11 days traveling through 3 provinces in Northwest Thailand.

“This is my first time in Thailand, and my travel companion and I have been planning this long trip since the beginning of the year. The main reason for the trip is the Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai. Because we had plenty of time for the trip, we also planned a backpacking itinerary for Northwest Thailand,” Minh Duc said.

11 days of "celebration is a journey"

Minh Duc meticulously prepared for his 11-day trip, carefully considering his destinations beforehand, so he didn't encounter many difficulties. He spent 5 days leisurely exploring Chiang Mai, with the highlight being the Yi Peng sky lantern festival. The remaining 6 days were dedicated to touring the northwestern provinces of Thailand.

On his first day, the young man, born in the 1990s, set off from Saigon to Chiang Mai. That evening, he visited Lamphun – another province south of Chiang Mai, about 45 km away. There, he had the opportunity to admire Wat Phra That Haripunchai, a temple full of colors from its wish-granting lamps, a part of the ancient Lanna culture.

The White Temple, the Blue Temple, and the Chiang Rai night market were the next destinations on the journey. These two temples, with their impressive architecture, are considered popular choices for international tourists visiting Chiang Rai. “I was impressed with the night market; it was litter-free and noise-free. The Chiang Rai night market, like other night markets I’ve experienced in Thailand, all share the common characteristic of being ‘very clean.’ From tourists to locals, everyone is conscious of protecting the environment: there’s no litter on the streets, trash cans are placed in many locations within the market area, and there’s no noise pollution even though it’s very crowded…”, Minh Duc said.

On the third day, Minh Duc traveled from Chiang Rai to Mae Kampong – an ancient village nearly 100 years old near Chiang Mai. The village is built in a valley, surrounded by mountains. The houses are built next to a stream, and the climate here has a much lower temperature than Chiang Mai.

One of the events Minh Duc was most looking forward to during his trip was Yi Peng, a festival where thousands of paper lanterns are released into the sky. In particular, the lanterns are decorated with messages written on paper – prayers and blessings. “A note for those planning to attend the festival next year: you should book your tickets early. It’s a large festival attracting many visitors from all over the world, so tickets sell out very quickly. I booked my tickets in March and by then I knew they were almost sold out,” Minh Duc shared.

After the Yi Peng festival, Minh Duc chose Mae U Kho, a commune in Mae Hong Son province, as his next stop. November is also a good time to enjoy the wild sunflower fields of Thung Bua Tong. According to him, tourist services here are only available during the flowering season, so the quality and activities are limited, and the costs are quite high compared to the Thai tourism market in general.

Ban Rak Thai is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Thailand. It's famous for its houses reflecting Chinese culture nestled amidst lush green tea hills. On foggy and cloudy days, it's a fairytale-like place that captivates visitors. Minh Duc suggests you enjoy tea on a boat, and savor hot pot and authentic Yunnan-style grilled dishes on the shores of Khuean Nai Mok Lake.

The young man in his 20s stopped in Ban Jabo before venturing to the tourist-developed city of Pai. This is a small area within the Mae Hong Son palace, home to a small number of Lahu ethnic minority families. Enjoying a "50-baht bowl of noodles with a million-dollar view" is considered an experience not to be missed in this peaceful land.

In a conversation with Travellive, Minh Duc shared: “For me, Pai doesn't have much to explore besides cafes, a few famous places, and the 'Pai Canyon'. Yet, Pai impressed me with its atmosphere. A gentle, friendly town. Pai is very attractive because of its own vibe; for a 'lazy traveler' like me, a morning spent sitting in a cafe enjoying the peaceful atmosphere is enough. Perhaps that's why Pai is so popular with international tourists, especially those from the West.”

During his 11-day trip to the Land of Smiles, Minh Duc was particularly impressed with Thailand's traffic culture. He was surprised by the complete absence of car horns. Thai people don't change lanes abruptly, they stop at intersections with priority lanes, they stop before the stop line, and they don't honk at red lights. "Here, everyone drives very slowly and calmly, yielding to others in any situation," he recounted.

Irresistibly delicious Thai cuisine

Besides enjoying the scenery, cuisine is also considered a way to keep tourists coming back when traveling to Thailand. During his 11 leisurely days in the Northwest region, Minh Duc had the opportunity to savor some local specialties such as mango sticky rice, khao soi, kaeng hang lei (pork curry stew), sai oua (Chiang Mai sausage), and pad thai…

“Khao soi is a very popular dish among tourists in Northern Thailand. The bright yellow noodles combined with the fragrant curry, coconut milk, the sourness of lime, and the spiciness of chili peppers will captivate tourists from the first bite. Kaeng hang lei is perhaps one of the spiciest curries in Thailand. Northern Thai pork curry has a slightly sweet taste from tomatoes and adds a few spices such as chili peppers, ginger, turmeric, tamarind, and garlic. The flavor of this dish is very suitable for tourists who like spicy food,” Minh Duc shared.

All the essential tips and tricks for traveling to Thailand.

Despite it being his first trip abroad, Minh Duc didn't encounter any difficulties or obstacles in a foreign land. According to him, thorough research and planning are essential, such as booking flights, hotels, and creating a relatively detailed itinerary.

Traveling in Thailand is quite affordable, even slightly cheaper than domestic travel in terms of food and accommodation. "On this trip, I spent quite freely on food, around 1000 baht per day, and still had money left over. Hotels ranged from 600 to 1800 baht depending on the location. For example, Mae Kampong and Ban Rak Thai had slightly higher room rates than others, around 1200-1800 baht per night," Minh Duc recounted.

Tourists can absolutely use English to communicate in Thailand. If you don't know English, you can use body language or Google Translate to communicate reasonably well.

Minh Duc chose a motorbike to leisurely explore the roads throughout his trip to Thailand. He shared that when you arrive in Chiang Mai, you can easily rent a motorbike through Google Maps or Chiang Mai travel groups on Facebook. The rental price is around 200-250 baht/day for small 115cc motorbikes, but these are only suitable for city driving. Larger 150-160cc motorbikes like the Click or PCX will cost 400-500 baht/day. On this trip, he used a Click 150cc, which cost 400 baht/day to rent; depending on the location, a deposit of 2000-4000 baht may be required.

Phuong Mai is a reporter for Travellive Magazine in Hanoi.

Phuong Mai