After two days in Chiang Mai, we had already visited a few temples in the Old Town and spent a day exploring Mae Kampong. For our third day, D and I decided to rent bicycles and explore the Old Town at a slower pace. It was a nice way to see more of the city without having to rush from one place to another.
Our first stop was Wat Chedi Luang, one of Chiang Mai’s most well-known temples. I had wanted to explore this temple properly since our first day. During our earlier visit, I spotted a huge tree within the temple grounds and was curious to see more. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay long then because we had a dinner reservation to catch.
This time, we arrived in the morning, when it was still relatively quiet, with only a handful of visitors around. We parked our bicycles and paid the entrance fee of 100 baht per person. We then took our time exploring the grounds, starting with the giant tree that had caught my attention on Day 1.
Wat Chedi Luang is best known for its massive brick chedi, once the tallest structure in the Lanna Kingdom. Part of it collapsed during an earthquake in 1545, but it remains impressive. We also explored the other temple buildings and admired their intricate gold carvings. We spent about an hour here, which felt just right for a leisurely visit.
From the temple, we hopped back onto our bicycles and made our way towards the far end of the Old Town for lunch at Khao Soi Khun Yai, a popular little eatery known for its Khao Soi. The restaurant itself was simple and unpretentious, with no air-conditioning, but it was well ventilated and comfortable enough. The staff were all very warm and friendly, which made the
experience even more pleasant.
Khao Soi is a popular Northern Thai dish made with egg noodles in a creamy coconut curry soup, usually served with chicken or beef and topped with crispy noodles. It comes with lime, shallots and pickled mustard greens on the side. It’s one of Chiang Mai’s signature dishes, so of course, we had to try it. I found the Khao Soi a little too spicy for my liking, even after the staff said they would make it less spicy. Still, I enjoyed it and was glad we got to try this Chiang Mai specialty.
After lunch, we cycled to Nong Buak Hard Public Park, a small public park in the southwestern corner of the Old Town. It’s a popular spot for locals to exercise and relax, with ponds, walking paths and plenty of trees.
We spotted some outdoor fitness equipment and decided to try them out. After a bit of exercise, we found a shady spot under the trees and sat for a while, enjoying the view of the ponds. It was a nice place to take a break before heading back to return our bicycles.
Our next stop was a day spa near our hotel, where we had booked foot massages. After all the cycling and walking, it was just what we needed. After our massages, we went back to the hotel to freshen up before heading out again.
We then visited Kalm Village Chiang Mai, an art and cultural space featuring local crafts, textiles, exhibitions and contemporary art.
I enjoyed looking around, especially the mix of traditional and modern designs. D liked it even more than I did. It turned out to be his favorite place in Chiang Mai, and he spent quite a bit of time taking photos of the buildings and artworks. It’s definitely worth visiting if you enjoy art and design.
From Kalm Village, we walked to Roti Pa Dae, a popular food kiosk known for its freshly made Thai roti. It is particularly famous for its crispy banana roti and has also received recognition from the Michelin Guide.
We joined the queue and ordered banana roti. I was quite impressed by how quickly they prepared and served the orders despite the number of people waiting. Their whole operation was very efficient. We enjoyed watching them make the roti almost as much as eating it. The banana filling was warm, while the outside was nicely crispy.
After our roti stop, we tried to check out the night market in the Old Town, but it was just too crowded. Our feet were also getting tired, so we decided to head back to the hotel.
Along the way, we passed by a temple and I remembered something our tour guide in Mae Kampong had told us. He mentioned that locals often get their massages at temples rather than commercial spas. We decided to check if this temple offered massages, and luckily, it did. Since our feet could use another break, D and I decided to have a second foot massage for the day. Surprisingly, we both thought it was even better than our earlier session at the day spa. It was an unexpected stop, but one we were glad we made.
We ended the day with happy tummies and very relieved feet. It was another enjoyable day in Chiang Mai.
Leave a Reply