Tag: chiang rai

unusual Thailand temple

Chiang Rai’s Disney-esque Temple: Wat Huay Sai Khao

Posted on by Ms. Elle

Wat Huay Sai Khao, definitely one of the unusual temples of Chiang Rai, but less popular than its better-known counterparts The White Temple, Blue Temple, and Wat Huay Pla Kang. This was suggested to us by Garage hotel, where we stayed during our visit. It is 20 kilometers or so south of the White Temple. So on our way home, we stopped by and marvelled at how colorful and different it is.

It has a Disneyland and Saint Basil’s Cathedral vibes. When inside, the mixtures of so many different styles and sizes of multi-colored stupas and shrines towering around will give you a feeling of being in a totally different place. There are several viewing points which are publicly accessible. The above photo was taken on the second level of one of the shrines. And the one below was taken on the third level with a beautiful view of the temple structures and the lush green mountain from afar.

Wat Huay Sai Khao is at Highway 1 Phan District, and if you are coming from the south, this would be a great stop as it is on the west side of the road. This and The White temple would be a great morning itinerary. However if you missed this coming in, it would also be an awesome last stop on your way out of Chiang Rai.

Tell us on the comment if this something you would be interested in.

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geysers by the road

Geysers by the Road in Northern Thailand

Posted on by Ms. Elle

geysers by the road
Geysers by the Road in Northern Thailand

Looking at these geysers by the road in Northern Thailand as cars pass by is but incredible!

Wiang Pa Pao is a district southwest of Chiang Rai, and a common stop-over for buses, vans, and private cars traveling to and fro. Chiang Mai is a three hour drive from Chiang Rai, and so this stop-over is definitely a welcome one. And why not! Wiang Pa Pao’s geysers are awesome.

Any one who’s passing by will definitely give this place a second look after all, it’s free. Definitely a budget Thailand travel! From a distance you could already see random white steam patches against the greens as you travel up and down the hills. If you’re new to the place, these would seem like smoke as if someone’s burning something except that it doesn’t dissipate in the air.

Innovation

What we like about Wiang Pa Pao, is that they actually took advantage of these wonders without ruining it. They’ve paved the surrounding ground and constructed a fence around it. They also built satellite pools where people could dip their aching legs. It has become a great tourist attraction of the place and consequently a decent source of income. And we believe the entire length of the road that stretches from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai was so design having the geysers in mind.

Source of Income

As mentioned, these geysers by the road have attracted so many tourists. Thus increasing the district’s revenue. Here, you’ll find restaurants, souvenir shops, Seven Eleven, Accommodations, and even jewellery shops. Some locals sell hard-boiled eggs cooked in one of the pools. Water’s temperature is at 98 degrees celsius. Really hot!

Foot Spa

The place has at least 3 to 4 pools where you could dip your feet or legs. The water is so warm! It took us a while to get used to the temperature before we enjoyed the dip. A lot of people enjoyed it too, and really took their time while chatting with friends and munching on some tropical fruits.

Is it a great place to visit?

Absolutely!! One, the place is free. It requires no money whatsoever to enjoy this rare phenomenon called geyser. Second, the foot spa is relaxing and refreshing and you get to do this amidst the trees around. The geysers are by the road, so accessible. You need not hike hundreds of kilometers into the mountain just to see one. Lastly, it would be a great financial help for the people of Wiang Pa Pao who so graciously share nature at no so much cost.

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kids ziplining at singha park chiang rai thailand

Zipline for the First Time. Made the More-Than-24 Hour Car Drive Worthwhile!

Posted on by Ms. Elle

Zipline for the first time, and it is the most exhilarating outdoor activity we have done to date. Zip-line consists of a pulley attached to an inclined steel metal cable secured on a slope. The person is attached to a free moving pulley and moves through the cable aided by gravity from point A to point B. In this case, point A is from an 8-storey tall building stretched to point B on the ground across a vast field of Singha Park. Yep, we did it. Zipline for the first time, and it made the more-than-24-hour car drive to Chaing Rai so worthwhile!

Chaing Rai is the northern most city of Thailand, just a few kilometers away from Myanmar in the west and Laos in the east. It is home to the famous Singha Park where this awesome Zipline activity is found, and where the annual Winter Balloon Festival is held.

How’s the experience?

Well, we geared up and took the elevator up. We watched the structures below get smaller and smaller. Anticipation is building up. This is our first time. We’ve arrived, 8-storey above ground. Cool breeze brushed our blushed skin, waiting for our turn. Hooks checked and put in placed, we positioned and got ready to go. Gates opened and with our hearts in our throats down we went. That moment when your feet leaves the platform and into the open seems like forever stuck in a few seconds. That moment you realize “HOLY MOLLY I’M HANGING HERE” and that there’s no going back. And so without any choice, you decide to let go and give the loudest scream of your life. We screamed at the top of our lungs, laughed, screamed, laughed, and screamed some more without reservation. We landed on the opposite side a bit shaky but safe, intact, and SO thrilled and exhilarated! What an experience! We’d like to do it again. And so we did.

We’re looking forward to our next zipline activity. It was awesome and something worth trying!

two kids geared up to zipline for the first time
Singha Park Chiang Rai Thailand

The takeaway for us from this zipline for the first time experience.

  • We thought it’s way too scary for us because of the height. But realized that we’re stronger and bolder than we thought we were.
  • It was a feat to try something out of our comfort zone, and actually loved it.
  • It is great to invest on giving our children experiences they could treasure forever.
  • For us as parents, to give our children a bit of a slack and let go of the worries, the “what ifs”, and just let them have fun.

Have you tried zipline before? How was your experience?

Please let us know by sharing it on the comment section down below or on Youtube. Thanks.

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