Friday Flashback – Cooking, Tigers, & Trekking in Chiang Mai

Yours truly with a nice header

As I was running low on time before my flight to South Africa, I opted to fly from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai, rather than take the slow (and noisy) river boat.

Chiang Mai felt like Bangkok transplanted in the north. 

All the tourist-oriented businesses were present: tourist agents ready to book every activity in the region, internet cafes, hostels, and lots of cooking schools.

Plus, I was back in the land of 7-11's.

I spent a week in Chiang Mai, and that included a 3-day, 2-night hill tribe trek which was a mixed bag. 

For me, hanging out with tigers, learning to cook authentic Thai food, and shooting a machine gun were more fun. 

I now recommend that people go on a hill tribe trek in northern Laos for a more authentic, less developed experience.

• Landing in Chiang Mai
• Thai Cookery School
• Dare #15 – Completed – The Art of Muay Thai Boxing
• Befriending Tigers
• Soldier of Fortune – shooting my first machine gun
• Day 1 – Hill Tribe Trek
• Day 2 – Elephant Rides
• Day 3 – Whitewater Rafting
• Thailand – It's a Wrap

Next week, we leave Asia behind for South Africa!

Dave Lee

Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking and Feastio. He's been to 66 countries and lived in Colombia and Peru. Read the full story of how he became a travel blogger.