🌿 Northern Thailand Wanderings: From Pai’s Mountain Roads to Mae Wang’s Quiet Charm

 

From the Curves of Pai to the Heart of Chiang Mai

The week started on the winding bus ride from Pai — three hours, 762 bends, and one very queasy stomach later, we finally rolled back into Chiang Mai around 10am. The city greeted us with its usual flurry of sounds and smells. Tuk-tuks honking, vendors shouting and the sweet scent of street food hanging in the air.

We hopped into one of the well known red songthaews to reach the centre, and then went hunting for a yellow bus bound for Mae Wang, where we’d signed up to volunteer teaching English. After a handful of confused conversations, some pointing at Google Maps, and a dose of patience, we found our ride and headed toward the serenity of the countryside.

Lost in Translation in Mae Wang

As soon as we arrived, the usual travel chaos returned. The driver tried to charge double but after standing our ground, we paid the correct fare. Then came the bigger challenge. Nobody at the school seemed to know we were coming! We waited in the café for nearly an hour while they sorted things out, until someone finally waved us over to a quiet bungalow nestled between rice fields and a winding stream.

Despite the rocky start, the setting was idyllic. Lush, green, and so calm it felt like time stood still. The only problem? We wouldn’t actually start teaching until Monday! We’d rushed from Pai to get there for Saturday, but in the end, it worked out perfectly. The unexpected downtime gave us a chance to unwind.

That night, dinner was delivered straight to our bungalow in little containers, but we took it down to the communal area to eat with the other volunteers instead. There were five of them that weekend. All guys, laid-back, and really easy to get along with. After dinner, we all walked together to a local bar to catch England’s football team on TV, though the poor connection meant we saw more buffering than football. The mood stayed light though, the locals were cheerful and curious, and it felt good to just be part of it all. On the walk home, we dodged frogs and laughed into the darkness, before collapsing gratefully onto our thin mattresses.

A Free Day and a Thai Cooking Dream

With our teaching postponed, the next day suddenly became a blank slate. We decided to make it count by heading back into Chiang Mai for a Thai cooking class I’d been wanting to try for ages.

We caught another yellow bus into the city, stopping at a self service laundrette along the way (travel tip: never waste a laundry opportunity). After dropping off our clothes, we met our instructor near McDonald’s for what became one of the highlights of the trip.

The Thai Farm Cooking School was set in a peaceful garden filled with fresh herbs, veggies, and tropical plants. I cooked six dishes in total — spring rolls, coconut chicken soup, pad thai, massaman curry, curry paste, and mango sticky rice. Crushing curry paste by hand was hard work, but the results were worth every bit of effort. Everything tasted amazing and the staff even gave us a recipe book to take home. It was such a lovely touch.

Chiang Mai’s Endless Night Market

When class ended, we still had a bit of evening light left, so we set out to explore the Sunday Night Market at Thapae Gate, easily one of Chiang Mai’s best. It went on forever with endless stalls, selling street food, handmade crafts, and clothes, with performers and locals filling the air with laughter and music.

We wandered for hours, completely absorbed, until we realised we’d lost track of time and missed the last yellow bus to Mae Wang. Cue mild panic!

We stood at the bus stop for a while before a kind pharmacist came to our rescue, letting us use their Wi-Fi and asking around for us. After a bit of GPS magic and a few false starts, I managed to book a Grab taxi to take us all the way back to Mae Wang. It was pricier than the bus, but necessary and honestly, it felt like part of the adventure.

Back Just in Time for the Party

We arrived back around 9pm to find the World Cup Final party already in full swing. There was barbecue, loud music, laughter, and — of course — lots of whiskey. We joined in, chatted with everyone, and soaked up the fun without overdoing it.

The night drifted on, full of warm moments and new faces. Eventually, around 1:30am, we called it a night and wandered back to our little bungalow, tired but so content.

Looking Back

These first few days in Mae Wang were unpredictable in the best way. Equally chaotic, peaceful and heart warming. Between the bus rides, the confusion, the laughter, and the late night whiskey fuelled parties, this tiny corner of Thailand stole our hearts.

Sometimes the most memorable travel moments are the ones that don’t go to plan and this week was living proof of that. 💛

🌿 A Week in Chiang Mai: Teaching, Waterparks & Elephants

Welcome to Ban Bon Doi

Our arrival at Ban Bon Doi, just outside Chiang Mai, marked the beginning of something special. A week blending volunteering, new friendships, and unforgettable adventures.

Our first day of teaching didn’t actually involve lessons until evening, which meant one glorious, lazy morning to adapt to the still rhythm of northern Thailand.

We woke around 9 a.m. and wandered to the communal area for breakfast , lingering over tea with no rush at all. I sat on the porch writing, while Joe caught up on notes from the journey so far.

Lunch came early at 11:30 a.m. as part of our included teaching package, served with laughter and chatter among the volunteers. Afterward, the heat eventually pushed us back into the bungalow for an afternoon nap.

By early evening, our first Skype teaching sessions began. One-on-one English conversations, friendly and casual, filled the evening air. Despite the spotty Wi-Fi, it was easier than expected to connect with students halfway across the world.

At 10 p.m., five lessons later, our “school day” ended. We filled in lesson notes, handed the laptops back to Cake, our lovely coordinator and joined the others on the communal porch for late night card games. The day ended around 12:30 a.m., laughter echoing into the quiet hills.

🌸 Tuesday: Settling Into the Routine

Tuesday flowed in the same soft rhythm. We woke late again, had breakfast and tried to stay cool in the building heat. The fan barely made a difference.

Lunch appeared at noon, buffet-style — rice, vegetables, simple comfort food. I napped again afterward (a theme of the week) while Joe organized photos. Afternoon rain cooled the air and lifted everyone’s mood.

By 4:30 p.m., we checked in for another night of teaching. My first class began at 6:50 p.m., Joe’s at 7:30. Dinner that night was fiery — spices dialled up to the extreme — but we didn’t mind. Teaching that evening ran smoothly. The students were friendly, curious, and conversational.

The night ended just like the one before: lessons, laughter, and card games under the whirring fan on the porch.

🌤️ Wednesday: Cafés, Storms & Frogs

Determined to add variety to our quiet routine, we planned to visit Chiang Mai’s Grand Canyon Waterpark. But cloud and drizzle changed our minds. Instead, we explored Mae Wang, a nearby town within walking distance.

The half hour stroll took us through quiet lanes lined with palms and small houses. We found a cosy café, ordered cold drinks and played cards for an hour before realising there was no toilet — typical Thailand moment!

Back at Ban Bon Doi, lunch arrived at 1:30 p.m., late but worth the wait. Soon after, the sky darkened again and we found ourselves huddled in the bungalow as thunder cracked and lightning hit somewhere alarmingly close.

That evening’s classes went well despite dodgy Wi-Fi. At one point, I had to run through the rain to find Cake, our coordinator, to help me connect with a student. Frogs croaked loudly outside — the soundtrack of the night.

By midnight, we were dry again and laughing with everyone under the soft glow of fairy lights.

💦 Thursday: The Grand Canyon Adventure

Our final day at Ban Bon Doi began with determination: we were going to the waterpark, rain or shine.

We woke at 8 a.m., gathered a group of volunteers — Jimmy, Austin, Megan, Ana, Bjorn — and set off together. After a few taxi misfires, we piled into one truck and headed to Chiang Mai’s Grand Canyon Waterpark.

The park was enormous: floating inflatables, slides, jumps, and the infamous “blob” — a giant air pillow that launches you sky high when someone jumps on the other end.

Joe became our team daredevil, testing every obstacle first. I was less graceful, tumbling into the water more than once. My first blob attempt barely lifted me; the second failed, too. But the third — with two lifeguards jumping together — sent me soaring through the air! I laughed all the way down.

After hours of play, we enjoyed the zip line (fun, but my legs didn’t appreciate the harness). Clouds rolled in as we left, and a kind driver waited while we grabbed snacks before the storm hit.

Back at Ban Bon Doi, the evening brought our final lessons. One of my students was only eight years old — full of energy but easily distracted. I said goodbye to my other regular students, even adding one on Facebook to stay in touch.

That night, surrounded by half packed bags and the sound of falling rain, we stayed up late — sore, happy and so very content.

🐘 Friday: Elephants, Mud Spas & Waterfalls

Our alarm rang at 8 a.m. for an experience I had dreamed about for years — meeting Thailand’s elephants.

After breakfast and heartfelt goodbyes to our new friends, our pickup arrived at 9:30 a.m. We stopped briefly at a local market for supplies before winding up through green hills toward the elephant sanctuary.

We stepped into a clearing where elephants grazed — among them Dow, a gentle pregnant elephant whose belly swayed with each step.

Our first task was to prepare their food: chopping sugarcane and breaking bananas off their stalks. Feeding them was surreal — passing fruit to the tip of a trunk or tossing it gently with the word “Bon Bon!” (“open up”).

After lunch of chicken and rice, we made elephant medicine balls with sticky rice, bananas, and tamarind — a natural digestif. The elephants didn’t wait long before gobbling them down!

Then came the absolute highlight: the mud spa. We slathered the elephants (and each other) in thick cool mud, laughing as they rolled around. From there, we moved into the stream to wash them — a mix of splashing water, laughter, and awe.

As the elephants wandered back into the jungle, we followed a small trail to Mae Sa Pok Waterfall. The air was cooler, the cascading water echoing softly through the forest.

By evening, we were on the long ride back to Chiang Mai — tired, muddy, hungry, and filled with joy. Dinner from a street stall was the perfect ending before boarding our 7:45 p.m. bus to Bangkok.

🌺 Reflections

Though we never saw much of Chiang Mai city itself, our time at Ban Bon Doi was rich with meaning.

We taught English to curious minds online, learned patience and simplicity and created deep bonds with people from all over the world. Between lazy porch mornings, tropical storms, wild laughter and encounters with elephants, I found something peaceful in the rhythm of this place.

When we packed up and waved goodbye, I felt genuinely sad to leave — proof that this little volunteer project had become something far more personal.

Travel has a way of reshaping the way we move, connect and see the world.
Chiang Mai reminded me that slowing down doesn’t mean doing less — it means feeling more.

Volunteering at Ban Bon Doi gave me perspective: teaching English through a laptop may seem simple, but the moments shared — even across patchy Wi-Fi — become small windows into lives you’d never otherwise touch.

Thank you, Chiang Mai. You gave us sunshine, storms and everything in between. 🌦️

If you’ve ever been to Chiang Mai or Mae Wang, I’d love to hear your stories in the comments below — especially if you’ve managed to master a killer  massaman curry!

Take a look at the more detailed journal (inc. photos)