We have plan. Arriving to the hotel. Begging for shower. Change money, rent bike and then small loop into the mountains.

Hotel “Lost in Chiang Mai” has no stars. But it has great owner Max, who gave us changing room, shower, help with rent and change.  And the hotel is near the Big Old Wall inside the Old City. Great location.

Our first small experience in Chiang Mai. We are going to DOI Suthep.

The road starts to climb higher and higher. It’s all time curving and going through the green lush.
I am looking for restaurant and we turned left. It’s another sign. We are near the oldest  Buddhist monastery. Between the bamboo -  hidden, like gems, old statues. They are everywhere. And also small mountain river and cascades. Place for meditation. Quiet people. Quiet place.

Next turns of the road. But what is it? Cars parked both sides of the road. No any place for us. It’s s DOI Suthep!  Ok. We are going to DOI village.

The village is seems to be the end of the road in this direction. It’s high in the mountains. It’s full of souvenir shops. And small cafés with perfect view.
I want to visit monastery. Endless steps. Two building. Looks like modern. I will be killed now…

Slowly we go to our motorbikes. In the shops a lot of traditional clothes. They are all hand made, not very expensive, but, when we tried to put them on – nothing fit us.

Before sunset we arrived to DOI Suthep. Visitors hurry to the city.
We stepped between two huge dragons – snakes. They are covered with shimmering glass, gold and mirrors. Ascent to the entrance. Ups…. Forigners must pay….

Inside we left our shoes near the Holy Tree and get into the main yard.
Here is a gold big Stupa with 4 golden umbrellas. All over the stupa there are different Buddha’s – stone, emerald plastic, golden, sitting, standing ext. And people, who made the Holy Circle, who pray and just make selfy with nice statue. The sun gives new colors to this place. Its a beautiful place!

Let’s drink pineapple juice and go dawn. This time in darkness. And then, one by one, we entered the city and went to our hotel.

Now time to separate stuff for the sea and put on only mountain gear.

We started to the loop next morning at 6am.
But Thai people do not sleep at this time! No! It’s a traffic. Not heavy, but it is.

When I planned the trip, it’s seems to me that red roads are highways, pinky are good, yellow – good gravel and white – not accessible. I mistaked. Only tiny white are gravel. And they also accessible.
Our first road was as strait as arrow. Ahead! On the very wide road it’s from the left side additional strip for bikes, motorbikes ext. We used also.
Thai drivers are not crazy. They all have scooter at home and understand everything. They move more or less slow, never cross the road just in front of, keep distances. Drivers respect each other on the road.

We turned to the national park Doi Inthanon. Ooo! For forigners  its 200 pp! Plus motorbike20!!

Ok. The road  quickly ascent. Now we turned to Doi Inthanon. This is complex of two giant granit stupas, connected between. They both had small gardens and view points. But as for me they are so modern that i cannot stay here for a long time.
We drank coconut milk, eat enormous quantity of different local sweets, made from rise and coconut.

Few km ahead and we are on the highest point of Thailand. But i fill only irritation – here is overcrowded, discomfortable, local food in small unpleasant kiosks. Away,  hurry away!  Turn to National Observatory. Yes, Thailand has a dots in South America and in Australia. Its great! But photo on the wall non compareble with what do our friend!

We are follow inside the mountains. One by one. I am with GPS the first. And i usually decide where to turn.

This time i want rich the highest waterfall in this mountains.
We turned. Tasya want to observe what is in the back. One second and she is on the gravel with bike near. She was afraid. She cried. But not really long.

It were 3 km by bike and 600 m by foot in jungle.
Waterfall was big, but tiny and didnt surpriced me. The only nice thing was the possibility to swim in fresh water. I did this.

In the village Mae Chang we made the stop for dinner. It was on the market. Between locals. Our cheapest meal in Thailand. 240 Batt with beverages for 6 (!) Persons!

Village is in the center of the mountains. There are hotels and guest houses here. First, which we liked, was for 50 usd per room. Not cheap.
And also we saw the sign- turn on termal springs.
Just looking around i found nice bungalows, with hot water and terraces. 10 usd per bungalow….

I was not sure about this hot springs. No information, only one sign. And 38 km by the mountain road. But we decided to go. It was 5-30. In 30 min it was dark. Few villages. Any signs. And more then one hour we are on the road.

Exactly on the 38 km i saw sign. On right side in clouds was big lake. Behind – building of spa and restaurant. And two more bassins with boiled, not hot, but really boiled water!

We didnt find any special place for entrance into the lake.
First i carefully looked around and touched the water. It was great temperature! Light sulfur smell.
We ducked inside. Paradise!
If dig foot dipper, the water became very hot.

Our way back was shorter
And i died in the bed immediately.

We changed my first plan. I mistaked with the length of Chiang Mai Loop. I thought about 300 km . And now i understand that it will be at least 600 km . To finish the loop in time , we need ride all day long till Pai. No big stops more. Our speed in the mountains is small.

During the day we saw beautiful mountains and great landscapes. We drink coffee and Thai tea with milk in small charming cafe.  But we were in hurry.
We made only one aside trip to the big temple on the mountain. View was as usual excellent. Girls bought metallic wish leafs.

Before the night fall we arrived to Pai.
This is awful, dirty, overcrowded place. We ate rubbish in restaurant with drunked waiter. I run , trying to find rooms not 50usd per night. I can. 35 usd per 3 rooms. Normal quality. It was noisy and uncomfortable.
I bought few cute clothes.

In the morning , early early, we flea from Pai. Hospital for Tasya not worked. Strawberry cafe also. And strawberry here is strange. White or pink color, very expensive, sweet, grow on the slopes.
All  closed.

After Pai from the left side i found a lot of guest houses with perfect view and big terraces. It was so stupid overnight in the city! And i mentioned, that between the points there is no hotels or guest houses. They appears before village. And usually, outside lodging is much beter and cheaper then in spot.
We think about elephant camp, where we can wash the animal. Because our stop in the mountains , we missed all aside villages with long necked women. So, elephants were important. And finish must be not later then at 4pm.
The weather spoiled everything. First it were few drops. Then heavy rain starts. We moved forward. It was only 13 km then huge traffic jam appears. Even for motorbike it was jam.

We get to private hospital with Tasyas leg last time.
In rent no one check carefully our bikes. And we made in future big mistake – we stopped make photos of scratches…. In Koh Tao we were tricked on 300 usd….

Children go for the train Chiang Mai – Bangkok. We get to bus station hotel.

Our Chiang Mai Loop was 700km.
Our next point of destination was Chiang Rai.