Make The Best Of Chiang Mai, Thailand In 3 Days

A One Hour Flight From Bangkok To Chiang Mai 

Upon arrival of our flight from Cavite, Philippines to Bangkok, Thailand and then another connecting flight to Chiang Mai we had no plans whatsoever nor did we have a place to stay. First thing we did was exchange a few hundred dollars (1 U.S. Dollar was equivalent to roughly 35 Thai baht). We then proceeded to the information desk and asked to call for a shuttle van for our group to take us to an affordable hotel near the Night Bazaar. Our driver brought us to the Top North Hotel which cost us $135 for the two nights we planned on staying there and included complimentary breakfast. As soon as you check into your hotel, depending on your budget try to book tours you are interested in doing through the hotel concierge, ask about group deals/packages and what events are currently happening during your stay. Since we arrived at Chiang Mai around 8pm we tried to make the best of the night by walking a few blocks to the Night Bazaar and having a late dinner. 

The Night Bazaar is open every day of the year regardless of the weather from morning till around midnight

Before reaching the shops, you'll encounter other backpackers and tourists, locals and quite a few hookers (beware of lady men). Take your time to look around the shops and don't be afraid to haggle, but remember these people do this for a living.

Tour Day !

The following morning depending on the tours you chose, your hotel should let you know what time to be ready for pick up. If you are limited on time, I highly recommend doing the Mae Tamaan Elephant Camp Tour. Pick up will be from 8-8:30am if your hotel is in the Old City or Night Bazaar area, and the tour cost us ฿1,400.00 or $40 per person. This elephant camp is located at Mae Hong Son about one hour from Chiang Mai.

Itinerary: 

1. Thai Orchid and Butterfly Farm
2. Arrive at the elephant camp by 10:00am
3. Visit the Long Neck Karen Tribe 
4. Take an elephant ride around the Lisu hill village 
5. Swim in the river with the elephants 
6. Have a late lunch with the locals
7. River rafting 
8. Nature hike with waterfall 
9. Driver brings you back to your hotel by 5:00pm

As soon as you get to the camp, the people who run the area will provide you a set of clothes to wear. You will also be advised to leave your cameras and backpacks in one of their huts because they will get wet! Don't worry, the villagers are very respectful with your belongings, you can however, bring a Gopro and they do have a photographer on site and at the end of your tour, they will give you the option of buying the memory card they used on your group. The village chef will also provide you with lunch, it is included with the tour. Vegetable pad thai, and eggs were on our menu that day. 

When we met the long neck tribe women, we learned that majority of them migrated from Myanmar to Thailand. The main reason why many of them still wear the rings that stretched out their necks only continue their culture and custom is for them to earn money from visitors by posing for photos. They migrated to Thailand to have a better future but because they have no citizenship and are not real refugees, they are not allowed to work other jobs outside of the village and are limited to health care and education. So just remember this if you ever meet these beautiful women--tourism is their only way to make money.

At the end of your activities you can ask your tour guide to drop you off to see temples that are open instead of bringing you back to your hotel (save some money). There are temples that are open to the public but it will cost you. Unfortunately for us, $80/person was a bit out of our budget, so we just took pictures outside the gates which you are welcome to do. We then asked locals walking directions to the Grand Night Market. Please note that they do not take cards and only except baht, there are places a few blocks away to exchange your money. From sushi, to fried fish and spicy papaya salad, this night market is great for trying traditional Thai food, I highly recommend trying Khao Neeo Mamuan, it's a sweet sticky rice with mango on top. After a late dinner I decided to leave my group early using a tuk tuk vehicle for 150 baht. On the way back to my hotel I had the chance to see the streets lined up with Buddhist monks collecting alms from people.

Day of Departure

Depending what time your flight is, use this time to explore outside of your hotel, or around the airport to buy souvenirs. Or you can even book a half day tour if your flight is at night. Sadly for me, I had to take an online final ( I went on this trip during my last week of the fall semester of my senior year in college) and our flight was at 10:00am back to Bangkok. 

Keep Exploring!