Chiang Mai in northern Thailand is one of the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia. It is a city with a perfect mix of culture, religion, great food, shopping and nature trips. Chiang Mai brings in 10 million of Thai and foreign tourists every year. But can you actually do the 20-dollars-a-day challenge? This is your budget travel in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Temples along Tha Phae Road
Can you do a temple run for less than a dollar? Yes, you can do it here in Chiang Mai! There are more than 300 temples in Chiang Mai and most of these temples you can enter with no entrance fees (isn’t that amazing?)
While I was researching about Chiang Mai, I saw that several temples are on the main street of the city which is Tha Phae Road. It makes it easier for you to visit several of them in an hour or two.
You can roam around the wat. A “wat” is actually a temple complex which includes a stupa (most sacred structure of the wat), a viharn (houses the Buddha statues), a bot or ubosot (main prayer room and ordination hall) and other structures that are enclosed by a wall. When you visit the temples, please do not forget your temple manners.
Wat Mahawan
So to start our temple visit, let us begin with the150-year old Wat Mahawan. This is a small wat in Lanna and Burmese design. The buildings are built close together.
Thank God for tripods! I was traveling alone and not a soul in sight. This is the beautiful ubosot (or prayer hall) of Wat Mahawan. An ubosot is also where they ordain the monks and hold special festivals.
I am loving the white Burmese-style chedi and the white-washed ubosot in Wat Mahawan grounds.
There is a massage service here starting at 140 THB, open from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.Wat Mahawan is open from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Wat Saenfang
Head on to Wat Saenfang which was built in 1576. This also shows heavy Burmese influence in architectural design and style. This was once a royal residence in the 1860s.
The remarkable structure here is the glass mosaic gilded chedi. The different colors of the glass tiles reflect the sunlight and making it more majestic.
Wat Saenfang is open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Wat Bupparam
Enjoy the majestic 540-year old Wat Bupparam for 20THB. Same as the other Chiang Mai temples, Wat Bupparam is only styled in Lanna, Thai, and Burmese design.
The central shrine is composed of two floors with the ground floor as the ho trai or library. The whole temple complex is dotted with modern religious art. For somebody who loves art, I stayed for an hour around the wat to be able to take in all the visual treats.
I went up the main shrine on the upper floor and the ornamentation is mindblowing! Every inch has been lovingly designed and it has been maintained beautifully until today.
Inside the shrine are artworks that depict people visiting and praying in the temple. Some also tell stories from the scriptures.
The chedi is gilded with sparkling glass mosaic in blue, green and gold.
The small viharn is made of teak. The old teak viharn houses a 300-year old sitting Buddha. A lot of pilgrims come and pray here.
The old ho trai below is designed with intricate ornamentation above the windows. A ho trai is the library of a Thai temple. For a long time, the scriptures were written on palm leaves.
So the ho trai is built on stilts or columns that were raised from the ground protecting it from water and humidity.
As I said, I roam around the grounds. A monk told me that an artist came to do his thesis here. He did this work on pillars.
For visitors, you may chance upon a monk who may be there on the ground floor to give blessings and a bracelet. Donate something for the temple upkeep and the monks.
Wat Bupparam is open daily from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Song Thaew Taxis
As I was traveling alone, I know it would be very expensive to go touring around by myself. I asked my friend, a long-time Chiang Mai resident, where I can ride up to Doi Suthep temple. She suggested I take the song thaew for tourists who would like to go up the mountain and share the costs with other passengers.
I walked to the North Gate of the Tha Phae Gate, crossed the street and located the 7-11 there. In front of the 7-11 ask for the song thaew who offer tours. Ride the song thaew, a pick-up-turned-taxi, for a 3-stop tour for 220THB (US$7). I chose the 3 stops rather than the Doi Suthep tour only because they are all in the same area.
Also, it would be nice to do these other 2 places in a day. You will need to wait for a few minutes to get the minimum number of passengers for the tour. The driver will wait for an hour for each stop. Start the tour mid-morning so you can still have time to go back to the city.
3-Stop Tour Up the Mountain
First Stop: Hmong Hilltribe Village or the Doi Pui people are also referred to as highland Thais. But there are different kinds of Hmongs and have spread out to different countries like Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and some have even fled to the United States. Their known ancestors are most probably from Tibet and Nepal.
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej was a driving force in uplifting the lives of the indigenous tribes in Thailand. He visited the Doi Suthep Hmong Village, built roads, and helped them grow high-value cash crops than the illegal opium, which was grown there. The Hmongs greatly revered King Bhumibol for this Royal Project which became one of the king’s lasting legacies.
In this village, I was able to sit down with one of their living artists who made wax-resist textile with the designs that are unique to the Hmongs.
With broken English, the store assistant was able to relay to me their processes. She also told me about the old lady artist who has been doing this for more than 60 years.
They were kind enough to let me watch them work and even showed me how they design their indigo colored textile. Using wax, they would draw their intricate designs which were really tiny. I have seen batik done by Indonesians, done in bigger and broader designs. The Hmongs make big textile but with really small details.
The Hmongs do a wax-resist indigo textile and brightly-colored cross-stitched articles of clothing, bags, and purses. I roamed around the market in the village and found some interesting artworks, crafts, toys, and other items.
In this village, they also have a museum showing their farm life and colorful crafts. Hmong Museum Fee: 10THB
Lunch Break for 2 Bucks
My friend Meow who lived and worked in Chiang Mai recommended that I should eat one of the best Khao Soi noodles in Chiang Mai at the Hmong’s Doi Pui village. She said I can choose any of the few restaurants there.
I grabbed a quick lunch of delicious coconut-curry chicken noodles called Khao Soi for 50THB before heading back down. Khao Soi had me with the first spoonful. The taste was rich and the serving was enough to be filling.
Khao Soi is also a marriage of all the influences: Chinese, Laotian, Vietnamese, Burmese, Indian and Thai. Khao Soi was the meal that was still on my mind even for years after my first bowl. This is my top reason to keep going back to Chiang Mai. Burp!
Royal Family’s Summer Home
The second stop is the Bhubing Palace, the Thai Royal family’s summer home.
The royal residence was built in 1961 and follow central Thailand architectural style “ruean mu” or group of houses. Built on stilts, the royal family is housed in the upper part and the royal entourage below. I find it interesting too that in the Philippines, we have that “balay na bato” (stonehouse) with the same living arrangements as our Thai neighbors.
I personally enjoyed the sprawling rose gardens. There were so many species and colors of roses that were imported to Thailand for the Queen’s gardens. Also, the orchids were just everywhere blooming. It seems like the flowers were enjoying the fog here.
Pha Mon Pavilion
I found Pha Mon Pavilion which was a quaint little building surrounded by century-old ferns.
This was used for special occasions when the Royal Family is in Bhubing Palace. I sketched and painted but had to leave because it started to rain.
Temporarily close for Royal Family visit for the months of January till March, announcements are on the website: www.bhubingpalace.org. Appropriate clothing required, clothing rentals are available if you are in shorts or uncovered shoulders.
Entrance Fee: 50THB for foreigners. Open to the public from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM.
Wat Phra Tat Doi Suthep: Temple Overlooking the City
You have not been to Chiang Mai if you have not gone to Doi Suthep, the most important temple in the city.
Third stop: Doi Suthep Temple. The official name of the temple is actually Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and commonly called as Doi Suthep as the same mountain where it is located.
Climb up the 309-step Naga (serpents) lined staircase to reach the temple.
Doi Suthep was built in 1386. There is a popular legend that connects to the building of the temple but I would rather not tell you so you have to go and learn it on your own. The story is told also on the different sculptures and artwork around the temple grounds.
Do not miss the spot where you can see the whole of Chiang Mai. The view is breathtaking and I help but take a lot of pictures. (Sorry for squinting, it was too bright up there!)
Doi Suthep Temple Entrance Fee: 30THB
Zoo-rprise!
My song thaew driver asked me if I had a plan to go somewhere else and I said I don’t have any plans. He suggested that I can still go to the zoo since it was just 3:00. I asked him if he can drop me off at Chiang Mai Zoo and I will take care of going back to the city. He said there are a lot of song thaews traversing that area so it will not be difficult to get a ride.
And I did not regret this unplanned side trip! Although I could not justify my visit to a zoo, I wanted to see for myself how the Chiang Mai Zoo takes care of the animals and how they say they are helping these 400 animal species.
They have different areas for the different animals according to their habitat. I appreciate the zoo’s efforts in making sure they mimic the natural habitat of the animals given the 200 acres of land that they have. These mountain goats are enjoying their cliffs and mountains in one area.
These are just some of my favorite animals that I saw in Chiang Mai Zoo.
General Entrance Fee: 150THB.
For an extra 150THB you will get to see and visit “Lin Ping”, the world’s first panda to be conceived from artificial insemination.
Pandas were critically endangered and reproducing in captivity has a setback in their natural courtship and mating. (I did not include the Panda Tent Entrance because it is an optional fee.)
Chiang Mai Zoo opens daily from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
Twilight Bites
Ride a song thaew back to the city for 50THB to Chang Phuak night market. Nothing excites me more than pork. Pork leg is just next to heaven.
I waited for a good 20 minutes in line for the Cowboy Hat Lady’s Khao Kha Moo, a slowly stewed braised pork leg served with jasmine rice, boiled egg, and pickled mustard greens.
Famous chefs around the world like Anthony Bourdain has visited and dined in the famous Cowboy Hat Lady’s stall in Chang Phuak.
Khao Kha Moo will again be a part of my many daydreams!
Sum of All Expenses for the Day
Amazing experiences, warm people, great meals! My senses were more than satisfied and my soul is definitely full!
Total of 660THB or US$20 from morning till night! Success!
Khob Khun Ka Chiang Mai!
XXXL-Love,
The FatGoddess