Thailand Chiang Mai 2024 Day 10 Doi Inthanon-Chiang Mai

Saturday, March 9, 2024

Thailand Chiang Mai 2024 Day 10 Doi Inthanon-Chiang Mai

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Thailand Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son Loop 2024 Day 10: Doi Inthanon To Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai, Thailand Day 10: 18th January 2024 (Thursday)

This is part of a non-cycling road trip tour of the Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son Loop, Thailand. Day 10 from Doi Inthanon to Chiang Mai:
Chom Thong (Tong Luang Homestay)>Pha Dok Sieo Trail (Doi Inthanon)>Khuang Pao>Big C Supercenter Donchan>Pung Thao Kong Shrine>Warorot Market>Tha Phae Road>Chiang Mai (Lanna Thaphae).

This is page 9 of a 10-page blog, Click Here To Go To Title Page.

< D9: Doi Inthanon | Go to Other Days | D11-12: Chiang Rai >

Route Recommendations, here're some tips on travelling in Thailand:

1. Traffic Directions!

Traffic in Thailand is right-hand drive, so drive/cycle on the left. The same thing applies when crossing the road, take note of the direction traffic is approaching!

2. Getting around the Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son Loop.

Our tour package was for ground arrangements and included a 10-passenger van to take us around the Mae Hong Son Loop, starting from & returning to Chiang Mai. It also included relatively good hotels/homestays. Charge per pax was at a very reasonable discounted rate. This excluded meals (other than hotel breakfasts), airport transfers, entry tickets, and tips. This allows for individuals to have meals according to their own liking & budget. Allow THB100-150 per pax per meal should be adequate.

Note: Malaysian Touch n Go debit cards can be used where Alipay is accepted, such as at 7-Eleven outlets. Just ensure that the cashier sets the exchange to Thai Bahts.

Those interested in joining this guided tour can contact Eddie at +60-612-2600, whom we find a very good & flexible guide and very attentive to our needs

3. Route & Traffic Conditions

Most of Thailand's main roads are paved well well-maintained and almost without portholes. In outlying rural areas, roads could be gravel & un-tarred. No toll is charged for most roads (including highways)! Traffic at the rural areas is fairly light, but there are traffic jams in Chiang Mai try to avoid peak hours.
The Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son Loop roads are renowned for their scenic beauty AND also the many turns and bends. It is known as the Snake Route with 2,000 bends, some of them very sharp hair-pins, so do get motion-sickness medication in case you need them.

4. Weather

Weather at the Chiang Mai & Mae Hong Son provinces differs a lot between day & night time and between the lowlands and highlands. November to January temperature ranges from a daytime high of 33°C to a night-time low of 14°C. At highland areas like Pai, Doi Inthanon & Pang Oung, night-time temperatures can go as low as 10°C. So bring warm clothing and practice layered clothing to keep warm and still allow for stripping during the hotter time of the day.

5. Communicating with Each Other

When travelling in a group it's important to be able to communicate with each other, especially if one gets lost from the rest. Many Thai pre-paid phone sim cards can now be purchased online before the trip and delivered within a few days.

We separately opted for DTAC & SCT-AIS sim cards.

DTAC Happy Tourist SIM for calls & data covers 8 to 30 days with unlimited data and costs about 40-50THB per day. For just data only it covers a period from 8 to 15 days and costs about 35-40THB per day. These DTAC Tourist SIM cards can be purchased via Lazada.

AIS (Advance Info Service) is the largest mobile service provider in Thailand, offering excellent network quality throughout the country, including rural areas. AIS Tourist SIM packages range from 8-day/15GB (at 299THB) to 15-day/30GB (at 599THB) to 30-day/50GB (at 899THB). We purchase SCT sim cards that connect to the AIS network; the 15-day/7.5GB was bought via Lazada.

6. Communicating with Locals

Except for those involved in the tourist industry, most Thai don't speak English, especially in the rural areas. It will be helpful to have a driver who speaks English.

In case of emergencies call the Thai Tourist Tourist Police at 1155 or (+66) 2308-0333 This hotline is available 24 hours a day and responders speak English. OR go to a clinic or pharmacy as most doctors and pharmacists can speak English.

7. Places & Things of Interest

There were many scenic and beautiful places of interest, but one should not miss the following (Note: click on the GPS coordinates for a directional map to the respective places):

a. Hiking along the Pha Dok Sieo Nature Trail (เส้นทางศึกษาธรรมชาติผาดอกเสี้ยว) (GPS: 18.54093, 98.53052), with following along the trail:

- Pha Dok Sieo Waterfall (น้ำตกผาดอกเสี้ยว) (GPS: 18.53804, 98.53588).
- Viewpoint of paddies & hut (GPS: 18.53908, 98.54210).

- Terraced Rice Paddies (GPS: 18.53908, 98.54210).
- Giant Bamboo Hut (บ้านไม้ไผ่ยักษ์) (GPS: 18.54071, 98.54217).
b. Shopping at Big C Supercenter Donchan (บิ๊กซีซูเปอร์เซ็นเตอร์ สาขาดอนจั่น) (GPS: 18.76885, 99.03303).
c. Pung Thao Kong Shrine (ศาลเจ้าปุงเถ่ากง เชียงใหม่) (GPS: 18.78976, 99.00194).
d. Mae Chaem Pork Cracklings Shop (Ton Longan Market Branch) (ร้านแคบหมูแม่แช่ม สาขาตลาดต้นลำไย) (GPS: 18.79014, 99.00179).
e. Ton Lam Yai Market (ตลาดต้นลำไย) (GPS: 18.79027, 99.00130).
f. Warorot Market (Kad Luang) (ตลาดวโรรส) (GPS: 18.78984, 99.00099).
g. Tha Phae Gate (ประตูท่าแพ) (GPS: 18.78772, 98.99325).
h. Tha Phae Road (GPS: 18.78831, 98.99873).
i. Wat Mahawan (วัดมหาวัน) (GPS: 18.78793, 98.99568).
j. Michelin Star Rotee Pa Day (GPS: 18.78805, 98.99589).

8. Food

a. Breakfast: Pork ribs congee & nice Western coffee at Tong Luang Homestay (GPS: 18.43880, 98.68302).

b. Lunch: Thai Food which was uniquely served on utensils made from coconut shells made to look like seafood at Khao Soi Kalong, Branch 2 (ข้าวซอยกะโหล้ง สาขา 2) (GPS: 18.43572, 98.68640).
c. Tea: Smoothie Life Coconut Milk Smoothie at Big C Supercenter Donchan (บิ๊กซีซูเปอร์เซ็นเตอร์ สาขาดอนจั่น) (GPS: 18.76885, 99.03303) at Tambon Tha Sala.

d. Dinner: Thai Chinese food (including santan icecream) at Aroon Rai (ร้านอรุณไร) (GPS: 18.78633, 98.99352). Their Ginger Pork Curry (Hanglei) should not be missed.

Note: For most lunches & dinners we ate together at the same restaurant, although we split into two or 3 groups and ordered by our group. This way each group can order food to their liking and budget.

9. Stay

Two nights stay at Lanna Thaphae (GPS: 18.43880, 98.68302) at the Tha Phae locality of Chiang Mai.

10. Navigation

I used MapMyRide to track our routes and stops. Geo-tagging of places of interest was done via FaceBook and Google Maps.

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PRELUDE

Yesterday was one of the best days of our tour with a good short hike on the mossy trails of Ang Ka Mossy Nature Trail, at the peak of Doi Inthanon. And for a finale, we ended the day at Tong Luang Homestay, the best homestay of our trip, one set in a very green location with a good dinner accompanied by a good singing presentation by our hosts.

Today we will go for another hike, a longer one but still enjoyable, before we head back to cosmopolitan Chiang Mai.

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THE TRIP DAY 10: DOI INTHANON-CHIANG MAI

Small group tour of the Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son Loop, Thailand. Day 10 from Doi Inthanon to Chiang Mai:

Chom Thong (Tong Luang Homestay)>Pha Dok Sieo Trail (Doi Inthanon)>Khuang Pao>Big C Supercenter Donchan>Pung Thao Kong Shrine>Warorot Market>Tha Phae Road>Chiang Mai (Lanna Thaphae).

We loved Tong Luang Homestay, but still had to pulled ourselves away from the lovely place and warm hosts to return to the city lights of Chiang Mai. En route, we went for a good hike along the Pha Dok Sieo Trail.

(Click here for around to Doi Inthanon to Chiang Mai Route Map)

Instead of writing afresh, I am linking to my day-to-day Facebook postings during the trip and embedding them here with some brief comments where necessary. Some additional photos are added for emphasis. (NOTE: Click on respective posts to link to the FB post to read in more detail. If you can't see the posts, please log out from your Facebook first)

We kicked off the day with a beautiful breakfast in the garden. We had pork ribs porridge cooked by our hosts Gain & Fah of the Tong Luang Homestay. Somehow, dining out in the open freshness boosted my appetite ..... I whacked three bowls of the porridge!
Later Gain demonstrated his skills in roasting coffee beans which they sell under the brand "Mae Hoh Coffee".

We said our goodbyes, but did not head straight to Chiang Mai but instead drove uphill again back to Doi Inthanon. But this time, not all the way to its peak, just to mid-way up for some hiking at the Pha Dok Sieo Nature Trail:

The girls are eager to hit the trail!

At the Bamboo Bridge spanning the Mae Klang Waterfall (Pha Dok Siew Waterfall).

Almost at the end of the trail - a beautiful scenery of Terraced Rice Paddies & Giant Bamboo Huts.

Exhilarated after the engaging hike, we headed back to Chiang Mai. But our tummies were calling out to us, so we stopped at the nearby restaurant, Khao Soi Kalong, Branch 2, for lunch. They served Thai Food which was not the best but pretty decent. The interesting thing is that their food was uniquely served on utensils made from coconut shells made to look like seafood.

The coconut gang from the restaurant; The tall one contains cutlery, whilst the other three are for sauces and chilli.

Coconut crab, this is not like the real coconut crab I had at the Batanes Islands, in the Philippines. It's a container made from coconut shells and roots made to look like a crab and was used to serve Thai fish cake.

Our van dropped us at the Ton Lamyai Market Public Carpark for us to walk around and explore the Chiang Moi sub-district. Walked past the Pung Thao Kong Shrine; which is dedicated to the deity Pung Thao Kong.

The Ton Lam Yai Market is Chiang Mai’s famous flower market, it will rock one's senses with all the textures, colours, and aromas of the incredible flowers. Located next to the equally famous Warorot Market, this market is open 24 hours a day but the best time to come and visit is during the early morning when it is bustling with activities of the market vendors and patrons.

Flowers are such an important aspect of Buddhist culture. This is why the market is important to the locals, who get flowers to give as offerings to temples and shrines.

The "Ton Longan Market - Warorot Floating Bridge" connects the two markets, and crossing over will bring one to the Warorot Market. This bridge is Chiang Mai's first steel pedestrian bridge.

The Warorot Market.

Just at the entrance of the Ton Lam Yai Market, near the steel bridge is a market lot converted into a Thailand Post parcel office.
How convenient for the heavy shoppers! Buy and have it packaged to be sent back.... and then go back as many rounds to do the same! Hah, the missus would sure love to have this service back home, especially at the large departmental stores!

On the walk back to the car park, an important stop to buy pork cracklings for friends back home. Pork Cracklings seem to be famous worldwide. In Central European Cuisine, they are known as Quebecois (oreilles de crisse); in the Latin American and Spanish cuisines they are called chicharrones, and grattons in Cajun cooking.

Seems like shopping at the local market was not adequate, and we dropped by the Big C Supercenter Donchan for their next round. While they were at that, I patently sat at a Smoothie Life outlet and slowly whiled away the time sipping a glass of Coconut Milk Smoothie.

Sorry gals, no Thailand Post parcel office here.... er..... how fortunate for the hubbies... hahaha.

Dinner was at Aroon Rai, just around the corner from our hotel. They serve Thai Chinese food dishes and among their specialities are deep-fried spring rolls, stir-fried Gudmar Vegetable, and .....

Our favourite is the Ginger Pork Curry (Hanglei); we loved the gravy so much that we asked for extras to go with the white rice!

Just across the road, with the night lights out, the evening was getting busier. A couple of guys were belting out Hokkien and Teochew songs (not surprising as this locality sits on the edge of the Chinatown of Chiang Mai.

From the Tha Phae Gate, we walked on and swung right into Tha Phae Road; the road was still joyfully lit with the Christmas and New Year lights.

Dropped into Wat Mahawan, they were almost closing but allowed us to offer some prayers of thanks for our safe and enjoyable tour.

Just outside the temple gates, a sprightly old lady was preparing roti at her slow pace while a long queue formed to try out her renowned Michelin Star Rotee Pa Day.