Chiang Mai was incredible! It is one of the northern towns and is definitely worth the trip up! The locals were super friendly and the landscapes of the mountains and jungle were just breathtaking! The first day we checked into our gorgeous room at Siripanna Villa, where the employees could not have been more accommodating. We were greeted with cool towels and rice juice. They also let us check in a few hours early with no problem or no extra charge.
Our first stop was to Tiger Kingdom. We hired a taxi who waited outside of the attraction for us and told us to take our time. This stop was not overly pricey however it was a little sad. The big tigers seemed very drugged, and their enclosures seemed a little depressing. It was still magical to be so close to these majestic creatures. We chose the little lion and the big tiger encounter package. They sell their packages based on the size of the cat you want to be photographed with. One regret we had was not purchasing the littlest lion cub. This was the only animal you could interact with that did not have any sedatives in his system and he was just adorable to watch play.
That night we took our hotel's shuttle to the Night Bazaar market. Beware all of the different smells of this crowded place, all these new odors made me very nauseous. When visiting Thailand make sure to bring nausea and stomach medicine! The booth keepers love to bargain so never accept the first price they tell you. The most impressive of goods being sold here were the homemade soap carved flowers. We didn't purchase any though because we were unsure of how well they would survive a 20 hour trek home.
The next day it was time for our all day elephant adventure! AS SEEN ON AMAZING RACE SEASON 30 Patara Elephant Camp picked us up from our hotel and drove us about 45 minutes away to their oasis on the side of a mountain! When we first arrived, we had the opportunity to play and take pictures with a month old baby elephant! Her name was Lala Moo, which translates to Full Moon. I had no idea how cuddly an elephant could be, the baby literally thought she was a lap dog!
After about 30 minutes with these elephants, the camp breaks you into groups of about six and gives you your elephant trainer garb. This outfit helps signify to the elephants you are a friend. Then you are assigned your elephant and elephant trainer based on your personality. My elephant was named Nu (which means number one in Thai) our first similarity. Nu also liked snacks and warm hugs just like me! Chris was assigned a Mommy and a baby and I was a little jealous at first but Nu won my heart <3 We were taught basic commands in Thai and got to spend 30 minutes feeding and building trust with our elephant. The intelligence of these creatures was amazing. They knew their names and commands like a household dog. The next step was the trainers taught us how to tell if an elephant is happy and healthy. All of these elephants seemed very well treated and there were no bull hooks or negative reinforcement used. We then had to get all the dirt off of our elephant with homemade bamboo brushes, which were later the elephants snack! Next we gave them a quick rinse with the water hose! Before riding them we got a little break and was served a home cooked huge Thai spread. This was actually one of my favorite meals of the trip. The camp paired us with other Americans so we got to hear about some backpackers Thailand experience.
Next was riding the elephants through the jungle on the side of the mountain!! I definitely was channeling my inner Jasmine Disney princess. We rode bareback on the napes of the elephants neck for their comfort. The trek was about 45 minutes through the forest down to the river where a bathing pool and waterfall awaited us. The staff was great about supplying water and taking pictures for you on your cell phones! We then got to actually bathe the elephants! I never in a million years thought I would be blessed with an opportunity like that! It was so awe inspiring and being so close to God's Gentle Giants just made me so humbled. This all day affair was definitely worth the 165 USD, and I would 1000000x do it again! **Beware when choosing an elephant excursion in Thailand many of them mistreat their elephants so do your research! Also elephants are not supposed to be ridden with carriers on their back!
The day ended way too fast and it was time to say goodbye. I'm pretty sure I saw a tear in Nu's eye. One thing I wish they would have told us before is to bring enough cash to tip your Mahmout! They are great guides and we wished we could have tipped them more! Also I am so glad we thought to buy cheap disposable shoes, after our shoes smelled like elephants so it was great we got to toss them instead of haul that stank around. I don't know if the saying "an elephant never forgets" is true but I know I will never forget them!
