more flexible drivers (they\u2019re generally older and less well spoken in English). The first time I got in I actually fell backwards out of the first one after misjudging the height of the interior, leaving me with a sore back and ankle for a few days.<\/p>\n
Getting wet\u00a0and wild<\/h3>\n
Chiang Mai\u2019s proximity to the hills provides a number of opportunities for adventure activities.<\/p>\n
One renowned company called Flight of the Gibbon operates zip-lines across SE Asia. I\u2019d never been zip-lining before and could not have chosen a better place to try it out. The Chiang Mai course is set in primary rainforests amongst the hills. Jumping off a platform to start with was a little unnerving, but the equipment is top-notch and I never feared that the trees below would get too close for company. Having said that, there is one line where the harness attaches to the back which quite literally involves taking a leap of faith! Another line is half a mile long and is the longest line in SE Asia, and it gives a more prolonged feeling of flight. Despite the steep price (\u00a3100 for 3 hours) I\u2019d definitely join them again, especially as they\u2019ve been doing some excellent work with various conservation projects.<\/p>\n