During my trip planning to China, a tempting cheap flight to Chiang Mai presented itself. In an effort to see and climb as much of Asia as possible, I bought the tickets that were to leave at 3 am from Guangzhou and arrive at the airport in Chiang Mai later that morning around 7 am. It ended up being a great decision since my climbing trip in Yangshuo, China had be cut short due to rain in the forecast.
The city of Chiang Mai is located in northern Thailand, and is popular among many world travelers and backpackers. The city was full of tourists but still has its own charm even surrounded by tourist attractions. The center of the city, the Old City, is shaped in square outlined with old moats and walls. Within the Old City is numerous temples, with every corner of these elaborate buildings covered in golden, detailed decor. In the city center and beyond lay countless coffee shops and restaurants. Perfect place to explore and find tasty authentic Thai food.
The countryside has many beautiful views of the mountains. Hidden treasures like waterfalls, mountain temples, caves and elephant sanctuaries are a short scooter ride away. Cozy villages line the roadside where fruit stands are around every corner.
Most popular climbing around Chiang Mai is at a crag called Crazy Horse Buttress. This crag is very well developed. Bolts and anchors were well placed with safety in mind. At the parking lot was a maintained outhouse and available water jug with filtered water.
The climbing was unique limestone with incredible features jetting out of the wall. Behind the walls were hidden caves tall enough for bolting and routes. One popular 5.10a called Morning Glory, ended near the top of the roof. Light was peeking thru the roof of the cave, it was one of the coolest climbs I’ve ever done. There were portions of the crag that looked over the valley and in the perfect position to climb while watching the sunset.
This crag is a religious site, so there may be Buddha monks there praying and religious statues along the trail. Huge bee hives hang from the roofs on some of the routes. They are not hard to miss because they are big, black hanging masses. If a climber gets too close, the hive will start to move from the thousands of bees clustered on a hive. The sweat bees, or whatever they are called, were so bad we had to retreat into a cave. But the cave ended up being a cool retreat from the sun and bugs with incredible climbs lining the cave walls.
The guidebook can be bought at a climbing store located in Chiang Mai. It is the same price as a guide book in the US ($35), but the money goes toward route development. (They are currently developing an app with same info as the guidebook, which would be updated as newer versions of the book come out. Right now it only works with Apple OS and costs $19.99)
Where to Stay:
I stayed in Chiang Mai in a hostel called Nonni’s Guesthouse. This is a cozy hostel a five minute walk outside the Old City, right in the heart of Chiang Mai. They had clean spacious rooms with a balcony view, air conditioning and free wifi. The owner is a friendly New Zealander named Allen and he has an adorable dog who loves belly rubs. Allen was kind enough to give us maps of the city, advice on the best places to eat and any other tips of travel through Chiang Mai.
Another option for anyone who wants to stay right by climbing, (since Crazy Horse is forty minutes away from Chiang Mai) there is a place called Jira Homestay and Restaurant. Many climbers stay here since it is just a short walk from the climbing. The couple who runs it are hospitable and will even provide climbers with ordered pack lunches.
Transportation:
Getting around Chiang Mai is pretty easy, whether you choose to use a Tuk Tuk red truck or a scooter. My travel buddy and I decided to rent a scooter for the time that we were there. It gave the option to tour the countryside on rest days and leave for the crag whenever we wanted in the morning. We rented from D2 Bikes, which is a trustworthy scooter rental place run by an owner who can speak fluent English. He gave us a deal for a multiple day rental for a scooter that was able to climb up steep mountain roads. Just remember that everyone drives on the opposite side of the road. :)
Weather:
I was in Chiang Mai in mid December, which is the beginning of their tourist season. Coolest time of the year lasts from November to February. It was still a whole lot warmer than Spokane. Hot and humid during the day, I would wear short and tank tops everywhere. In the evening, I would wear a light jacket while walking through the markets.
Site Seeing:
When I wasn’t climbing, I was absorbing the sites of Chiang Mai. The temples are everywhere and are often frequented by tourists. And rightly so, since this buildings beautiful and a work of art. I visited Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, which on top of a mountain outside of Chiang Mai. In the evening as the sun goes down, the temple glitters and lights up from the gold exterior. There were many people there taking photos or worshipping. When visiting, as a lady make sure to be respectful with your dress and cover your legs and shoulders. There are shops outside the temple where you can get thai fisherman pants for a good price.
After seeing the temple, we rode the scooter past the temple and crowds into a national park. Finished the day watching the sunset over the jungle mountains.
On another day, my travel buddy and I took a scooter and toured the countryside on part of the Samoeng Loop. This is 100 km road tour that starts and ends in Chiang Mai. Many people do motorcycle tours of this loop. I only did part of the loop, visiting:
Mae Sa Water Falls: Nice hiking trail following cascading waterfalls. It is the biggest waterfall in the area and has 10 levels. It’s a leisure hike on a paved path. Many people swim in the different pools along the path. The cost to get into the park was about 100 Bakt.
Queen Sirkit Botanic Garden: Huge garden park with green houses full of exotic plants. They also have a jungle canopy walkway. Perfect for those with a green thumb or love viewing flowers. The cost into the park was about 100 Bakt with two people on one scooter. Price depended on how many people in the group and if you had a scooter or a car.
Samoeng Forest: Villages along the way have cute coffee shops with a view or fruit stands with strawberries, etc.
For more info on the Samoeng Loop, visit this site.
Night Market - After coming back from climbing, we would wander the streets of the Old City of Chiang Mai. During the weekdays, the south and north end would have small food markets of different booths. We would buy mango sticky rice every night. On the weekends, the Night Market would grow to be streets and streets of booths full of food, souvenirs, clothes, etc. It would be crowded with tourists and locals alike all shopping. It was a great way to explore the city absorbing all the sights and smells.
Food:
One thing Thailand is known for is the tasty food. Eating vegetarian was easy, especially since there were a couple of vegetarian/vegan restaurants in Chiang Mai. Most restaurants have at least one dish of stir fry or curry that is vegetarian.
Jira’s Restaurant and Homestay - A place close to the Crazy Horse Buttress crag with great Thai food, it is were many climbers eat that stay at the Homestay. With that being said, it is busier in the evenings and you may have a wait for your food.
The Corner Restaurant - Open early at 7:30 AM in the mornings for those wanting to get to a bite before going to the crag. Variety of Western breakfast food and Thai dishes. Seating on the porch, perfect for drinking coffee were watching the busy Chiang Mai morning traffic.
Favorite Place: Taste from Heaven - mostly vegan Thai restaurant became the place I ate at the most. Portions and prices were reasonable with a big menu of vegan breakfast, lunch and dinner options. We would get food togo in the morning to have lunch for climbing later. And the staff were very kind.
Morning Glory Thai Restaurant and Cooking Classes - Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurant is family run and serves good food. The lady who runs it offers full and half day cooking classes. From learning how to shop for ingredients at markets to cooking authentic vegetarian Thai food, her classes are popular and a must. Half Day is 800 Bakt, learn 5 dishes. Full day is 1200 Bakt from 9 AM-2PM, learn 10 dishes. Just call to reserve a spot.
Visiting even one part of Thailand ended up being a wonderful expereiece in food, culture and climbing. There was so much more of Thailand that I ended up wanting to see. Guess I will have to go again. ;)
