Christmas in Chiang Dao

After spending a very relaxing week of chilling out in the sun in Koh Lanta, we packed our bags and flew back to Bangkok for our journey up to Chiang Mai, where we would be meeting our friends Richie and Anne for Christmas.

Once in Bangkok, we headed from Suvarnabhumi International, across town to Hualamphong train station by bus in some of the worst traffic we seen yet. Luckily we had allowed loads of time for the journey, so we didn’t miss our train.

The Bangkok-Chiang Mai Sleeper Train

Onboard the Chiang Mai sleeper coach

The overnight sleeper train was clean and modern and a real pleasure. We arrived in Chiang Mai in the morning after a comfortable overnight journey.

Chiang Mai was our first chance on our trip to restock on supplies and we spent most of our first day in Chiang Mai in big, modern shopping mall replenishing supplies and buying some Christmas presents.

I also got a haircut. The hairdresser looked like a very camp Thai boy-band pop-star and, through his hairdressing, tried his best to make me look like one too. “Your face too big, I fix with nice fringe.” he told me. Whenever I suggested a change to his “masterpiece” he shrieked in indignation and eventually I gave up and accepted I would look a bit silly until it grew out a bit.

On Christmas Day we headed up to Chiang Dao, about 70 km north of Chiang Mai where we stayed at the fabulous Chiang Dao Nest and were joined by Hinch and Moi, some friends of Richie & Anne. Chiang Dao Nest is owned and run by a British-Thai couple, Stuart and Wicha, who’ve moved back to Thailand after living in the UK.

At the Nest, we had an amazing Christmas Dinner including the works: good wine, turkey, stuffing, fantastic roast potatoes, even sprouts (skipped, of course)!. Not what you would expect this deep in jungles of South East Asia! After dinner, local dancers entertained the crowds with traditional Thai dance, and after that everyone settled around bonfires for marshmallows and gallons of red wine until the early hours of the morning.

Christmas Dinner at Chiang Dao Nest

Traditional Thai Dancers

Traditional Thai Dancers

Chiang Dao is located at the foot of the 2186 m Doi Chaing Dao Mountain, and it’s possible to do a two-day trek up to the peak. Being Christmas, we decided to take it easy instead, visiting the Chiang Dao cave, and the stunning Wat Tham Pha Plong. In the cave, we hired a guide who told us “I speak English”. Unfortunately, that sentence was the limit of his English skills. Anne became our translator while all the (rather imaginative) formations where pointed our to us, including the Dead Elephant, Elephants Lungs, Widows Tits and Angels Wings.

After three fantastic days, we headed back to Chaing Mai to prepare for our trip to Laos with Richie and Anne.

Roasting Marshmallows

Christmas Fireworks

Around the Fire after Christmas

Roasting Chestnuts

Frogs outside Chiang Dao Cave

Chiang Dao Cave

The Elephants Lungs

Shrine inside Chiang Dao Cave

Chiang Dao Cave

Chiang Dao Cave

Wat Tham Pha Plong

Wat Tham Pha Plong

Wat Tham Pha Plong

Wat Tham Pha Plong

Wat Tham Pha Plong

Wat Tham Pha Plong