Temples and Street Food!

Chiang Mai is known as the City of Temples (and also the City of Smiles, since the people are so friendly).

There are over 300 temples, and they are so intricate, ornate, and absolutely beautiful.  We only got a few pics of some of the smaller ones.

One morning we were up before the crack of dawn.  A driver picked us up from our hotel at 5:00 a.m., and took us up to Doi Suthep, the highest point in the mountains around Chiang Mai. 

This is the most famous temple, and people say you haven't been to Chiang Mai until you've been to Doi Suthep, so we figured that would be our first bigger excursion.  After a twisty drive up the mountain, we then had to walk up over 300 steps.

Once inside we got to hear the monks doing their morning chants, and later we gave the monks food (they can only eat what is given to them).  We enjoyed our time at Doi Suthep, and got to see the whole city down below, which was really nice.

When we were leaving our guide got us a couple different foods to try.  These little coconut milk pancake things were soooo good, and Christopher kept looking for more of them during the rest of our stay.

We also had meat kebabs that were so juicy and flavourful, and sticky rice, which they often serve in a bag.  You either rip off a chunk with your fingers, or fold down the bag and take a bite.

Many of the temples are found in the Old City behind the ancient wall.

But they are basically all over the place; you don't need to go searching.

There are also markets all over in Chiang Mai, and big evening markets each night, with larger ones on the weekends.

The markets are full of delicious street food.  We aren't too big on buying souvenirs, or stuff in general, so we mostly just tried the foods.

It's all very, very cheap, and really tasty.

With the markets, temples, and the incredible nature, there is just so much to see in Chiang Mai.

What's the most beautiful city you've ever visited?

Breakfasts in Chiang Mai

At Akyra Manor our breakfast was included each day of our stay, at their lovely restaurant, Italics. 

They have a large breakfast menu, and each person can choose two dishes from it (they are smaller sized portions), in addition to choosing items from the buffet (juices, cereals, pastries, cheese, meats, etc.).

And if that's not enough, the servers also bring out a tiered tray each morning with fresh fruit, baking, and a hot dish.  Between the tiered serving tray, the buffet, and the menu items, we had more than enough to eat.

We had breakfast at Italics a lot, but also wanted to head out to try a few other places.

One restaurant we really enjoyed, and visited twice, was Manifreshto.  Their fresh smoothies and juices were excellent.

Another day we went to the beautiful outdoor eating area at Rustic and Blue.  Christopher had a smoothie bowl, and I barely made a dent in the massive plate of chicken and waffles.

One afternoon we were wandering and came across Fuu, not far from our hotel.  I had been wanting to try soufflé pancakes for a while, so we made sure to stop in for breakfast.

They tasted just as delicious as I expected them to, and we went back one more time before our trip was over.

The breakfast options in Chiang Mai are endless.  Khao soi is also a popular breakfast item!  I usually lean toward savory breakfasts, but the waffle from Italics, and those soufflé pancakes swayed me to the sweet side, at least for a few days.

Do you prefer a sweet or savory breakfast?