woman with elephant at chiang mai elephant sanctuary

Spending Two Nights in the Jungle at the Best Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai

Posted on by Krystal
Being able to spend time with elephants was one of, if not the main reason for my trip to Thailand. Along with participating in the Chiang Mai lantern festival, visiting an elephant sanctuary was what sparked my interest in the country from the very beginning. Trying to find the best elephant sanctuary can be hard, so I want to tell you all the reasons I loved the one I chose. I wanted to see elephants...more
slow boats docked on mekong river

Everything You Need to Know About Traveling By Slow Boat from Thailand to Luang Prabang

Posted on by Krystal
Before I started really planning a trip to Southeast Asia, I only knew a few things I definitely wanted to do on my first trip: go to the Lantern Festival, eat spicy noodles, see elephants up close for the first time in my life, and travel by slow boat to Luang Prabang from Thailand. Although a slow boat down the Mekong river isn't the quickest way to travel from Thailand to Laos, it is cheap...more
colorful alley in chiang mai

What to Do in Chiang Mai and Why It Is One of My Favorite Cities in the World

Posted on by Krystal
I arrived in Chiang Mai after a few rough days in Bangkok, feeling gun shy, reserved, and only slightly hopeful. Climbing into a songthaew from the train station, I crossed my fingers to avoid any similar conflicts I had in Southern Thailand. I had so many things on my list of what to do in Chiang Mai, I had to keep a positive attitude. The first experience we had with a songthaew left me feeling...more
lanterns floating over temple in chiang mai

The Cheapest and Easiest Way to Celebrate the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival (Including a Pro/Con List)

Posted on by Krystal
When I first began planning my trip to Southeast Asia, it all revolved around two things. Seeing elephants up close for the first time and experiencing the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival. I, just like hundreds of thousands of other people, saw the photos and videos captured of countless paper lanterns ascending into the sky and thought I want to be a part of that. I began rummaging the Internet for information. How, when and where...more