I am a beach ADDICT. Gimme sun, sparkling water and blue skies. The sandy, palm lined shores of Thailand’s south are what drew me to this country. BUT, I cannot imagine having passed up Thailand’s North. Chiang Mai in northern Thailand IS the culture, the temples, the old city, the history, the cuisine. It’s a contrast to some of the party-vibe beach towns to the south and should not be missed!
Karen Tribe
Our first full day in Thailand was spent with the Karen Tribe and their elephants. This was quite possibly one of the best days of our lives and set the tone for the rest of our time in Thailand.
At 8 o’clock in the morning we were met at our hotel by our driver, a member of the Karen Tribe, who would take us on the 2 hour trek north of Chiang Mai to the Tribe’s village. We rode in an old but sturdy SUV with one other couple. My wheelchair, taken apart, fit comfortably in the trunk. The roads were windy, dusty, and so narrow that our driver had to honk each time we approached a corner. When we finally came to a stop, we had reached an open space, and there, right in front of our vehicle, were 6 elephants catchin’ some rays and grazin’ on bamboo leaves while a few members of the Tribe sat by. A small van pulled up behind us carrying a family of 5. That was our group for the day, 9 of us visitors, 6 elephants and a handful of Tribe men.
We spent the next 6 hours learning about the elephants, feeding them and bathing them. We stayed in the same open area for the morning and I was easily able to navigate the grounds with my FreeWheel attachment. I wasn’t able to get into the water to bathe the elephants but I was able to watch my husband from a close distance. Part of the day involved walking with the elephants through the forrest. Even with my FreeWheel, this 45 minute trail was definitely not wheelchair friendly, so one of the men from the Tribe drove me to the area where I would meet back up with the rest of the group, while my husband was still able to enjoy the experience. While I waited for them, some children from the village were playing nearby and came over to say hello. We all came together again in another open space, just steps away from the Tribe’s village to enjoy an incredible, delicious lunch prepared by some of the Tribe women. Chicken, rice, veggies, sweets, fresh fruit, all enjoyed with our fingers in what seemed like endless amounts. After our bellies were full, we had more time with the elephants, learning how to make them a healthy medicine. We then leisurely said a lengthy goodbye to the gentle giants before being invited back to one of the Tribe huts where we were offered tea while browsing through photos that members of the Tribe took for us throughout the day.
The entire day was truly magical! The small group size meant that we were never rushed and had the time we needed to really learn about the elephants, the Tribe’s day-to-day routine, and the special bond between the two. We are grateful to the Karen Tribe for their open, warm welcome and for letting us experience their community!
Chiang Mai Driver Guide
On our last day in Chiang Mai we booked a private tour of What Phra That Doi Suthep and Inthanon National Park, using Chiang Mai Driver Guide Tour. As much as our budget allows, we are all about private tours. As a wheelchair user and photo op fanatic, my husband and I appreciate the ability to completely customize our tour and not have the worry of feeling rushed or always falling to the back of the pack, rendering me views of tourists’ bums rather than waterfalls.
We met our guide as planned at 8:00am in our hotel lobby and set out on our way for adventure in a large, comfortable van, with my chair, taken apart, fitting easily in the trunk. What Phra That Doi Suthep sits atop Doi Suthep mountain, about 15 km from the centre of Chiang Mai and took about 45 minutes to reach as we drove way, way up the winding roads. I was super pleased to find that this iconic temple is one of the more accessible places to visit in Chiang Mai. An easy elevator and cable car ride took us to the top, so ignore the scary, intimidating description of the 309 steps you may have read about on other sites. Once at the top, there are endless corners to explore! Some rooms and corners did have a few stairs to enter, but there is plenty to see from a wheelchair too! The detail and colour in the statues and architecture are incredible!
The second half of our day, admittedly was difficult as a wheelchair user, but still manageable with help. From Doi Suthep, we continued on to Inthanon National Park, about an hour and a half drive from Chiang Mai. Once inside the park, our first stop was at Wachirathan Waterfall. Our guide stayed with my chair while Mark carried me up the 20 or so steps. The air was so fresh and even cool, as we could get close enough to feel a light mist. There were benches once up the steps to rest. Mark put me down and he explored a bit further around a few more paths that got even closer to the water. Heading back down the steps I was reunited with my wheelchair and we walked across the parking lot for lunch. The space and decor were modest, but the food delicious!
Our last stop on our Chiang Mai Driver’s Guide Tour was to the summit of Inthanon National Park and the Royal Chedis. The Chedis look like large, cone shaped structures, and as I learned, were constructed to honour the 60th birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit. The gardens around the Chedis are meticulously manicured and the area truly looks like a painting. Unfortunately the Chedis are highly inaccessible, with what seemed like 100 stairs leading up to each. Luckily Mark has become accustomed to the the idea that I’ll put all the work in before the trip – researching, emailing, preparing, phoning, budgeting – while he puts in the work in during the trip, which yes, includes getting me up and down 100 stairs from time to time 😉
Basil Cookery School
Thai food? YES please! Doing my research on Chiang Mai activities, I quickly learned that cooking classes in Thailand are super popular, because, why WOULDN’T you want to be able to recreate the deliciousness that is authentic Thai food from wherever you call home? There are plenty of cooking schools to choose from, some more receptive and able to accommodate my wheelchair than others. Basil Cookery School was the third school I contacted and they assured me my wheelchair would not be a problem.
We were picked up directly from our hotel in the morning. The van we rode in was quite spacious and my small wheelchair fit in the trunk. We picked up only 2 other women from nearby hotels and that was our group for the day, just the 4 of us and our teacher/guide. The first part of the day was a trip to the large market! I was worried about how I would be able to navigate through a crowded market in my wheelchair but it was quite simple! The aisles were narrow but my wheelchair did fit and the ground was mostly smooth concrete. Our guide picked out the specific ingredients we would need and gathered us around an open table space in the market to educate us on what he had selected. The table he chose faced a wider open rode so I was able to pull up to the table comfortably without feeling that I was blocking the way.
After all our ingredients were collected, we were back in the van and on our way to cook! We entered a small, cute little community and pulled up in front of a house. The walk way from the van to the door was short but was made up of broken, uneven stone, so my wheelchair and I had to be carried. Once up the 2 steps into the house, I was back in business. The kitchen and eating area were on the main floor and there was enough room for me move about without feeling in the way. We spent the next 4 hours chopping, grinding, slicing, frying, boiling, rolling and eating our way through SEVEN masterpiece dishes! With each course, we were given an option of what we wanted to make and because our group members chose different items, we had a great time trying each others’ creations! Sitting down with other travellers from around the world to indulge in authentic cuisine, that you had a hand in preparing, is SO great.
By mid-afternoon our feeding frenzy was complete. We rolled ourselves back in the van and were driven back to our hotel, left-overs in hand, with enough of the afternoon sun remaining to let out our stuffed, enlarged bellies by the pool and pass out in a glorious, happy Thai food coma.
We received a cookbook before leaving with all recipes that were made that day which has since inspired our purchase of multiple bamboo baskets, a 5kg bag of sticky rice and many a night of restaurant worthy, homemade Pad Thai.
