After four hours scrunched practically in the fetal position on a bus meant for tiny Thai people, I arrived in Chiang Rai, a city North of Chiang Mai near the Laos border. This was my first solo trip in Asia (!!!).
I stayed at Grace Hostel, and it is completely possible that the reason that I liked Chiang Rai so much was the free pancake breakfast at the hostel. I have stayed in quite a few hostels by now, and the “free breakfast” always means a piece of fruit and bread and jam, which, for $6 per night, I am totally fine with, but the oatmeal/chocolate chip/banana pancakes were definitely a better start to the day. I had two full days in Chiang Rai, so I rented a motorbike (which was way nicer than the one I rent at home in Sanpatong) and set off to see all of the famous sites in Chiang Rai.
Artwork at a random temple because this is Thailand. 
Chiang Rai’s famous clock tower at the center of the city. 
One of the temple’s in town. 
My hostel! 
The kitchen where the pancakes are made. This should be on the list of important sites to see in Chiang Rai. 
The hostel was basically outside, so I got to wake up to this amazing porch.
Day one was for all the famous temples in Chiang Rai. I started at the White Temple, which quite literally sparkles. If you google temples in northern Thailand, the White Temple is one of the first to pop up as one of the most famous temples in Thailand. Surprisingly, it was actually built by an artist about 30 years ago and features an interior painted with superheroes and cartoons. Then I rode to the Black House, which is actually an art gallery consisting of a garden and more than 40 individual black houses decorated with buffalo skeletons, furs, and paintings.
The famous white temple. 
We went right when the temple opened to try and beat the crowd… it didn’t work. 
It wouldv’e been an amazing photo if the woman had mentioned I was blocking the most important part of the temple…. 
There were very aggressive fish in the pond. I presume they are the guards protecting the temple. 
I don’t like this picture of me as much, but at least I’m not blocking the temple. 
The artist was a bit dark and it was awesome. 
An example of a typical tourist photo. 
The biggest Black House. 
Boy statue at the Black House. 
Girl statue at the Black House. 
It was really just a big wooden house… 
aRt.
Next up was Wat Huai Pla Klang to see the 9-story Chinese pagoda, the largest statue of Guan Yin, the Buddhist goddess of mercy, in Thailand (23 stories tall), and an ornate, flowery white temple. Then I visited Wat Rong Seur Ten (the blue temple). It was vibrant and absolutely gorgeous, but it was also extremely crowded.
Guan Yin 
Another pretty white temple in Chiang Rai. 
Not to be confused with THE White Temple 
Flowers 
Me! 
The 9-story Chinese-style pagoda 
The stairs in Thailand are no joke, I get a lot of good calf workouts. 
The blue temple! 
It was very colorful. 
One of the most unique temples I have seen, 
You get a hint of the crowd in the background here. 
Not seen: the dozens of people crowded into the temple. 
Perks of being tall in Asia: being able to take photos above everyone’s heads. 
It WaS sO cOoL. 
Look at those colors!!
I got lucky booking my trip to Chiang Rai without realizing I would be there for the annual International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (yes, they call it a fiesta and I have no idea where the random Spanish came from). With a pack of new foreign friends I met at my hostel, we watched the balloons take off at Singha Park while drinking Singha beer and listening to a Thai concert.
Ballooooons! 
PaNoRaMa 
We go there at sunset so that was perfect. 
I got a lot of likes on this photo on instagram. 
It was Valentines Day too so that is random. 
The mouse is confusing. 
I bought pad Thai and it was really good but after 2 bites I spilled it all. 
I am the only American in this photo. 
Meeting cool new people is one of the best parts of traveling.
Day two was dedicated to the sites that required a motorbike ride outside of town. I visited Choui Fong tea plantation and had the freshest green tea latte I’ve ever had, then went to Wat Tham Pra, also known as the monkey temple because of the macaque monkeys running around everywhere. In fact, visitors are encouraged to carry long bamboo sticks to swat monkeys away if they start attacking. The monkey temple is also at the entrance to Fish Tail Cave, but I wasn’t in the mood to trek through a cave alone with the possibility of monkeys attacking.
This is obviously the sign, 
It was really hot outside. 
So. Much. Tea. 
Me in the tea fields! 
My very fresh iced green tea latte. 
Tea flowers. 
The monkey temple! 
Monkey #1 
The baby monkeys were tiny and adorable. 
The temple was on the side of a mountain cliff. 
Monkey temple statue! 
Monkeys! 
More monkeys! 
Did I mention the monkeys? 
The entrance to the cave that I didn’t go in. 
This monkey attacked a guy who was being dumb and trying to take a selfie with it. 
I like to think the monkeys and I are friends now.
I ended the trip by watching the nightly light show at the clock tower and grabbing dinner at the Chiang Rai Night Bazaar, because the markets in Thailand are always fun.
Thanks again for including the pictures of you at these exotically different sites! I enjoy the colorful sites a lot more than the ones that are just all white or black architecture. Just my personal taste…
I do worry though, about any time you are traveling on trips all alone there, regardless of just how safe the locals say it will probably be. (Their definition of “safe” may be very different from ours.) Are the local police and ambulance services and hospitals in all of these locations available and reliable?
If you are traveling alone, who will let us know if something were to happen to you while you are traveling? Just asking – it is what a Dad will always want to know – because he cares…
Wow! So many cool adventures – this lacy white temple is positively breathtaking! I kept wondering what the building materials were and googled it (you probably explained that at some point). Broken mirror mosaic tiles, with the primary material being asbestos – which is what keeps it so white. Thanks so much for these interesting posts and amazing pictures, MacKenzie! We miss you and pray for you every single day. ❤️
mack/with your mothers help i found your wonderful blog & pic s . great job . my messages won*t be long as this compuuter is old and cranky, like me! Be safe. Lots of love,Aunt Joan
Yay! I’m so happy you can read it now!! Happy late birthday!