I have always heard people talking about how beautiful Chiang Mai city can be during the winter season. This year I decided to go and see for myself. For one week, I was going to immerse myself in the city, discover beautiful people, taste great food and have one of the greatest times of my life!
The first thing I noticed when landing at Chiang Mai airport was how green and mountainous the surrounding area is, and how cool the weather felt.
After I checked-in at my hotel room, I decided to go for a walk in the old city. With stunning ancient temples and tempting fresh coffee shops at every corner, the old city is the perfect place to spend the afternoon. I wanted to discover more about the city’s history and so I decided to go on a Segway Gibbon Tour.
When I arrived at the Segway Gibbon’s office, I was welcome by Lek, our captain (read guide). He introduced me to Jane and Mickael, the other two visitors on our trip, and to Nueng, the other captain. After 15 minutes of briefing and warm-up on Thapae place, we were all very confident with our segways and ready to ride.
I wasn’t wrong about choosing this tour with Segway Gibbon; it is the greatest way to discover the old city! Lek and Nueng took us on a two hour trip through the streets and little lanes of Chiang Mai. They were fun and always ready to tell us stories about local culture and traditions. Gliding through the streets of Chiang Mai, we stopped at the Three Kings Monument where we learned about the 700 year old history of the city and the Lanna culture. We then visited four temples, one which was built from teak wood and was one of Chiang Mai oldest temples (Wat Pan Tao). Another fun discovery was Suan Buak Hat Park, a lovely garden with a large pond, where locals do early morning exercises. Lek told us that everyday, from 5pm, men play a sport call “tacor”; it looks like volleyball but players use their feet instead of hands. It’s fun to watch and everyone is welcome to join.
While gliding on our Segway, we passed the old city walls. There are many stories behind these walls and Lek is a specialist in sharing them.
Our tour ended with a final stop in a cafe, where refreshments and snacks were waiting for us. We had the opportunity to talk a little more and exchange our experiences. Not only did we learn about Chiang Mai and its culture but we made new friends too.
The next day, I was up for new adventures in Chiang Mai, but Segway Gibbon was definitely one of the most fabulous experiences I had!
SEGWAY GIBBON :
Office at Thapae Place. Chiang Mai.
Tel. 053-010 660-3
www.segwaygibbon.com
