Wat Phrasingh, Chiang Mai
The Wat Phra Singh temple was building in 1345 and is one of Chiang Mai’s most visited temples. This temple housed the most important Buddha statue of Chiang Mai, the Phra Singh Buddha. Many tourists walk to this beautiful and historical Wat in CM in Thailand.
A big Buddha in Chiangmai
The holy stupa of Wat Phra Singh in Chiangmai, north Thailand is build in Lanna style. The small chapel next to the stupa implies some great wall paintings. Some paintings here at Wat Phra Singh are from 1870. The scene on the south wall shows the famous Thai saga of the golden swan. Many believer, tourists and backpacker come to see and render homage to the big Buddha in the main hall of the Phrasing Temple. For me the Wat Phra Singh is one of the most superb temples in old Chiangmai in north Thailand. A visit here is a worthwhile excursion for all people who are interested in religious buildings. Please show off your shoes and don’t wear “beach clothes” if you come here, for many people it’s a holy place and not a tourist attraction!
Temple in Chiang Mai
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Monthathan Waterfall, Chiang Mai
The Monthathan Falls are a part of the Doi Suthep national park in north Thailand. You can come here by Songteaw or by motorbike from Chiang Mai. The Waterfalls are about 16 km out of town and connected by a good main road. From the park office it’s a pleasant and short walk through the nature to the Nahmtok Monthathan Waterfall. Many tourists and traveler come here for relax and swimming in one of the nature pools here in north Thailand. It’s a nice daytrip if you want to flee from the pollution of Chiang Mai City. The Doi Suthep offer much more than the Monthathan Waterfalls here in Chiangmai in Thailand. It’s easy to reach and it promises an unforgettable day on your travel tour through SE Asia.
MaeYa Waterfall, Doi Inthanon
The Nam Tok MaeYa Fall is with 280 meters the highest waterfall of the Doi Inthanon national park near Chiang Mai in Thailand. This place is one of my favorites at the national park in Thailand’s Chiang Mai province. Here you can relax and listen to the sound of the huge Mae Ya waterfall. The distance from the parking place is about 600 meter through the tight jungle here in north Thailand. The small hiking path is easy to take. On the foot of the MaeYa is a small place to rest and watch the might of the nature. We were visiting the fall in September 2009, and we were the onliest tourists on this peaceful place near Chiangmai. The best way to come here is by motorbike or car because than you can take your time and stay a while on the Nam Tok Maeya. If you come with a tour you have mostly many people around you and less time. I really can recommend to come here if you traveling in north Thailand and want to see the beautiful nature here at Doi Inthanon in this part of Asia.
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The Mekong in Asia
In September 2009 my wife and me was traveling from Chiang Mai in Thailand to Luang Prabang in Laos PDR. The minivan picked us at our guest house in CM up and brings us over Chiang Rai to Chiang Khong in north Thailand where we slept one night at the Namkhong guest house near the Mekong River. On the next day we took a ferry to Huay Xai to get our Visa for Laos, after some hours here in this cozy village our slow boat starts for the first day of our Mekong trip.
A boat in Laos.
It was six hours on small wooden banks to Pak Beng in north Laos. Here we took a walk in the evening through this small town direct on the Mekong bank in north Laos. After one night at the Phetsokxai Hotel we took the second travel part: 7,5 hours from Pak Beng to Luang Prabang. On this day we just checked in the Vanechalearn Hostel and took dinner in a nice restaurant on the Mekong before we went to bed. Our Lonely Planet travel guide for Laos did a good job on this trip. The last days we spent in LP to explore this UNESCO listed city.
A street in north Laos
We visited many temples and markets but our highlight was for sure the Tat Kuang Si waterfalls about 32 km out of LP town. From Luang Prabang we took a plane of Lao Airlines back to Chiang Mai in north Thailand. It was a good travel trip, especially the tour over the huge Mekong River. I really can recommend to do this if you have time on your backpack trip through South East Asia.
Landscapes around Luang Prabang.
The Mekong River in Chiang Khong
Chiang Khong is a small village direct on the Mekong River in north Thailand. Here in this cozy town is nothing special to see, just some small temples like the Wat Luang or the Wat Phra Kaew temple. The most traveler and backpacker come here for a visa run or for travel to Laos. If you travel to the other side of the huge Mekong you stay already in Huay Xai which belongs to Laos PDR. Just a few people stay here longer than one night; a cheap and good hostel in Chiang Kong in Thailand is the Namkong Guest House which is just 50 meters from the river. For more accommodation take a look in your lonely planet travel guide or ask in any booking office around Chiang Khong. The waterside promenade invite with many nice restaurants for a great dinner or a pleasant walk in the evening. We was leaving after one night to Pak Beng by boot, how the most traveler in Chiang Kong at the north of Thailand.
Chiang Khong in north Thailand
Thailand Accommodation
Our room in Chiang Khong
The wooden house of the Namkhong Guest House offer small but clean rooms for a cheap backpacker price. The bathrooms with hot water are on the floor. The friendly service on the reception arranges everything for your Laos visa for you (USD, Visa…). The short way of about 50 meter to the waterside of the river is just one reason to choose this accommodation here in Chiang Khong on the Mekong in north Thailand. The restaurant of the Namkhong Guest House in Chiang Khong is open till midnight and shows every evening movie in English and Thai subtitles. We fell good here at Namkhong accommodation and will check in if we travel again to this cozy village in Thailand.
Landscapes at Pak Beng on Mekong River.
Pak Beng is a small city in the Udomxai province of Laos PDR. This village is on the half way from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang. Many tourists come for one night for a break of their Mekong river tour from Thailand to LP in north Laos PDR. The most hotels and guest houses here in Pak Beng are on the bank of the Mekong. We slept at the Phetsokxai Hotel near the boot landing. At this idyllic place in Laos you can see the traditional life of the locals. Many peoples of Pak Beng are fishermen. It’s the right travel destination in South East Asia for all backpacker who want to see some quiet places on their travel tour. Here you can relax and feel the spirit of the Mekong River in the heart of this great country. For more travel tips about PB take a look in your SE Asia travel guide. If you want to read new reports of this travel block, look here.
Locals @ Pak Beng
The floor of the Phetsokxai Hotel in Pak Beng
Direct on the Mekong bank road, not far from the jetty for the slow boats from Huayxai to Luang Prabang, is the Phetsokxai Hotel located. This middle class Hotel in Pakbeng in Laos have nice wooden rooms with hot shower, TV, Fan and a great view over the Mekong delta. The price was 20 USD in the middle of 2009. Not the cheapest accommodation but a good option for backpackers on their way through Laos PDR in SE Asia. Around the Phetsokxai Hotel in Pak Beng are a lot of good restaurants for a romantic dinner with view to the river. The electricity here in this village is rare but this Hotel offer electric from 6 to 12 o’clock in night with generators. The Phetsokxai is a good choice for all who want to have accommodation with a bit comfort after a hard and long boat trip on the Mekong.
A plane of Lao Airlines in Luang Prabang
The Lao airlines operates nearly every airport in Laos PDR with domestic and international flights to many destinations in Southeast Asia. We flown from Luang Prabang in Laos to Chiang Mai in september 2009 with Lao Airline. The fee was about 100 USD. On board of the plane was enough space between the seat rows. The board service was friendly and helpful. The food was fresh and totally enough for a flight of 50 minutes, the service employees came two times for serve drinks. I will choose Lao Airline again for flights to Laos PDR. We enjoyed the traveling with this small but nice airline.
One of the Kuang Si Waterfalls near Luang Prabang
The Kuang Si Waterfalls are one of Luang Prabang’s main attractions. About 30 km out of town is the Tat Kuang Park. This park in Laos PDR is captivating with limestone formations, beautiful jungle pools for swimming and of course many nice waterfalls which splash through the national park. The waterfalls of Kuang Si are a nice day excursion from Luang Prabang in Laos PDR. From the center you can take a taxi for about 15000 Lao Kip or you go by motorbike.
Take a fresh bath in one of Kuang Si's nature pools!
For all who want to make sports at holiday is the bike a good option for a pleasure ride through the mountainous land of Laos Luang Prabang province. On the entry of the park are many shops where you can by drinks, souvenirs and lunch. The Entry fee for this great spot in South East Asia is 20000 Kips which is equivalent to around 3-4 US dollar.
Kuang Si, Luang Prabang
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