Chiang Mai: Temples, Lanna Dancing and Elephants
- Secil Ural
- Jan 14
- 6 min read
Updated: Jan 19
Before I dive in to this post, I was wondering why only one letter changes between the two cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. My friend Gemini filled me in on the history—here’s a quick trivia break for you:
Chiang (เชียง) means "City" or "Fortified Settlement.
Rai (ราย) refers to King Mengrai, the founder of the Lanna Kingdom, literally means "The City of King Rai." He founded Chiang Rai first in 1262 as his first capital.
Mai (ใหม่) means "New", so Chiang Mai literally means "New City." After founding Chiang Rai, King says 'Hold on, I need a bigger and better capital' - LOL! So he moves to south and founds Chiang Mai in 1296.
Welcome to the "New City"
We caught an early morning Green Bus from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai. It was super comfortable and convenient, though the four-hour journey got a bit bumpy due to the endless road construction. We made one pit stop along the way where we discovered the best Thai snack so far: Thai Rice Cakes (Khao Tan). They are officially addictive for me.
We arrived in the afternoon to a city that was absolutely buzzing! Chiang Mai is a world away from the "slow and cozy" vibe of Chiang Rai—it’s packed with cafes, shops, and crowds of tourists.
One thing that I noticed immediately is the layout: The Old Town is a perfect square surrounded by a moat and apparently built this way to protect the city from Mongol and Burmese invasions. The moat and the high brick walls acted as a massive fortress.
After dropping our luggage, we hit a small street stall for Fried Noodles (Pad See Ew) and immediately made it to my top Thai dishes.
Chiang Mai at night is a different beast—live music, massage parlors everywhere, and a 7-Eleven on every corner. We headed straight to the Chang Phueak (North Gate) Night Market and tried the Khao Kha Moo (Slow-braised pork leg) from the "Cowboy Hat Lady", who famously appeared in Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown. We also grabbed a Sai Oua (Chiang Mai Sausage). It had lemongrass flavor, completely different from any sausage I’ve had before. Finally, we ended the night at Lanna Square with Pandan and Coconut Thai Pancakes - the flavor combination is pure heaven!
Day 1: Back to the Temple-Hopping & Street Food Routine
Next day is, of course, temple-hopping. There are around 1,000 temples here - that is one of the highest densities of temples in the world! We focused our energy on the big ones within the old city walls:
Wat Phra Singh Woramahawihan: The most prestigious one in the city.
Wat Lok Moli: We stumbled upon a Lanna dance with Thai ladies—absolutely hilarious!
Wat Chiang Man: The oldest temple in the city. It has a famous "Elephant-girded" stupa and was easily the most peaceful stop.
Wat Phan Tao: An all-wood temple where we listened to the meditative sound of bells ringing.
Wat Chedi Luang: The massive, "glorious" ruined pagoda that used to be the highest point in the city.
Temple-hopping has become our daily routine, and I’ve officially adapted. Taking shoes off around 15-20 times a day taught me one thing: don't bother with trainers; just wear Birkenstocks. Between the "no shorts" rules and the 20kg luggage limit, I’ve settled into a permanent look: my long skirt from Bangkok and a long-sleeved tee. Simple life, small suitcase!
To our luck, we bumped into the massive Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market (which, as the name suggests, only happens on Sundays!). It spreads across multiple streets in the center of the old town. With souvenir and food stalls as far as the eye can see, the atmosphere was truly buzzing. Walking through the different smells at every corner was exactly the "true Asia experience" I’ve been waiting for!
It was so hard to choose what to eat because there were so many yummy options. To taste as many local flavors as possible, we shared:
Sugarcane Juice: Cold and incredibly refreshing.
Thai Spring Rolls: Stuffed with vermicelli noodles—very different from the ones we usually get back home!
Sai Krok Isan: These are fermented pork sausages shaped like three little balls on a stick. Incredible flavor.
Mango Sticky Rice: Of course, we had to end with the nation’s most famous dessert. Absolutely yummy!
Day 2: Hanging out with Elephants!
Second day's morning trip turned out one of the best trips of my life: an Elephant Sanctuary. After a 1.5-hour drive (booked via Get Your Guide, we arrived at Pon Elephant Thailand.
We visited four different stations, and seeing these lovely animals up close was incredible. The staff were so knowledgeable and shared lots of interesting fact about elephants:
Asian vs. African: Asian elephants are smaller than African ones, but still massive!
A National Symbol: I never realized it until they pointed it out, but Thailand is actually shaped like an elephant's head! (The "trunk" is the southern peninsula). Elephants are the national symbol and are considered sacred in Thai culture—which is why we see them guarding so many temple entrances.
Diet: They are vegetarians, living on grass, sugarcane, and corn leaves. They eat 10% of their body weight every single day. For a 5,000kg elephant, that is a lot of snacks.
Rescuing: The 17 elephants here were rescued from the logging industry. Historically, they were used to carry heavy wood across the country—sometimes trekking 700km.
Supporting the Cause: The sanctuary receives zero government funding (the government only funds elephant hospitals). They rely entirely on these tours to buy the elephants back from the industry and feed them. It felt so good to know our visit was contributing to their care.
The "Ivory": Actually, only about 10% of male Asian elephants have Tusks (the long ivory ones). Most females and some males have small "tushes" (short ivory stumps).
Numbers: There are only about 40,000 to 50,000 Asian elephants left in the wild. Unlike African elephants, which are mostly hunted for ivory, Asian elephants are losing their habitat, leading to a lack of food.
Weird Biology: Did you know they sweat from their toenails? And their pregnancy lasts a staggering 22 months (almost two years!)
I was lucky enough to hang out with some amazing personalities, from the 1-year-old babies to the older residents like Kami and Buhnsa. It was incredible to see how unique they are. Some had mini tantrums, some were shy (likely from past traumas), and some were social butterflies who just wanted food. Some even wanted a "solo lunch"—which, honestly, I totally relate to. They are domestic animals used to people, and seeing how well they are cared for made the whole experience so rewarding.
On our last evening, we headed outside the moat to explore the surrounding streets and came across even more night markets. We grabbed a bite at the Pavilion Night Bazaar and Ploen Ruedee Market before eventually tracking down Rotee Pa Dae, a Michelin-listed food stall on a random street corner. Famous for its Thai-style take on Indian roti, it was the perfect, sweet ending to our time in Chiang Mai.
Some observations from the Streets of Chiang Mai (actually Thailand as general)
1. The "Ya Dom" Obsession Nasal inhalers (menthol/eucalyptus) are everywhere here. I saw them so often that I finally bought one, and new obsession unlocked. I’m definitely bringing these back for the London Underground!. Drugstores here (they have Boots here too), there are entire stalls dedicated to these little tubes of magic.
2. Crocs & Socks The "Chiang Mai fashion" is unexpectedly bold: Crocs with ankle socks. Everyone decorates them with "Jibbitz" charms. It’s the unofficial footwear of the North.
3. Politics by Numbers Walking past election posters, I realized there’s a general election coming up next month. The posters are fascinating, featuring the candidate’s face and a giant number at the bottom. Since Thai names can be long, voters just remember the number of their favorite party when they get to the booth.
4. The Nostalgia of the Squat Toilet In public toilets, the "ground toilet" is still very common. It gave me a sudden hit of nostalgia for my childhood visits to my grandmother’s house in Turkey!
5. The Drink Debate Thai Milk Tea (that neon orange color with condensed milk) is everywhere. Matt is obsessed, but it’s a bit too sweet for me. My new go-to? Thai Iced Lemon Tea from the local markets.
We have absolutely fallen in love with Chiang Mai. I’m finally settling into the rhythm of Southeast Asian life, but it’s time for a quick break from Thailand. We’re doing a land-crossing to our next destination...
Next Stop: Vientiane, Laos!
Wrapping up Chiang Rai:
Local recommendations:
Breakfast: Air's Kitchen and Cafe, Hanna Cafe
Dinner: Chang Phuek Market, Lanna Square Night Market, Chiang Mai Sunday Night Market, Pavilion Night Bazaar, Phaploen Market, Rotee Pa Dae
Coffee: Minimal Coffee, Zohng by Hobmob
Bakery: London.Cnx
Hotel: Ten Boutique House
Quote of the trip: 'That first morning, when you are in a country of choice, away from all conventions of atypical, everyday lifestyle, looking around at your totally new surroundings, hearing strange languages, smelling strange and new smells, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. You'll feel like the luckiest person in the world' (Rolf Potts - Vagabonding)
Soundtrack of this trip: MILLI - Mango Sticky Rice
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