Bangkok to Chiang Mai Train

As we arrive at the train station in Bangkok we’re unsure of what to expect. People sit in the middle of the station on the floor waiting to board their train. It’s a scene we’ve seen before, though here it all seems downright neat and orderly. There are also lots of Western tourists. We’ve booked a second class sleeper on the over-night train to Chiang Mai. It’s our first train in Thailand and our first anywhere since China.

What a relief! Upon entering the train we realized this was a completely different beast from what we had been conditioned to expect in China. It was super clean, attendants helped with seat/bed assignments and the air con was running. Oh yeah, and I didn’t have to wake someone to get them out of my bed!

After getting underway, we were greeted by the attendant for our car and he asked if we wanted a beer or a cocktail. Pretty classy huh? Next was truly surprising: another attendant came around and made all of the beds with fresh linens, complete with a knit blanket, which would come in handy later. There were even privacy curtains on each bunk, and only four beds per open compartment rather than six. After fourteen hours or so, including a solid few of sleep, we pulled into Chiang Mai Station.

Overlook on Samoeng Loop

Upon arrival we made our way through the throngs of tuk tuk and taxi drivers asking to take us to a guest house. We were then approached by an older gentleman who conveyed he was a tuk tuk driver and then asked if we knew where we wanted to go. Satisfied with his approach we settled on a price and were off.

Our guest house, Parami, was a little out of the center of town. We chose it by design as it was a little less expensive and much quieter. The street it’s on had several local restaurants and food stalls and felt more like the Thailand we were looking for. We got settled in and were given a quick lay of the land and then decided it was lunch time.

Just a few minutes walk from Parami was a local style open air noodle vendor: it looked perfect. For all of $1 each we were served a healthy-sized steaming bowl of rice noodle soup with all the fixin’s. The fixin’s, of course, are a plate of greens consisting of green beans, basil, mint, lemongrass and fresh lime to be squeezed into the bowl. We’ve come to affectionately call this the “garden.” After adding a little chili powder, it’s time to dig in. A few bites later the experience begins, forehead begins to sweat and lips start to tingle. It’s wonderful.

Chiang Mai Monk

Chiang Mai has got something for everyone. It’s 700 kilometres north of Bangkok, closely bordered by Laos and Myanmar (forming the famous Golden Triangle). The landscape is hilly, with dense forests, more jungly at lower altitudes, and cool and darker green higher up. It’s famous among tourists for hilltribe visits, elephant riding and all sorts of outdoor activities. There is plenty of culture as well, with some amazing northern temples within the city and beyond.  Just outside of town, Doi Suthep Temple, established in 1373 by King Kuenaa sits high on the mountain. A real road to it wasn’t built until the 1930s. The views from the top are beautiful. The most striking features are the main, golden Chiang Saan-style pagoda and golden umbrellas in each corner.

Young Girl at Doi Suthep

Once you reach the canal that encircles Chiang Mai, you’re in the old city. Temples in town include Wat Phra Sing, Wat Phantao, Wat Chiang Man and Wat Mengrai among others. The Warorot Market and the Night Bazaar were both not far from the Nakornping Bridge, which crosses the Ping River close to where we were staying. Whether it’s clothes, souvenirs, vegetables seafood or spices you’re looking for, you can find it here and at a reasonable price.

The highlight for us was the day we rented a scooter. It was a 125cc Honda with an automatic transmission. Not having driven such a thing in a dozen years or more I was rightfully cautious at first until I warmed up. It’s like riding a bike…well, sort of. The locals are extremely proficient on two wheels and it seems they’ve been on them in some way since birth. It’s not uncommon to see a family of four all on one scooter, an impressive balancing act, especially with one on the phone and another holding an umbrella.

Armed with a borrowed map from the guest house we set out for Mae Rim north of Chiang Mai.The beginning of the route was a big, paved road, almost a highway. Turning off there we passes more rice terraces and  banana trees and several Hmong villages.  The area borders Doi Sutep National Park. After winding up into the mountains and passing some gardens and the Queen’s Royal Orchid Farm we reached Me Sa waterfall. These were actually 10 separate falls very close together with a nice walking path the whole distance.

Chiang Mai Waterfall

Following a stroll at the waterfall we decided to head further up the mountain roads and make the 100 kilometer loop back to Chiang Mai. We were able to see the efforts being made in a couple different Royal Project areas. Some of these projects began as long ago as 1969 under King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The idea was drug-crop replacement, as these northern highlands were traditionally huge opium poppy producers. Local farmers were encouraged to replace poppy plants with alternative crops. Conservation and sustainability centers, agricultural development centers and educational programs were implemented to benefit both the local hilltribes and protect the land itself.  There are now 36 Royal Project Development Centers and 4 Research Stations  in the northern mountain areas.The Mae Sa Mai project has chili plots with hydroponic systems, lychee  gardens, and has developed land for cold-climate crops like lettuce, carrots and corn at higher altitudes. The plant nurseries/greenhouses can be seem throughout the district. Most residents around this area are Hmong, but the larger region is home to 15 different ethnic groups, each with its own culture, history and traditions. While we did see some hilltribe villagers in our wanderings, we opted not to do one of the organized “hilltribe village trek’s or tours.” We even ran into some elephants with their mahouts. One was even doing some road maintenance trimming back some trees!

Traffic, Samoeng Loop

Heading further toward the Samoeng District, we had some more amazing views. We were above the clouds, and seeing them nestled into they valleys below was simply beautiful. Mist-shrouded forest went on as far as our vision. The sun was in and out all day plus there was a bit of rain, but when we made it to the peak of the mountain we were above the clouds and it felt surreal. Winding down the mountain road the clouds gathered around us. With limited visibility, oncoming traffic (usually in the form of a motorbike) would appear from seemingly nowhere.

Descending through the clouds, we finally made it to the T junction we had been hoping for. We were still on the right course. The sign read 38 kilometers to Chiang Mai and with that I twisted the grip back a bit more. We were racing the sun.  Making it back into Chiang Mai before dark was a priority. What we forgot about was rush hour. Chiang Mai is a city of nearly 200,000 and has plenty of vehicles buzzing about during peak hours. Navigating like the locals is a hairy proposition but a necessary one. Moving isn’t so bad; it’s stopping for traffic lights and starting off afterward that is tough. Basically, all the two-wheel vehicles fill in all the gaps on the sides of all the cars and try to beat them off the line in order to have open road to themselves. Suffice it to say we were honked at more than once.

Stopping to read the map once more we found our way back into the city and to the shop where we had rented the scooter.  Relieved to be back in one piece, we headed to the nearest restaurant to celebrate with a well deserved beer and bite for dinner.

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