Scooter ride to Doi Suthep temple, Chiang Mai

The day we rode a scooter through rural Chiang Mai to Doi Suthep mountain temple was one of the highlights of our travels through Thailand.

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Panoramic views over Chiang Mai from Doi Suthep

Northern Thailand is a marvellous experience, particularly if you have the time to stay over for a few days in the countryside. Our two week stay at Giardino di San Sai in rural Mae Faek some 25 kilometres away from historic Chiang Mai was perfect. Hiring a scooter is a great way of getting to explore further afield into the mountains or into the walled city itself for an evening out! You can even do a day trip from Chiang Mai to Pai by scooter although it’s some 80 kilometres away so it’s better to stay overnight and enjoy time in the rather unique hippie town.

Golden Stupa , Wat Doi Suthep

Juan took a few minutes to get used to the manual gears on the outdated moped which amused the villagers by the looks on their faces as initially he chugged in spurts along the lane.

The main 1001 highway running past Mae Faek market is the direct route to the outskirts of Chiang Mai and it’s straightforward on towards the junction with the 1004 road that eventually leads to Doi Suthep mountain national park and one of the most visited temples in Thailand.

The 50 kilometre journey to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep should take around 90 minutes but we stopped off at some interesting places along the way!

At the foot of Doi Suthep mountain [which is well signposted] we parked by the Phra Kruba Sivichai shrine, a place dedicated to the Buddhist monk who designed the road up to the main temple in 1935. There are lots of stalls outside the pavillion selling the traditional flower offerings as many people come here to get blessed.

As I watched and took photos of a ceremony, a monk beckoned me over and gave me a lucky charm to keep! Just around the corner we walked up the steps to the nearby temple Wat Sri Soda where there were no tourists in sight only novice monks who nodded politely and didn’t seem to mind us being there.

Huay Keaw Waterfall is a popular picnic spot and only a short walk away from where our scooter was parked. In winter it’s a bit cold for a dip in the pools or to slide down the smooth rocks under the cascading water however it’s nice to stroll around the walkways and wooden bridges or up the path to the view point at the top. If you’re visiting north Thailand at this time of year (in December or January) and love beautiful landscapes, it’s worth seeing the waterfalls and the cherry tree blossoms of Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in the country, and only a 2 hour drive southwest of Chiang Mai.

Wat Doi Suthep is 40 minutes ride from here, longer than we imagined up 20km of winding road though wooded mountainside with viewpoints and panoramic vistas over the city below. The carpark at the foot of the temple complex is very busy and the roadside lined with touristy souvenir and street food stalls. An impressive 300 step stairway decorated with mosaic serpents leads up to the sacred site. Most Buddhist temples in Thailand are free to enter but major ones like this which attract so many visitors have an entrance fee to help with the cost of maintenance.

Wat Doi Suthep is a working monastery that was founded in the 14th century when a shrine was built to honour the white elephant, which according to legend brought holy remains of Buddha here. Richly decorated walls encircle the inner sanctum which features an impressive golden stupa spire and holy shrines with Buddha images.

As well as a tourist attraction, it’s an important place of pilgrimage as we realised by the number of worshippers and praying monks. Outside the murals there are various other shrines including the sacred white elephant statue.

The surrounding patio has extraordinary views over Chiang Mai town and a good part of the province. Juan and I spent ages wandering around as there’s a lot to see -we were particularly intrigued by an overhead network of white strings whose significance was revealed the following day.

We stopped for dinner at one of the many roadside restaurant terraces along the main road on our way ‘home’. An authentic dining experience with no foreigners in sight, although ordering is a challenge from menus which have photos of tempting dishes but no translation in English. Fresh fish and soups seem pretty popular with local diners. The waitress came over so I just pointed to what looked like Tom Yam soup and possibly a chicken curry, a prawn concoction and something fried rice, and hoped for the best!

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Lighting candles at Wat Doi Suthep

Back in Mae Faek music was beating in an otherwise silent night. Curiosity killed the cat as they say, but we couldn’t resist the temptation and scootered up a dark lane to find the source of the festivity. A party was in full swing on a bit of rough land, families from the neighbouring hamlet were celebrating the coming New Year one day early with a massive barbecue. Everyone was there, mums and dads, teenagers, the elderly and all the little kids. A gregarious woman greeted us with great enthusiasm and pulled me over to dance with her friends to the live band. I refused the tumbler of neat whisky and grabbed a bottle of lager instead. Juan got talking to one of the younger guys who took us across the lane to the small grocer´s shop to meet his family. Working away in Bangkok he’d come home for the long weekend and was keen to chat with strangers who were enjoying rural life. Chairs were pulled out by the roadside and we chatted for a while drinking their beer diluted with ice cubes and fresh lime, then got away before people got too drunk. Thailand has its own calendar system with the official New Year celebrations in April – I wonder how hard they party then!

The last night of December in Chiang Mai is extraordinary…