Asia has fascinated us since childhood. The stories and secrets of this exotic region have always been about legends, colorful stories and a bit of urban legends. Thailand was a country we always wanted and it was on our bucket list. So when Brydzia announced that "I bought tickets and we're flying out" we were both excited. After all, this would be our first trip to the far east Orient. We knew one thing, it certainly wouldn't be the last.
Despite the attractions of Bangkok or Phuket, one of our unforgettable memories was a trip to Chiang Mai (which we will write about later). And if you have already come this far, it would be a sin not to visit Wat Ring Khun aka White Temple. It is such an unusual and fascinating place. Throughout the entire complex, religious motifs intertwine with peculiar sculptures and monuments. Each of the statues, buildings, anything in side the temple walls had a hidden message, a deep thought but above all a dazzling beauty. 

How to get there

Our trip starts in Bangkok (probably as of 99.9% of visitors of Thailand) and we start working our way up north.  As they say, “There is more than one way to skin a cat.” (it’s just a metaphor and no cats will die) we own two kittens ourselves ha ha) This time we rented a car in Bangkok at the airport and headed north. We would like to remind you that in Thailand, you drive on the left side. However, as I mentioned earlier there are many options for getting around. 

The festers will be by air and takes about 2hr, Train (11hrs - 15hrs). You can find the schedule and accurate prices on Thailand Train 
Unlike the rest of Asia, Thailand's trains are comfortable, clean and on time. The main railway station in Bangkok is (also known as Bang Sue Grand Station).

Bus this is another alternative way of traveling slightly longer but under 24hr. There you also have variety of possibilities from different providers. Best way to fined your connection is on www.12go.asia or rome2rio.com 

If you are driving, it is a 3-hour drive from Chiang Mai to White Temple on the 118. You can also take advantage of organized tours that will take you to and from your hotel. There are so many agencies offering services and they change so often that it would be difficult to provide the name or address of such an agency. But we assure you that you will have no problem finding places. As always: price negotiations can be fruitful, so it is worth trying.

Where to stay

When you stay in Chiang Mai there are countless hotels, hostels, Airbnb to choose from. For every budget and every preference. Personally, we stayed for a few nights at “20 lodge“. We definitely recommend it. A very atmospheric place where you can really relax after a long day. You have to decide for yourself what is right for you.

Early Start and little of history  

Regardless of your form of transportation, early start is the key . Remember the journey itself is 3 hours to get there. If you are using a travel agency they will be relatively early.
There is coupe attractions on the way, however le put them on our return to Chang Mai route. Wang Pa Pao is one of them. But back to White Temple 
Originally Temple of Wat Rong Khun was bullied in 1979-1982 by 26 Thai artists of which Chalermchai is the most famous. He was the on who in later time purchased the temple, redesigned and overwatch the construction. The White Temple was completed in 1997 and open to public. May 5, 2014 was a day when a blow came to this place. A powerful earthquake damaged part of Wat Rong Khun. Chalermchai was ready to close it down permanently, however he manage to not only save the temple but get it in back to his original beauty or perhaps even more beautiful. The entrance fee is THB100, and the hours of operation from 8am-5pm. 
The full address : Pa O Don Chai, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand. 

When we crossed the gates of Temple, our eyes met a complex of snow-white buildings and squint. The bright whiteness makes an almost heavenly impression, and the pieces of mirrors shimmering in the slot were grinding, enhancing the impression of perfect cleanliness. I must admit that we were momentarily rooted to the spot with amazement and delight. Wherever we turned our eyes, we wanted to go there… where to begin?
You probably have ideal why the whole temple is white with lots, lots of mirrors… yes you are right :) it represent wisdom and purity of Buddha and desire for escaping of well known Buddhist reincarnation cycle. 

One of the most controversial sculptures is the bridge leading to the temple. On both sides of the bridge you can see outstretched hands in a request for help (prayer), skulls and even human bodies represent life from birth, the straggle of life and the hard road too Nirvana. 

The entire complex is an endless number of sculptures, monuments and all kinds of art. Elements of Buddhism and a modern character are mixed almost like in a fantasy world, full of monsters, space characters, aliens and good fairies.  Fascinating fact is that despite the plans to close the facility (as I mentioned earlier), it is now expanding with newer and newer monuments, sculptures, and murals. So when you get there, temple will continues to grow and every year there are more and more attractions. When you will visit White Tempel you will see more then us.  However, You definitely need to visit the wishing well and the love tree:) 

We left our note wish: "May our happiness last forever, Brydzia & Kris.“, (for non polish speaking readers) Our wishes came true.


“ Love and travel go hand to hand, they create memories lasting forever” 

In the complex you can also grab a bite to eat, and you certainly won't be disappointed. We can only tell you that when you return to your country, no Thai restaurant will be able to satisfy you. My favorite dish is Tam Yam soup (but we'll write about that in another post, so wait impatiently.

Our stay is coming to an end, and we are heading south towards Chiang Mai, but this is not the end of our adventures and on the way back, as I mentioned, we visited a few more places. The first stop was completely unforeseen and relatively short. Driving towards Wiang Pa Pao- Mae Chedi Mai we came across one of those "gems" that in our opinion are worthy of attention. Here stands a house, abandoned and neglected. The most interesting thing is that in Western culture it would probably have erased the graphite and inhabited by squatters. But here's a surprise, not only is it not inhabited but it is completely intact. For us, it was is a wonderful show of Thai folk crafts. We decided to do some searching and it was worth it. The whole house was filled with wooden products, from chandeliers to a stylish bed made of wooden logs. 

This short stop allowed us to stretch our legs before continuing our journey. In short 30 minutes ride on road 118 and we reach our destination. Wiang Pa Pao - Mae Chedi Mai is known for there hot springs and geysers. Here we also visited another example of Thai architecture and its majestic style with exceptional emphasis on detail. After a short stop we pick up where we left off … on the road :) from there it was straight shot down to Chiang Mai where we will stay for a little bit longer before we start going back to Bangkok.

Kris