VI
EN
At the end of 2016, I visited Thailand for the first time. Khánh and I were students at the time, with unstable incomes and plenty of free time, so we chose the most economical way to travel: taking a bus from Saigon to Bangkok. We stopped in Siem Reap for a day, arriving in Bangkok the following day after a grueling 24-hour bus ride and a grueling 4-hour immigration process. I was so exhausted that I just let Khánh lead me wherever he wanted, and as planned, our next destination was… Don Muang Airport. To save on a night's hotel, I booked a flight to Chiang Mai in the early morning and slept in the airport lounge. And that's why my memories of Thailand don't begin with Bangkok like most people do, but with Chiang Mai – a city I didn't know at the time would later become so captivating.
I have a belief that if you like a place, you'll know it the moment you step off the plane. Stepping out is the first moment all your senses interact with and connect with that place, that is, if you don't count what you see out the window. And I truly liked Chiang Mai from the moment I stepped off the plane that early morning. It was like when someone burdened with weariness and anger meets someone gentle and affectionate; they can't hold onto their anger any longer. The moment I set foot in Chiang Mai airport, I felt like someone carrying heavy suitcases of negativity, stress, and fatigue was gently welcomed by Chiang Mai, which helped carry those suitcases for me with its golden sunshine, fresh air, and cool November weather.
Chiang Mai City
Chiang Mai was the capital of the Lanna Kingdom in the 13th century, a small kingdom encompassing cities in present-day northern Thailand. The historical relics of this ancient capital remain intact within a modern yet equally historic Chiang Mai. Looking at a map of Chiang Mai, you'll see a prominent square in the center. The city is planned around this square city wall, encircling a central river. Although the brown-orange brick walls have deteriorated over the centuries, the Chiang Mai authorities have preserved them so well that if a brick were to fall, it would simply be placed back in its original position, as if no one could ever remove a historical witness from its rightful place.
If you visit in spring, you'll be lucky enough to witness the vibrant yellow blossoms of the golden shower tree everywhere. The golden shower tree, known locally as Ratchaphreuk, is the national flower of Thailand. In Thailand, each day of the week is associated with a different color, and yellow represents Monday, the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The word "Ratcha" in Thai also means "royal." The yellow color of the golden shower tree is also a symbol of Buddhism – the national religion of Thailand. Therefore, the golden shower tree represents both reverence for the Royal Family and carries spiritual significance for the Thai people.
In Bangkok, where all you see when you look up are the rumbling bullet trains, it's hard to find the vibrant yellow of cassia flowers anywhere. But in Chiang Mai during spring, it's the opposite; it's difficult to find a corner where cassia flowers don't sprout. Cycling amidst the cool spring air beneath waves of golden blossoms swaying around the city walls of a tranquil ancient capital, and listening to the temple bells and chanting, is an experience that everyone would be incredibly grateful for.
Places to visit
Bannok Cafe
I stumbled upon Bannok Cafe by chance while searching for the Karen tribe. Bannok felt like a gift from Chiang Mai to me, a lost soul. As we rode past Bannok on our motorbike, the cafe nestled against the mountainside, with lazy tourists sprawled on the green grass, Khanh and I couldn't resist joining in with refreshing bottles of Chang beer. True to its minimalist style, Bannok was furnished only with colorful beanbag chairs and wooden crates and barrels as tables. A few broken old televisions and bottle caps from various drinks were used as decorations, while the owner... left the rest to nature. The majestic mountain backdrop and lush green grass made the minimalist design perfectly fitting. Most uniquely, behind those colorful beanbag chairs lies a babbling stream, where iron tables and chairs have been submerged for some time, waiting for nature-loving guests like me to dip their feet in with a tray of fragrant grilled food and exclaim with delight at the coolness!
The food wasn't amazing, but the experience was fantastic. I felt like I could have stayed forever if it weren't for the fact that it was getting dark and the journey home was still long. Chiang Mai is famous for its unique cafes, but if you're looking for a place away from the city, something simple yet authentic and close to nature, then you should definitely visit Bannok.
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon was another unexpected destination for me while in Chiang Mai. Known for its mountainous northern region of Thailand, Chiang Mai made me regret not bringing my bikini. While there's no beach, Chiang Mai boasts canyons that form deep lakes below. The most popular activity here is cliff jumping. The turquoise lake, up to 32 meters deep and surrounded by red cliffs, has become an ideal terrain for adventurous tourists who like to plunge from a cliff into the cool water.
It would have been a simple jump lasting less than 3 seconds if I hadn't been the one jumping – someone who can't swim and is afraid of heights. Unfortunately, I'm a reckless person. Seeing the Westerners plunging into the water, I was thrilled and joined the line for a jump too, but only when I got close to the edge of the rocks did I realize… it wasn't that simple. Time and again I retreated, then ran to the back of the line, rejoining to catch my breath and avoid making others wait, until there was no one left behind to push my way through. Finally, I cautiously stood there, almost in tears.
The sight of a skinny girl in rainbow pants trembling and constantly covering her eyes, only daring to peek down, attracted the attention of her friends below. Very quickly, her friends swimming around the lake gathered around the rope separating the jumping area and began cheering me on. Many shouts of "you can do it," "it will be only 3 seconds," and "it is not that scaring" came from below, leaving me with no way out. It would be so embarrassing to give up at this point, I thought to myself. Yet, I lingered there for a while longer until someone sang the Champions League anthem and everyone started counting down for my jump. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. I gave myself another 0.5 seconds, then closed my eyes and jumped. Less than 3 seconds felt like an eternity; I kept wondering why I hadn't touched the water yet. I surfaced amidst the applause and congratulations of everyone. Those strangers made me incredibly proud because I did something that's perfectly normal for others. And to this day, that cliff jump at the Grand Canyon remains one of the most memorable moments of my life. Later, I dared to do much more daring things than cliff jumping because that day, those strangers, with their kindness and enthusiasm, ignited in me the "dare to do even if you're scared" spirit for the first time.
Therefore, if you enjoy swimming among mountains, lounging on a bamboo raft in the sun, and especially if you're as timid as I am and need a wake-up call, you absolutely must visit the Grand Canyon!
The temples
Thailand is a Buddhist country with over 93% of its population practicing Buddhism. Buddhism has a strong influence on Thai society and people, so don't be surprised to see temples throughout the country. If you've visited temples in Bangkok, don't miss the temples in Chiang Mai, as the architecture of Northern and Central Thailand differs significantly. Temples in Bangkok primarily feature pointed roofs symmetrically arranged along an axis and are decorated with mosaic patterns, predominantly in gold. From the outside, you can see a golden hue cascading from the roof down to the columns. Temples in the North, such as in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, tend to have more subdued colors. The walls are painted white, the roofs are symmetrically cut and made of wood, or painted brown/gray, or tiled. Vietnamese people might find the temples in the North more familiar. However, Thai Buddhism belongs to a different branch than Vietnamese Buddhism, so visitors may find something unfamiliar within this similarity.
Temples in Chiang Mai are everywhere. From a few scattered around the central square to hidden corners of the city and even up to mountaintops, where visitors can enjoy both temple views and panoramic city vistas. Famous temples that everyone wants to visit when in Chiang Mai include Wat Phra That in Doi Suthep and Doi Inthanon, Wat Phra That in Doi Kham, and in Chiang Rai, the White Temple, or Wat Sri Suphan – a magnificent silver-plated temple right in the old town… A simple Google search will yield numerous lists of temples worth visiting.
When visiting temples in Chiang Mai, one activity you should try is Monk Chat – talking to the monks. Around the temples in the old town, you can find monks sitting near the temple entrance with signs that say Monk Chat. The monks participating in Monk Chat are usually young monks still studying at Buddhist schools. The purpose of the chat is to help the monks improve their English, so you can talk about anything you want, as long as it's appropriate. Some monks will give you interesting perspectives on Buddhism, their philosophy and way of life, while others may need you to skillfully guide them through their initial shyness. Although monks are forbidden from interacting with women in Thailand, this activity allows them to chat with everyone.
If you happen to see a table with a sign that says "Monk Talk," don't hesitate to strike up a conversation with these studious monks!
Yee Peng and Loy Krathong Festival
I believe that most foreign tourists know Chiang Mai thanks to the Yee Peng lantern festival. If you've ever seen photos of thousands of lanterns released into the sky, I'm pretty sure those photos were taken at Chiang Mai's Yee Peng festival.
Yee Peng and Loy Krathong are the two biggest festivals of the year in Chiang Mai, after Songkran (commonly known as the water festival). Thais believe that the twelfth lunar month (Thai lunar calendar) is when the rivers are most abundant and the moon is brightest – an ideal time to pray for a bountiful harvest and good fortune in the new year by releasing lanterns into the sky and onto the rivers. While Yee Peng sends sky lanterns carrying the Thai people's wishes to the moon, Loy Krathong carries candles floating down the river, symbolizing a bountiful harvest. Thus, at the end of November each year, Chiang Mai welcomes thousands of domestic and international tourists who flock north for three days surrounded by dazzling yet peaceful lights.
In 2016, I was one of those thousands of tourists. Unfortunately, there were two unfortunate things that happened to me.
Firstly, October 2016 was a national day of mourning in Thailand due to the death of the reigning king. Thailand was so grief-stricken that festivals were neglected, and wearing anything other than black and white was a major issue. Chiang Mai was no exception. Yee Peng was even almost banned, making it extremely difficult for me to buy a sky lantern.
The second unfortunate thing is... I don't have any money. The beautiful photos I see online actually show the lantern release taking place at Mae Jo University, at an exorbitant price of nearly $300 per person. Yet, I've heard that around 4000 tickets are sold annually, creating the spectacular scene of 4000 lanterns released into the sky at once. Of course, I didn't have $300 to travel to Mae Jo to release a lantern and then return, so I ended up going to Narawat Bridge – a public lantern release spot that's free.
Although it was far from the spectacular $300 show, I still felt somewhat satisfied. Yee Peng and Loy Krathong gave me the opportunity to make my own Thai-style lantern and release it into the river with my own wish, then raise another paper lantern to the sky, watching it slowly shrink and blend into hundreds of other lanterns in the night. Initially, it was noisy around me, but from the moment the first lanterns were lit, everyone automatically fell silent, looking up at the sky as a way of respecting the wishes of the strangers. Chiang Mai really knows how to excite people and then, without them realizing it, immerse me in its inherent peace, tranquility, and simplicity.
Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai! Mentioning Chiang Mai fills me with an overwhelming love for this city. I love the cafes I've visited, the unfamiliar left-hand drive lanes where locals always yield, the always quiet and clean streets, the bustling night markets overflowing with embroidered goods that make me want to buy more, the travel companions I don't know when I'll meet again, the rich Thai tea, the spicy dishes that I just want to keep eating. There's so much more, I can't list it all. I only know that I consider Chiang Mai a dear old friend I must see again!
