Where did I stay? Stamps!
My home base in Chiang Mai was Stamps, a hostel that was brimming with energy, laughter, and nightly events that brought people together in such creative ways! One night, the organizers put on a mock squid games and I ended up meeting some wonderful people who made Chiang Mai even more memorable. The location was quite central and surrounded by delicious local eateries and coffee shops. The rooms were surprisingly private and cozy, it almost felt like I had my own room! I highly recommend stamps in Chiang Mai.
My First Meal! Khao Soi
What better way to kick off Chiang Mai than with its most iconic dish? Khao Soi is a creamy coconut milk curry with egg noodles, crispy noodle topping, pickled mustard greens, lime, herbs, and tender chicken. I devoured mine while chatting with new friends Laura (who was in my room at Stamps) and Babette about politics in the Netherlands, Germany, and the U.S and how it is all quite intertwined. Sharing the moments with new friends made the experience eating Khao Soi that much better.
Sticky Waterfalls 🌿
Imagine climbing up a waterfall barefoot without the worry of slipping and falling on your head. That’s Sticky Waterfalls! The rocks grip your feet like guardians while water flows between your toes. Our little crew (Laura, Babette, Abby (my friend that I met in Bangkok), Sven, and me) took a tuk tuk out there and we passed the time by playing various games and asking questions about each other. We stopped by a 7-11 and loaded up on snacks before embarking onto the waterfall. We took many pictures and cheered each other on as we made our way up and down the flowing falls. After climbing, we stumbled across a peaceful sanctuary nearby — no crowds, just sunlight, swings, and quiet. We laid back in the sunbeams, soaked it in, and felt that subtle reminder: solo travel doesn’t mean you always have to be alone. Some things are just better shared.
Joy Elephant Sanctuary 🐘
Visiting Joy Elephant Sanctuary was deeply meaningful. I made it a priority to go somewhere ethical. no riding, no bathing — just respectful observation. The guides educated us on the elephants’ welfare, stressing the importance of letting them live freely and without coercion. We fed them juicy green cantaloupes, snapped photos from a safe distance, and followed them on a mountain walk.
Later, we made Thai herbal inhalers with crushed spices and Borneo oil — the scent filling the air as pestles clinked against mortars. We wrapped up the day with Pad Thai and fruit while watching elephants roam near a waterfall. Among our group were two French girls and a solo traveler from Japan — a rare find, given how solo travel isn’t the norm there. We connected and shared stories and laughter. I found that she lives in Tokyo and has her own bagel shop! Thank you, Joy Sanctuary. It was so lovely to visit you and learn about how you protect our Elephant friends.
Thai Cottage Cooking Class 🍲
Cooking is one of my love languages, so I jumped at the chance to take a class through my hostel. We rode in a tuk tuk to the local market, gathered fresh ingredients, and made our way to a homey kitchen space where we each chose our own dishes. I went with tom yum soup, pad thai, and peanut-based panang curry. (Grinding those spices? Heaven.)
Sleep-deprived but happy, I laughed every time the teacher caught me zoning out: “YOUUUU!” she’d shout with a grin. For dessert, we made mango sticky rice with pandan and butterfly pea flavorings — a colorful, dreamy end to the meal. Our group (a sweet Irish couple, two Dutch girls, an Aussie, and a few French girls) bonded over our food creations and tuk tuk rides back. Cozy, hilarious, and absolutely delicious.
Haircuts & Fruit Smoothies
I got a haircut in Chiang Mai and it was clean, professional, and only about $10. The little luxuries of travel! Also, I HAVE to talk about the fruit smoothie. Chiang Mai was smoothie heaven. Southeast Asia just has the most delicious fruit and I will die on that hill! My favorite routine became grabbing a smoothie in the morning and strolling through charming neighborhoods and taking everything in.
The Flower Festival
One of the final highlights was the Flower Festival, which I checked out with Laura. The streets came alive with color — elaborate floats made entirely from fresh blooms, petals sculpted into dragons, temples, and animals. I loved seeing the creativity of the floats and wondering what each one represented!
Final Thoughts
Chiang Mai was more than a stop on the map — it was a place of shared meals, new friendships, lessons in ethics, laughter through sleepy eyes, and deep connection to people and place.
Thank you, Chiang Mai, for my time here. I’ll never forget it.
LeilaniPoetryTravels 