Thailand’s Cultural Gem city of Chiang Mai: A Travel Photography Series

One of Thailand’s kings call this city as the ‘prime diamond on the crown of Thailand’. UNESCO has awarded it the title of ‘Creative City’. Founded in the 13th century, it is a gorgeous city located on the banks of the Ping river. I am talking about Chiang Mai, the city of temples and rich culture that is located in the mountainous region of Northern Thailand. Rich trade and many conquests have given this city as diverse and vibrant culture with many gorgeous temples, colourful markets and unique traditions. This article aims to show you the cultural gem city of Chiang Mai through a travel photography series. Hope you enjoy it and may be add it to your travel bucket-list.

Above travel photo: Inside the golden chamber of Wat Chedi Luang with a massive statue of Lord Buddha looking at you.


 
Above travel photo: One of Chiang Mai’s biggest attractions has to be the floating lantern festival, which takes place on two days. One, during Loi Krathong festival day and the other on New Year’s Eve. These lanna style sky lanterns in the night sky are a sight to behold.



Above travel photo: Due to its many Buddhist temples, one will usually come across a lot of Buddhist monks in Chiang Mai. These are two young Buddhist monk students I met at Wat Chedi Luang.


 
Above travel photo: One of Chiang Mai’s most famous landmarks, visitors are offering their prayers at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, that is located about 14 kms from Chiang Mai city.


 
Above travel photo: Artisans of all types can be seen at Chiang Mai. This is a metal sculptor seen just outside of Wat Chedi Luang.


 
Above travel photo: The sight of a monk decked in orange or green is a common sight in Chiang Mai. You can see him at a phone store, at an ATM or simply crossing the roads of Chiang Mai.



Above travel photo: A place of gorgeous natural beauty, Bhubing palace is a royal residence that is decked with many flowering gardens and water fountains.



Above travel photo: Wat Phan Tao is an ancient temple located next to Wat Chedi Luang. It is known for its exquisite Lanna style ordination hall that is made entirely of teakwood.



Above travel photo: Such signboards are the norm at Wat Chedi Luang and they give inspiring messages to the visitors.



Above travel photo: These dragons greet the visitors at the start of their arduous climb to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.



Above travel photo: Chinese New Year flags can be seen floating on the top of the Wat Chedi Luang temple.



Above travel photo: This is an ancient stupa seen near Wat Chedi Luang. Many such stupas can be seen throughout Chiang Mai, but this one was one of the few that isn’t in ruins.



Above travel photo: A tree of golden leaves seen at Wat Chedi Luang. Either the visitors write something on it and hang it on the tree or it is hung by the temple priests where each leaf signifies a human quality.



Above travel photo: A row of Buddha statues can be seen at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, one of the more beautiful temples of Chiang Mai.



Above travel photo: The famous rose gardens in the Bhubing palace located near Chiang Mai.



Above travel photo: The gorgeous head gear of a local girl who was sitting at the entrance of the 13th century Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple near Chiang Mai.

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Top 5 Temples of Thailand

When we think of Thailand, sumptuous Thai food, its great beaches and islands and its spiritual temples come to mind. It’s Theravada Buddhist culture and deep belief in spirituality has ensured that Thailand is home to some of the most vibrant and beautiful Buddhist temples. While there are many beautiful Buddhist temples across the length and breadth of Thailand, here is my list of top 5 temples of Thailand.

Wat Arun, Bangkok

This temple doesn’t need an introduction. It is so popular that is on the 10 baht coin. This temple known as the ‘temple of dawn’ towers on the Thonburi west bank of the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok. Apart from this 17th century, which is beautiful in itself, there are 2 things that make Wat Arun such a hot favorite. One,  the first rays of the rising sun on the temple from the Chao Phraya river is a sight to behold. Second, the steep flight of steps that leads to a sensational view of Bangkok’s river side. You can either take a short boat ride or a longer route by road to reach this striking Bangkok landmark.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai

Even though Chiang Mai is a very famous temple city in itself, its most popular temple is located about 15 kms from the city and on a mountain called Doi Suthep. This temple, sacred to many Thai people, offers stunning views of the Chiang Mai city and is especially popular during sunsets. This 14th century temple is built on principles derived from Buddhism and Hinduism. Everything in the temple is gold plated and that includes its pagodas, statues, bells and shrines. This temple also carries a model of the revered Emerald Buddha.

Big Buddha Temple or Wat Phra Yai, Ko Samui
Most of the tourists visiting Ko Samui, do so for its beautiful beaches, but there is a deep Buddhist side to this tropical island too. And this can be seen through its most visible landmark, the Big Buddha temple that can be seen when people fly into Ko Samui. This temple with the 12 meter seated Buddha statue is situated on the north east corner of the island on Koh Faan that is connected to Koh Samui by a causeway. The Buddha here is seated in the Mara posture that symbolizes steadfastness, purity and enlightenment. All the Ko Samui hotels would happily arrange a tour if you are interested in visiting this iconic Ko Samui landmark.

White Temple (Wat Rong Khun), Chiang Rai

This has got to be the prettiest temple in the whole of Thailand even though it is a contemporary and unconventional Buddhist temple. Like the name suggests, everything in this temple is white in colour. Be it the fish in it ponds, the statue of Buddha, its carvings, its walls and all its stupas, everything is white. The special aspect of this temple is the creative imagination that was used by its designer Chalermchai Kosipipat. The construction of this temple began in 1997 and is still in construction, though tourists and devotees are allowed to visit.

Ayutthaya Historical Temple Complex, Ayutthaya

The ancient capital of Thailand is Thailand’s temple center. There are so many beautiful temples here that one can get lost in temple lore for a long time. The rich history and its ancient feel is what draws people from far and wide. Whether it is the Phra Chedi Chaimongol temple, the sleeping Buddha, Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Phra Mahathat or Wat Ratchaburana, all the Ayutthaya tours have a lot of stories to share. Its vast ruins give you an idea of its majestic past and a guided tour over a long duration can help you transfer yourself to an Ayutthaya era.

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Spiritual Sound from a Wat in Chiang Mai, Thailand

There is always some spiritual connection made when you visit a Buddhist monastery and it was no different when we visited one of the many Wats in the city of Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. And this spiritual connection was made even when we were just visiting as tourists.



It was just a small Wat when compared to the other more elaborate, intricately carved and larger wats, but it was here that we got a chance to strike the large gong in front of the monastery. The sound that emanated from it was truly magnificent. It had such a soothing effect that we kept hitting it for close to five minutes. May be, this sound made an inner connection or may be it just sent the right vibrations. Whatever it was, it sure was a spiritual sound for me. I hope you can listen to it in the video and make the same connection as I did while listening to it in person.

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Interesting Message Boards at Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai, Thailand

I have always had a thing for message boards. The Border Roads Organization in India, who build roads in the higher reaches of the Himalayas in India write some awesome stuff on the boards along the road. Some key examples that come to my mind are “Be gentle on my curves”, “Don’t be gama in the land of the lama”, After Whiskey, driving risky” and more.


And here in Thailand, I saw some real cool ones at Wat Chedi Luang in northern Thailand’s Chiang Mai. These messages were simple and to the point. I saw many of them in the courtyard around Wat Chedi Luang, but 2 of them really appealed to me.


These are the ones you see in the pictures, “Want to a monk, leave lust” and “Want to be a teacher, study”. Very simple, but very powerful messages and made total sense in a learning environment such as a Buddhist monastery. I hope you like these message boards too.

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Mojito Garden 2 at Chiang Mai: A decent hostel in the city center

Chiang Mai is one of those cities where you have to stay in the city center so that you can explore its streets, wats, markets and other key sights easily by foot. The city has so much to offer that you will miss some of it if you stay far away from it. I stayed for 4 nights and 5 days at a hostel/guest house called the Mojito Garden 2 to save a little bit of money. This review is based on my experience of staying there.

1) Mojito Garden 2 is great for budget travellers especially for solo travellers. At 120 baht per head, it is possibly the cheapest in the city. For this price, one gets to stay in their fan cooled dormitory. They also have huts where couples can stay.

2) The best attribute about this place is its proximity to the main spots of the city – Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chedi Luang, the Sunday market, the various night markets, the moat where the celebrations take place and most of the restaurants.

3) Like any other hostel, it offers a safety locker, free wi-fi, towel and separate night lights. Like other hostels, you get to meet a lot of like-minded travelers here. They also have a small gym if you feel like working out.

4) The place also has a bar and restaurant attached. On special days, they offer barbecue lunch or dinner and music to party in the evening.

5) The people running this place are very friendly and always go out of the way to help the tourist.

6) If there is one thing that the place can improve is its cleanliness. It is not bad, but I would prefer if they cleaned the toilets and showers more than once a day.

The place is ideal for budget travelers who are looking to stay right in the heart if the city.

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Travel Photo: Buddhist Monk uses an ATM at Chiang Mai, Thailand

I was passing through the roads of Chiang Mai when I watched this interesting sight of a Buddhist monk using an ATM machine. This was one of those ‘surprise’ moments for me as in my head I always thought monks to be begging for alms and serving the monastery.


But, here, the monk seems to be an ATM card, withdraws money and uses it to shop. I know this is true of most of the new generation monks, but it is a still a moment that you find difficult to digest as you have always read and studied about an ascetic set of monks.

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Happy New Year from Chiang Mai, Thailand!!

What did you do for this New Year’s eve? Well…I lit a floating lantern and saw it go into the stratosphere with million others at Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. The new year celebrations here so exceeded my expectations. It was such a festive atmosphere. There was music, a busy night market with interesting crowds and great food and then there was the floating lanterns and the fire crackers.

It was a beautiful way for me to welcome 2013 and I am sure you all have done your bit to welcome the new year in your own way. Happy 2013 to all of you and let’s hope that we all be blessed with lots of interesting travels.

Signing off from Chiang Mai, Thailand!!

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