Impressions from Chiang MaiChiang Mai 
, December 2017
Thailand Backpacking Part II: Chiang Mai, rose of the north
Rambles through the old town, culinary street food stalls, exciting markets and an abandoned prison.
Chiang Mai, rose of the north - Thailand Backpacking Part II
By night train to Chiang Mai
After 13 hours in the night train we reached Thailand's second largest city Chiang Mai in the north of the country.
With the Songthaew (also called Baht Bus) we went from the train station to the historic old town, which is surrounded by a city wall with a moat.
Chiang Mai was our base in the north, from here we started a three-day jungle trekking in the Mae Hong Son province and a multi-day trip to Pai in the north-west.
On a stroll through Chiang Mai we discovered an abandoned prison, we tried our way through the many street food stalls and strolled through the night market.
Highly recommended is a Thai massage at Lila Thai Massage, where former inmates of the women's prison in Chiang Mai are trained as masseuses and then work. This should give them a perspective for the future.
With the Baan Yindee Hostel we found a nice little hostel in the historic old town, where we were always warmly welcomed during our stays in Chiang Mai.