Chiang Dao: Precisely As Advertised

After bidding a miserable farewell to my sweet Kevin, Michael and I headed north to a little town called Chiang Dao to do some exploring. 

We had very few expectations, but everything we did lived up to its name. Three examples to illustrate:

1. Our hotel was called "Chiang Dao Privacy." We were the only people there. 

We had our own little bungalow and the view was spectacular.

The rooms were simple, but perfectly rustic and cozy. See mosquito net for function and ambience. 

Also it came with a tiny puppy who sat outside our door and waited for us to give if scratches and snacks. We obliged.

 

Because we were the only patrons of the establishment, the Proprietor (whose name we never were able to understand/pronounce) acted as our personal guide all afternoon. He took us three places: a cave, a temple, a restaurant for dinner. 

2. First we went to a placed called "Chiang Dao Cave." It is a cave, located in Chiang Dao. 

This is where the Burmese army lived while preparing to invade what is now Thailand. It costs 40 baht/person to get in, plus 200 baht "if you want" a (required) guide with a lantern to show you through the cave. Would have rather done it on our own, but somebody's got to pay for the wifi, amiright?

Then we went to a beautiful temple 510 steps up a hillside which was very meditative and peaceful. 

The view from the top is all jungle. Chiang Dao is a common vacation destination for Thai people, but not so much for internationals. Since it's off-season, we pretty much had the place to ourselves (if you don't count the monks).

3. Finally it was time for dinner. Proprietor took us to this restaurant named "Chiang Dao Good View."

Way to under-promise and over-deliver, Chiang Dao. I appreciate your natural beauty and straightforward naming convention. Add us to your list of satisfied customers.