Kalare Night Bazaar @ Chiang Mai

Kalare Night Bazaar one of the biggest night market catering tourist trade.

We had a short stroll along the bazaar our dinner, bought a few souvenirs and requested to go back to the hotel.

Beautiful and interesting artworks!

DO bargain here! Seems that everything are over priced!

We need a good rest for the trip to Chiang Rai & Laos!

San Kham Pang Village- Home Industries

Our tour continues.... and the afternoon session was all about shopping at San Kham Pang Village (Home Industries)- there are shops and mini factories line both sides of the Kamphaeng Road, a well known place in Chiang Mai.

We were taken to:

Gem stone manufacturers
Royal Jelly Bee
Bird Nest House

Yea.. only three places, we were running out of time!

Had a bowl of this and threw up everything at the shop. Embarrassing enough! I was so not well by noon.....

The other half of the group visited the Zoo and the three of us went for a two hours Thai massage. All good.... but was really tired with the very bad cough and chest pain. I can't even recall what where we had our dinner that night. It was somewhere near the night market along Le Meridian hotel.

Being already there, we walked along the night market for about half an hour, and off to hotel for a good rest!

Tiger Kingdom @ Mae Rim Chiang Mai

A cozy place for the big cats! Tourist are allowed to take pics with the tigers with an admission fee. None of us was interested except for the lunch there!

Tiger Kingdom @ Mae Rim Chiang Mai

Al fresco dining

With perfect view of tigers

Aaahhh... the food was good here! Buffet style lunch- didn't snap any photos as it was quite crowded!

Monkey Show @ Chiang Mai Monkey Centre

After the freaking snake show, we went to Chiang Mai Monkey Centre

Little monkey

Well trained monkeys showing off their impressive talents.

Pumping and sit ups

And off we go for our lunch at Tiger Kingdom!

Human & Snake Fighting Show @ Chiang Mai

Freaking reptiles! Tagged along unwillingly as the show it is included in our pre-book tour.

Eeeww!!

Bloodcurdling shows that freaks me out.

But the others are enjoying the show....am just so not into it!

Mae Sa Elephant Camp @ Chiang Mai

We then, proceeded to the Mae Sa Elephant Camp! - Click the link to know everything about Mae Sa Elephant Camp! Interesting!

Amazing performance by the elephants. Nothing fascinating as I had seen many times before, but with my two companions, nothing boring here! We enjoyed the performance and the elephants are just brilliant!

Welcome to Mae Sa Elephant Camp

Elephant ride at own expense. 800 Baht /elephant.

Do try the hair raising ride! At least try once, before you die...If only, I can ride on a tiger or leopard, I will do so too!

She is thirsty!

And after the enthralling shows and ride, we were all hungry.... but we are heading for more shows before lunch!

Ban Tong Luang- Mix Hill Tribes Village @ Chiang Mai

Next stop- Baan Tong Luang Mix Hill Tribes!

I have seen much of the Karen people (also known as Kayan or Padaung) from television documentaries and magazines with different versions of origin and mythologies and here's my sharing.

The Kayan/Padaung are the Tibeto-Burman minority ethnic of Burma (Myanmar). They are the group of women that wears brass coil rings on their neck. It was explained by our tour guide that, during the olden days, when the king sees an unattractive women, their heads will be chop off! And hence, the ladies are wearing the brass coil rings on their neck as a protection.

Am not so sure how true it is, but it's kinda ridiculous. The other mythology I have heard - the brass coil rings protects the ladies from tiger's attack!

Hhhmmmm..... I should trust our tour guide!

In the late 1980s and early 1990s during the conflict within the military regime in Burma, the Kayan and the other tribes ran to the Northern Thai border area and lived with illegal status. It was then after that the Thai governments had a place for the mix hill tribes.

Baan Tong Luang village is a cultural preservation project. The village was opened to public in year 2005. The purpose of the project is to preserve the old hill tribes culture and to provide income for the hill tribes people.

We were all excited before our visit, caught a sight of the Long Neck Karen (Kayan) tribes and The Big Ear (Bakayo) ribes, eyewitness their lifestyle and left the village feeling bad and pity for them...

The Long Neck Karen

They earn a living by selling artwork and souvenirs to the tourists.

Us with them

We were told that, with the brass ring coils, the woman's life span is shorter than the normal people......

And why?? I asked the tour guide, do the kids actually have a choice not to put on the brass ring coils.....

Question left unattended...

Mae Ram Orchid & Butterfly Farm @ Chiang Mai

After brekkie, we started off with a visit to Mae Ram Orchid & Butterfly Farm.

Indeed, the orchids are beautiful! The hanging roots are completely exposed, no charcoals, no mounting orchids at cork bark at all. Looks simple but ain't easy to take care at all- ORCHIDS it is....

Beauteous! !

There are several orchid farms in Mae Sa Valley area. If you are heading to the elephant camp, do stop by to sight the charming and classy flower species. Besides fresh orchids, Mae Ram also houses butterflies farm.

The farm also offers a variety of souvenirs such as orchid jeweleries, gold gilded orchids and butterfly ornaments.

Orchid & Butterfly Farm, Chiang Mai:

Mae Ram Orchid & Butterfly Farm
3/1 Moo 1, Km 5.5, Mae Rim - Samoeng Rd., Mae Rim, Chiang Mai.
☎ +66 (0)53-298801-2

Suan Bua Mae Sa Orchid Farm
331 Moo 1, Mae Rim - Samoeng Rd., Mae Rim, Chiang Mai.
☎ +66 (0)53-298564

Bai Orchid & Butterfly Farm
3/1 Moo 7, Mae Rim - Samoeng Rd., Rimtai, Mae Rim, Chiang Mai.
☎ +66 (0)53-299588

Sai Nam Phung Orchid & Butterfly Farm
60-61 Moo 6, Mae Rim - Samoeng Rd., Mae Rim, Chiang Mai.
☎ +66 (0)53-297152 / 298771-2

Mountain Orchid & Butterfly Farm
320/1 Moo 1, Rimtai, Mae Rim, Chiang Mai
☎ +66 (0)53-297343 ☎ +66 (0)53-299853

Breakfast @ Holiday Inn, Chiang Mai

I have not mentioned where we stayed in Chiang Mai... Did I?

Initially we booked Shangri-La hotel and too bad it's fully booked! Rather disappointing and we were then offered Holiday Inn instead and yea..... we stayed there!

We did not took any photos of the room!! Hhhmmm, it's well kept and clean, just that the lights are too dim.

Our room includes daily breakfast buffet- Our daily kick start!

Extensive buffet spread

	Satisfied	Average	Work On It!	Not Applicable
ENVIRONMENT
Ambience	*
Cleanliness	*
SERVICE
Speed		*
Friendliness	*
Product Knowledge				*
FOOD QUALITY
Taste	*
Freshness	*
Presentation	*
Variety	*
Value for money				*
BEVERAGE QUALITY
Taste	*
Variety	*
Value for Money				*

Overall Rating: 6/10

Address:

Holiday Inn
318/1 Chiang Mai-Lamphun Road,
Chiang Mai, 50000, Thailand

Khantoke dinner @ Chiang Mai

After Doi Suthep, the kind and understanding tour guide send us back to check in our hotel. Yea... we were all tired actually.

Feeling refresh after a bath, off we go to Khantoke for dinner!

Khantoke Palace @ Chiang Mai

Khantoke is actually a dining style. The meal is served on a wooden pedestral tray call "Khantoke", and the dishes are all authentic northern Thai delicacies.

Banana fritters were served before meal as appetizer and a bowl of clear chicken soup was served after that. And then a large wooden tray with bowls of Northern Thai delicacies were served.

• a bowl of fresh vegetables,
• a bowl of fried chicken,
• a bowl of mix vegetables,
• a bowl of pounded green chillies,
• a bowl of crispy pork skin,
• a bowl of stewed pork belly with peanut and tamarind sauce,
• a bowl of minced pork tomato paste
• a bowl of pumpkin fritters

All of the above are a fixed in a set and can be refill upon request. A simple and appetizing meal.

While enjoying our meal, there are performances of Thai classical dance and music. After the meal, sweet crispy rice and choice of coffee and tea will be served. There will be 9 dances and shows perform daily. Be entertained!

Due to time constraints and tiredness, we left after a few shows, the tour guide send the other family to the night market then us to our hotel as 2 of us ain't feeling well.

Thanks to our tour guide Xiao Yang, he sent us to the hospital opposite our hotel and helped us out.

Next day will be more interesting!