Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai & Chiang Khong, Thailand
Initial Thoughts: I arrived to Chiang Mai after a 12-hour overnight journey on a train that I had boarded on a whim. I’d just spent 12 days in Kanchanaburi province and my plans to travel south to Malaysia where interrupted by a raging tropical forest fire in Indonesia. After completing ten days of silent meditation in the Thai countryside, I was finding reintroduction to regular life challenging. Even though Chiang Mai is a relatively quiet city by Asian standards, I was still battling a near constant headache. However, as I was accustomed to waking at 4am, I had a few hours of peace in which to explore the land of temples before the majority of travellers awoke. I discovered Chiang Mai’s thriving coffee scene, strolled along greenery-filled back streets and drank luscious fresh fruit smoothies.
Best Moment: Each afternoon, as the traffic and heat of the day increased, I would seek refuge in the grounds of one of the hundreds of gorgeous, colourful temples that dot the streets of Chiang Mai. I relished the peaceful, spiritually rich surroundings. Seeing firsthand the Thai Buddhist religion had a profound impact on me. One afternoon I witnessed a prayer session in which a hundred young buddhist monks chanted in unison. As an outsider I felt blessed to quietly observes this magical moment. I later learned that most Thai sons become monks at some point in their lives to make merit for themselves and their families fulfilling an important part of the journey towards spiritual liberation.
Take Away: Spending time in a town where the main tourist attractions are religious sites can be difficult. I found myself increasingly annoyed with visitors who didn’t respect the local customs like wearing conservative clothing in temples. The abundance of people taking selfies with Buddha had me enraged more than once. Witnessing religious and cultural ceremonies is a hugely important part of travel and yet I wondered if it is possible to do so without negatively impacting the practices themselves. It reaffirmed my conviction that researching and respecting regional customs is an absolute necessity for responsible travel.
See more photos of Northern Thailand on the Global Locavore Facebook page!
Now It’s Your Turn: Have I whetted your travel appetite? I can’t speak highly enough of Northern Thailand. It is a safe, beautiful and historic region. How did I find such stunning temples, delicious meals and interesting cultural sights? The latest version of Lonely Planet Thailand has all the details (and many many more)! I never travel without a country specific Lonely Planet and wholeheartedly recommend buying one before visiting an area for the first time.
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Helena says
It’s lovely to see parts of the world I have yet to explore. I agree that people should acknowledge the countries beliefs and support them while there. Thanks for sharing this with #MyFavouriteTrip
globallocavore says
Thanks for popping over Helena. I agree it is so fun to see unknown parts of the globe through someone else’s lens. I’m dying to visit Sri Lanka and Northern Africa thanks to the images I’ve seen!
Victoria Visits says
Stunning! I would love to visit Thailand – their temples look so ornate and beautiful. #MyFavouriteTrip
globallocavore says
Aren’t the absolutely stunning? The intricate designs and ostentatious gold are so enchanting. I’d definitely recommend visiting Thailand if you ever get the chance. Thanks for commenting!
Our Seaside Baby says
I visited Thailand many years ago including Chiang Mai so this brought back memories. Amazing that you did ten days of silent meditation. I did a mindfulness/meditation course this year & it changed my perspective on so much yet I can’t imagine 10 days in silence. Did you write about it? Would love to have a read. The temples in Chiang Mai are so colourful and detail is just amazing. Great photographs. Thanks very much for joining in with #MyFavouriteTrip Polly
Our Seaside Baby recently posted…Child Friendly Yoga Retreats
globallocavore says
Thanks for the kind comment. I loved photographing the temples of Chiang Mai! I haven’t written about my silent retreat because it was such an overwhelming, challenging, transformative experience that I hardly know how to put it in words. I might consider writing about it in the future, but for now what I’d say is I would highly recommend it to those who are ready, but that it isn’t an experience to be taken lightly. Best of luck with all your ongoing meditation practice.