THAILAND'S northern city is spectacular to explore – and you’ll eat like a queen for just a few quid too, says writer Qin Xie. It’s an odd sensation to feel sick and exhilarated at the same time. But having spent an hour huffing and puffing my way up Doi Suthep mountain on the well-trodden Monk’s Trail, I’m now wowed by an impossibly pretty view of Chiang Mai city .
My vantage point is a small waterfall just outside Wat Pha Lat temple, where there’s an ornamental infinity pool. As I look out, I get a perfect mirror reflection of the blue sky above and jungly forest all around. The stuff of Instagrammers’ dreams, it’s bliss.
Even better, there are photogenic spots and short hikes like this all over northern Thailand , and many are within easy reach of Chiang Mai. Read More on Travel To get on the Monk’s Trail, for example, it’s a 30-minute cab ride from my hotel, the InterContinental Chiang Mai The Mae Ping. And even though it’s on the other side of the city, the journey costs me less than £2.
Because that’s the other great thing about this destination: it’s super-affordable. SPIRIT IN THE SKY When I was planning my trip, Chiang Mai’s stunning Buddhist temples were what drew me in. Most read in Beach holidays Between the 13th and 17th centuries, the city was the capital of the fantastically wealthy Lanna Kingdom, so all of its temples were richly decorated with gold.
I head for the most revered one, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Located at the highest .