Today I was horrible about writing in my journal, so a majority of what I remember is captured through pictures. Therefore, this will be a picture heavy post. Which, leads me to the first Thai Tip of the day… keep a journal! It doesn’t have to be a perfect or fully formed journal entry, but try to jot down what you did each day so you can look back on it later. I also love to write down inside jokes and little moments that make me laugh throughout the day. They’re the best to look back on in the future.
WRITE IT DOWN
Travel Tip #31
Today we slept in, but only barely because I can’t stand wasting time on vacations. There are two types of travelers and I am in the “cram as much into my trip as humanly possible” camp. After our relatively chill start to the day we rented a car and driver for the day to take us to Doi Intanon, which is the highest peak in Thailand. Doi Intanon National Park includes the mountain peak at 2,565 meters and also a large area of waterfalls and trails that overlook the mountains and jungles.
The drive to Doi Intanon from the hostel was about an hour and a half drive, but the early morning lighting and the everchanging landscape was entertaining for everyone.
On our way up to the peak we decided to stop at Sirithan waterfall. Sirithan waterfall is one of the smaller waterfalls in the park, but it’s still a decent 40 meters tall. The parking lot and ramp to the waterfall overlook are right off the main road, so I would still recommend this pit stop to anyone visitng the national park.
After leaving the Sirithan waterfall we drove the rest of the way up the mountain to the peak. At the top of the mountain there are beautiful views in all directions, but the main attraction are the two Royal Chedi’s or the Twin Royal Stupas. The two pagodas are Phra Maha Dhatu Naphamethinidon and Naphaphonphumisiri. Phra Maha Dhatu Naphamethinidon means “by the strength of the land and air” and Phra Maha Dhatu Naphaphonphumisiri means “being the strength of air and the grace of land.” These buildings are Buddhist places of worship and when visiting you should always be respectful of the rules and signs around the pagodas.
Today was foggy, which at first seemed like a negative, but the fog made walking around the Naphamethinidon and Naphaphonphumisiri pagodas feel almost magical. The luscious greens and colorful flowers had such a contrast against the grey cloudy sky. It was truly beautiful. We went to both of the pagodas and spent a long time reading the history of Buddhism. In one of the chedi’s there were murals on every wall and signs in front of the murals that translated the history into English.
Understand the history
Travel Tip #32
We spent a long time at the top of the mountain because the garden and surrounding area was stunning. After the fulfilling stop at Phra Maha Dhatu Naphamethinidon and Naphaphonphumisiri we got back in the car and drove to Wachirathan Falls. The name Wachirathan Falls translates to diamond creek and after visiting I can see how the waterfall got it’s name. It was breathtaking. The sunlight hits the water and the surrounding forest in a way that makes everything shine and sparkle like diamonds, even on a cloudy day.
Bask in the beauty of thailand
Travel Tip #33
We entered the Wachirathan Falls area under the waterfall and then decided to walk away from the waterfall and further down the river. We explored for awhile and took lots of photos, then we headed back to the car. I love going on mini hikes around main tourist attractions. They’re the best places to find little hidden gems.
go on a hike
Travel Tip #34
After our late night last night and our long day today, everyone was exhausted on the drive home. I didn’t want anyone to throw off their sleep schedule, so I made sure nobody got too much sleep on the drive back. They’re lucky they have me ;p
When we got back to the hostel we all took naps to recharge and then we went out to explore more local markets and obviously more bars. It started raining around midnight, but we stayed outside in the rain waiting for our quintessential late night Thailand street food.
Eat the street food
Travel Tip #35
