The SPA Resort and Its Beauty

After I've visited The Spa Resort, I've decided to make a small promotion for this lovely place. Not because they pay me for this or something, but just because this place was amazing!
The Spa Resort is a small hotel chain in Thailand, offering detox and other helth services in some picturesque locations.
There are several cottages for the customers to stay:

And this view you get from yoga area (check out for the rainbow): 
On the way to the SPA:

This place is not the one I can afford at the moment, but if I had a couple of extra $, I'd definitely fix my health here))
The SPA Resort web page

Huai Tung Tao lake and Doi Suthep viewpoint

Every single guidebook will get you the same information about sightseeing in the area. Instead of Lonely Planet, I want to get you acquainted with some places that are visited mostly by locals and unknown to the "traveling public"))

Huai Tung Tao lake
This large man-made lake, located in about 30 lm from Chiang Mai, is a great city escape. You can take part in a variety of activities here, including fishing, swimming, paddling on surfboards and windsurfing. Around the edge of the lake are bamboo rafts, which can be hired for a small amount per day. It is also a scenic spot to enjoy a picnic and the natural beauty of the north. Primarily a destination for Thais, it presents a good way to get off the tourist track.

Location:
Huay Tung Tao is just a few kilometers outside Chiang Mai city.
Take the Canal Road to the 700 year sport stadium, pass the stadium and after about 2 or 3 kilometers turn left, there is a sign as well.
Huay Tung Tao is open daily from 8:00 am – 5 pm, an entrance fee of 20 Baht per person is charged to Thai people and foreigners (no double or triple charge).
If You come after 5 o´clock afternoon, you´re still allowed to enter the recreation area,
without an entrance fee.Here's the map.

Another picturesque place is just further on the road to Doi Suthep, one of the most popular tourist destinations. Doi Suthep is a Wat (or a Temple) with a huge number of visitors not only among tourists but also locals and monks as it is kind of a sacred place, and there are 309 steep stairs to climb to reach it. What's the point, if you can see pictures of it everywhere???

For me it was much more exiting to get to the viewpoint and spend there some time looking at the mountains and the amazing sky))

Markets of Chiang Mai

I'd be very glad to prove that by visiting local markets you encounter the most authentic scenery of local life, but in fact there are different kinds that bring you totally different experience.

Sompet Market, located at the north-east of the Old City, is basically a daytime food market. It's a small place where all Thai Cook School students come to pick products for their Day Cooking Course (as if one day is enough to learn basics of Thai Cousine, although such Schools you can meet on the street almost as often as massage salon). Selection is not great here, prices are a bit higher than in other markets. It opens early in the morning, that's the only time when you have a chance to buy fresh meat. By noon you can buy grilled fish (from 60 baht) and other traditional "bag food" from big metallic bowls, including curries, cooked veggies and meat (from 20 baht per portion). Choice of fruit is limited to Pomelo (from 30 per pc), Pineapple (30 pc but clean yourself)), Watermelon (10 baht/kilo) and a few other, but just one or two stands, so no bargaining.

Warorot Market, instead, covers a massive territory. Here you can buy everything from raw products to numbers of cooked foods; from a plastic plate to a ring of gold. This market is open from morning to 5.30-6 pm, and right before the closure it becomes a massive canteen, with all dishes possible to cook in Thailand with "dine-in" (if I may call it so))))) to or take away options.
Pomelo -  30 (but bigger)), watermelon - 30, tangerines - 40 per kilo, date plum - 15bht for 6 pc, grapes, dragon fruits and many other.

Nearby there's a big flower market, in case you want to please someone beloved or make a day for beloved yourself))







Night Bazaar is a fully served tourist area with lots of not cheap international restaurants and relatively cheap clothes and souvenirs. Indeed, it's much cheaper than back home, but not comparing to what was going on here a few years ago. Still, if you friends fancy T-Shirts with "Same Same - But Different" prints, you'd better get it here.

In a few shops inside of Night Bazaar building you can still find really interesting crafts from Tibet and Nepal, but you have to look for them big time, and the prices will not be too low as these merchandisers know they sell valuable items.

Another option - Sunday Market. Every Sunday after the dawn Rachadamnoen road is closed for driving and transformed into a huge walking street. I'd say that the goods that they sell are much more interesting than the Night Bazaar's selection. Crafts, silks, unique items - all seem very tempting. Even I, a person who hates useless stuff, wanted to buy a lovely statue of Buddha)) A bit away from the main "action" you'll see bunches of cheap clothes, and quality is pretty decent.
As for the foods, they're sold everywhere, in all possible varieties. Recommended!

Finding accommodation

When you know nothing about the place you go, usually you search web for all information you might need. Unfortunately, your own experience might be different from everything you're read before.
I've chosen Centerplace Guesthouse Chiang Mai for their daily and monthly rates, from 200 baht/night or 3500/month. However, after a brief examination, I've decided to look for something else. WiFi is 50 baht/day or 350/month extra, renovated rooms are fine, but cheapest one is old, gloomy and very small.

Next stop - Le Bateau Ivre. On my request I was told that room rates start at 290, but it turned out they had only one cheapest room, and by my arrival it had been occupied. Moreover, this room didn't have a private bathroom. And it seemed to me that most of their rooms shared bathrooms, although I'm not sure.

I've checked about 20 guesthouses, cheapest price - 180 with shared bathroom, 200 with private.

Same Same Guesthouse is a backpackers paradise. I had a feeling that it was exactly the same room as Leo DiCaprio had in The Beach movie)) From 200bht with fan; WiFi is only in the restaurant.





Chada House became a stopover for me. My room was big, furnished with a wardrobe and a bed side table. The price was only 200 baht with free WiFi working very well. The owners are really nice, the place is reasonably clean (if you're not too picky), and there's a really cheap place to eat nearby. Minuses - rooster start yelling at 6am, so forget about late sleep; my window was 1 meter away from another building, so i could hear my neighbors scratching themselves))

The lattest - Kristi House, 14/2, soi 5, Ratchadamnoen rd., (053) 418 165
This is the place i loved most. Probably because of my lovely spacious room with a magical view)) 250 per night including a small fridge, mirror table, TV with many channels in English, 2 fans and wide comfortable bed))

Healthy Food in Chiang Mai

Well, it's been a week of my stay in Chiang Mai, and by now i've discovered a few lovely places i'd highly recommend you to visit. I shall start with healthy food restaurants, because we are what we eat, as some might say))

Tianzi Tea House and Health Food Restaurant

This lovely tea house is a part of big project aimed to change the way we treat nature and ourselves. Originally from China, the owners know a big deal about tea and will be happy to share it with you. This is the page where you can see some dishes from their menu (forgot to mention, it is purely vegetarian))): http://natureproducts.net/Food/health_food.html

I've tried cooked lentils (absolutely amazing), seaweed salad and wasabi broccoli was to die for)
Don't forget the tea ceremony!

Here's the address: http://natureproducts.net/Home/ChiangMai/ChiangMai.html


Another place that definitely deserves attention is the Blue Diamond. The main weakness of this place is its location. The rest is worth looking for it.
All dishes are made from pure and organic products, prices are reasonable, the menu is quite big with lots of vegetarian options, but meat lovers will definitely find something for themselves.

Pumpkin and spinach soups instantly fill you with energy, and the fresh vegetable salads with different toppings are served in such a huge bowls that one portion is good enough for two! Soups - 50 bht, salads - around 70, selection is immense.

The garden is very green, with a small pond full of golden fish. It's a nice place with very good food and ambiance.

35/1 Moonmuang, soi 9 (near Sriphum Moat corner) (053) 217120, open: 7am to 9pm (last call for kitchen - 8.30pm)

Also have a small shop with cosmetics, packaged and fresh food.
BTW, Google Maps give pretty exact location of this place. Highly recommended)