Chiang Mai, Thailand
The beautiful Sibsan Resort lies in the mountains just north of Chiang Mai. Two rivers wrap around the resort, and many elephant sanctuaries are just a hop, skip, and a jump away. We arrived late at night and on our morning walk, we were thrilled to hear the sounds of elephants surrounding us. There is a lookout tower, a bridge, and access to the river to watch the elephants and enjoy the mountain views. If you're fortunate enough to visit Chiang Mai, please know that not all of the sanctuaries hold the same standards, so we encourage you to search for ethical elephant sanctuaries and make the best choice for your family.
The beautiful Sibsan Resort lies in the mountains just north of Chiang Mai. Two rivers wrap around the resort, and many elephant sanctuaries are just a hop, skip, and a jump away. We arrived late at night and on our morning walk, we were thrilled to hear the sounds of elephants surrounding us. There is a lookout tower, a bridge, and access to the river to watch the elephants and enjoy the mountain views. If you're fortunate enough to visit Chiang Mai, please know that not all of the sanctuaries hold the same standards, so we encourage you to search for ethical elephant sanctuaries and make the best choice for your family.
Hill Tribe Village
Just a tuk-tuk ride across the street was the Ban Huay Pa Rai Hill Tribe Village. These Villagers have historically lived in Myanmar, but many have fled to Thailand over the years. The "long neck" woman are very friendly and loved interacting with the kids. The heavy rings around their necks are solid pieces of brass that push their shoulders and ribcages down. They hold onto their heritage through this tradition. We were the only family visiting, so it felt like an authentic peek into their lives. We purchased a handmade scarf, made at their knitting looms, and many of our souvenirs from their village.
Thai Elephant Home
We were fortunate to have found the Thai Elephant Home, just a 5 min tuk-tuk ride from our resort. This ethical sanctuary prides itself on caring for the elephants in a humane manner. They respect the animal by riding them bareback with only one adult per elephant. They believe the elephants are meant to hold weight on their upper back, rather than the center of their back with metal carriages holding multiple people. Upon arrival, we all changed into matching scrubs and received a briefing on how to interact and language to use with their extended family. Our adventure began by getting to know the elephants, and what better way than by offering them bananas...A LOT of bananas! Then, with excitement and a bit of anxiety, we mounted and rode our friends through the mountains with a trained guide walking beside each elephant. The most fun part was riding into the river and cooling off our friends with a nice bath. After bonding more with the elephants, our confidence was much higher on our ride back to their home. We were "experts" now and could relax on a new level and soak in this unbelievable animal and our shared experience.
We were fortunate to have found the Thai Elephant Home, just a 5 min tuk-tuk ride from our resort. This ethical sanctuary prides itself on caring for the elephants in a humane manner. They respect the animal by riding them bareback with only one adult per elephant. They believe the elephants are meant to hold weight on their upper back, rather than the center of their back with metal carriages holding multiple people. Upon arrival, we all changed into matching scrubs and received a briefing on how to interact and language to use with their extended family. Our adventure began by getting to know the elephants, and what better way than by offering them bananas...A LOT of bananas! Then, with excitement and a bit of anxiety, we mounted and rode our friends through the mountains with a trained guide walking beside each elephant. The most fun part was riding into the river and cooling off our friends with a nice bath. After bonding more with the elephants, our confidence was much higher on our ride back to their home. We were "experts" now and could relax on a new level and soak in this unbelievable animal and our shared experience.
Wat Ban Den
Wat Ban Den is one of Chiang Mai's largest remarkable temples. It was located between our resort and downtown Chiang Mai. Therefore, it was convenient to stop there on the way to the city. Since it's a little off the beaten path, it is not as crowded as some of the other temples in the area, which provided a more natural and peaceful atmosphere. Some believe that during One's lifetime, they should travel to a temple of their zodiac sign. Wat Ben is unique in that it has 12 pagodas, each one dedicated to a different zodiac sign. There are over 300 wats (Buddhist temple) in the Chiang Mai area, which is more than any other province in Thailand. Take your pick or do a multiple temple tour!
Wat Ban Den is one of Chiang Mai's largest remarkable temples. It was located between our resort and downtown Chiang Mai. Therefore, it was convenient to stop there on the way to the city. Since it's a little off the beaten path, it is not as crowded as some of the other temples in the area, which provided a more natural and peaceful atmosphere. Some believe that during One's lifetime, they should travel to a temple of their zodiac sign. Wat Ben is unique in that it has 12 pagodas, each one dedicated to a different zodiac sign. There are over 300 wats (Buddhist temple) in the Chiang Mai area, which is more than any other province in Thailand. Take your pick or do a multiple temple tour!
After visiting the temple, our hotel driver dropped us off in downtown Chiang Mai for a yummy Thai dinner and shopping at their famous, colorful, night market.
Phuket, Thailand
After 4 nights in Chiang Mai, we flew to the Island of Phuket. We stayed on the west side of the island with it's beautiful beaches, and on the north side away from much of the popular night life. The airport is also conveniently located on the northwest side of the island. A hint for those of you wanting to travel over Christmas, either book way in advance or get lucky with a last minute deal...neither of which we were able to do. Phuket has boomed, but there are still good deals and less busy beaches to be found. Surin Beach was just across the street from our hotel, and it was perfect for our family. It didn't feel over crowded and we weren't bothered by solicitors, yet it had the amenities of cute little pop up stands, a yummy restaurant overlooking the beach, plenty of lush tropical trees, and even affordable massages on the beach. The boys spent hours in the Andaman Sea happily playing without fighting, and Mariam enjoyed sunbathing with her international baby friends and occasionally dipping into the water.
12/24 Non-traditional but Oh-So-Amazing Christmas Eve Dinner
12/25 Phang Nga Bay
Merry Christmas! We used a great company for 2 tours while staying in Phuket. Phuket Sail Tours set us up on a big boat to Phang Nga Bay where we kayaked into the giant rock formations shooting out of the Strait of Malacca. This bay is famous for it's limestone cliffs, caves, and small islands, one being James Bond Island. The kids were awesome, and it was helpful that we were moving around from boat to kayak to island quite often. I could not help but feel so overwhelmed and pray that our children have a sense of the enormity of the beauty their little eyes have seen. What an adventure!
12/26- Hotel Pool and Beach Day
12/27- Phi Phi Islands & Maya Bay
This group of 6 islands is located between Phuket and Krabi and is a famous destination for snorkeling. This region became most popular after Ko Phi Phi Leh was used as the location for the film The Beach. Maya Bay has become one of Thailand's main attractions, and it was certainly clear why after stepping one foot into the sand. It felt like silk! I encouraged the boys to remember the feeling of the sand, because they may never feel anything like it again. The stunning cliffs, clear blue water, and silky white sand offer a beautiful experience, but it's certainly not secluded. There are concerns that the large amount of tourism is destroying the environment, and they are investigating ways to control this problem. There are no hotels on Ko Phi Phi Leh, but you can camp out and sleep on the bay. We were at the bay for a small part of our day, but we greatly enjoyed a day of island hopping with Phuket Sail Tours!
This group of 6 islands is located between Phuket and Krabi and is a famous destination for snorkeling. This region became most popular after Ko Phi Phi Leh was used as the location for the film The Beach. Maya Bay has become one of Thailand's main attractions, and it was certainly clear why after stepping one foot into the sand. It felt like silk! I encouraged the boys to remember the feeling of the sand, because they may never feel anything like it again. The stunning cliffs, clear blue water, and silky white sand offer a beautiful experience, but it's certainly not secluded. There are concerns that the large amount of tourism is destroying the environment, and they are investigating ways to control this problem. There are no hotels on Ko Phi Phi Leh, but you can camp out and sleep on the bay. We were at the bay for a small part of our day, but we greatly enjoyed a day of island hopping with Phuket Sail Tours!
12/28- Surin Beach Bums
Thailand, you are a beautiful country and we are so fortunate to have met you!
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