42. Chiang Mai

We got up and headed out for a good time surprisingly this morning after yesterdays excursion. We headed to the old town today to explore. Chiang Mai is famous for the amount of temples around the city. The majority in Old Town. Literally hundreds to choose from so we had to choose the ones we wanted to see. We set up a walk on maps around which incorporated the ones we wanted to see. They were magnificent, some nearly 800 years old and still in regular use. The Stupas here were magnificent too. Sparkling gold catching the sun. The way they were maintained and used still was really nice to see. Most temples had Monks either saying prayers or blessing people.

We visited..

Wat Phra Singh Woramahawihan which is one of the city's most revered temples. It was built in the 14th century and is known for its stunning Lanna-style architecture. The temple houses the Phra Singh Buddha, a highly revered image in Thai Buddhism.

Wat Chedi Luang Varaviharn
Another prominent temple in Chiang Mai, Wat Chedi Luang was built in the 14th century and is famous for its large, partially ruined chedi (stupa), which was once the tallest structure in Chiang Mai. The temple was once home to the Emerald Buddha, Thailand's most important religious artifact.

Wat Chiang Man.
Wat Chiang Man is the oldest temple in Chiang Mai, built in the 13th century. It features unique architecture, including Lanna-style buildings and ancient stucco works. The temple is famous for housing two important Buddha images: the Phra Sila and Phra Satang Man.

Wat Phantao.
This serene temple in Chiang Mai is known for its wooden structures and peaceful atmosphere. Wat Phantao was originally built in the 14th century and later reconstructed in the 19th century. It features a distinctive Lanna-style design.

After a very long day we headed to a burger shop for dinner, really renowned and good burgers so we thought as in a city to take advantage of the good western food. Burger was just what we needed as Grace has ended up with the lurgy I've had the last 2 weeks. Afterwards we took a walk down the red light district street which is always interesting to walk down. It was much tamer than Bangkok.Read more