Cafe hopping at Nimmanhaemin, the hip and chic part of Chiang Mai

12 January 2018

Our trip to Chiang Mai was with old school friends. So we planned a lazy morning in Chiang Mai where we would do little but explore cafes in the Nimmanhaemin area, known to be the chic and trendy part of Chiang Mai.

The Nimman area includes the main Nimmanhaemin Road, which runs south from Maya Shopping Mall on Huay Kaew Road, cutting through the city’s bustling university area towards the airport, plus all the small Soi or side lanes along the Nimmanhaemin Road.

Prior to the trip, we did some research on the best cafes in this area and one stood out. We made this cafe our first stop since it opens pretty early too.

After a light breakfast at the Movenpick Suriwongse Hotel, we took a songthaew to Ristr8to, located at Nimmanheamin Road, Soi (Lane) 3.

The Ristr8to store located at Nimmanheamin Road, Soi (Lane) 3.

This cafe is supposed to be the best coffee shop in Chiang Mai. The owner worked for many years in Australia, won awards for his latte art and brought back the secret skills of good coffee to Chiang Mai.

We later found that there is another Ristr8to store, located nearby along the main Nimmanheamin Road itself. That store seemed more crowded. I actually prefer the one we went to at Lane 3 (called Ristr8to Lab) as it is less crowded and the surroundings were more peaceful, being on a side lane instead of the busy main road.

Coffee roasting machines.

Sample of the signature coffee available at Ristr8to.

Check out the cool latte art works on our Signature coffees at Ristr8to.

With the cool and non humid winter weather, it was great to sit on the terrace, sipping the freshly brewed, carefully blended coffee with old school mates.

After Ristr8to, we wandered up and down the next side lane, and then the next lane, discovering the quirky themed cafes, boutiques and spa/massage places along the way.

Another cool themed cafe at Nimman area.

We saw some cafes that were recommended in internet but now permanently closed. Managing a cafe business in Chiang Mai is not so easy after all.

We made a stop at Rustic and Blue, located at Nimmanhaemin Road, Soi 7.

Sitting under a large mango tree in a courtyard garden, we had specially blended, caffeine-free fruit and flower tea, plus some delicious tacos.

Yes, caffeine-free organic tea. We cannot be drinking coffee the whole morning.

Rustic and Blue served specially blended organic tea that is caffeine free.

Delicious BBQ pork tacos, with spicy roasted chilli sauce, Jalapeno sauce, cheese and corn tortillas for 285 THB.

We ended our morning of cafe hopping at the Kao Soi Nimman, to have Chiang Mai’s signature curry noodle dish called Khao Soi for lunch. This is not a cafe but a restaurant that opens later, in time for the lunch time crowd. Located along Soi 7, it is quite popular and had a number queuing system.

Sitting area at Khao Soi Nimman.

The restaurant serves an extensive range of Thai dishes but we ordered the Chicken and BBQ Pork Khao Soi. The delicious bowls of curry noodles came with small bowls of chopped shallots and pickled vegetables to add on as toppings. The portions are not large and priced around 69 to 79 THB per bowl.

Chicken Khao Soi at Kao Soi Nimman

BBQ Pork Khao Soi at Kao Soi Nimman, with the optional toppings of chopped shallots and pickled vegetables added.

Overall, Kao Soi Nimman is a good place to have lunch or Khao Soi when in the Nimman area.

In one morning, we only had time to check out 3 places in Nimmanhaemin. I am sure there are a lot more interesting and excellent cafes and eating places in this area. The next time we visit Chiang Mai, we will be back here again to explore more.

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An afternoon of fishing at the Bo Sang Fishing Park in Chiang Mai

12 January 2018

After a lazy morning of cafe hopping at the chic Nimmanhaemin area, we went to Bo Sang Fishing Park to burn some calories. This was the second time I did some fishing in Chiang Mai. I came to catch the giant Mekong Catfish back in December 2014 (Trip report). It was so fun that I promised that I will be back to do more fishing if I do visit Chiang Mai again.

Once again, I contacted Big Game Fishing Adventure Tour to arrange for a fishing guide and Elf was our guide this time.

Elf picked our group of 2 guys and 3 ladies up from the Nimmanhaemin area in his car. Only the guys from our group did the fishing. The ladies came along to observe, give encouragement and to enjoy the tranquil surroundings at the park.

Bait and tackle were all provided by Elf, our guide.

The weather was cooler than normal, perfect for an afternoon out in the open. Elf was concerned that the fish may be less active with the lower temperature. His concerned was unfounded as a fish took the bait almost as soon as it was cast into the pond.

First fish on the hook almost instantly.

First Mekong Catfish caught. Not the largest but strong enough to give a decent fight for about 5 minutes.

Elf provided some instruction to my fishing companion. In no time, he was busy in a tug of war with a fish across the line. He took about 10 minutes to land his first catch.

Jiang’s whopper.

All the fish caught was released back into the pond. We took photos of the larger fishes caught. It was not easy to lift the slimy and heavy (approximately 25 to 30 kg) fish up for a photo.

One of the smallest caught.

Last catch for the day. By then, my arms were too tired to lift the fish up for a photo. 

Between the two of us, we caught at least 5 decent size whoppers and many smaller ones. This was more of the bigger fish than my last time here at Bo Sang Fishing Park. By the end of the day, my arms felt like they were made of lead. 

Unlike the last time where I was provided with a gimbal belt to support the rod during the fight with a big fish, this time I had to support the rod using my body. I later discovered a round bruise on my body where I had rested the end of my fishing rod during the fights with the giant catfishes.

That evening, we had dinner at the Green Chilli Thai Restaurant located at 143 Loi Kroh Road, in the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar area. This restaurant is owned and operated by Mr Suvit, the owner of Big Game Fishing Adventure Tour. Elf, our fishing guide, also worked in this restaurant in the evening. The restaurant serves good Thai food at a reasonable price and is ideal for casual dinner out with a group of friends.

We ended our last evening in Chiang Mai with two hours of soothing massage at the Fah Lanna Massage place, along the same Loi Kroh Road.

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Visit to Wat Phra Singh, Fern Forest Cafe and Khao Soi Khun Yai

13 January 2018

We had nothing really planned for our last morning in Chiang Mai before taking the afternoon flight home. Four of us decided to go explore more of the Old City while one decided to spend her morning relaxing in the Movenpick Suriwongse Hotel.

We took the songthaew or “red trucks” to Wat Phra Singh. By now, we were getting good in hailing a songthaew and getting to our destination. The songthaew are shareable public taxis made from converted pickup trucks and are the cheapest option to get around Chiang Mai on four wheels.

Wat Phra Singh is located inside the old city wall, at the western end of Ratchadamnoen Road. Our songthaew alighted us inside the compound of Wat Phra Singh, right in front of the main prayer hall. 

The main prayer hall Viharn Luang of Wat Phra Singh.

 

Gold and copper image of a seated Buddha inside the main prayer hall of Wat Phra Singh.

This impressive main prayer hall or viharn houses a very highly revered Buddha image named Phra Chao Thong Tip. This gold and copper image of a seated Buddha was cast in 1477.

There were lots of donation boxes, all for different causes inside the prayer hall. There was a prayer in progress and we stood to observe and listen to the chants for a while.

Vegetarian food for after the prayer session.

 

Leaving the main prayer hall, we turned left and came to a small elaborate building (library) built on a high stone base. The base has many beautiful carvings which have recently been renovated.

This small elaborate Lanna style building next to the prayer hall is the library or scripture repository. It has a stone base to protect precious manuscripts from flooding and pest.

One of the many Buddhist spirit figures at the sides of the base of the library. 

Behind the main prayer hall, there was a large impressive golden chedi, with golden elephants emerging from all four sides. The chedi had been restored and renovated many times to its present glided state.

Large impressive golden chedi, with golden elephants emerging from all four sides.

Another golden chedi at Wat Phra Singh.

We made the mistake of just walking past and not entering the Viharn Lai Kam at Wat Phra Singh. This prayer hall or viharn houses the Phra Singh Buddha or Lion Buddha that gave this temple its name.

From Wat Phra Singh, we headed northwards to continue our exploration of the old city. We stopped and took a look inside the 99 The Gallery Hotel after an antique car at its front caught our attention. This is quite a nice boutique hotel located across from Wat Phra Singh.

Antique car outside the 99 The Gallery Hotel. This car has an antenna for a radio.

Outside of the Fern Forest Cafe, with hanging bird’s nests as part of its decor.

We stumbled upon a cafe set within beautiful surroundings. Called the Fern Forest Cafe, a coffee-break in its “fern forest” was very relaxing.

We sat in the open courtyard although the inside of the cafe is nicely furnished. There is even a pianist playing live music inside.

There is a nice Koi pond outside the building, with quite tame koi that will kiss your hand if you put them into the water.

Our last destination for the day was Khao Soi Khun Yai or Grandma’s Khao Soi, a nondescript roadside curry noodle shop in northern perimeter of the Old Town. Khao Soi is Chiang Mai’s signature dish and visitors to Chiang Mai should try this dish at least once.

I had eaten several Khao Soi during this trip. This place is reputed to have the best Khao Soi in Chiang Mai and so it is a good place for lunch when visiting Chiang Mai.

It is popular with locals and getting very popular with travellers who made a planned lunch stop here, just to taste the best Khao Soi.

Beef Khao Soi at Khao Soi Khun Yai with crispy deep fried noodles as toppings.

A slice of lime, chopped onions and pickled vegetables to add as toppings.

We ordered a bowl of Beef Khao Soi (40 THB) and a bowl of Chicken Khao Soi (35 THB) per couple for sharing. The dark brown curry has a unique flavour that made this Northern Thai dish special. 

I would recommend the Beef Khao Soi if you are only having one bowl. The pieces of beef are nicely cooked, tender and flavourful.

In any case, the portions are small and I could have eaten 2 bowls if I was really hungry.

The stall also sells iced drinks made from dried longan berries that complement the spicy noodles nicely.

Location of Khao Soi Khun Yai:

Located between the temples Wat Rajamontean and Wat Khuan Khamaon, on the inner perimeter of the North moat of the Old City. The stall is under a shed, slightly off the road, next to an open area.

Operating hours: 10 AM – 2 PM, Monday to Saturday.

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Trip Overview – 8 Days in Central Vietnam covering Lang Co, Hue and Hoi An

We spent 8 days in Central Vietnam in September 2017, just before the rainy season (October to February) which usually causes floods in Hoi An. We flew into and out from Da Nang city. Da Nang is the gateway to Hue and Hoi An, known for their UNESCO World Heritage sites. It is also the gateway to many beach-front luxury resorts, with Banyan Tree Lang Co being one of the best.

We spent 2 days at Banyan Tree Lang Co, 2 days in Hue and 4 days in Hoi An. Most people will prefer to spent more time in beautiful and historic Hoi An and skip Hue. I decided to stay a couple of days in Hue, a UNESCO World Heritage city well-known for its historic imperial city (Citadel) and imperial tombs.

Like Hue, Hoi An has plenty of history still intact. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Hoi An was a small scale trading port in Southern Vietnam. The old town has many well-preserved buildings that reflects both indigenous and foreign cultures, especially Chinese, Japanese and later European. These places include houses of prominent people, assembly halls, communal houses, shrines, temples, bridge, market and wharf. Hoi An was included in UNESCO World Heritage list in 1999.

Most visitors to Hoi An planned at least a 3-days stay. There is plenty to do at Hoi An. For those looking to make cheap and good suits, Hoi An has many tailor shops that can provide custom-made suits within 3 days. A beautiful beach is within reach by bikes or taxi from the town center. The rural countryside around the Hoi An town is also nice to explore using bikes.

Since we had already spent some time at a beach resort and had already seen a bit of rural Vietnam, we skipped these activities in Hoi An. Our activities included an early morning private tour to Mỹ Sơn, a half day cooking class at Thuan Tinh Island, sampling the local Hoi An cuisine, shopping and exploring the ancient town.

The following summarises my itinerary and where we stayed.

Day 1 (23 September 2017)

This day was spent travelling from home to Da Nang International Airport. We were picked up by staff from Banyan Tree Lang Co and transferred to the beach-front luxury resort for our weekend of bliss and pampering.

Banyan Tree Beach Villa

Where we stayed: Banyan Tree Lang Co 

Trip report – Our stay at Banyan Tree Lang Co

Day 2  (24 September 2017)

There are plenty of activities to keep guests occupied within and outside the Banyan Tree resort. These include cooking classes, golf, yoga, excursions to Hue or Hoi An, cycling, water sports or just enjoying the villa facilities.

My wife did “yoga by the beach” at 6 AM, followed by breakfast. As part of the Banyan Tree Community Reward Stay programme, we were treated to an eco-tour of Lang Co. 

Exploring rural Vietnam in an eco-tour.

The itinerary included a visit to a nearby fishing village in Canh Duong where we learnt about the hard life of the local fishermen, navigate through mangroves in a traditional basket boat, see the beautiful Lap An lagoon and also travel along a winding road up the Hai Van Pass, a journey made famous by an episode of a popular TV programme Top Gear.

Where we stayed: Banyan Tree Lang Co 

Day 3  (25 September 2017)

More free and easy activities at the Banyan Tree Resort before checking out. The award-winning Banyan Tree Spa is not to be missed.

We used the private car transfer service provided by the resort to travel to Hue.

Entrance to the Imperial Palace at the Citadel, a UNESCO world Heritage site.

After checking into our hotel in Hue, we did the walking tour of the Citadel, a UNESCO world Heritage site.

Where we stayed in Hue: Saigon Morin Hotel.

The Saigon Morin Hotel is a historic, French colonial-era hotel, located next to the Truong Tien Bridge and Perfume (Huong) River. On Le Loi Road in the city center, it is ideally located for walking to the Citadel, Dong Ba market, shopping, restaurants & bars.

Trip Report - Visit to the Citadel in the city of Hue at Central Vietnam

Day 4  (26 September 2017)

Lake at the tomb of Tu Duc or Khiem Tomb.

We allocated our second day in Hue to visit three of the most impressive tombs of Nguyen emperors. Some of the tombs actually served as palaces and living spaces for their families when they were very much alive.

The best way to visit the tombs was to hire a private taxi with an English-speaking driver for the whole day so we could visit these places at our own pace, while the taxi waited for us outside. In addition to the 3 tombs, we also made a stop at the Thien Mu pagoda.

Where we stayed in Hue: Saigon Morin Hotel.

Trip Report – Our stay the Saigon Morin Hotel

Trip Report - Three Tombs and a Pagoda. Must see sights in Hue, Central Vietnam

Day 5  (27 September 2017)

After Hue, our next destination in central Vietnam is Hoi An. The best way to travel between Hue and Hoi An is to hire a private car with a driver for a day to take us through peaceful rural landscapes, scenic coastal route across the Hai Van Pass and make sightseeing stops along the way. 

Lap An lagoon

The 128 km journey would take about 3 hours of driving, excluding stops. With stops for lunch, sightseeing and taking photographs along the way, we could depart Hue in the morning and arrive at Hoi An in the evening.

Most private taxi operators’ itineraries include suggested stops at My Khe Beach in Da Nang, Marble Mountains, Lang Co beach, Lap An lagoon, top of Hai Van Pass or even an optional stop (with additional fees payable) at a swimming place called the Elephant Springs.

The famous tiled-roofed Thanh Toan Bridge.

I requested for an additional stop at the famous tiled-roofed Thanh Toan Bridge, located 8 km east of Hue city. Tour From Hue – Family Car Transfers & Tours was happy to include that into our itinerary without additional charges.

Spent the evening at Hoi An riverside. Not to miss is the night market with many stalls and colourful lanterns for sale.

Night market with many stalls and colourful lanterns for sale.

Where we stayed in Hoi An: Tea Garden Homestay. This relatively low cost, family operated guesthouse is located close to the Hoi An Ancient Town and is perfect for exploring this historic town on foot.

Trip report - Scenic road trip from Hue to Hoi An, via Hai Van Pass, Da Nang and Marble Mountains

Day 6  (28 September 2017)

We attended a half day cooking class in Hoi An on our first morning. There are many cooking schools providing half day classes in Hoi An. I signed up with Thuan Tinh Island Cooking School, partly because of good reviews and partly because of recommendation from my relatives who visited Hoi An before.

The rest of the day was spent free and easy exploring the sights and cuisine of Hoi An.

Trying the street food in Hoi An

Where we stayed in Hoi An: Tea Garden Homestay.

Trip report - Visit to Hoi An’s morning market and cooking class at Thuan Tinh Island

Trip Report - What and where to eat while in Hoi An

Day 7  (29 September 2017)

Ruins at My Son Sanctuary

A visit to Hoi An would not be complete without a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage cultural site of Mỹ Sơn. My Son Sanctuary was once the religious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom who ruled Central Vietnam from 4^th to 15^th century.

It is best to go early in the morning when it is much cooler and there would be less people at the site. We signed up for the Sunrise My Son Tour with Tommy Dao Tours with pick up from our hotel at 5 AM! Sacrificing a bit of morning sleep is well worth it.

Exploring Hoi An ancient town

We arrived back to Hoi An at about 10 AM in the morning. The rest of the day was spent exploring the cuisine and shopping in Hoi An at a leisurely pace. The ancient town and Thu Bon river side area is very beautiful at night when the lanterns are lit.

Hoi An riverside in the evening.

Where we stayed in Hoi An: Tea Garden Homestay.

Trip report - Visit to My Son Sanctuary, Champa ruins near Hoi An and Da Nang

Trip Report - Enjoying UNESCO World Heritage Hoi An in the evening

Day 8  (30 September 2017)

This is another free and easy day for us to explore Hoi An ancient town. One of the highlights of visiting Hoi An is to explore the insides of some of these places.

Insides of one of the assembly hall.

We bought a ticket for the ancient town with 5 coupons that allows entry into 5 historical places of our choice.

Where we stayed in Hoi An: Tea Garden Homestay.

Trip Report - 5 places to visit while exploring Hoi An’s UNESCO World Heritage old town

Trip report - 4 free and easy days in Hoi An

Day 9 ( 31 September 2017)

Travel from Hoi An to Da Nang Airport for our morning flight home.

Other trip planning tips and considerations

Buy a Data SIM card in Da Nang International Airport

A 30 day data SIM with unlimited data, LTE, from Viettel cost USD 5.5, a fraction of the price compared to what we had to pay in most countries. The card can be purchased in the luggage collection area of the airport. The staff even helped us to install and activate the card.

Buy a combo ticket when visiting the Citadel and the Imperial tombs in Hue.

Entry to the Citadel and the various Imperial tombs are chargeable. We saved some money by buying a combo ticket instead of paying the entrance fees to each place separately. This combo ticket is sold at the ticket booths outside these places.

Note: Entry to the Thien Mu Pagoda is free.

While there are group tours to the above places that cost less, we prefer to travel at our own pace. Public transport within Hue is almost non-existent and imperial tomb sites are distributed all over the outskirt of Hue city. It made sense to hire a private taxi with an English-speaking driver for the whole day so we could visit these places at our own pace and with less hassles.

Stay near the Hoi An ancient town

While there are many places to stay in Hoi An, the best way to explore and enjoy Hoi An is on foot or bike. Hence, we felt that the ideal place to stay should be within walking distance to the ancient town and riverside area. The September weather in Hoi An is hot, humid and unpredictable. Once the weather gets too hot in the afternoon, we would seek shelter in a cool cafe or head back to the cool air-con comfort of our nearby hotel to rest before venturing out again in the cooler evening.

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