You’ll be taking planes, trains, and buses, jetting from one city to the next!

With only two weeks and the desire to see as much as possible, I packed a lot in our Thailand trip. After experiencing (and sometimes enduring) it all, these are the top things that I recommend you see and do if you have a limited time in Thailand.

Beach – Jump off from Phuket

It’s likely you chose to come to Thailand because the beautiful beaches caught your eye. As you’re researching which beaches and islands you want to go to, note how touristy (read: busy and crowded) it is and the time it will take get there. Island-hopping will cut your time short quickly if you’re visiting multiple places in Thailand. Koh Phi Phi is the most popular island and I also hear amazing things about Krabi and Koh Sumai. For our trip we stayed on Phuket, and you can read all about those beaches here.

Patong Beach

Wat Rong Khun (White Temple) – Chiang Rai

This modern temple was incredible! It may seem a little controversial and strange, but the thoughts behind the temple’s creation are interesting. I booked a day trip to see the White Temple in Chiang Rai because we didn’t have enough time to stay overnight. It worked out well. I would recommend hiring a private car to take you there and back on your own time. Check out this post for all the details about visiting.

Temples – Chiang Mai and Bangkok

Wherever you go, you’ll likely run into a temple in town. Buddhism is the predominant religion in Thailand and beautiful, ornate temples are plentiful. You’ll find many in Chiang Mai and Bangkok. In Bangkok, the most popular temples are Wat Pho and Wat Arun.

Elephant Nature Park – Chiang Mai

It was a treat to get up close and personal with these magnificent creatures! Elephant Nature Park is an elephant sanctuary that takes care of elephants that have been abused. You’ll be able to walk with them, feed them, and learn all about elephant history and life in Thailand. No riding here! See the post and video about our experience at Elephant Nature Park here.

Scuba Dive – Similan Islands

The Similan Islands are a group of 11 islands in the Andaman Sea off of South Thailand. They’re known for scuba diving. Taking a liveaboard is a great way to dive multiple sites since you’ll be living on a boat and hopping from island to island. Check out our liveaboard experience here.

Yee Peng Lantern Festival – Chiang Mai

We timed our trip to see this cultural celebration! They have changed the official events because of its popularity, but there are unofficial spots where people gather to release lanterns for the holiday. It is a spiritual event, focusing on letting go of the bad. It was so cool to see and experience this event in person. It happens in November for a few days around the full moon. See the post and video about our experience here.

Food – Chiang Mai and everywhere

One of the best things about visiting Thailand is the abundance of incredible food! We got our fill of pad Thai, tom yum soup, curry soup, papaya salad, and more! In most of the big cities, you’ll be able to find food tours to experience the city’s best restaurants and cooking classes to learn how to cook the cuisine. Be sure to look at my travel guides for Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket to get a restaurant list! Check out my best things to eat and drink in Thailand post to see the different dishes you can enjoy.

Itinerary

Not sure how to split your time in Thailand? Here’s what we did for 12 nights in Thailand. It’s hard to squeeze every experience into a short time. If I could go back and change what we did, I would have scheduled time to visit beaches on islands but that would have required adding more days to the trip!

Day 1: Travel
Day 2: Arrive in Bangkok at 11 pm
Day 3: Chiang Mai
Day 4: Chiang Mai
Day 5: Chiang Rai (day trip)
Day 6: Chiang Mai
Day 7: Phuket
Day 8: Liveaboard
Day 9: Liveaboard
Day 10: Liveaboard
Day 11: Phuket
Day 12: Bangkok
Day 13: Bangkok
Day 14: Travel and arrive home

Have you been to Thailand? What activities do you think are must-dos?

P.S. The Thailand fun doesn’t stop here! Check out all my Thailand posts here.

Keep up with me elsewhere! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Bloglovin’. You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

The post Best Things to Do in Thailand + Itinerary appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

Wat Chedi Luang

WHY VISIT CHIANG MAI?

One of the most popular cities in Northern Thailand, Chiang Mai is filled with culture, history, and some of the best food in Thailand. Visiting Chiang Mai was a priority for me because I wanted to experience a different flavor of Thailand that wasn’t urban or the beach. This city is laid-back, charming, and easy to get around. Also, Chiang Mai surprised us with an abundant amount of incredible street art!

Street Art in Chiang Mai

QUICK TIPS

• Old City was the origins of Chiang Mai, and it was once a square-walled city. You can see remnants of the wall on the perimeter. I would recommend staying in Old City. There is an abundance of restaurants, places to stay, and temples. You can walk from one end to the other in about 30 minutes.
• Use the Maps.Me app to get around the city. It allows you to use maps in real-time without Wi-Fi. It was a lifesaver!
• We stayed about four days in Chiang Mai, though one of those days was a day trip to Chiang Rai.

Restaurant in Chiang Mai – Hot Chili

WEATHER

The best time to visit Chiang Mai is October to April. May to September is the rainy season. December to March is the dry season. March, April, and May are the hottest months.

Pretty restaurant decor in Chiang Mai – The Ginger and Kafe at The House

GETTING THERE

The main airport is Chiang Mai International (CNX). We flew in from Don Mueang International Airport (DMX) in Bangkok on AirAsia. The airport is 15 minutes to Old City, the most popular area in the city. When flying out of Chiang Mai domestically, travelers should be able to get through to the gate in 30 minutes.

Street Art in Chiang Mai

GETTING AROUND

If you’re staying in the Old City, getting around is fairly easy. We walked a lot and getting to one end of the city to the other took about 30 minutes. There are also red taxis and tuk tuks available to hop on. Mopeds are available for rent at shops around the city.

WHERE TO STAY

Staying in Old Town is easiest for restaurants and shops. There is an abundance of hotels, bed and breakfasts, and hostels in Old Town. TripAdvisor is a good place to get an overview. Agoda is a great website also.

B House Chiang Mai
We stayed in this simple bed and breakfast our entire time in Chiang Mai. Our room was very spacious and included a shower/toilet combo. Daily breakfast included eggs, chicken sausages, toast, coffee, tea, and fresh tomatoes and cucumber. The location was on one end of Old City so walking to places took time but no more than 20 minutes.

G2 Boutique Hotel
This was another hotel I looked into because of its nice rooms and free Wi-Fi.

137 Pillars
If you want luxury, 137 Pillars has it! Located outside of Old City, you’ll be wowed by the amenities.

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK – Best Restaurants in Chiang Mai

Quick Tips

• Eat Khao Soi! You must try this traditional noodle curry dish in Chiang Mai! It is a Northern Thailand dish, it’s delicious, and it’s hard to find it anywhere else.
• We did the Kantoke Dinner and Show but I don’t recommend it.
• For more recommendations than the ones below, check out the website Chiang Mai Food Critic for listings and reviews.

SP Chicken
An unassuming and small restaurant, this restaurant is known for their roasted chicken but come early before they run out! The chicken is served with dipping sauces.
Address: Samlan Rd Soi 1, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai, Chang Wat Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand

Ginger and Kafe at The House
Possibly one of the most picture-pretty restaurants in Chiang Mai, this restaurant serves Thai and Western dishes.
Address: 199, Moonmuang Road, Tambon Si Phum, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai, 50200, อำเภอเมืองเชียงใหม่ เชียงใหม่ 50200, Thailand

Angel’s Secrets
We stopped here for drinks and dessert. A cute little spot with great banana nutella crepes and fresh watermelon juice.
Address: 27 Moon Mueang Road Soi 5, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Hot Chili
The extravagant red décor flowing out of the restaurant will draw you in and the food will make you pleased with your choice. It’s slightly touristy because of its location but we enjoyed spicy fish, vegetables, and prawns here. They also serve Chiang Mai Brewing’s craft beer.
Address: Rachadamnoen Rd, Tambon Si Phum, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai, Chang Wat Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand

Nice Kitchen
I had a really good and strong Thai Iced Green Tea here! We also enjoyed the sticky rice with mango, though they also have a full menu.
Address: Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand

Graph Café and Graph Table
Minimalist and thoughtful coffee shop and restaurant, respectively.
Graph Café: 25/1 Rajvithi Lane 1, T.Sriphoom, A.Muang Chiangmai 50200 Thailand
Graph Table: 8/3 Moonmuang Lane 6, T.Sriphoom, A.Muang Chiangmai 50200

Cooking Love
Small, open-air restaurant with high-quality food.
Address: 7 18 ถนน ราชดำเนิน ซอย 1 Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai, Chang Wat Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand

Khao Soi Khun Yai
The recommended spot for Khao Soi!
Address: Sri Poom 8 Alley, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai, Chang Wat Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand

The Good View Bar and Restaurant
This restaurant is outside of the Old City and is located off the Ping River.
Address: 13 Charoen Rat Road, Watgate Muang Chiang Mai, Thailand

Want to know more about Thai food? Check out this post!

Cute Restaurant: Ginger and Kafe at The House

WHAT TO DO – Best Activities in Chiang Mai

Thai Temples
There are temples around every corner in Chiang Mai. You can easily do a temple hop! Here are some recommended temples:

• Wat Phra That Doi Suthep – Located 30 minutes outside of Old City, this temple is one of the most visited.
• Wat Chedi Luang – This temple was started in the 14th century and is the largest structure in Chiang Mai. At this temple, you can also chat with monks.
• Wat Phra Singh – This temple complex features multiple interesting buildings, including tall, gold structures.

Wat Phra Singh

Wat Chedi Luang

Elephant Nature Park
Seeing elephants up close and personal was a highlight of our visit to Chiang Mai. Check out the full recap and a video of our experience in this post.

Massage
Chiang Mai is a good place to get a massage in Thailand. Massages are a very affordable luxury and shops are abundant in Chiang Mai. Here are recommended places:

• Fah Lanna Spa: 57/1 Wiang Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
• Sense Massage: 23/1 Arak Road, Sriphum, Amphoe Muang Chiang Mai 50200

Yee Peng Lantern Festival and Loi Krathong
If you visit Chiang Mai in November, the Yee Peng Lantern Festival and Loi Krathong will be going on for about three days. Learn all about these festivities in this post.

Flight of the Gibbon Zipline
Flight of the Gibbon is a well-visited zipline attraction in Chiang Mai. This tour has its thrills and it was fun to be in the rainforest. If you’re lucky, you’ll see the family of three gibbons during your tour. The tours are about five hours. [We have a thing for ziplines.]

Thailand Rainforest

Cooking Class
A very popular activity in Chiang Mai is a cooking class. You’ve tasted the wonders of Thai cuisine, now learn the depths of creating it! These classes include hands-on activity and a great meal in the end. Here are two recommendations:

• Thai Farm Cooking School
• Basil Cookery School

Playworks
This is a cute shop with locally made goods.

Day Trip to Chiang Rai and Wat Rong Khun / White Temple
Since we were in Northern Thailand, we took a day trip through a bus tour to see the White Temple. You can learn more about the White Temple in this post.

Night Bazaar
The Night Bazaar is a well-known and popular attraction in Chiang Mai. It’s a great place for souvenirs and gifts.

Street Art in Chiang Mai

I hope this guide helps! If you have any additional questions, please leave a comment below or send me a message. I’d be happy to help you have a fantastic time in Chiang Mai!

Keep up with me elsewhere! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Bloglovin’, or Snapchat (@wanderlustanita). You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

The post Chiang Mai, Thailand Travel Guide appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

Elephants were originally not in the plan for our Thailand trip. I had read many awful accounts of how elephants are treated in Thailand’s tourism industry and I didn’t want to be a part of it. But then I found Elephant Nature Park, read about their practices, and their reviews from customers.

Elephant Tourism

Here’s some background on elephant tourism. Elephants were/are used for circus shows, painting shows, rides, begging on the streets, and by logging companies. Elephants are huge, wild animals. To tame an elephant, they go through a horrible process involving chains and hooks to break the elephant into obedience. They are physically, emotionally, and mentally abused for weeks. They are then put through more pain as they are trained to do tricks, paint, and give rides.

Riding is in Thailand’s tradition and elephant attractions make a lot of money for the tourism industry. While there have been some laws made against abuse, it is not well enforced. While you would think elephants can carry the weight of a ride, the weight of a metal or wood seat and several riders add up and is still a heavy weight on its back. Can you imagine the pain after several rides a day? Even if the elephants are ridden bareback, a lot of abusive training was done and is continued to keep the elephant tame.

Elephant Nature Park rescues elephants that were previously abused. When we visited, there were 71 elephants! They buy elephants from their owners and have also tried to work with other elephant ride attractions to transition into no-ride attractions. As you can imagine, their efforts are many times fruitless because of the financial benefits of the attractions. Companies can make more money on a tourist’s ignorance and desire for the riding experience.

For more information about elephant tourism, these posts may be helpful:
Why Elephant Riding Should Be Removed from Your Bucket List
The Dark Side of Elephant Rides in Thailand

Our Experience

Our visit started with a ride from their Chiang Mai office to their park. During the ride, we watched an informational video talking about elephant tourism history and what to expect at the park. When we arrived, it was elephant snack time, so we jumped in and fed them melons.

We learned about the elephants’ eating habits – tons and tons of food! Because of their age, the elephants are mostly fed softer foods like very ripe melons, pumpkins, and bananas. The organization also rolls rice balls for them.

This sweet elephant has a permanently damaged ankle (front left). As a baby, she was following alongside her mom who worked in the logging industry. A log broke her ankle and it never healed properly.

We walked short distances in the park to different groups of elephants. We were led by our guide throughout the experience and the elephants were watched by their own mahouts. (Mahout is the word for the person who takes care of the elephant.) We learned so much about their previous lives, what Elephant Nature Park does, and how the elephants spend their days, which is mainly roaming around the acres, playing in mud, and eating.

Visiting Elephant Nature Park helps the organization continue to save abused elephants and other animals in need in Thailand! I would recommend it for the opportunity to spend time with elephants and to learn about their history.

Elephant Nature Park and Dog Rescue

This organization doesn’t only rescue elephants. In 2011, catastrophic floods hit Bangkok and volunteers rescued 2,000 dogs by boat. When the first 155 dogs came to stay at Elephant Nature Park then, it sparked a new mission. Now, over 400 dogs are at Elephant Nature Park and many are adoptable. These dogs are rescued from abuse, puppy farms, and illegal dog meat trade.

While their first and main location is in Chiang Mai, Elephant Nature Park is working on sanctuary projects in West Thailand, East Thailand, and Cambodia. They also welcome week-long volunteers if you want to do more than a half or whole day visit.

Check out this video of our experience!

Logistics

• We did the Short Park visit, 8:50am to 3:30pm.
• The transfer from the office to the park is about an hour and a half.
• The cost per person was 2500 baht (about $70 USD) and included a vegetarian buffet lunch, van transfer, and the park experience.
• Elephant Nature Park: Website, Facebook

The post Why You Should Visit Elephant Nature Park in Thailand appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

What is Yee Peng
Yee Peng is a festival celebrated in northern Thailand. “Yee Peng” is translated to ‘second month’ and the event falls on the full moon of the second month of the Lanna calendar, typically in November. (November 14 in 2016.) There are three days of festivities around the full moon. First, the lantern is an offering to Buddha. Secondly, lighting and sending off a lantern symbolizes letting go of all the bad in your life to start new. The festival was and in some places still is a sacred ritual involving silence, prayers, and meditation. You’ll find small, thoughtful events at temples around Chiang Mai during this time. While some of the meaning behind the tradition may be lost, it is still a joyous and exciting event for many!

Where to Celebrate Yee Peng – Official Events
Chiang Mai is one of the biggest cities in northern Thailand and traditionally hosts a big Yee Peng festival. The official festival (at Mae Jo University) has been canceled (or not planned) the last two years, probably due to the overwhelming popularity and the death of the king this year (2016). Thousands of people attended this event so you can imagine lots of traffic before and after the event. (It’s like going to a July 4th fireworks show in the USA but x10 traffic!) This event was only for locals but I read of many who went with no problem.

There is a separate, similar event for tourists. The tickets for this event were around $100 per person and included lanterns. If you want to attend this event, start watching for news at least six months in advance because tickets sell out quickly. Be wary of tour companies who will offer ticket packages for a higher price.

Where to Celebrate Yee Peng – Unofficial Events – This is what you should do!
After finding information about the official events too late, our only choice was to show up in Chiang Mai and be spontaneous. I read that there would still be events going on around town and a main area people would go to celebrate. So when we were enjoying dinner one night, we looked up and saw lanterns floating up far in the distance. We quickly finished and started walking towards the lanterns, seemingly following others who were doing the same. We walked outside of Chiang Mai’s wall through Thapae Gate and saw a parade for the king going down the main street and hundreds of people lined up along the street. Further down the street was the Nawarat Bridge where people were lighting and letting go of their lanterns.

Along the street, you’ll find vendors selling lanterns and grab one when you can. Each lantern is about 50 baht. There were fewer vendors on the bridge.

Meditate before you prepare your lantern. Give thanks. Watch others light their lanterns before you try it. It’s slightly tricky. You want to wait and get enough heat in your lantern so that it can float away. Hold tight or it’ll float away before you’re ready. Also, watch out for trees and power lines! We saw a couple getting stuck.

There was so much joy on that bridge. As groups let go of their lanterns, they would cheer and anxiously/excitedly watch their lanterns rise into the sky, hoping for a smooth journey into the black.

Yi Peng coincides with Loi Krathong, the festival involving floating baskets on the river. This tradition originated in southern Thailand. You’ll see decorated banana leaf boats for sale along the streets. After you release your lantern, you can walk down to the river and let your boat float away. The boats are a similar significance to the lanterns.

People in Chiang Mai also release lanterns for New Year’s Eve, so there are at least two opportunities in the year that you can participate.

Here’s a short video from our experience:

See more Thailand posts here.

Keep up with me elsewhere! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Bloglovin’, or Snapchat (@wanderlustanita). You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

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