In this kind of situation, it is hard to travel abroad. But we can choose to stay here in Thailand and go on a trip too. We plan to go to Chiang Mai, one of the most popular tourist spots, full of both natural attractions and civilization. We will take a trip of 3 days and 2 nights, driving here and there so it is easy to travel in the city and outside. But first, we need a ticket for a cheap flight to Chiang Mai!

We booked a ticket with Traveloka and we got the best price available because of the feature called ‘Price Alerts’ which helped us to alert and notify us about the ticket prices from each airline. The app alerted us, we booked, we paid – that’s it. So, we finally got the cheap flight with ease!

After landing in the Chiang Mai Airport, we picked up our luggage and headed to the hotel. Of course, this trip is a road trip so we would need a car. We also booked a rental car with Traveloka, as it is cheap and convenient so we booked beforehand.

After contacting the staff and getting the car, we drove to Buchita Nimman. A nice, modern-style hotel with an affordable price. It is located near the city and other important attractions, so it was really a good decision!

We then moved to Doi Suthep, another famous hill that you should visit when you are in Chiang Mai. It requires you to drive up a hill just a little and won’t take too long. This place is an important temple for locals and tourists will also come and get a blessing.

The highlight of this trip is to pay respect and view the massive golden pagoda – very impressive under the blue sky. While you get to look at the beautiful scenery on top of the hill as well.

After that, we drove down and headed to the next destination which is Phrathat Doi Kham Temple (Temple of the Golden Mountain), another temple that is located on the hilltop. In this temple, there is a sacred statue of a famous TanJai Father, which local and tourists will come and ask for the blessings. It is said that if you come and wish for what you desire with this statue, it will come true within just a few days.

We had seen lots of jasmine flowers as a return offering for making the wishes come true. We also walked around and prayed with another big buddha statue in the temple and drove down into the city to find dinner.

We went directly to Nimman street, the most popular street in Chiang Mai that is full of restaurants, cafes and many more modern shops. The restaurant for the evening is called ‘Tong Tem Toh’. The place offers authentic northern Thai food with tasty dishes.

The recommended dish that everyone orders is a set of Khantoke, consisting of small Thai dishes that you should have. Don’t forget to order and try other delicious dishes but beware of the spicy taste too.

After we finished our dinner, we went and found another place for the desserts. Fruiturday is a dessert shop with dishes and drinks that are mostly made from fresh fruits. The shop also guarantees freshness so we knew we won’t be disappointed.

We really like coconut pudding, served with coconut milk as it smelled and tasted so good! Other dishes of tropical fruits are fresh and juicy. Good look, good taste – we really love this place.

Starting this second day with excitement! We rose early and decided to drive up a hill to Doi Inthanon. It took about 2 hours but the route was not that difficult. However, if you are not sure about your driving skill, you can always get service from a red local minibus too.

Be ready and be prepared! Because today, we will go trekking in the forests, walking up a hill. For a newbie it is a bit tiring and might not be suitable for elderly. The natural trail today is called ‘Kew Mae Pan’. The main objective is to walk up and reach the viewpoint. The view is totally worth the trip (and worth your cheap flight!) with a vast landscape of greenish big and small mountains. We had to contact the officer and each group will get one local guide so no worries about getting lost!

The route took about 3-4 hours with 3.2 kilometers. Mostly the path is flat with slightly uphill and downhill paths. So, we were okay with this trekking journey.

Green and lively forest surrounded us. We got to breathe in fresh air and walk through these trees – it really felt good with the atmosphere, the nature and the peacefulness.

After a while of walking, we made it to the destination on the hilltop. We were amazed with the fantastic view that we forgot the exhaustion. Fresh air, cool breeze, sunlight and clear sky – we felt so alive!

We then went easier for the next trip by heading to Pra Mahatat Noppamethanedontemple. We visited the place and prayed for some respects too.

Not only that, the surrounding was beautiful with flower gardens and fields. There are a variety of flowers that grow only in cold weather, so these are not some types you will see in Bangkok.

We took some shots with flowers and decided to go back in town and find some dinner in Nimman street again! There were a lot of restaurants and shops to explore and after an exhausting trip, we were ready for a full meal of dinner.

Last day in Chiang Mai, we decided to travel within the city as we had to prepare to catch our cheap flight back to Bangkok. So, café hopping and buying souvenirs were our agenda today. Headed and checked the café called ‘Groon’ a small and modern café which is famous for their home-made bread. Do not miss to try their garlic breads, be relaxed while sipping a cup of coffee. We also ordered a set of toasts with butter and jam – taste amazing with their home-made natural yeast as well.

Then we visited Gao Cafe Nimman, a Thai style breakfast restaurant that serves all-day breakfast dishes. With the concept of ‘Having breakfast without having to wake up early’ and very unique menus. We tried dry porridge, stir-fried khao soy and Thai desserts with good taste and beautiful decorations.

We enjoyed the meal with refreshing drinks! The shop is located in Nimman street Soi 7, which we can easily drive there from the hotel.

Our stomachs were full, then it was time to go shopping! We drove to Warorot Market, the biggest food market in the city. We bought back sausages, pork skins, chili paste and more famous northern food.

Then it was time to head back to Bangkok. We drove to the airport, returned the car and flew the cheap flight back. Ended our 3 days 2 nights trip in Chiang Mai with happy hearts. The trip was like we were planning -- relax, easy, chilling and enjoy the trip slowly and peacefully. Absorbing the slow-life of Chiang Mai people and forgetting the real world for a while.