Christmas 2024

Merry Christmas, everyone!

This year was our first Christmas in our new condo! We set up a tree, watched some classic Christmas movies, and had a low-key Christmas pizza dinner.

Hoping your Christmas was just as nice.

See you in 2025!

The Tai Yai Temple

We drove up into the foothills of Doi Chiang Dao. The sky was growing dark, threatening rain, but it was still dry and cool at the top of the hill.

We had driven to Wat Phra That Doi Mon Ching. This Buddhist temple wasn't originally on the places that we had planned to go, but our driver offered to take us to one more place for no extra charge, and we happily agreed.

As we stepped out of the car, we looked out across the beautiful northern Thai highlands.

We were mere miles from the northern Thai border with the Burmese Shan State. The state's name comes from the Burmese word for the Tai people ("Shan people"), an ethnic group which migrated from southern China to modern-day Burma, Laos, and Thailand. In fact, the very name "Thai", and the Thai people themselves, are a subset of the Tai ethnic group.

The Tai Yai, or Shan People, are the largest minority in neighboring Burma, so it wasn't too surprising to find a Burmese-style Buddhist temple up here in the foothills of Doi Chiang Dao.

The architecture of the temple and its golden pagoda reminded me a lot of what I had seen during my adventures in Burma.

In fact, the temple even boasted its own replica of the Golden Rock of Mt. Kyaiktiyo, which Pinky and I had visited one cold, misty day a few years ago, back when it was still safe to travel to Burma.

The Golden Rock is a massive gold leaf-covered boulder hanging precariously from the cliffside, said to be balanced upon a single hair of the Buddha himself.

The temple was also home to a large number of cats.

Buddhist temples in Thailand are often a refuge for stray dogs and cats, as the monks never let them go hungry.

The sky grew dark, and rain was imminent, so we went back to the hotel for a relaxing afternoon and evening. 

The next day, we returned to Chiang Mai City, and we flew back to Bangkok the morning after. 

It's been so nice to get out of Bangkok and into the nature of the northern Thai countryside for a few days. I love living in the big city, but from time to time, I need a break.

Pha Daeng National Park

Pha Daeng National Park, established in the year 2000, covers over a thousand square kilometers of northern Thai wilderness and sits just north of the Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary on the border with Burma.

The park's most famous feature is the legendary Doi Chiang Dao, Thailand's third-highest peak. Located in the far north of the country near the northern border, access to the mountain's trails is restricted to guided tours by park rangers, and climbing to the top of the mountain requires an intense, multi-day trek.

We weren't there for that (at least not this time). Instead, Pinky and I had just come to the visitor's center to see the Sri Sangwan Waterfall.

One of northern Thailand's famous "sticky waterfalls", Namtok Sri Sangwan is a limestone waterfall with a unique limestone base which has a strange, claylike texture. Brave adventurers like to scramble up the high-friction surface of the muddy falls.

That quiet morning, however, with nobody else around, we had the entire park to ourselves.

Sometimes the quieter paths hold the richest rewards, and as Pinky and I followed the river deeper into the jungle, we traversed amidst the lush greenery, breathed in the earthy, verdant scents, and immersed ourselves in the beauty of the Thai wilderness.

This felt like an ancient place, overgrown with moss and vines. The only sounds we could hear were the rushing of the nearby falls and the gentle buzzing of insects.

I wanted to take a walk to the park's campground, but it was unfortunately closed for the time being. A rotten tree had crushed the bridge, and the path had been closed for safety reasons.

Eventually, we turned around and headed back to the park headquarters.

Back in the car, we drove on to the park's second half: the Pong Arng Hot Springs. The other side of the national park was far more developed and built up. We flashed our tickets, which granted us a full day's access both to the waterfall and hot springs entrances to the park.

The hot springs, which bubble out of the ground at around 65°C (150°F), offer both private stone bathhouses for secluded soaks and public pools for relaxing foot baths. In keeping with Thai tradition, the park also provides nets for boiling "onsen eggs" in the hotter, restricted areas of the spring, where the water is too hot for delicate feet. 

We chose a comfortable rock and let the naturally hot mineral water of the spring soothe our feet. Pha Daeng is one of the kingdom's lesser-known parks, and it is remote, quiet, and even more deserted in the off-season. All the better for us!

As the gentle steam rose around us, we sat in tranquil silence of the gurgling hot mineral spring. We were able to spot a few new birds for my life list as we relaxed near the hot water.

Refreshed, we got back in the car to head onward towards the next stop on our mini tour of Chiang Dao.

Wat Tham Pha Plong: a temple in the jungle

When we arose the next morning, around dawn, Doi Chiang Dao was completely obscured by clouds.

The kingdom's third-tallest mountain, which had loomed above us the day before, had disappeared entirely in the enveloping mists of the chilly northern morning.

Our driver picked us up in his car just before breakfast. He was the son of the middle-aged yellow truck driver we had hired the day before; the older man had given us his son's phone number to call that day, as he was going to be on "school bus duty", picking kids up in the rural province and taking them to and from school in his yellow truck.

When we arrived at the temple, it too was shrouded in a thick layer of fog. We knew the mountain was just ahead of us, and yet the cold, grey sky covered it completely.

Pinky and I set off to visit the temple. Wat Tham Pha Plong is an old Buddhist monastery which is located on the top of a small mountain in Chiang Dao.

One must walk up several hundred steep steps through the jungle to reach the prayer hall and monk's quarters, which are located in a hollowed-out portion of the mountain far above the parking lot.

It was a very early morning and, save for the lone foreign birder with his extremely powerful camera lens whom we passed silently as we made our way up the steps, we saw nobody.

This was the northern Thai jungle, in all of its misty fecundity. Leaves the size of a baby elephant sprang from the damp ground, and ancient moss-covered trees creaked as we walked past.

The air was alive with morning birdsong, and I was able to register several new birds in my life list! Chief among these was the Asian fairy-bluebird, a beautiful blue and black bird traditionally considered sacred by the Tagalog people of the Philippines.

As we walked, something moved in the overgrowth just off of the trail before us. I jumped, startled, to see a large spotted cat step out onto the trail. He took one look at us, turned around, and bolted back into the jungle.

By the time Pinky had turned around at my gasp, the cat was gone.

A bit shaken, we continued on. Later, I did some research and discovered that it was most likely a leopard cat, a rare spotted wild cat, similar to an American bobcat but with leopard-like spots. These elusive cats are found throughout the jungles of Southeast Asia, and while they are not necessarily endangered, they are very shy and rarely spotted by humans. 

I was really lucky to come across one! I only wish that I could have snapped a photo, but he was just too fast for me.

Ahead of us, a pagoda emerged from the mists. It was only just visible due to its covering of blue tarps, a sign of the temple's ongoing restoration. From our vantage point, it was barely discernible. We pressed onward, through the jungle path and towards the heart of the monastery.

We arrived at the top of the stairs, sweating from humidity in spite of the cool northern Thai air. The jungle was stifling, and it was nice to take a small break in the cave temple atop the mountain.

The cavern, covered by a modern roof, was spotlessly clean - floored with marble tiles and a beautiful scarlet rug. Each flat surface of the natural rocks was adorned with glittering golden Buddha statues, and a replica of the Emerald Buddha sat in the place of honor at the far back, flanked by another Buddhist shrine and the relics of an important local monk.

A collection of Phra Ajarn Sim's bones (1909–1992), one of the pioneers of the Thai Forest Tradition of Theravada Buddhism, resides in a glass coffin at the feet of the golden statue of the revered monk. Born in Sakon Nakhon Province, Phra Ajarn Sim was known for his meditation practice, strict adherence to monastic discipline, and profound teachings on mindfulness and impermanence. 

A display of his few meager belongings, those permitted to a monk (namely his razor, a collection of dhamma books, a flashlight, and his beggar's bowl), is also on display, offering visitors a glimpse into the simplicity and dedication of his life.

Eventually, we made our way down the winding, misty staircase back towards the waiting car.

It was still early in the morning, so we asked our driver to take us to a local cafe for a late breakfast and coffee.

TATA Chiang Dao Cafe sits on a hill overlooking an expanse of Chiang Dao Wilderness.

Pinky and I ordered iced Thai coffee and a plate of basil chicken and found a seat to relax and take in the scenery which was spreading out before us.

We still had more of the district to explore. After our meal, we got back in the car to head towards our next destination - one of Chiang Mai Province's many beautiful national parks.

Chiang Dao Cave Temple

Wat Tham Chiang Dao is, if not the most important Buddhist temple in Chiang Dao district, at least its most famous one.

Estimated to be 250–300 million years old, this ancient limestone cave system houses five main chambers, each with a mysterious and evocative name: the Reclining Buddha Chamber, the Water Chamber, the Horse Chamber, the Hidden Chamber, and the Crystal Chamber. 

A rickety wooden bridge groaned underfoot as we ventured across, its planks weathered by time. The sign's ominous message before us was clear: "Don't enter the cave without a guide. You will get lost." Nevertheless, Pinky and I cautiously stepped forward into the cave's darkness.

The sprawling forest monastery is located in the foothills of Doi Chiang Dao, and the cave (the eponymous Chiang Dao Cave) spreads out in a warrenlike labyrinth of natural tunnels inside the mountain itself.

As we stepped into the cave, the temperature instantly dropped.

Like many caves in Thailand, Tham Doi Chiang Dao in rich myth and legend. Local stories tell of Prince Chao Luang Kham Daeng of Phayao, who is said to have perished within the cavern's depths while chasing after a mythical golden deer, later getting lost and ultimately becoming the cave's guardian spirit.

Another tale speaks of the great sage Phra Rama Rishi, an ancient holy man who summoned spirits to create mythical artifacts and golden treasures, which are said to be hidden somewhere in the cave. These treasures, though tantalizing, have lured many to their doom, making the cave a solemn reminder of the karmic perils of greed.

We followed the string of humming lightbulbs deeper into the cavern as we explored the cave.

For just 200 baht, more adventurous travelers could hire one of the intrepid local guides, armed with nothing but a hissing and sputtering kerosene lantern, to take them on a tour of the cavern's deepest recesses. Pinky and I opted out of this. We were quite happy to stay within the steady orange light of the cave's electric bulbs.

We paid our respects at each of the cave temple's several shrines.

After making merit and praying at the cave's deepest Buddha statue, we were more than happy to make our way back to the surface.

And, although I brushed it off with a laugh in the moment, I couldn’t entirely dismiss my wife’s question about hearing whispers or voices in the caverns. 

I’m not one to believe in ghosts, but some things are better left unquestioned.

Back out in the fresh air, we stopped to pay our respects at a holy Banyon tree. This particular tree was planted by His Majesty King Rama IX decades ago, and today it grows strong, surrounded by amulets, prayer staves, and golden-leaved staffs propped up against its trunk to provide strength and support to the old tree.

We are up in the far north of Thailand now, and the architecture at some of the temples is starting to resemble more Burmese-looking designs. It's not surprising; the border is not far from here!

Visiting the temple was really fascinating. I love places that have a good legend behind them... especially if it's just a little bit spooky!