Arriving late in Chiang Mai, we quickly checked into our homestay and found a laundromat. The stench coming from our bags was putrid—being in the jungle for five days will do that. It was refreshing to know we had clean clothes for the next morning. As it was quite late, we popped into 7/11 on the way home for a quick dinner—ham and cheese toasties—then headed home to sleep.

Day One: Cooking Class + Night Market

We had to be up early this morning for our six-hour cooking class with Zabb E Lee Thai Cooking School. Now, I know what you’re thinking—six hours is a long time—but it went so quickly and was definitely one of our favourite activities to date.

First stop: the local market. Here, our guide explained all the different ingredients used in Thai cooking, including herbs, vegetables, and of course, spices. We gained an insight into the various ways each ingredient is used throughout Thailand’s culinary world—one that we particularly love. After exploring on our own for a little while, and trying famous boba tea, we headed for the cooking school located 14 kilometres from the centre. 

Its airy open-air facilities were beautiful. Imagine Balinese architecture spanning across six different kitchens, surrounded by trees, mist, ponds and koi fish. A true oasis. It was here we chose our four dishes + one curry paste + mango sticky rice (because a Thai cooking class wouldn’t be complete without it!) I selected (1) Thai Fresh Spring Roll, (2) Chicken Pad Thai, (3) Tom Kha Kai (coconut milk soup), and (4) Panang Curry Paste + Panang Curry with prawn. The highlight for me was the Chicken Pad Thai—my favourite Thai dish—and best believe I’ll be cooking this when I get home. Thankfully, they provided us with a cookbook with 25 different dishes (the only issue might be sourcing all the local ingredients)!

Nonetheless, the whole experience was memorable and so worthwhile. As we danced, cooked and ate, we left feeling extremely full, but having learnt many new skills. We are super grateful for the experience. If you are ever in Chiang Mai, I highly recommend booking this activity—you won’t be disappointed!

A little later in the evening, after we had digested our degustation of food, we thought it would be best to hit the road, get our steps up and explore the night markets around Chiang Mai. The nightlife was buzzing and vibrant, with streets full of food vendors (not that we needed any more), pubs, live music and street art. It was a sight to see!

We found a tiny bar selling wine, so we obviously had to grab a drink here. On our 45-minute walk back to our accommodation, we passed by another wine bar and I think you can guess what happened next. As the budget was running thin, this was put toward “birthday money”—so it was “free”, lol.

Day Two: ChangChill Elephant Sanctuary + Muay Thai

This morning we got picked up at about 7:30am, hopped on the minibus, excited for our adventure! After a long and bumpy two-hour drive with our fellow French tourists, we finally arrived at ChangChill Elephant Sanctuary. To say we were thrilled would be an understatement. Hearing so much about the beautiful elephants and how they were once treated truly struck a nerve.

The four female resident elephants of ChangChill were once part of Thailand’s now-illegal logging industry, which contributed significantly to deforestation. Like many elephants across the country at the time, they were forced to haul logs for up to 18 hours a day. It was especially heartwarming to learn that two of the elephants are mother and daughter, and have remained by each other’s side ever since they were rehomed at the sanctuary. It was also interesting to learn that retired elephants cannot be returned to the wild, as they are unlikely to be accepted by a herd. As such, they must find refuge in sanctuaries.

Thankfully, ChangChill now operates as an ethical sanctuary for its four rescued elephants, providing a habitat where “elephants can simply be elephants.” Visitors are not permitted to ride, bathe, or touch the elephants—allowing them to enjoy a peaceful and natural lifestyle on their own terms. Unfortunately, this standard remains rare in Thailand, where many so-called “ethical sanctuaries” have been criticised for continuing to exploit elephants under the guise of responsible tourism.

After being briefed, it was time to explore and find the elephants among their acreage of bamboo, rivers, and trees. We were lucky enough to observe all four elephants snacking on sugar canes, bamboo, and bananas—a common habit for elephants, since they consume around 10% of their total weight every day. As they weigh around 3–4 tonnes, that’s a lot of eating!

After observing these amazing animals in their habitat for a while, we made our way back to the headquarters where we prepared lunch for them. Using a large machete, we chopped chunks of sugar cane and stored them in an easily accessible place for the elephants to eat later. But first, it was time for us to eat. Lunch was a traditional buffet-style meal with all-you-can-eat on offer—and let me tell you, we didn’t let it go to waste. Soon after, we moved towards a viewing location about a metre from where we stashed all the sugar cane and waited. It was amazing seeing the elephants run towards the food, leaving huge imprints in the dirt behind them. We could have sat there for ages snapping pics while watching these beautiful creatures eat, and eat, and eat!

After our long journey home, we relaxed in our room while on a call with our families (thanks to Facebook Messenger), updating them on our travels so far. As the night grew older, it was time for our next event: Muay Thai.

A common saying you hear in Thailand is: “You see Muay Thai, you see Thailand.” And they aren’t wrong—Muay Thai is very much a part of Thai culture, showcased by fights held every night of the week! We had so much fun as we sat courtside, drinks in hand, and watched people smash the shit out of each other. I can see why people love UFC—this got the blood rushing and we weren’t even participating. Definitely a highlight of the trip! Just don’t sit too close—otherwise, you might catch some blood on you.

After a long walk home, it was time for bed and finally, a little sleep-in.

Days Three + Four: Sticky Waterfall & Dantewada Café

After waking late, we headed for the gym—thankfully only five minutes down the road. We couldn’t bear to walk any further in the blistering heat, which seems to be a common theme in SEA.

After a good hit-out, Cass was off for a much-needed haircut (she couldn’t deal with it any longer, and I couldn’t deal with the hair in the bed, lol). I found myself at a nice café, where I did some admin while enjoying a coffee and waited until Cass caught up with me later—glowing, of course!

The rest of the day was uneventful. We explored the markets again, did some more washing, and enjoyed a lovely cocktail at Mars-themed bar. And that was pretty much the day—it’s nice to relax every now and then, otherwise you risk burning out.

The next morning, after the gym, we hailed down a Songthaew (pickup truck with two rows of benches in the back) to take us to the infamous Sticky Waterfalls. After bartering a fair price, we took the open-air bus-like vehicle about 45 minutes out of town and reached our destination. We took a long staircase barefoot down to the bottom of the falls. About 600 stairs later, we finally reached the beginning of the climb.

It had to be one of the best waterfalls we’ve both seen—and definitely the stickiest. You can literally walk vertically up the waterfall (albeit holding onto the rope) without slipping, all thanks to the mineral deposits that create a prickly texture preventing algae and slime from growing. After reaching the top, we continued to explore the surroundings and found the natural spring that feeds the waterfall. Unfortunately, you are unable to swim in it due to its high temperature and quicksand beneath, but the crystal blue water was a lovely sight.

After working up an appetite, it was time to visit a nearby café—Dantewada. This wasn’t your average run-of-the-mill café. Here, the owner created a paradise unlike any other. Man-made waterfalls soaring high into the sky, covered by various fauna, turned this place into a mystical world. We grabbed a quick bite then explored the grounds. You could spend hours here taking in all its beauty—not to mention the petting zoo out the back. It truly was an immersive place and one of the most unique cafés I’ve visited.

Day Five: Wat Chedi Luang + Departure

We were sad to be checking out this morning, as we honestly loved Chiang Mai and will definitely be heading back in the future (feels like I’ve said this about every place we’ve been to—oops). Before leaving, we had to check out a few of the popular temples around Chiang Mai. We had seen so many ruins on our walks around the city and wondered what the bloody hell they were.

We explored the complex that consists of three temples: Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Ho Tham, and Wat Sukim. These Buddhist temples hold cultural significance amongst Thai people today, dating back to their construction in the 14th century. The ruins of Chedi Luang were the most impressive, due to the enormous size that remains today, protected within the complex. After a few hours exploring, we had to get a traditional Thai massage. Cass and I found ourselves in a couples’ room—how romantic! (Not that we spoke once.) It was a relaxing way to end to our time in Chiang Mai.

We finally made it to the train station for our long 12-hour overnight journey to Bangkok. Stay tuned to our next blog to find out how the sleeper train was…