This rainy season makes me think of "him". In this weather, I should go see "him".

Having fallen in love with Chiang Mai during the rainy season, I decided to return this year. Initially, I booked two zero-baht tickets for myself and my boyfriend, planning to ride a motorbike to Baan Rai Biew. However, another friend wanted to join us, but the AirAsia tickets were too expensive (without a promotion, they're incredibly pricey). So, we opted for VietJet instead. The prices varied depending on the time slot, but they were significantly cheaper than AirAsia.

Due to time constraints and potential safety concerns associated with riding a motorbike, we decided against staying at Baan Rai Biew. Additionally, contacting the accommodation proved challenging, with calls going unanswered and reservations unavailable until a specific booking window. Consequently, we opted to stay at an alternative location.

Our travel days were different. We flew from Don Mueang Airport, while my sister and her four friends flew from Suvarnabhumi Airport (fancy!).

Regardless of your arrival method, we will meet at the designated meeting point 55 and take a van to our destination. It's worth mentioning that for all our travels in Chiang Mai, we rely on the services of the Soupvan cnx. team. Their excellent driving skills and outstanding service make them our preferred choice.

8:00 AM and we're off! (Traveling early can be a hassle, but the upside is getting to explore sooner. We'll take it!) Some of us had already eaten, while others grabbed something at 7-Eleven. As for me, I couldn't resist the discounted snacks and grabbed some breakfast on the plane. 100 baht for a meal on a plane is considered cheap, but if you were to eat it on the street, it would be ridiculously expensive. Haha! (Oh well, consider it a 0 baht ticket, and let's just share the profits with them.)

The first stop was the community near the temple. It was early, only 8:30 am, and there weren't many people around. Plus, the shops weren't open yet. It was actually a good thing because I could walk around and take pictures without anyone else being there.

Upon entering, there are several small shops selling various goods.

Fresh and delicious passion fruit, only 60 baht per bag.

Oh, there's no age limit, right? Okay, okay, I can enter. 55

A popular spot among teenagers, offering a spacious area for various activities and an open field below.

A multitude of picturesque angles for capturing stunning photographs.

♥♥♥

I will book a ticket to stay in the city and come back to visit again.

Many places are very comfortable to sit in.

And then we continue to Wat Umong, which is the 55th round for us.

Local gang controls the alleyway.

This lush greenery makes it clear where we are.

And then we went to pay respects to the Buddha at Wat Phra That Si Chom Thong, the temple for people born in the year of the Rat. Haha, we're done, aren't we, Na?

May this year's unlucky elephant calf recover from its months-long leg injury. Wishing for a speedy recovery.

The weather is perfect today, so every photo turns out beautifully.

Before checking into our accommodation, we stopped by the Khao Makham coffee shop for a quick caffeine fix.

The shop is stylish and comfortable to sit in.

The coffee was also delicious, which was a hit with all six of us. Excellent.

Let's go sit and enjoy the breeze upstairs.

If the upper seats are full, you may sit in the lower seats.

After that, we checked into our accommodation.

Our host, Khun Tai, welcomed us with sweet and fragrant longans from her garden next door. It was a truly refreshing treat.

We have booked a spacious two-story house for 8 people at an affordable price of 2,000 baht. The booking includes breakfast.

The lower floor can accommodate four people.

The upper floor is the same.

I like the bathroom upstairs. When you open the door, the ventilation is very good. 555

No need for ventilation, haha.

The surroundings of the house.

The period I visited was the beginning of the rice planting season. If you want to see more greenery, you'll have to wait another two months when the rice fields will be full of green.

In the cool of the evening, I sat and relaxed in front of my house. It was truly wonderful.

The smaller house, called "Heuan Khwan," was empty of guests today, so we took the opportunity to take some photos outside.

The front porch is very charming.

How wonderful it would be if the rice fields were full! ♥

As they waited for dinner, some napped, some chatted, and some went for a bike ride. What a blissful moment.

In the evening, we will have a Khantoke dinner together. (Please order in advance so that the owner can prepare it for you.)

Enjoy a delicious dinner in a traditional "khantoke" setting, surrounded by rice paddies. The meal features a curated selection of local delicacies, offering a truly authentic culinary experience. At only 350 baht per person, this is an exceptional value for an unforgettable evening.

Eating while watching the sunset.

And another surprise this year! Two birthday cakes for us and Toi. Thank you! ♥♥♥

The morning mist can be seen in the distance in front of the house.

Thank you, friend T'oy, for the birthday gift. It's the most delicious coffee in the world.

A warm bowl of rice porridge for breakfast before saying goodbye… Bye-bye, I'll visit again soon! #HuernKwanKhao

I have arrived at Doi Inthanon. Thank you for the beautiful clothes from README.

During the rainy season, you will encounter dense fog and cool, refreshing air. (But hopefully it won't rain!)

Grab your winter clothes and raincoats.

Even greener.

The contrasting colors are truly striking.

Every time we visit the Ang Ka Nature Study Trail, we always pay our respects at the "Shrine of the Honorable Official." We pray for wealth and opportunities to visit him frequently without any inconvenience. This is our third visit, and we hope for many more. Amen.

The baby elephant is truly adorable.

It's out now. I'll be back later.

Let's grab some souvenirs, but life is harder these days. Due to carry-on restrictions of no more than 7 kilograms, we, as cheapskates, have to think twice. Haha.

Dried fruits are delicious this season. I often buy them as souvenirs during the winter, but the candied/dried fruits are too dry, old, and not delicious. I suspect they were made a long time ago. But this season, they are juicy, fresh, and delicious.

Afterward, we had lunch at the welfare store, which was still delicious and crowded as usual. Once our stomachs were full, we went for a coffee break.

The cafe is cute, but the coffee taste is just okay (it's just passable) for the six of us. Others might like it, but this is just our personal opinion.

A small rice field in front of the shop

Before heading to the airport, I had some time to spare, so I decided to stop by this place. I've seen many foreigners visit here frequently.

The entrance fee of 50 baht per person is considered very expensive and not worth it. The visit lasted only 5 minutes before it started raining, forcing them to leave.

It's starting now.

Before entering the airport, I received an SMS/email notification informing me of a new flight time of 23:30 instead of 22:40, a delay of 50 minutes. I checked my boarding pass and was lucky enough to change my flight to 21:15. The other four people returned at 22:10 and arrived in Bangkok safely and happily. See you again on our next trip to Chiang Rai! Bye-bye.

Excluding airfare.