" Many people ask me "Why do you like to go to Chiang Mai ?. I can not say the long list of the reason but what I can say is you can get answer when you start first trip to Chiang Mai and then you will fall in love with this destination like me"

We originally decided to have 2^nd trip for Chanee & The Gang to Chiang Mai with 6 participants but two weeks prior to travel date there was urgent work to one of member then we become only 5 persons for this trip. Lekky who travel a lot around Thailand and she is the trip manager this time, Charlie who love to visit and try local experiences, Namwhan who loves to explore everywhere, Keng who originally from Chiang Mai and will be our driver this time and I who loves to travel and share.

The period for this trip is 2-5 December. The beginning of winter in the north of Thailand when all the green rice fields are turn to be golden while the flower are blooming everywhere.

This time Lekky got special promotion from Thai Smile so we departed from Suvarnabhumi Airport with early morning flight. And our trip begins.

Day 1

WE102 is our flight and departure time is 07.50am.

We arrived to Chiang Mai airport on time and get our luggage then take taxi to Keng’s house to pick her car. We booked ticket to visit I Love Flower Farm at 10.30am and we arrived there on time.

I love flower Farm is the first place to visit for this trip because it is a season of flower and we want nice photos from the middle of flower farm. This farm has good team to take care flower farm and welcome tourist. The ticket is THB 90/person included entrance fee + herb drink + Thai dessert. We start photo shooting first before lots of people come.

Charlie, Namwhan, Keng, Lekky turned to be a super model with the color flower around them.

The top super model today is Keng

Lekky also not bad

Namwhan got some shots as well

And Charlie

There are another 2 flower farms next to “I Love Flower Farm” but their flower were not blooming yet so we did not visit and it was late for lunch so we left the farm and heading to the restaurant for first lunch in Chiang Mai.

Lekky chose this restaurant because the concept of food and decoration.

We arrived restaurant on the right time so there were not many people there yet. So, we walked around the beautiful garden and got many nice shots.

We got table on second floor of Thai house. And start order our food.

We order this one for share.

This one for myself

Charlie’s menu

Keng and Namwhan order same menu

And this one for Lekky

We can say that all foods are so good. And the price is reasonable.

Before left we got some more shots. They have coffee shop “Doi Chang” but we were too full for coffee so we put the pin for next time.

We left the restaurant and heading to the “Chiang Dao Cave”. This cave normally close at 5pm so we still have time.

We paid for ticket THB 20/person and then started walking in to the cave. There were local guides who carry the lamp waiting for us. As the cave is dark, some area totally dark which we can not see anything so better we have the local guide with the light.

The distance we chose is 500 meters (there are another route which longer but we can not finish it before they close).

Inside the cave is so beautiful. There are stones with a shape look like animals. Some are look like rooms and some area we have to good deep down on stairs.

We all were enjoy with this experience especially Keng.

We left the cave and now heading up to the mountain as we booked the tents on the top of the mountain which we can see the “Doi Chiang Dao” clearly.

Doi Chiang Dao, also known as Doi Luang Chiang Dao, is a 2,175 meters high mountain in Chiang Dao District of Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. It is one of the highest peaks of the Daen Lao Range on the Thai side of the border.

The tent camp which we booked is “Cocoa Camp”. They have around 60 tents on the mountain.

The white tents are clean and all are tents can see Doi Chiang Dao.

And in the night when all tents light up there are very beautiful view.

The toilets and shower rooms are separated from the tents but not too far to walk.

At this camp they included one BBQ dinner with the price.

Dinner start from 6.30pm-10.00pm. And everyone enjoyed dinner.

I brought seafood sauce, shabu sauce and BBQ sauce from Bangkok. I suggest to buy some sausage, fish ball and other from 7-11 or supermarket. However, the dinner set that they serve also big portion.

In this season the thick jacket might need for anyone who are not good with cold weather but for me I still ok with only t-shirt.

Me and Lekky were the last two persons from the dinner because Lekky expected to see milky way. 

We were sitting till 11.00pm but seem that we were not lucky as tonight is full moon.

Then we decided to go to bed. Lekky have second plan, she brought the lamp with stars shadow to make our tents look lovely.

Day 2

I woke up at 6am as I want to get nice shots of sunrise but others still slept. After showered and packed all luggage then I walked around the camp to get good shots of sunrise. 

Besides of sunrise, this camp which located on the top of the mountain so we can see 360 degree.

Breakfast was boiled rice (very delicious) and coffee or other drink can be ordered with extra charge (not expensive).

We were enjoyed breakfast with stunning view and then check out from the camp.

The distance from the camp to the next stop is around 1 hour to visit “Jiang Dara Café”

This café located in the rice field. They have 4 cottages but always fully booked. I might try next time.

During this month we can not expect to see green rice field as everywhere the rice was harvested. However, we can find the cool background.

And we have good supermodels.

We still can see Doi Chiang Dao from this café. And it is very good background as well.

After got many shots we left café and heading to “Baan Mae Kam Pong”. Actually, from Chiang Dao To Mae Kam Pong is not good routing as there are some are which the road still under construction. But as we have only 4 days for this trip and there are many places which they never visit so we accept the long distance on the road.

On the way to Baan Mae Kam Pong we stopped at the beautiful "Mae Tang pine plantation" This place become popular for tourist as hundreds of pine tree can be very good background.

After got many shots at pine plantation we continue to Baan Mae Kam Pong. Baan Mae Kam Pong was changed every time when I visit. This time we saw more homestays, coffee shops, restaurants.

It was lunch time so we chose the local restaurant “Bai Miang”. We all agreed that this restaurant is very good choice with the taste of the food and the prices also cheap.

And this is our menu.

I like this one the most.

After lunch we walked up to the coffee shop “Rabiang View” which is my most favorite coffee shop here. Lucky that we parked the car at the parking between restaurant and coffee shop.

We arrived in good time as there was a table for 6 persons still available and it is on the good location.

We ordered our beverage and I order Daifuku with fresh strawberry and brownies.

And this is our beverages.

I came with supermodels so I got many shots for them.

Since our next stop is Doi Inthanon which should take around 4 hours from Baan Mae Kam Pong so we left there around 3pm.

We planned to see sunrise on Doi Inthanon so we booked the room at small resort “Doi In View” which was around 1 hour away from Doi Inthanon.

We arrived resort around 8pm. so all area was dark we can only check in and go to bed as we have to wake up at 4am and leave resort at 5am.

Their room is good with the prices. I like bathroom.

Day 3

5am we checked out from resort and heading up to the view point. The national park fee is THB 50/person and the car THB 30/car.

We reached to the view point around 6am and parked the car at the second parking area which larger than the first one (which located in front of the entrance to Kew Mae Pan walking trail)

There were not many people there because it was week day.

Today we were not luck because there were cloudy so we can not see the sun. We spent the time at the view point around 30 minutes and decided to start trekking at Kew Mae Pan.

But before we start Namwhan say something "I'm hungry" then we went to restaurant for breakfast before trekking (it was breakfast at 6.30am).

There was 8 degree today. And we ready to walk.

We registered at the counter and they assigned a local tour guide for us.

This is my second time to walk at Kew Mae Pan but I came with difference group of friends so I had difference memory.

None of them visit this place before so they were enjoyed walking and taking photo.

I like the forest, and enjoy walking even second or third times.

We finished trekking around 11am and the temperature changed to be 17 degree. Lekky still want to stay longer in the forest and enjoy looking and touching trees and flowers.

We heading down to the city as today we will stay at hotel in old town of Chiang Mai “Wua Lai” but it was lunch time so we stopped at "Wachirathan Waterfall" to get some shorts and have lunch there.

I recommended this restaurant near the waterfall. They sell Thai-Isarn food with good taste and very cheap.

After lunch we continue to city and on the way we stopped by at “Kao Mai Lanna” a nice resort with unique design. There garden is also nice especially the coffee shop.

We order drinks and 2 pieces of bakery and finished them very fast because the purpose of visiting this place is to get nice shots.

And we got it.

Charlie and Keng prefer ice-cream.

Lekky look tired from trekking but when the camera is ready she always awake.

Before we left Kao Mai Lanna we got some more shots from popular check in point. 

We left Kao Mai Lanna and heading to city and checked in at “Iwualai” a small hotel on Wua Lai street. Wu alai street become popular for tourist because now there are lots of coffee shops, restaurant, hostels and there is night market on every Saturday.

Our hotel is on good location. I stayed this hotel 3 times already and I like them so much so I suggest to all friends.

We got room with 3 single beds for 3 persons and 2 beds for 2 persons.

6.30pm everyone ready at lobby for dinner. But before dinner today we will visit the important temple “Wat Chedi Luang”.

This is first time that I visit this temple in the night (they close at 10.00pm).

And after that we went to my choice of restaurant for dinner “Chinese BBQ”. This restaurant was open around 1 month ago in the building with 5 levels.

We got table on 3^rd floor.

And start order

We were enjoyed eating and talking.

And there were more than 60 skewers.

After dinner Lekky suggest to try grilled pork with sticky rice which is famous in Chiang Mai. We went there but we do not have space in our stomach so Lekky bought only chili paste and then we all return to hotel.

I suggested them to wake up early morning on next day to try local food at Chiang Mai gate market. But only Lekky confirmed to join.

Day 4

7am only I and Lekky were at lobby so we left the rest to sleep then we walked to the market. But we found tri-wheel taxi so we took it to the market (first time for us to take this vehicle in Chiang Mai).

He charged only THB 20/person (very cheap).

Arrived to the market and realized that Charlie wants to join with us. He walked from hotel to the market (actually it take only around 10 minutes).

We walked around the market as this is first time for Lekky and Charlie. And I chose the noodle shop for them (this one is famous one in this market).

After breakfast we take local truck to the famous “Pa Tong Ko”(Chinese dough). This one requested by Lekky. So, we took local truck and paid THB20/person.

Normally, this shop is always with long que but we were lucky that no que when we arrived.

The signature of this shop is they make the dough in animal shape like Dinosaur, Crocodile, Elephant, frog etc.,

We got Dinosaur and enjoyed eating (we were full with noodle for breakfast but still eating). Lekky looking for local dress (hilltribe dress). So, I took here to a shop which I always go as this shop always design good dress, blouse, pants, skirt etc.,

And Lekky got what she wants (with very good prices).

It enough for shopping and breakfast so we took local truck to hotel (only THB 20/person). We checked out from hotel around 11.00am and for the restaurant today was selected by Keng.

And this is our lunch.

I recommend this restaurant because the taste is real local and the prices is cheap and good services.

We finished all food and we were so full but Keng wants caffeine so we drop by at the nice coffee shop. Only Keng order coffee but supermodel like Lekky and Charlie got good shots.

It was time leave Chiang Mai. Me and Lekky booked air ticket while Charlie and Namwhan prefer to experience overnight train. So, we dropped them at train station first then we went to airport.

For your information that now Chiang Mai airport change the check in process. They do not have x-ray machine to scan your suite case at the entrance anymore. After check in at airline counter then you have to take your luggage to scan. I think it quite complicate at the beginning as the airport quite small so during peak season there might be long que and crowded so suggest you arrive airport more early.

I and Lekky booked flight at 7.30pm so we have lots of time so we spent our free time here.

Finally, we completed our Chanee & The Gang trip to Chiang Mai with a ton of memories from every stop such as normally other took around 2-2.5hours for trekking at Kew Mae Pan but we took 4 hours. We enjoyed BBQ dinner with the sauces which we brought from Bangkok. Lekky wore thick jackets as she expected more cold at Kew Mae Pan. We finished more than 60 skewers of Chinese BBQ etc.,

However, I can say that Chiang Mai is recommended to visit any days either Winter, Summer or Rainy season (personally I like rainy season). Because you can see difference shade of this provinces. There are difference activities in each district which you fall in love and plan your next trip as soon as you finish one!!!